UPPER RIVER DON 

 

 


The River Don was once famous as one of the most productive salmon fisheries in the land. Such was its productivity it was said that young apprentices in Sheffield had an agreement with their employers that they would not be fed on salmon more than three times a week! In more recent times the river was famous for very different reasons as being one of the most polluted rivers in England and was once described thus:

 

“ The River Don enters the City of Sheffield a clean and sparkling moorland stream and leaves it as a black gurgling mass of pollution”.

 

Thankfully the river is now clean again and in its upper reaches it is an excellent “small stream” trout and grayling fishery, a place of mystery with secret pools under overhanging trees. The fish are not big (average about 8 to10 inch) but they are wild and spooky, the fishing is never easy but always rewarding with short rods and light lines the order of the day. If you fish it on a cold dull day then you will probably have to stick to sunk nymph fishing as no fish will be on the surface but fish the river on a warm bright day and the fish will be all on the surface taking bugs dropping off the trees or taking advantage of some local hatch of fly and it will be dry fly all the way. Anyone who likes the challenge of small rivers and creeks will love this.

 

The fishing is set in beautiful countryside on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Most of the fishing is in private hands with very little public access to the river banks making it an ideal place to get away from it all.

 

TROUT SEASON: 25th March to September 30th

                         

GRAYLING SEASON: This carries on from the end of September until December the 31st, these are much shorter days – please contact me for fees and availability

 

COSTS: £130 per day

 

The cost given is for one angler, for any additional anglers please email me.