As has been said many times before, we Stumperlowe Probus members are blessed by having the wonderful countryside of the Peak District on our doorstep. And, even by Peak standards, the River Wye specifically is a hidden gem, as our speaker Don Stazicker pointed out. Don knows the Wye – not to be confused with better known rivers of the same name which are tributaries of the Severn and Thames respectively – like the back of his hand. But he was with us on this occasion to talk of his great love of fly fishing, of which he is a renowned expert.
A retired dentist, Don is a highly regarded guide and instructor, and the author of numerous books on fly fishing and its techniques. Fly fishing is an angling modus operandi using ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is insufficient to overcome air resistance, it cannot be launched far using conventional gears and techniques, so specialized tackles are used instead and the casting techniques are significantly different from other forms of angling. It is also very common for the angler to wear waders, carry a hand net, and stand in the water when fishing.
In fly fishing, fish are caught by using artificial flies that are cast with a fly rod and a fly line. The fly line (today, almost always coated with plastic) is heavy enough to send the fly to the target. The main difference between fly fishing and spin or bait fishing is that in fly fishing the weight of the line carries the hook through the air, whereas in spin and bait fishing the weight of the lure or sinker at the end of the monofilament or braided line gives casting distance. Artificial flies are of several types; some imitating an insect (either flying or swimming), others a bait fish or crustacean, others are known to attract fish although they look like nothing in nature. Flies range in size from a few millimetres to 30 cm (12 inches) long; most are between one and 5 cm (0.39 and 1.97 in). The dry fly is a floating fly which does not pierce the water surface significantly; other kinds of fly, whether floating or sinking, are often referred to as wet flies.
The River Wye is a limestone river, 23.9 miles (38.5 km) long, although it is widely quoted as being 15 miles (24 km) long, which refers to the section within the Peak National Park. It is one of the major tributaries of the River Derwent, which flows into the River Trent, and ultimately into the Humber and the North Sea. The river rises just west of Buxton, on Axe Edge Moor, and the flow is augmented by water which passes underground through Poole’s Cavern before rising at Wye Head. The two sources join as they cross the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton. The river then flows east through the dales of the Wye Valley, along a route roughly followed by the A6 road.. It flows just south of Tideswell, then through Ashford in the Water and Bakewell, passing to the south of Haddon Hall, before meeting the Derwent at Rowsley. The main tributary of the river is the River Lathkill, which enters approximately one mile from its mouth.
It is possible to walk alongside much of the length of the river, either following public or permissive footpaths that run along the river bank, or following the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway line, part of which is now the Monsal Trail and provides views of the river. Its final crossing of the river at Monsal Dale is by the well known viaduct some 70 feet (21 metres) above the river, which enraged the writer John Ruskin at the time it was built but is now a listed structure.
The Wye is popular with anglers because of the large numbers of wild brown, rainbow trout and grayling it contains. The alkalinity of the Wye provides a rich source of nutrients that leads to an abundance of insects, invertebrates and other wildlife. This ensures that the trout and grayling grow quickly on a diet of freshwater shrimp, caddisfly and mayfly. It is the only river in Britain known to support a breeding population of rainbow trout, as most varieties do not breed in British waters.