It's a stunning morning here in the valley.  Early on we had a mist down on the river that gradually thinned as it climbed the hills and gave a soft almost iridescent light as the sun broke through.  Add a heavy dew and crisp feel to the air and you have an almost perfect autumn morning.  All it needed was the smell of wood smoke and cooking bacon. Wonderful.

We had a classic illustration yesterday afternoon of the principle that in game fishing the only true theory about catching fish is that there is no true theory.  Alan Maden dropped by to catch up with things, tell me about his trip to Lewis and try the river for a sea trout.  A great time was had by all on Lewis with a good bag of salmon and sea trout, much good company and a dolphin experience of a lifetime.  About an hour after he left me Alan was back to tell of the 6 and a half pound cock salmon he had just landed by the rock pool.  Now, the river is low with very little flow and one would have thought that the chance of a salmon on that water would be nil.  Yet, there it was, in good condition and ready to take a fly intended for a sea trout. It just goes to show - you never know!

It's the last day of the trout season today but if we get some rain soon then the river will still be worth a try for  salmon until the 31st and of course the Tarn has only been stocked with rainbows this year so remains open until October 31st.

Ian

    It's a cracking morning here in the valley.  Just a high, light covering of cloud with plenty of diffuse sun and a very light breeze.  The river is still a bit on the low side but conditions are not bad for the final trouting days of the season.

The first fallen leaves are now on the pastures round the house and it really feels like autumn has begun especially as the sloe gin got made yesterday and put down for Christmas.

I can't remember seeing for many years such a crop of berries and fruit on the trees as we have now.  A walk up the river is brightened on even the dullest day by the burning bushes that are the rowans and may trees.  They seem almost overburdened with berries and hawes.  The same is true of my damson tree, enough this year for several bottles of wine.

I'm not sure what the reason is for this super abundance.  Maybe it was the hot, dry summer following the very wet spring and wet back end.  Whatever the reason the dales really do look a picture now and any one contemplating a salmon fishing trip next week should bring a camera.  When the salmon aren't there there will always be plenty to photograph.

I was sorely tempted this week by a property advert for a croft in the far north west of Skye.  6 acres, a trout stream, two building plots, 35 goats, grazing rights on 1000 acres of the Glendale estate, a three bedroomed Victorian house and views to kill for, all for £300k.  Very, very tempting!

Ah well, back to the real world.

Ian

    We had a surprisingly wet night with quite a lot of rain driven on by a strong southerly wind.  Consequently the river is up a bit this morning, probably not enough to make a good salmon water but the last couple of days of trout fishing should be good.  This morning is bright with broken cloud and patchy sunshine.  It's warm and the wind has dropped.  All in all, ideal conditions.

Yesterday I posted up a couple of pictures of Phil's  latest work at the Hatchery.  Look in the Hatchery folder.  All the recent rain has started to fill the crayfish pond so it's obvious that, at least, is watertight.

Received wisdom suggests that I should reduce these postings to once a week during the closed season so from Monday I will begin to wind things down a bit and post updates each Sunday from !5 October.  If we get the money to carry out the project at Nanny Carr's then there will be quite a bit to report so postings may be more frequent as work progresses.  Let's wait and see.

I recently had a contact from a trout conservation body in Toronto, Canada who had found us on the web.  This may lead to an interesting opportunity so watch this space.

Ian

    Another rather grey start to the day with 100% cloud cover.  It's pretty high stuff so no real threat of rain yet.  The wind is negligible so no problems casting on any reach on the river.  It came out bright and sunny for most of yesterday and that seems to be a pattern that's been true of the past few days.  Gloomy start but brighter later.  It gives quite good fishing conditions in the afternoon with a rise at about 2pm.

The spawning channels at the hatchery are now almost complete.  Just the gravel to put in and some tidying up to do.  Then the pipework and buffer dam need to be installed and it's just about done.  I will post up a couple of pictures later.

The cloudiness in the Tarn is certainly of plant origin.  A quick look under the microscope yesterday confirms this, but it's by no means obvious just what the microphyte is.  I suspect that a barley straw treatment this winter will clear it and set things up for much better water conditions next season.  The cause is probably the very hot and dry weather during June and July.  Once the temperature dropped a bit the stuff started to grow exponentially.  It doesn't seem to worry the fish, but analysis of catch data suggests that may be limiting fishing success as the ratio of catch to visit has dropped significantly since the water became cloudy and there are plenty of fish in there.

The Parish Council have decided to hold a public meeting on 5 October at 7pm in the Village Hall to give people a chance to see the plans submitted for the development at Grey Bridge and to voice concerns.  All are very welcome and it would be good to see one or two MAA members there.

Ian

    It started off quite bright and sunny but in the past half hour cloud has built up driven on by a stiffening and chilly north east breeze.  It looks like a wet morning in prospect which may help to lift the river and bring the salmon up over the Foss.

I had some welcome news from the EA yesterday.  Our fencing work at Nanny Carr's does not need consent as it's agricultural fencing and exempt from the usual controls.  I now wait for a response from the National Park and English Nature but as EN have a memorandum of understanding with the EA which means that if one grants consent or exempts a project then it's deemed that the other consents also I don't foresee any problems.  The real sticking point will be the availability of grant funding which is far less generous now since the Chancellor clawed back £10m from DEFRA's rural development budget to pour into the bureaucratic black hole known as the NHS.  So, we wait and see.

It's been a long time since I mentioned the Hatchery.  Truth is progress has been slow here of late for a number of reasons but gravelling out the spawning channels should be done soon so more pictures shortly.

The development at Brants Gyll is even more alarming than first thought.  Hidden away in the tiny detail on one of the plans is a fuller description of the beckside wall.  This appears to be 7 feet high and founded on massive quarry blocks.  I hope that the EA take a keen interest in this as it will have a devastating impact at the foot of the beck and potentially seriously impede the progress of migratory and resident salmonids up this vital spawning beck.  We will see what can be done.

Ian

    It's a rather nondescript sort of morning with plenty of cloud but little sign of rain.  There is no breeze and it's quite warm so it's pretty midgy.  We got plenty of sunshine yesterday which brought some late fly onto the river in the afternoon.

I have been starting to read and absorb the good advice in the Wild Trout Survival guide and it's sobering to realise how much I either don't know or have made potentially wrong assumptions about.  An example is the installation of weirs.  There has been a generally accepted view that properly placed these are a good thing as they hold back water in times of low flow and create scoured pools below them.  Current wisdom suggests that they must always be regarded with a high degree of caution as the disadvantages they can create often outweigh the advantages. 

A much better way of improving in stream conditions is the use of flow deflectors to move the current around and create pools and riffles without impeding either the flow of the river or the passage of fish.  This is a more complex hydrological exercise and I suspect it's one that will require some controlled experiment on our river to see what works and what does not.  The technique appears to have all sorts of potential for creating a wide variety of habitat including scoured gravel for redds and quieter runs where macrophytes such as rununculus may be encouraged to grow.  It will be interesting to identify one or two places to try these ideas once the redds are empty in the spring.

Lots to think about and plan during the closed season.

Ian

    After a rather indifferent start, yesterday turned into a smashing day with plenty of sun.  We kick off today damp and dismal with a stiff east wind just to add interest.  It looks as though it might clear again later so fishing conditions may not be too bad this afternoon.  The river is quite low but perfectly OK for trout fishing and we even had a few flies about in the warm sunshine yesterday afternoon.

More goodies landed on my door mat yesterday.  This time it's the Wild Trout Survival Guide, published by the Wild Trout Trust, sponsored by the EA and written by Vaughan Lewis.  This is an impressive piece of work which sets out a pragmatic and practical approach to the conservation and preservation of brown trout.  The objective of the guide is to ensure that our wild brown trout have a future and each beautifully illustrated section takes one through the key steps necessary to create the variety of habitat that brown trout need at each stage of their life cycle.  There is even local interest since one of the case studies looks at trout breeding on Malham Tarn.  I would encourage any fishermen who cares about the future of his or her sport to get a copy - only £10 from the WTT at www.wildtrout.org.  And why not join the Trust and show real commitment and support for their vital work.

I have now seen the plans for the proposed development at the foot of Brants Gyll.  These are a complete joke (I hope) and a classic example of greed over common sense.  The proposal consists of three, allegedly, 3 bedroomed houses (although the third bedroom at 6ft square is obviously intended for the house elf).  Of great concern to me  is the way in which the beck side has been dealt with. The proposal here is to erect a 3ft high stone wall right on the beck margin which will create a canalised section some 30 yards long with a nice little pinch point just above the bridge abutment.  Anyone who has seen the beck in full spate will know that it rises over 3 ft and the pinch point will have the effect of raising the beck still further, flooding both the development site and the cottage gardens opposite and backing up onto the pastures above.  It will also almost certainly create a scour which will wash out all the substrate over time lowering the beck bed and have an unpredictable effect on the beck above and river confluence below.

As for the design of the houses ,  It's just cheap tat with no attempt at vernacular styling or any imagination exercised in trying to create something that adds to rather than detracts from this key village site.

The Parish Council have opposed the plans and there is a  rapidly growing body of local  anger about the cavalier way in which  this site has been treated by the developer.  We now await the deliberations of the National Park planning committee.

Watch this space

Ian

    It's a rather strange sort of morning.  If I look out the windows to the south it's all bright and sunny with fluffy cloud. To the north it looks angry with dark, threatening cloud and a strange yellow glow.  at present the brightness seems to be winning, but time will tell.  We had a little rain last night.  Not enough to lift the river but sufficient to freshen things up a bit.  The river could do with a lift now as levels are falling too low on the runs and riffles to permit the passage of salmon.

On reading through some of the river reports in the Trout and Salmon magazines that Sammy left me I was struck by the fact that fishing life on the Ribble seems to stop at Settle and there is rarely any mention of conditions higher up.  This, I suppose, is hardly surprising since the waters from Settle to the source are all privately owned and there is very limited guest fishing.  It's always a difficult call deciding just how public you make your club and its activities.  There will always be a need to attract new members especially younger ones but at the same time there is not much point in giving detailed accounts of a fishing water that few can access and besides we now have to be cautious about the malicious activities of the sabs so circumspection is probably the best policy.

This is a shame as the clear message that comes across from these river reports over time is the immense sense of pride and responsibility that anglers feel for the waters that they fish.  Our water courses would be in a dire state if it were not for the actions of anglers and the fact that Britain has some of the cleanest urban and rural rivers in the world is largely due to the political clout of 8 million anglers and the army of dedicated individuals who get stuck in and do things.  Long may it continue.

Yesterday the latest edition of the Cumbria Water Vole Project newsletter landed on my door mat.  These creatures are in rapid decline in England due largely to predation by mink and destruction of habitat.  Yet they provide another vital indicator of the health of our rivers and becks.  It seems that there are still far too few populations of ratty in Cumbria, a situation that is mirrored over the border here in the West Riding.  My ambition is to establish a healthy presence wherever habitat is suitable on the Ribble and it is at Cam Beck so the work we hope to do here will take due regard for the needs of ratty.  I also see that Ruth Dalton who has been project officer at the CWVP is moving on.  I wish you well Ruth and thanks for all your advice.

Ian

    Well, Hurricane Gordon missed us last night.  we had a bit of a wind but nothing out of the ordinary other than a rather tropical temperature.  It's all calm this morning, overcast but bright with the promise of a fine day.  Water levels on the river are dropping now but reports of fishing yesterday were good with a healthy catch of native brownies and salmon parr.  This is heartening since one member brought a guest for his second visit and he was so impressed with his day he will apply to join the MAA.

I was reflecting last night on how quickly the past 4 years have gone since I took on this job and how much has changed in that time in terms of our management of these waters.  What has really struck me is the unfailing kindness and generosity of all those I have had contact with.  Everything from books and equipment freely lent, advice and encouragement given, enthusiasms shared to real practical support.  What really brought this to mind was an email I had from Stephen Hatton of the RCCT who I had contacted seeking advice on who I might approach to give our Craven College students some guidance on fencing.  Stephen came back within minutes with an offer to make available his fencing contractor and to come up himself to make sure that the guy arrived safely in the right place.  I couldn't have asked for more.

Later in the day Sam Wood dropped by with a stack of Trout & Salmon magazines which contain a wealth of articles on the conservation of habitat and preservation of fish stocks.  There are many examples like this over the past few years that make this job a delight and one of unfailing interest.

Ian

    Surprise, surprise.  After all the dire warnings about the weather for today it's actually bright and sunny with a warm southerly breeze this morning.  Ideal fishing conditions.  We are due a stiffer wind later but one can only wait and see what turns up.

We had a very good trip up to Low Birkwith yesterday with an enthusiastic bunch of students who seemed genuinely eager to tackle the rather difficult fencing job at Nanny Carr's.  Consequently I have sent a detailed bid in to YDMT seeking grant funding to do the whole 500 yard stretch including tree planting at the foot of Cam Beck to stabilise the bank here, provide cover and create a small wooded area that will improve the landscape at this point.  We await their decision.

What we will need is a bit of professional advice from an expert fencer when it comes to doing the job.  So if anyone knows someone suitable who would give a few hours for free please let me know.

Ian

    We have a rather grey and gloomy morning here at Horton with the threat of rain to come.  It's unseasonably warm in a southerly breeze and this is possibly a prelude to some pretty bad weather to come over the next 36 hours.  Members planning to fish tomorrow should be aware that we are forecast a storm with severe gales and heavy rain.  So watch the forecast closely as it's not yet certain just how far east this dying hurricane from the Azores will track.  Fingers crossed for my runner beans.

Some of you will know well the old butchers shop site at the foot of Brants Gyll.  This has been up for sale for some time and was recently sold.  There is an emergency Parish Council meeting tonight as the purchaser has just submitted a planning application to erect 3 x 3 bedroomed houses on this tiny site.  I will know more when I see the detailed plans but there is scarcely room for one house of this size here and the impact on the beck at this sensitive site does not bear contemplating.

I will ensure that the EA are fully aware of this proposal, but I think that there will be significant local opposition to this plan.  More later.

I'm off this morning with Craven College to give them a sight of the proposed fencing project at Camm Beck.  Let's hope that they are up for a challenge.

Ian

      It's been a fairly wet night followed by a morning of blustery showers blown along by a stiff westerly wind.  Not the best of fishing conditions.  The good news is that it's showing signs of clearing a bit and patches of blue are now showing in the north west.  The rain has not made an appreciable difference to the river but will have slowed the rate of fall off.

A few weeks ago I did say that I would take up the issue of personal safety with the local constabulary at the next Parish Council meeting.  That was on Monday, the police were invited but failed to show up.  No change there then. So, I will pursue this further at the next opportunity.

The students from Craven College are coming up tomorrow to take a first look at the fencing project around Nanny Carr's at the foot of Camm Beck.  This will be a chance to familiarise them with the scope of the project (if we get the grant) and impress upon them the need for a thoroughly professional job.  We can also iron out all the logistical issues associated with this site such as getting material and equipment up from the farm and how the work will actually be done.

If this all comes off it will give us a better appreciation of how best to tackle some of the more extensive reaches of the river and its side becks that need fencing.  So, fingers crossed.

Finally, I haven't forgotten the Tarn water issue but this is taking a wee bit longer than I anticipated.

Ian

    This morning we have a rather grey and misty start with high cloud and a hint of brightness in the west that may herald sunshine later.  It's almost windless and hence pretty midgy.  The river is now fairly low, but with rain and strong winds forecast for Wednesday levels may be up again by the end of the week.

I spent a very interesting couple of hours yesterday with Dave White up at Low Birkwith looking at all the work he has done along Coppy Gyll.  This is really impressive.  Basically the steep sided gyll has been fenced and the banks planted up with native species of trees.  The whole project has been carried out in a highly professional manner and sets a real benchmark for other work along the river.  We then went down to Nanny Carr's where Camm Beck meets Gayle Beck and the Ribble proper begins.  The whole of this flood prone are a would benefit from fencing and planting to  stabilise the banks and we agreed  that this should be done provided that grant funding can be got from YDMT.

The eventual effect will be to link up two stretches of tree lined bank and create better cover for fish around the deep pool at Nanny Carr.

I waxed lyrical last week about a new book by Chris Yates - How to Fish.  The latest extract in Saturday's Telegraph is another inspiring and evocative piece on fishing by moonlight that really summons up the sights, sounds and smells of a river at night.  You really have to buy this book if you are passionate about fishing, but be warned reading it will make the closed season seem even longer as it will make the feet itch even more intensely to be back on the river bank again.

Finally, my piece for the Parish News on sea trout may be of interest to some sot it's attached.

Ian

    It's a rather misty and grey morning with just a hint of blue beyond the mist that promises a brighter day later.  We had a plague of thunder flies last evening in the warm, still conditions that developed during the day.  These seemed to encourage a bit of a rise on the river despite the rather oppressive conditions.

Water levels are dropping off quite quickly now but the river remains fishable and who knows what lurks in the big pools below Horton after the recent spate.

I have just written a short article on sea trout for the Parish Newsletter.  This is based on an excellent description of this enigmatic trout on the website of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (www.atlanticsalmontrust.org).  This website is well worth a look for anyone interested in the well being of migratory salmonids.  I have now done about 15 articles for the newsletter really with the purpose of helping to connect the people of Horton with life on their river and to present the MAA to locals in a favourable light.  They seem to be appreciated judging by the number of times I'm stopped in the village or phoned by people wishing to discuss something that I've written or pass on their observations of something on the river that they would like me to comment on.  It all helps to maintain a watch on the river for anything out of the ordinary.

Ian

    Another cracking morning with just a hint of autumn mist and the promise of a fine, sunny day with only a light, warm southerly breeze.  A bit bright for good fishing, but the river is in great condition with a good flow and crystal clear water.

More rain is promised for Monday so conditions should hold up for most of next week.

My musings about the condition of the Tarn prompted a very interesting email from Mike Howarth who speculates about the cause of the cloudy conditions.   His observation is that the act of pulling up the anchor when fishing from the boat releases a massive cloud of detritus from the bed which takes a long time to disperse.  His research of the 'net' leads him to speculate whether the problem is either myriophyllium aquaticum or watermillfoil?  I simply don't know but some physical research over the weekend may give me a better idea.

Mike ponders the idea that we should have some hidden anchor points, similar to the old anchorages for the barley straw but less intrusive.  It may be that we should repeat the barley straw treatment this winter anyway to help to elevate problems next year.

Further thoughts would be welcome.

One final thought from the RFA meeting concerns the issue of health and safety.  My personal view is that we are all sentient beings and well able to assess risk for ourselves and consider mitigations without the dead hand of the health and safety 'police' but there are risks both obvious and less apparent that are specific to individual beats and particular stretches of water and it may be appropriate to give members, particularly new members unfamiliar with the Ribble and the Tarn some guidance.  I shall come back to this after consulting Council.

Take care and good fishing.

Ian

    Ye Gods did it rain yesterday.  It finally stopped at about 4pm after a final flourish that left Horton looking like Bombay in the monsoon but without the heat and flies.  As a consequence we now have a good salmon water on this bright and sunny morning and the prospect of good fishing throughout the fishery for the next couple of days.

I have finally managed to open the wooden box holding my antique Watson microscope (my neighbour managed to lose the bunch of keys that holds the one that fits the lock) so I can have a closer look at what is clouding the water in the Tarn.  More on this later, my limited biological science knowledge permitting.

A final scan through the papers I picked up on Tuesday led me to the minutes of the 14 June meeting of the Lancashire Fisheries Consultative Association where I found a number of interesting items including more info on Preston Council's bonkers plan for a Ribble Barrage.  It seems that the EA have expressed the opinion that this idiocy has a "minuscule" chance of success.  Environmental consultants are opposed to the scheme and there is a groundswell of local opposition which is finally having an impact on the Council.

What's this got to do with us up here at Horton you may say.  Well just think about the possible impact this structure could have on salmon and sea trout migration and it's apparent that we should each add our personal weight to the campaign.

I see also that the EA have issued a brochure entitled "Angling in 2015" which aims to increase participation in angling by 12 to 16 year olds and the over 50's.  The latter age group is not exactly an issue for us, but could we be doing more to encourage youngsters to take up fly fishing?

Finally on the political and national scene, DEFRA has commissioned Glasgow Caledonian University to study the economic contribution that fresh water angling makes to the UK economy.  The results should be interesting and, hopefully add somewhat to our armoury of arguments to use against the anti's.  A Parliamentary angling group has been formed under the chairmanship of Martin Salter with Baroness Lin Golding as secretary.  A potentially useful body to lobby on future fisheries legislation.

Let's go and have a look at those salmon.

Ian

    We awake to a rather damp morning here at Horton.  It's now raining fairly steadily and if this continues for a few hours as it shows every sign of so doing the river should rise a bit.  Whether it will be enough to bring the salmon up only time will tell.  I'll keep you posted.

I was looking again at the bundle of papers I got from the RFA on Tuesday.  There really is some useful stuff here and it serves to illustrate how important this co-ordinating body is in bringing together all those involved with managing the Ribble and its fishing from source to sea.

There is a note from the Hodder Consultative about the work being done by Jonathan Hoyle and funded by the Environment Agency to study the survival and movement of stocked brown trout.  I will quote from this as the findings so far seem to be consistent with anecdotal evidence up here.

Brownies were introduced into several sites on the Hodder and all dye marked with marks unique to the club stocking the fish.  The survey in 2005 involved eight Associations, four of which offered their trout to be dye marked.

This survey has had very limited support.  Returns have been received from 7 Associations from which 39 anglers submitted a return.  The results suggest that the majority of fish remain in the area in which they have been stocked.  Only 3% moved any significant distance upstream or downstream and no dye marked fish were caught below Lower Hodder Bridge.

The survey continues this season with two more Associations participating and it will be interesting to see the results in due course.  What this suggests to me so far is that we need to think very carefully about where we put stock fish in future, recognising that where they are put they are likely to out compete any resident natives by stint of sheer numbers alone.  And what are they all feeding on?  Young trout??

I had an email this morning asking what was causing the discolouration of the water at the Tarn.  The short answer is - I don't know.  It's either some form of microphyte (the opinion of Paul Bradley our tame ecologist) or suspended organic material washed out of the feeder springs after the severe drought. Whilst it does not seem to be having and adverse effect on the resident fish it does seem to be suppressing their inclination to rise possibly because their vision is impaired by the rather murky water.  I intend to investigate further and will report back.

Ian

    It's a strange sort of morning, grey and overcast with a light southerly breeze, but there are brighter spells when the sun breaks through briefly.  So it's difficult to predict what conditions will be like later.  What is certain is that the river is pretty low again.  It's fishable in the pools but there is much less water on the runs and riffles. The rain promised yesterday did not materialise, in fact to all intents and purposes it seemed an ideal fishing day.  This was not the case.  The Tuesday Boys reported a blank day - not only on the river but the Tarn also.  Things may have picked up late on because Roy Morris got two rainbows at the Tarn late on so there was probably an evening rise.  The mind of fishes -eh?

I went along to the Ribble Fisheries Association meeting last night and this proved to be a very worthwhile event even though I could only stay for an hour.  My long experience of meetings both in business and recreational is that they are often events when one loses the will to live quite early on .  Emphatically not the case here.  Discussion was informed, lively, succinct and very tightly controlled by an exemplary chairman in David Hinks, an MAA member.

Whilst I was there we looked at a range of topics from pollution to cormorants, sabs to habitat restoration and I came away with a bundle of documents which I will refer back to in this blog over the next few days.

I did a brief spiel on our plans for the fishery at Horton focusing on habitat improvement and reduced re-stocking .  I outlined very briefly the Hatchery project that Neil Handy has brought to fruition, but asked those present to be circumspect in how they reported this as the site is on private land and is experimental.  They seemed interested and quite pleased to have someone from the upper river present.

There seem to be two main themes in the reports from the Associations lower down the river.  Cormorants and pollution.  The first of these we know only too well from their annual winter holidays feasting at the Tarn.  It seems that despite assurances to the contrary from Ben Bradshaw the minister responsible it is proving less than straightforward to obtain from DEFRA the necessary licenses to shoot these predators.  Each cormorant eats up to 25lb of fish a day and in some places they can be counted in the dozens.  We probably get off fairly lightly with our 5 or 6 at the Tarn. 

We are also fortunate that our fishery is mostly distant from main roads and river crossings and farming here is almost entirely pastoral so pollution is currently not a big issue, but vigilance is called for and any member who spots anything unusual should ring me so that we can investigate further.

That's quite enough for this morning.  I will pick up some other topics from the meeting tomorrow.

Ian

    We awake to a rather dark, dank and gloomy morning here in the valley.  No rain and no wind as yet but rain is forecast and will be welcome to raise the river a bit to get the salmon up to Horton.  The quality of the water in the river is very good with pH stabilising at around 7.5 to 8, just right for salmonids of all types and temperatures are thankfully significantly down on the bath water highs of July.

As most members know all the fish that we introduce to these waters we mark so that they can be easily distinguished from the natives.  What I find odd is the reports that I get back from fishermen who have fished the same pools but caught either all stockies or mostly wild fish.  Is this to do with the fly used or time of day or weather conditions or even the pheromones of individual fishermen?  I wish I knew.

But it does tell us that at least some of the fish we put into the river last year survived the predations of a Horton winter.  Whether these fish will breed or survive to next year is a matter for further speculation, but since we didn't stock the river this year it will be interesting to see what the catch returns are like next season.  What is evident so far is that there seems to be anecdotal evidence that there are more young wild trout in the pools than in past years.  Perhaps this is due to the relative absence of large stock fish.  If so then it reinforces the case for our strategy of reducing artificial stocking and replacing it with a more natural stocking policy based on the hatchery.

There is probably a PhD study here for someone.  Any offers?

Since we are coming to the end of the season the thought springs to my mind about the future of this blog.  I started it as an experiment but feedback has been positive so far.  Should I keep it going over the closed season and should it continue as a daily diary or be less frequent?  I would welcome views.

Ian

    Welcome to another lovely Horton morning.  A little more cloud than of late but it's still bright and sunny.  It got quite warm yesterday afternoon which produced a modest hatch of fly.  The river is lowering but still very fishable and with rain forecast for Thursday it should remain so all this week.

This warm damp weather has produced a bumper crop of field mushrooms far more than I can remember for a number of years.  Just right for breakfast with fresh eggs and I'm off in a moment to pick this morning's crop from Cow Pasture.

As I mentioned last week I'm giving a short talk to the Ribble Fisheries Association at Waddington tomorrow evening about our future strategy for managing the fishery in a more sustainable way and  I will say a few words about the sterling work that the EA and the landowner have done in getting the hatchery project off the ground.  I'm not sure what they will make of it, but it will be a good chance to remind fishermen on the lower reaches of the Ribble that the MAA in partneship with others continues to take seriously its stewardship of the headwaters of this important northern river.

One slight glitch on the Hot Pot front was resolved yesterday thanks to Sandra Millman at the Crown.  The Hotel has a policy of only booking 2 night accommodation at weekends, but I have agreed with Sandra that any member attending the Hot Pot supper and wishing to book for the Friday night only may do so.  You need to tell whoever answers the phone at the Hotel that you are a MAA member and are attending the Hot Pot.  If you encounter any problems ask to speak to Sandra. 

Now I'm off to pick breakfast.

Ian

    You know, I've come to the conclusion that September is one of my favourite months in the valley.  These cool misty mornings of bright sun seem to lift the spirits.  There is a sense of urgency in the air and along the river bank as wildlife prepares for the privations of winter.  Some of course will be leaving soon for warmer latitudes and the swallows are now flocking, their numbers swelled by a good breeding season in the hot summer weather, ready for their long flight down the length of Africa.  We look forward to their return next year.

The fish in the river seem to sense that the colder water and increased flow heralds the onset of much sterner weather.  The salmon are single minded in their determination to breed but it will be a couple of months yet before the same instinct begins to stir the blood of our native trout.  They are busy feeding, building reserves that will see them through the lean months and help their recovery after the exertions of spawning in December.

I was working my way through the hefty tome that is the the Saturday Telegraph when in the Weekend section on the Country pages I came across the first of two edited extracts from a new book on fishing by Chris Yates.  This has to be one of the finest pieces of writing on fishing I have read for a long time.  Its conversational style is reminiscent of Ransome at his best and draws you in to a world where you can almost smell the river and feel the texture of mud and rock under your feet.  This first extract is on course fishing, but no matter it's truly captivating.  Here is a book that all fishermen should put on their Christmas list and I confidently predict that flies will remain undressed, lines unwetted and rods stay in their cases until the last page has been turned.

Buy it,or better still, get someone to buy it for you.  How To Fish by Chris Yates (Hamish Hamilton £14.99) published on September 28th.

You can even order a copy at a special price of £12.99 by ringing Telegraph Books on 0870 428 4112.

Finally, as I've chuntered on long enough this morning, there was a piece on the 7am news this morning about the results of a nationwide otter survey.  This has concluded that otter numbers are recovering strongly in most parts of the country.  Good news indeed as it suggests that our rivers are sufficiently healthy to sustain such a large predator.  There should be enough fish in our rivers to satisfy both the otter, our fishermen and other native residents and the challenge for fishery managers is to see that all is done to  ensure that river habitats are conserved and enhanced where necessary.  It seems that the return of the otter is benefiting another endangered bankside resident.  The water vole seems to be flourishing where otters are present and the conclusion is that the presence of otters discourages that pest of our waterways the mink which is the voles worst enemy.

Tight lines

Ian

    Another bright. sunny and rather cold morning with little or no breeze.  There was a classic temperature inversion in the valley early on with a distinct margin about half way up the valley sides.  The river was completely obscured by thick mist or cloud but from about 60 feet up everything was bright and clear.  You never have a camera handy at such times.

I have taken the decision to remove personal contact details for myself and the Secretary from the web site.  A sad necessity, but I suppose that one can't be too careful given the malicious behaviour of the moronic fringes of the anti blood sport brigade.  Contact can still be made via email and all members know how to contact both Michael and me by phone.

The river is in great shape now. Levels are just right for good fishing all down the fishery and water quality is as good as it's been all season.

After speaking to Dave Parrish at the YDMT I am hopeful that they will approve an application for funds to fence Cam Beck and if they do we should be able to begin work here in October.  This will protect this vital spawning beck from damage by livestock and enable the bank-side vegetation to regrow thus providing cover for fry and habitat for invertebrates.  The main hold up may be seeking EA approval for any watering point or livestock crossing that the farmer may require.

Any one with comments or observations on this do let me know.

Ian

    Just a short update on conditions here this morning as I need to be out in about 5 minutes.  It's a glorious sunny day. Cold and sparklingly clear with stunning views up and down the valley.  The river is in similar condition with crystal clear water flowing strongly over the runs and riffles.  A day when approaching the banks without spooking the fish will be a challenge.

My musings yesterday about the presence of sea trout prompted one member to ring me and propose a night time foray after these fish.  We will do so soon and I will let you know how we get on.  It should be interesting whatever we turn up.

It seems that the media are picking up on the activities of the sabs.  Our esteemed Secretary had a phone call last evening from the Manchester Evening Post asking for his views on the incident at Caton on August 12th.  Apparently the reporter got his details from the MAA website.  It's good that the clubs presence is recognised but there are personal security implications here that we must give some thought to.

Ian

    We awake to a much better morning.  It's bright and sunny with a scattering of light, fluffy cloud.  The forecast is for a few days of good weather and, with the river dropping and losing colour, fishing for the rest of this week at least should be excellent. 

My young assistant came rushing up to see me after school yesterday in great excitement.  He was waiting for the bus by Settle weir and watched what he describes as an enormous silver salmon leaping the weir.  More evidence that really fresh salar are now in the upper river.  It would be interesting to get some idea of the presence of sea trout also but I know of few members prepared to spend the hours of darkness fishing the river. 

A couple of years ago I was in the Crown carousing one evening when I met a then member who was enthusing about the couple of hours he had just spent after sea trout.  He had got one down at the rock pool and was planning to go back at about half past eleven to see what luck he would have then.

He came up to see me the following morning to tell me that he got three more good sized fish fresh from the sea near Whit Beck and Brants Gyll and was absolutely delighted with his nights fishing.

So the sea trout are there and to go after them would make an interesting extension to an afternoons fishing following a supper in the Crown. 

Ian

    It's now 10 am and still raining hard.  My optimistic forecast about river levels proved just that.  It's now in full spate and fishing anywhere along the fishery will be a real challenge for most of today.

Ian

    It's currently a case of "The rain it raineth every day".  We have another very wet morning with the cloud base right down in the valley and no real sign of a let up just yet.  The forecast is promising and proved accurate yesterday when the sun did finally break through in the early afternoon.  The river is full but not in flood and should provide good fishing in quieter pools.

The rain came on again last evening putting paid to the crayfish soiree, but during the dry lull the traps were emptied and the resulting catch recorded.  The evidence strongly suggests that the native crayfish continue to thrive in the Tarn.  We got nearly 60 specimens both male and female representing a wide range of ages from year olds to mature 10 year old males like young lobsters.  All good news and a credit to the club's stewardship of this vital habitat.

Paul tells me that it's because English Nature have such faith in the Manchester Anglers that they have no inclination to place the Tarn under statutory protection by making it an SSSI. 

I promised to say a bit about the Hot Pot Supper.  David Marsden sent me an extract from the Crave Herald of April 14th 1883 which records the first ever Farmers Supper held at the Crown Hotel on April 7th.

This was an excellent supper entrusted to the care of Mr and Mrs Heseltine of the Crown Inn (sic).  The Chair was taken by Mr Harker who was ably supported by Messers Simpson, Burns, Escorte, Heywood, Kincaird, J Foster, Slinger and others.  After supper the remainder of the evening was given to enjoyment.  Various toasts were given including that of R Walker the Association's keeper (please note).  A number of songs were sung including one written for the occasion by Abel Heywood to the tune of "Farmer's boy" (I have the words to this in front of me).

So, there we have it.  nearly 125 years of history to this annual event, although there was a period in the 1940's when there was a lull.

Let's keep up the tradition on 13 October this year, but perhaps without the songs?

Ian

    Another wet start.  It's raining quite hard at present but without the strong winds of the past few days so it feels rather warmer.  The forecast is for a dryer afternoon so river fishing should be very good after lunch.

The Tarn is now back to normal water level so getting the boat out will no longer involve the labours of Hercules.  The water is fairly cloudy at present.  Whether this is due to microphyes or just disturbed sediment caused by the heavy rain and strong winds I'm not too sure but I suspect the latter.

Paul Bradley known to most as "Crayfish" Paul came to see me yesterday afternoon. He is running another of his crayfish courses up at Malham Tarn Field Centre this week so we went up to our Tarn to set crayfish traps ready for the students to record the results today.  In all we set 12 traps which should give a good enough sample to enable us to monitor the health and population density of our native white clawed residents.  This is a great benefit not only to the students who get real hands on experience of these creatures in their native habitat but also provides the MAA with a regular and free scientific monitor service under licence.  It's ever more clear just how important nationally the Tarn is to the future of this endangered species.

We will check the traps about lunch time today and see how things are.  The highlight of these courses is always the midnight foray to the Tarn to see the crayfish doing what crayfish naturally do.  Lets hope for the promised dry evening.  More on this tomorrow.

I'll also report on David Marsden's email about the history of the Hot Pot Supper or Farmer's Dinner as it was known.  It's been going far longer than I imagined.

Ian

    Well, it finally stopped raining at about 3pm yesterday.  The sun came out and it warmed considerably.  The river remained high all day with a strong flow under both arches at New Inn bridge - too strong for easy fishing.  This morning sees a return to cold, grey and quite blustery conditions but the river has dropped over night and fishing should be OK on stretches sheltered from the north west wind.

The annual Hot Pot supper has been booked.  This not to be missed event in the MAA calendar will take place at the usual venue on Friday 13 October - an auspicious day!  It would be good too see as many members as possible present as this is a chance to thank local farmers and land owners for their continued good will towards the club.  Invites will issue shortly.  Please do try to make it up to Horton.  Why not stay over and tackle the salmon on the Saturday?  There are still rooms available at the Crown.  By the way, the new licensee is Sandra Millman who some members will know.  It's her son, Steven, who is our assistant keeper.  So she has an interest in the club.

Ian

    Ye Gods! What a truly appalling day.  We had more rain yesterday than we usually get in a week and believe me, up here in the pennines we get a lot of rain in a week.  It started to rain about 8.30 yesterday morning and finally petered out at about 6.30. By this time the river was in full spate, over topping its banks all the way from Newhouses to New Inn. There was at least 2 feet of water on Newhouses lane at New Inn bridge, well up to the side steps on my Nissan Patrol (please note Mr Brown a 4x4 is essential for normal life up here not a faddish luxury).

Despite this Horton show went ahead.  Very wet sheep were judged and prizes awarded, dogs were trialed and produce and handicrafts judged and appreciated by all.  Yours truly won first prize in the "cake baked by a gentleman" category for a whisky and sultana cake that contains a glass of Teachers.  This blend is always known as "cooking Scotch" in our house so it was good to put it to its rightful use.

What's notable is how resilient Dales folk are.  Despite the weather everyone seemed to be having a great time (some of the sheep looked a bit glum) and at the prize giving late in the afternoon in a marquee that threatened to take off towards penyghent there was a great atmosphere (most of it steam).

Today is little better.  The river has dropped off considerably but we have a gusty west wind that is driving heavy showers over the hills.  There is just a glimmer of brighter weather in the west, so it may improve as the day wears on. 
If it does clear up then Monday and Tuesday should be first class salmon days. 

See you on the river.

Ian

    It's Horton show today so just a quick update on conditions as time is pressing.  The river dropped off the flood by yesterday afternoon and looked in great form.  We are due a deluge today so levels will probably return to spate by this evening but should settle down again by later tomorrow.

It was good to see Malcolm Byrom and his wife yesterday on their way to the Tarn.  He stopped off on his return and seemed highly pleased with his tally of 4 fit rainbows all caught on black gnat.  He was to try the river late on and I wait with interest to learn how he fared.

Ian

    Gosh, the first of September already.  Where on earth has this season gone?  It's certainly rather autumnal here this morning with the river in full spate for the first time since March.  We had a lot of rain in the night, but it's a wee bit brighter now and looks showery rather than really threatening.

One thing is for certain, the salmon are in the river and should find their way to Horton on the falling flood.  I am pleased to say that the first salmon of the autumn run was landed yesterday at Row End by Alan Maden.  This was a 7lb cock fish in good condition and was safely returned to add his genes to the Ribble gene pool.  Alan also got 8 healthy wild brownies of around a pound and a half.  There is nothing that gladdens a keeper more than reports that "his" river is healthy and showing good returns for an afternoon's fishing.

Any fishing on the river today will be a challenge until the flood drops and with more heavy rain forecast for tomorrow don't expect conditions to be ideal until Sunday afternoon at the earliest.

Ian