Me, Wayne and H from the Islay trip earlier in the year fancied a weekend camping/fishing somewhere in Yorkshire and I knew of a nice area to try where I had previously been but not fished. We decided to fish the River Nidd in North Yorks. we would fish the day ticket stretches that ranged from Summerbridge to Pateley Bridge and further up river. After much faffing about with campsites on the phone (I detected a bit of the anti scouse when enquiring at one campsite) we found a fab place to stay at Studfold Campsite.
I met Wayne and H at Huntleys Farm Shop in Samlesbury off the A59 and stocked us all up on some butties and then we were on our way.
When we finally arrived in Pately Bridge to get our tickets I realised that I had forgotten my Rod Licence and so had H and the post office would not issue our tickets without them - Schoolboy error!! Well the laptop was out on the boot of the car searching for my confirmation and finally had to ring the EA and they confirmed that we did both have a licence. Panic over and still time to get some fishing in before it went dark- Boss!! Well time if we found the campsite and got the tent up in time.
My arse
Finally up and we can go fish
Haha Wayne's tent
After getting the tent up and having a little scran we got our resy gear out and drove off to Scar House Reservoir. Driving down the track to the water we were greeted by about 100 rabbits running down the hill in front of the van,. It was quite a sight to see and H wished he has his air rifle with him as even he couldn't miss in that crowd (just point and aim and one would get hit) Scar House is a large water and we had no boat and only a couple of hours until sunset. Plan of action was to park up and fish close to the dam wall where we could see rising fish. We all fished a duo as there was a bit of a cross wind and we would have been tangled up pretty quick with 3 on. I put an LTD Sedge on the dropper and a bibio on the point. 1st cast a boil around the sedge, strike and nothing.
The only thing we got lucky with was plenty of kisses of the midges.
Scar House Res
Scar House Res
Anyway it was nice to get out onto the water for a bit and we really came to fish the river. We headed back to camp, ate, drank lots of whisk, smoked cigars and played poker - class end to the day.
The Orvis Boys!!
Romeo y Julieta
Auchentoshan Bordeaux Barrel
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Next day we started fishing the Nidd just by the cricket ground at Summerbridge. It was quick fast moving water at the start which gave way to a nice current and overhanging tree and something that we could get a dry to without much drag. We all picked up trout on this stretch and fished a little further up river until the day ticket stretch ran out. We then jumped into the cars and drove to glasshouses, parked up and then walked to the next day ticket stretch. It was a very deep slow moving section from what i can remember and again we all picked trout up on small dries - Sedge, klinkhammers, F fly's. with it being school holidays people were out in their numbers and it was only inevitable that I would have a run in with the local teenagers after a few rocks fizzed passed my head!! Moving swiftly on we continued to fish this stretch picking up the odd fish under the over hanging trees. We jump out, get back, shower and then the local pub (famous for barring local resident Janet Street-Porter)
The Nidd at Summer Bridge
Nice!!
Boss Swim!!
After Hearing the pitter patter of rain on our tents on the Sunday morning I thought we could be rained off but it suddenly gave way for glorious skies. We headed into Pateley Bridge and fished the section up river from the Town. This looked more like it, it was more like a true river shallow quick runs with nice slack deeper sections where you would expect to pick up grayling from. We waded up river nymphing today but still nothing. We began to question ourselves and carried on quietly. then we saw the huge weir with a big deep pool at the bottom - out eyes lit up. I fished a rubber legged nymph on the point and a smalled beitis type nymph on the dropper - 2 cast and a fish!!! being fairly new to river fishing started to give the fish some stick when i should have just let it come, i saw a big flash of silver and then it was off. There goes my Grayling on the Nidd!!
Yes we scaled that!!
By this point H had scaled the weir and began fishing dries at the top and successfully landed a few.
From here on it was all dry fly section and we picked up 7-10 trout each on the afternoon until it was time to go home.
A great weekend had by all and a good laugh too. I think in 2013 we will have a camping trip on the Eden or Ure.
Tight Lines
Tim
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