River Marden on the fly...

After walking through the main street of Calne some years back and seeing a lovely wild Brownie standing station between the high walls I had always had a yearning to try and fish the upper parts of the River Marden on the fly. Chancing upon the Calne Angling Association website I noticed they had short window for fly fishing for trout between April and 16 June at just £5 for a day ticket. The waters were just downstream of Calne where the river could only be classed as a stream. Walking the bank I was pleasantly surprised with riffles, runs and deeper slow sections. There was lots of cover but it was not unmanageable. I made my way about mile downstream of where I had parked and worked my way back up. I spooked a number of good sized fish whilst walking the bank so hopes were high. Within minutes of fishing I was into my first fish - a palm sized gem took the nymph.

A typically confined run holding fish but difficult to present the fly

 

 As I moved upstream it was difficult to stop spooking fish as the water was clear and casting was restricted to not much more than a rod length.  The middle section had what appeared to be a derelict mill with large pools and wooded riffles. In my limited time I did not fish them hard but could see they had potential to harbour some big trout. Large Dark Olives were hatching in profusion and I failed to tempt some large rising fish. Eventually I hooked a couple of good sized wild fish on the nymph which gave good accounts of themselves in the fast flow.

 

 

As the day wore on I probably netted about half a dozen fish and lost a couple a more. It was a good wild trout fishery and I saw plenty of bigger fish than those I caught. Fishing from the bank was difficult so wading was required and it is not for the faint hearted with clay in places coaxing you into the deeper holes. 

A nice open section that held some fish.

  

Well pleased with a good few hours on a new stretch of river