I had my third outing yesterday. On my first two visits I saw no rising fish but I did catch a reasonable trout on the Piddle using the fly of last resort; the pheasant tail gold head nymph. Yesterday was better. The weather conditions were ideal and a few grannom were about. If the fish were a bit reluctant to show the same cannot be said of DFC members. I met six others as a I wandered between lower Bockhampton to the top of the middle stretch above Grey’s Bridge and then back down again. I must have spent half of my time chatting to them on the state of the fishing, the merits of various rods and reels and the meaning of life.
A few fish were rising on the lower stretch, mainly small trout and grayling. I saw nothing above Grey’s Bridge and the same for the Stinsford side stream. I noticed that the brick bank wall has partly collapsed at ten hatches and the girders that used to support the hatches for the main river have quite an incline. This will present an even greater challenge to the more athletic members who cross the river by doing a high wire walk across the top of the girders.
The fish in the net was caught in the late afternoon in one of the new pools that John Aplin created on the lower Bockhampton stretch. The sky had cleared and the heat of the sun brought out a few more grannom and one or two trout began to rise. As usual I was fishing a size 16 Greenwell. One day I must try one of these new fangled CDC flies. It was very satisfying to catch a half decent fish on the dry fly without having to resort to the chuck it and hope gold head nymph. Perhaps the fish have at last realised that spring has arrived.
Cheers,
Jim
The Club is a private one, founded in 1877, of approximately sixty-four members and six Town Rod subscribers. The Club’s waters consist of about 12 miles of wild brown trout & grayling fishing in the main River Frome, River Cerne and River Piddle, together with attendant carriers and side streams. The waters extend both above and below the town of Dorchester and the Club employs a part-time keeper.
Price £60 per ticket per day or three days for £120
Day Tickets are only available during the trout season and only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays & Bank Holidays. (season 1st April – 14th October)
The Police have made it quite clear that poaching is a crime in progress covered by the 1968 Theft Act. Members should always call 999 to report it and not phone the keeper. Without a report the police will not be aware of the extent of a problem.
If possible note or photo vehicles.
Stress if you are vulnerable/elderly or at risk of intimidation..
In order to give the call handler an accurate location they recommend putting the “what3words” app on your smartphone. Click here…
Angling’s representative body, the Angling Trust, has a web site for anglers to record sightings of cormorants, goosanders and mergansers throughout the UK: www.cormorantwatch.com The site is easy to use and will gather vital data to help persuade government of the need for action to protect fisheries.
Invasive plants and animals can carry diseases that kill fish, block waterways and banks, interfering with fishing. They can be small and hard to spot, so are easily spread on damp clothing and equipment.
Protect the environment and fishing you enjoy, by keeping your kit free of invasive plants and animals.
To find out more please visit
the NNSS Website