River Douglas 12 Jul 15

It's over a month since I last fished the Douglas and even with the overnight rain I was sure that it would be fishable, and it was. At first I thought that it was as low as last month, until I realised that I could not see the  'coffin shaped' concrete slab that's in the river just below the foot bridge.

  It's still there but under water. so the river was up a few inches, but running clear.

 This is usually a small dam but not today. I decided to walk down river to the golf club and then dry fly back up. To begin with I followed the path, but not for far.

 The path is in there somewhere, but I was having problems finding it, it didn't help that the undergrowth was wet

 It looks as though I am the only one that's been through here for a while.

 Still no sign of the path.

One or two rises, left them for the way back up.

Took some time but I made it to the pool by the golf club, had a sit down as I was hot and knackered.

After all the effort the pool wasn't fishable, to over grown and to deep to wade.

 On my way back up.

 and at last I had a fish, a good one too.

Not sure what was wrong with it's nose, looked like some kind of fungus. Did not stop it fighting and jumping and having to be dug out of the weed.

Apart from the nose, a lovely fish.

After a couple of misses had a good fish in the net from the top left of this pool. Tried to unhook and photograph it in the middle of the river and did my usual, let it slip from my hand. Getting to be a habit dropping them back in.

 One rising by the bank top left put it down a couple of times, then waited until it came up again.

 Third time lucky, worth waiting for.

 Nice bit of water with again a riser, trouble was behind me though.

 Not much room for the back cast, still managed to catch a medium one, let it slip back in again.


Next one was a surprise, big fish but not a trout.

 Biggest chub I have caught in the Douglas, biggest chub I have caught anywhere to be truthful.

 And then 2 more a bit further up, not as big as the first though.

 Still, pleased to be catching.

Doesn't look to happy in the picture, but went back OK. Came from the pool below.

 Wading up through the weed was hard work. I got out of the water and walked up above the foot bridge.

Back in the water.

Not as slim as it looks and put it on the bank to photograph, No slip this time.

There was what looked like a dozen fish rising where the river bends. Fish came to to look at the fly but I just couldn't seem to hook any until I finally I netted this one.

Did a mention I was using an Adams dry fly, there it is in the lip.

Nice fish from here, even got it in the net and unhooked before it slipped from my hand and again no photo.

Enough is enough out the water and back to the car.