The main feature here over the past few days has been the near gale force east wind that is becoming a real pest.  Like an unwanted guest who knows not when to leave it's trying the patience and making life just that little bit more difficult than it should be.  There is still no rain in prospect and whilst the gale keeps up from the east there won't be which means that the river is a sad reflection of what it should be at this time of year.  Even the Tarn is beginning to suffer with the water level now at least 3 inches below the norm.  Fortunately the temperature of the water is still fairly low and the wind is keeping the surface churning so algae is absent we we really could do with some RAIN!

There was an interesting article in yesterday's paper about the serious decline in the European eel population and the efforts that are being made to try to reverse this decline.  In all that I have read about the Ribble I have yet to find much mention of eels.  I suspect that the bouldery, high incline nature of the river does not offer ideal eel habitat, but since in past times there was a reasonable otter population on the Ribble and otters main diet is eels one might surmise that eels were once present.  I suspect that Stainforth Foss presented no barrier to a creature that can cross significant distance overland.  Perhaps there is just too little weed up here to sustain a health eel population?

I have been planning to do the riverfly check at Turn Dub all week, but it's proving difficult to find sufficient water to make the check viable.  I have analysed the results from the three sites we did last weekend and there is no significant variation from past checks in fact the results we got from Selside show a slight improvement from the previous check last September.  It's far too early in the process to draw any real conclusions.  We need a few years worth of data before a discernible picture emerges, but so far we can be confident that, on our waters at least, the pollution level is low.  The refresher training we are arranging for August will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss with an expert just how health our fly life levels are for this type of river and what we can do to maintain and improve populations.  I still harbour ambitions to breed snails and gammerid as these will provide sustaining food for larger trout especially during the early season when they are coming back into condition after spawning.  I will also try a fly board or two at the hatchery site to encourage baetis to lay eggs.  The boards might survive here as my last two in Turn Dub inlet got washed away in spates.

Ian