Derwent Anglers’ Club River Derwent stretch, Waters Meet to East Ayton Weir

The lowdown

• The top end, from Waters Meet to Langdale, is wild-trout country. No stocking here, so it’s a proper natural bit of river with brown trout to around 30 cm.
• From Langdale to Hilla Green Bridge, you can fish either bank. The river mixes pools, runs and glides, with locally farmed stock trout added to the wild fish.
• Below Hilla Green Bridge, Holmeswood gives you secluded, wooded wild-trout water. Lovely stuff, but expect a more enclosed and technical feel.
• The Hackness section opens out around the old cricket pavilion and village. It’s wider water, with stocked trout and grayling, plus easy parking nearby — always handy when the kit pile gets daft.
• Wrench Green to Everley Bottoms can be fished from both banks. Look for slow glides, pools and riffles, with Everley Bottoms a particular favourite for grayling anglers.
• Below the Sea Cut, the Wilderness lives up to its name. Tree-lined, challenging and likely to reward a careful approach rather than charging in like a bull in a china shop.
• Forge Valley is the final club section. It’s narrower here and shares part of the bank with a public boardwalk, so give walkers plenty of room.
• The club says grayling show in good numbers, with fish around 30 cm not uncommon. Wild brown trout are supplemented with locally farmed stock trout and grayling.
• The river shifts from open pasture and easy access to steep, wooded and technically challenging water. Wading is permitted throughout, with access and exits marked by roped posts and ladders.
• Wildlife is a proper bonus, with kingfishers, wagtails, dippers, otters and roe deer mentioned around the water. A bit of quiet, a bit of colour and a neat fly can make this a bob-on day.
• We're not sure on ticket prices for this one — check with the club or local regulations before you leave.

Methods: This is primarily fly-fishing water. Cover the pools, runs, glides and riffles carefully, with a particularly tidy approach needed in the wooded Holmeswood, Wilderness and Forge Valley sections.

Access & tickets

Membership enquiries can be made to Graham Pawson, Langdale End, North Yorkshire. The club also lists info@derwentanglers.com and 01723 374755 for enquiries; no standard membership price is published on the checked pages.

Fish the club names

trout

Key rules

• Fishing is primarily by fly.
• Considerate wading is permitted on all stretches.
• Access and exit points are marked by roped posts and ladders.
• Members may fish all year except March for grayling.
• The water is club-controlled membership fishing rather than an advertised day-ticket fishery.

River level

Where it is