Leaving the New Forest behind, my mind turned to my next trip, supposedly a visit to the Wye hoping it would give up its first double figure barbel. With the rivers in the fields a rethink was needed and I decided to head to Ellerdine trout fishery for a spot of fluff-chucking. Mr. Fisher was joining proceedings, and having never tried fly-fishing before it would give me a chance to introduce him to the sport.
Famed as a big-fish water, but also holding tigers and spartics which I had never fished for, I had hopes of catching something special. In reality when visiting a new water, and especially with a beginner to thrash the water to a foam, any fish on the bank would be a success.
Given the travel distance to the wrong side of Telford, it seemed rude not to call in at Ironbridge to watch the sun rise. It didn't quite turn out as planned, arriving a little late with both the access roads and footpaths around the bridge closed by flooding. Still, with a little perseverance I managed to find my way safely down to a part-flooded towpath to capture the last hint of golden hue on the ironwork and mist rising from the river.
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| Ironbridge. A venue I hope to fish some day. |
Navigating my way onwards to Ellerdine proved equally tricky with a number of deep floods blocking access. After a few detours I found my way onto the long gravel track leading across the fields. The fishery is properly tucked away in the Shropshire countryside and you'd never stumble across it by accident. The fishery comprises four pools, the smallest of which is catch and dispatch only. The pool immediately in front of the lake is open water with bays of flag iris and rushes along the left hand bank. Two spurs at the far end provide natural holding spots for feeding fish. There is a reasonable depth against the bank and trout can be caught immediately against it.
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| Ellerdine - 4 lakes, each stuffed with an array of trout |
The second pool beyond the front plane of the lodge is dominated by islands which forming its snake-like arrangement with one deeper open section of water at the far left-hand side. This water reputably holds an upper-20lb blue trout which was stocked but never caught. The third and largest pool is located to the rear of the lodge with a central island running down it's length at 'just about' casting distance. The fourth pool, also behind the lodge is the smallest and being catch and dispatch is presumably mostly populated with stockies.
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| Drifting - Letting the wind do the work is a great way to rest weary arms. |
We spent the first hour introducing Nick to the basics, a simple single haul cast and the important mantra that you don't need to cast any further than a single rod length. I remember when someone taught me the latter, I nodded obligingly but didn't really believe it given I could always see fish rising just out of my reach. It's absolutely true however and you're far more likely to catch in the margins than anywhere else. These days my first few casts in any particular swim are to check whether there's anything lurking against the bank. More often than not, there is!
Nick caught early doors, with possibly the most comedic 'first fish' I've witnessed - a perch so small it had barely begun to form it's body shape. It was barely bigger than the white snake he was fishing with! Still, you've got to love greedy, ambitious fish. If I was a tiny perch in a water filled with hungry fry-bashing trout I'd probably try to eat anything that moved too. Quick! Get bigger! Get bigger!
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| "It was this big" Possibly the smallest perch ever landed on a 2" snake... |
The water seemed to be in a funny mood and not many were catching. I managed a couple of small but welcome trout on an olive damsel and cats whisker respectively, but Nick struggled to connect. He was fishing with my floating 7 wt, whilst I fished on an intermediate 5 wt. I've since learnt that fish at Ellerdine seem to prefer a sinking line. You don't see a huge amount of rises, so this also supports the view that the fish perhaps feed on aquatic life a little deeper in the water column.
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| Poised for a tug... |
Another greedy perch followed before we departed for a warm pub (the Ugly Duckling - purveyors of a truly amazing sharing platter!). I gifted the trout to Nick to take home and cook for the family. He had obviously enjoyed a spot of fluff chucking as he very shortly afterwards invested in a a fly rod! Next time I'll set him up fishing under the bung so he can feel the joy of fighting an angry trout attached to a fly line. There's nothing really quite like it!
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