The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

We stopped at bakewell (of the pudding fame) for an hour on the way home on Wednesday.
The signs direct you to a large car park "around the back" and then there is a short walk over the river to the town.
Underneath the downstream bridge was a shoal of the biggest brown trout I have ever seen in my life . Walking back to the car, a bloke had just landed one it was easily six pounds.

I suspect they have grown fat on the folks feeding the ducks.
Does anyone here know where I mean?

I know exactly where you mean, Homer.
I look on them with astonishment whenever I visit Bakewell.
If you spend some time observing them, you will also see huge Rainbows and absolute whopper Grayling amongst them.
Incredible.
They grow this size due to the food thrown from the bridge.

Ps, they love chips..
Pps, they like Bakewell pudding too..

I can't believe that there has been nothing added to this post.
Those fish at Bakewell are amazing.

As you walk across the bridge there are several " dont feed the birds" signs. I am unsure how birdfood ends up in the trout, but the first shop after the signs have " bird food available" signs in the window!

I think they pack on the weight from all of those padlock keys. Wanderer is right, there are some cracking grayling there too but quite how you would get a bait through to them..?

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 8:59 am I think they pack on the weight from all of those padlock keys. Wanderer is right, there are some cracking grayling there too but quite how you would get a bait through to them..?

We just need some orange barriers, some high viz jackets and some signs " keep clear, fishery review underway"
I am sure nobody will notice!

A couple of the rainbows look 10lb plus to me- but its not often you can assess weight from above

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 8:59 am I think they pack on the weight from all of those padlock keys. Wanderer is right, there are some cracking grayling there too but quite how you would get a bait through to them..?

They certainly don't have to work hard for food so they pack on the weight from high carb chip suppers. Bet they'd taste of salt and vinegar if you caught and grilled one....

Fishing not allowed in the town stretch. What did he land it on?

Reasonably interestingly my old Labrador pulled a large dead Sea Trout out of the river in the park at Bakewell some years ago when the kids were playing cricket there. No one ever believed me...not that I'm going to lose any sleep over it.

Several years ago I attended several antique fairs at the showground where we had to queue early in the morning before setting up.I used to take my mate down to the walkway and get down on hands and knees and hold a piece of crust or pork pie on the surface of the water,where to his amazement a large trout would swoop up and take it out of my fingers!