Explorer and Independent Biologist

Saturday 20 November 2010

Rydal Water in November

Rydal Water is one of the smaller of Cumbria's Lakes, surrounded by hills and woods. I decided to launch my kayak for a day's fishing soon after dawn on a beautiful calm November morning. Launching is from the car park at the north end of the lake into the river Rydal Beck and then a quarter of a mile drift downstream into the lake itself.

I approach Rydal Water with the morning mists still shrouding the hills

Mirror-calm conditions are ideal for exploring the lake and its little islands

By mid-morning the mists have evaporated and thin winter sunshine reveals itself

I manage to boat a decent pike weighing 7lb 3oz (3.2kg)

I reckon six servings from this fish!

By mid-afternoon the sun slips behind the hills

A moulted swan feather is trapped in some weed

Fishing in Rydal Water in by permit only. Day permits can be purchased on-line this the Lake District Fishing website.

13 comments:

  1. The mist over the hills and the reflections in the water are amazing. I love the way your photos show the light changing during the day. You have been to some special places since you bought your kayak. And the fishing was good, and you never lost your rod!

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  2. Kiwi has said everything I was going to say! That fish really is a whopper!

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  3. Brilliant fish mate and photos ( again!) the kayak must just about be worn out!

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  4. Thanks everyone!

    Simon, worn out? Definitely not! I feel as one with her as if she were a voluptuous woman!

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  5. A beautiful day AND a lovely pike! What else can we ask from life?

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  6. I love the mist shots, and that's a very decent pike. You would make a great hunter.

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  7. Indeed, they're lovely pictures and it's a lovely spot, I know it well. It's a shame however to see a dead pike kept for the pot. Rydal is a WADAA controlled fishery and all fish are to be returned. I'm afraid you've effectively been poaching. Whilst I'm sure you weren't aware, other people reading this blog will now hopefully be and they won't remove fish from the lake ecosystem.

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  8. Pike are the most delicately balanced of all course fish in this country and should be treated with that in mind. They are also a valuable element of a waters ecosystem. ALL pike fishing in the UK should be catch and release.

    I'm pretty sure you can't take boats of any sort on to Rydal also so be careful on that one too.

    Although I'm sure your a fine fisherman, you should head over to the PAC website, you'll find a wealth of information and is the best place on the internet for everything Pike, from handling to equipment.

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    1. Good advice which I can only second. The area is of outstanding beauty and so are the fish it contains. Lets all try our best to conserve such a valuable recource for us all to enjoy for many years to come.
      Tight lines Maalie and may you enjoy your fishing in the future.

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  9. By taking and killing a pike of that size you've committed a Wildlife Crime, broken the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act and the amended new byelaws 2010 on the taking of fish and probably committed theft as well.
    http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/Taking_Stock_-_web_-_English.pdf
    Not a bad pot haul there! All for the sake of your own ego and self-publicity!

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  10. Great photos, but you have no respect for our Environment Agency Laws. Pike only weighing to 5lb can only be taken. You're a twat for taking the fish that was over 5lb.

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