Willow Islands
A lovely Autumnal day and a chance to fish the Upper water, also to see all the work the River Keeper has been doing. He is working with the Dorset Wildlife Trust on this enhancement work project. He and his team have been busily installing new willow islands and flow deflectors.
I only viewed those below the Withy Bed and after a good winters flood they will start to do there work, providing the trout with more riffle runs and fresh gravels to spawn.
The fishing was hard because I had three swans determined to fight wherever I was, but caught a nice grayling and a few small trout on the dry. After slowly making my way upstream I suddenly realised that I had herded 40-60 trout and grayling into one small pool and all were very, very skittish. This seems to happen every September in the low and crystal clear water.. Also saw a grey squirrel jump from a 3 foot bank, belly flop into the river and then calmly swam across – amazing!
The Club
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.
