You can tell that it's the season of goodwill when someone unexpectedly offers gifts out of the blue.  Father Christmas arrived early for the Manchester Angler's in the guise of the Wild Trout Trust.  I got an email from the WTT projects officer asking if we had any habitat projects in planning that they might support.  I duly replied with details of the work we have planned for Cam Beck and on Wednesday last week got a further email offering to pay for all the tools and equipment we might need plus a further substantial sum to assist with the cost of training for our habitat survey and professional advice on constructing the flood gate at Nanny Carr.  A brilliant start to the festive season and warmest thanks to the Trust and their generous sponsors. 

It's now turned cold and dry after a dismally wet autumn.  Much fog last week and I thought that a wander up to Dale Mire (known locally as Drain Mires) to see if the trout were spawning was long over due.  No trout, but a few other species were noted.  The tally for the morning was:

    Duck - 4
    Swans - 2
    Golden eye - 6
    Snipe - 1
    Sheep - Lots and complaining bitterly about the fog
    Cormorants - 2 (2 too many)
    People - None (perfect)

So, pretty quiet and a really uplifting wander in conditions where the landscape was bathed in a soft white glow.  A photographers dream.

An email arrived yesterday that might interest some.  The Farming and Wildlife Advisory group have arranged a training day on the subject of Managing Watercourses for Wild Trout.  This will take place on 24 May next year presented by Simon Johnson of the Wild Trout Trust in conjunction with the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust and will be held at Bolton Abbey on the Wharfe.  I will post up further details when I get them, but in the past these FWAG events have proved immensely informative and worthwhile and as they are free they are great value for money.

Finally, a slight departure from the fishing slant but did you see a programme on Channel 4 on Thursday about a 16th Century banquet? This was held at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire on the river Wye and featured a short clip on fly fishing for trout using equipment and techniques current at the time.  No trout were caught but it was interesting to see just how little things have changed in some respects over the past 400 years.  Also interesting was the fact that Haddon is the fishery managed by Warren Slaney who first got me hooked on wild trout habitat restoration and who has been so influential in shaping the way in which the MAA plans to manage its waters in future.

Merry Christmas and I hope that Santa brings all those indispensable fishing gizmo's that will make such a difference to your catches next season.

Ian