I used to fish in Matlock A few years ago and had some wonderfull Grayling and Chub, I used to wade out near the bridge between Matlock and ''the bath'' and used to have some great days. The Matlock stretch is very underrated but give it ago and you will be surprised!
Barbel in the derwent @ matlock
- Thread starter steve pearson
- Start date
B
binka
Guest
Just thought I would post an update after fishing the Lovers Walk stretch at Matlock Bath today, I didn't encounter any barbel but I think that there must be huge potential here with a wide river and 9-10 foot of water under the rod tip.
The water looked quite steady from above, zero degrees when I arrived but the river did have a good pull to it at normal level with lots of autumn leaves coming down and it made a nice change to catch some wild brownies and a couple of lovely grayling on the stick in a great setting, really making the effort worthwhile.
If I were doing this often I would definitely invest in a Matlock DAA book after paying a fiver for the day ticket and another fiver to park for over four hours, and it is a good walk from the car park to the swims across the footbridge on the far bank but again well worthwhile.
I will definitely be giving it a go with the barbel gear at some point.
The water looked quite steady from above, zero degrees when I arrived but the river did have a good pull to it at normal level with lots of autumn leaves coming down and it made a nice change to catch some wild brownies and a couple of lovely grayling on the stick in a great setting, really making the effort worthwhile.
If I were doing this often I would definitely invest in a Matlock DAA book after paying a fiver for the day ticket and another fiver to park for over four hours, and it is a good walk from the car park to the swims across the footbridge on the far bank but again well worthwhile.
I will definitely be giving it a go with the barbel gear at some point.
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Watch those leads binka, some really big boulders in some of the deeper runs through the bath!! 
B
binka
Guest
Cheers Mark, I did sit contemplating what sort of nightmare I might have fishing a lead judging by the number of hooklengths I got through on the stick.
I'm just wondering if this has deterred folks from targeting in particular the barbel in these stretches, not overlooking of course that they could be caught on the float but then everytime I tried a trot of more than ten yards on any line the result was a lost hooklength and I resorted to laying on just beyond the rod tip for the fish but found it thoroughly enjoyable.
I think I need to do a good wrecky of the area and swims before I cast a lead in there... there must be some clearer, deeper gullies which would be difficult to locate but doubtless as rewarding for anyone that can get it right.
I'm just wondering if this has deterred folks from targeting in particular the barbel in these stretches, not overlooking of course that they could be caught on the float but then everytime I tried a trot of more than ten yards on any line the result was a lost hooklength and I resorted to laying on just beyond the rod tip for the fish but found it thoroughly enjoyable.
I think I need to do a good wrecky of the area and swims before I cast a lead in there... there must be some clearer, deeper gullies which would be difficult to locate but doubtless as rewarding for anyone that can get it right.
I have found that most of the river through the ''peak'' area is like the bottom of a quarry! you get the odd sandy glide every now and then but they are very rare. You also have to be very carefull when wading too as you get swims that shallow up and then drop very steeply to about 8 foot, scary!!