Fly Fishing The Chalkstream River Dever - Upper River Test Dry Fly Fishing

[@robertalp3878]

Re-watching the 3 videos of your trip south the the chalk streams of Hampshire-just brilliant!

[@tabsqc]

Guys sadly I am the wrong side of 70 and although lucky enough to have a rod on a chalk stream I am keen to improve my skills which are limited. I know you did “my favourite kit” but I, and I suspect many others would be grateful for a talk through. Ie this is my kit today, I have chosen this fly because and please do not assume all your audience understand French cast etc. You are both complete naturals in front of the camera and can teach us all a lot. Thanks again.

[@paul40925]

Another great film guys, wishing there was another one. A real pleasure to watch....

[@IBandAndyFishing]

We wish there were more too Paul! Hopefully one day again 😬 🙏

[@iainfraser2474]

Iain Fraser -Oct 2021 Unfortunately I live in Essex but belong to Richmond AC in North Yorks and fish all over the UK and have fished on the chalk streams of Hampshire etc various times and agree they have their own charms there is nothing to compare with the wilder waters. I must say that IB & Andy are great to watch and present their programmes so well.

[@timothysmart8528]

I enjoyed that. I fished it two years ago in similar temperatures, and it is a real challenge in those conditions. Casting accurately in tight spots is really important. Well done.

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Tim, we possibly made it look harder than it is!

[@georgejohnyoung9006]

Yet another great video and great fishing What a beautiful piece of water. Well done guys and thank you.

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks George! We did our best but we were both pretty beat by the end

[@johnyorchak5162]

Enjoyed the Chalk Stream Trilogy!

[@carlstatham594]

I have been lucky this year, I have fished Bullington Manor four times this year. It's magical, very peaceful and the riverkeeper has really kept it perfectly. The Buckingham Palace fishing hut is brilliant if you can get four of you together and take two beats. Really special.

[@dannyboy7715]

I'm just getting back into fly fishing and about to become a member of a lovely Norfolk chalk stream syndicate. Really enjoy your relaxed approach to fishing both of you.

[@ericlong9085]

Very enjoyable,well done

[@ernsthorn2788]

Beautiful! Kudos for sticking to it anyway despite the heat and exhaustion, appreciate the hardcoreness (my word) :)

[@steveshannon7441]

A really enjoyable video - I go down there from "Up t'North" for a couple of days each September with Fishing Breaks and should be there this week - but rolled my trip over to next year due to this pesky pandemic - I usually book Beat 3 on Bullington river Dever and somewhere else for my second day - Beat 3 is simply fabulous - the fishing hut is at the top of the beat and there is a path through a wood to the bottom so you can get to the starting point without going anywhere near the river - I totally agree with IB about dry fly - it is not all about numbers but being there in beautiful surroundings and rising challenging fish - for me a nymph is pretty much a last resort - I normally fish the Derbyshire Derwent and Lathkill and a couple of days on the chalkstreams is my annual "treat" - base myself in Andover there are plenty of beats to choose from within a short drive - my second day this year would have been at Dunbridge on the river Dun - a lovely stretch I fished on my first trip down there -Tight Lines - Steve.

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Steve, that gives us food for thought for the next trip, beat three sounds amazing! We really didn't want to nymph, it was very much a last resort. Maybe when we go back for the grayling though!

[@dirkvannieuwenhove]

Epic type of fishing! 👌😀 Beautiful footage as well!

[@petermcleod7322]

Great video guys, really enjoyed it... nice bow and arrow casting Andy! 👏👏

[@IBandAndyFishing]

I thought it was a decent cast too, just the fish didn't agree this time!

[@colincampbell5181]

Great trilogy guys looking forward to seeing the next one👍👍

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Colin, glad you enjoyed it!

[@andrewbrown8697]

Brilliant vlog, really enjoyed all three. I fish Driffield Beck which is a chalk stream too and know how difficult but equally how rewarding it can be. Tight lines, Andrew

[@IBandAndyFishing]

That's exactly it, it's tough but so rewarding when you get it right! Driffield is 100% on our list, would love to fish it one day

[@davesgonefishing322]

Three fantastic videos loved them a lot of hard work was put into them . I managed to catch my first 2lb plus grayling yesterday amongst 10 other fish on the french leader all thanks to your guidance on the method you can teach an old dog a new trick

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Congrats on the new PB David, that's an incredible fish! What was the killer fly? Really glad you enjoyed the vlogs, and thank you for saying so!

[@davesgonefishing322]

Not pb had 2 12 on maggots a few years ago . Red tag did the damage

[@garyjohnson4778]

More great content. Well done again guys. A very engaging effort!

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Gary, very kind! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stephenbuckham1812]

Ive thuraly enjoyed whatching these 3 videos with some gorgeous fish caught the underwater footage is really good well done guys keep up the good work 👏👏

[@frankcarbo6622]

Thank you - for me - this is the best of the three as the watershed is enchantingly beautiful. Please let the camera look around more as the "fish on" is only one reason why so many of us wander in such wonderlands of nature. Imo, this area of the planet is supreme when natural. Lucky you.. Here in the US, in many areas, those grasses can be infested with ticks with real nasty consequences. Is that an issue within the Dever vicinity? Very fine HD for those of us to dream on... Thank you, again

[@AndyPandyFlyTying]

I've seen you dry fly fish and genuinely your superb and if you say its hard then I can imagine how tricky things must be.. . River looks amazing and loved watching it... AP

[@robertalp3878]

My favourite of the three videos-the river runs through such nice wild woodland with overhanging trees, nettles, the works, so much nicer than the manicured banks of the Test and Itchen, and Ieva’s first fish, a wild brownie, so beautiful compared to the stocked lumps

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Robert! Really glad you enjoyed it, it's a really pretty piece of water, I hope we did it justice while we were hacking around!

[@robertalp3878]

IB and Andy Fishing defo, it looked fab but challenging. Andy’s sunburnt nose was equally impressive! 😂

[@ethanrush4562]

Great videos really enjoyed them 👍👏🎣

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Ethan, really glad you liked them!

[@mikejames663]

Good sessions, enjoyed that lot

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Mike, glad we could take you along with us!

[@conwaychan2871]

Brilliant 3 video I have been looking at doing some chalk stream fishing for some time now After this video I will definitely be booking and get a Guide to.

[@larrycounce4509]

Love to come over and fish that fishery, looks super lovely. Otters oh no! Must be super spooky fish to stand and walk on ones knees dang to old for that style of hunting.

[@larrycounce4509]

I do enjoy taking breaks from rod making to come inside to watch a bit of IB and Andy having proper fun, Enjoy!

[@b1scuits1]

really enjoyable video, I do a bit of chalkstream fishing in similar area and you're right its very tough and the fish are spooky. You both did really well there

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks buddy, great to hear from somebody who has fished in the same area, we did as well as we could!

[@TheWelshflyfisher]

Another great video 👌👌🙌

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Cheers bud!

[@andrewrenwick6485]

Great film. Looked very tricky...... lots of trees and vegetation; cracking fish, that beetle pattern looks great- have you a pattern to follow?

[@coreyokeeffe9410]

Excellent video love your chanel and videos never been river fishing before but would love to do it one day and catch a lovely Brown trout

[@marcuswide5200]

Fished this beat a couple of times in 2020 and again for grayling in the winter. Looking forward to a shot in 2021 when the weather improves. Don’t have Andy’s skill with placing a fly!

[@stephenbarlow685]

Hi Guys another great vid thanks again.We are hoping to come over once covid is over and travel is on the cards.The fishing is great this season in New Zealand in the central plateau.nowever its like you say its not all about just catching fish. cheers

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Must be a really exciting time right now in NZ, season approaching fast!

[@stephenbarlow685]

yes the winter fishing for rainbows is nearly done some good fish caught the ave 4 to 6 pound the browns are next to spawn from november til march they are way bigger and good fun on the drys i am looking forward to it.

[@calvinkidder2978]

very nice as all ways tight lines

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thank you Calvin!

[@russellthompson2947]

Wow great vid that was challenging if that was me there would e more of my flies in the trees than naturals lol well done

[@IBandAndyFishing]

We left a few souvenirs down there don't worry about that 😂😂

[@russellthompson2947]

Lol

[@tabsqc]

Again well done you guys. Thanks for showing us the flies. Help us a little with kit. If you were down to size 20 presumably you were using very light tippets and what a 4wt line?

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Hi JT! Both using our usual 10' 4# rigs with 5# lines, I think I mentioned at one point that I had dropped down to 7x tippet for the grayling, other than that we're on 6x, 0.15mm or 3.4lb fluorocarbon 👍

[@jorvikangler]

Nice video and some nice fish. If it fishes that well in those temps what's it like in normal weather.

[@IBandAndyFishing]

That's what we said, we were thrilled with what we managed given how hot it was!

[@adriannelson3045]

All those big fish stocked? I would expect they are - typical of those highly managed chalk streams. I think the talk of wild fish is extremely overstated.

[@DavidPalmer]

Nice brown! How light tippet do you have to use?

[@zacharybattams9453]

Another fantastic video, tricky conditions making the catch even more rewarding. Thanks for sharing your 'time off', thoroughly enjoyed all three chalk stream episodes. The bird at the start, Merlin or Hobby maybe?

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Zach, we had a blast while we were there, so much fun! I Thought maybe a Merlin? It'd be unusual to see a sparrow hawk that close to the water I think?

[@zacharybattams9453]

@@IBandAndyFishing not a great birder and it was hard to see on the video but it had a blueness about it which I think a Merlin has? I'm sure a better birder will correct us 👍

[@amandacraddock5117]

Whilst I’m no expert I’d be very surprised to see a Merlin in the south at that time of year. A Hobby is more likely as they’re often seen over water feeding on dragon flies. A Cuckoo is also possible, they commonly mistaken for birds of prey in flight. A lovely spot none the less and cracking video 👍

[@kerrypitt9789]

You two did very well! They were tough conditions, to catch a few fish is even an accomplishment and honestly when you get hot and tired it becomes very difficult to fish well and on a very technical water, well, you did well! How do you tell the difference between a wild fish and a stocked fish? Here they clip the adipose fin, but you guys seem to be able to tell from a distance?

[@IBandAndyFishing]

Thanks Kerry, very kind! It was tough on the last day, long hot days and late nights got the better of us! Generally the stockies are a bit bigger, have larger darker spots and are more buttery in colour than a normal chalk stream fish would be

[@kerrypitt9789]

@@IBandAndyFishing ahhhh I see! We have Browns in BC that have been there for 100 years. Brought from both Scotland and Germany but to my knowledge we do not stock them anymore they have become self sustaining

[@jamesgreig1301]

👍

[@rudysubaru]

Nice video nice stretch of the river just ridiculous prices to fish it. Rather pay those money to fish back in Slovenia

[@mscustomlures]

Chalkstreams are bizarre, they're held as the epitome of British fly fishing and the birth place of upstream dry etc yet the majority of them are stocked. Those Chalkstreams are a bit removed from the post industrial urban rivers I fish up here

[@C0nstance1]

Your ' big old bruiser' is a stockie, going back through lack of food. An excellent fish wherew you are is a 1 lb wild brownie. There is no need for these stockies. A fish of a life time is a 2lb wild brown. How many 2lb grayling have you seen or caught?

[@IBandAndyFishing]

David, I can see you're very passionate and motivated with regards to the wild stock and history of these rivers, and that's commendable, but please don't take it out on us! If you've watched any of our other vlogs you'll have seen we spend much of our time on the Peacock water of the Derbyshire Wye, which many regard as the benchmark example of a re-wilded river, supporting huge stocks of wild fish, unstocked for decades. We get it. We've filmed it. Multiple 2lb wild trout and grayling. We wanted to go somewhere new and show the experience. We didn't lie about it, we showed it for what it is. If you're struggling to deal with it then please feel free not to watch any more 👍

[@C0nstance1]

@@IBandAndyFishing Thank you for replying. I enjoyed. More thoughts later

[@frankdooley6451]

Very manicured, like fishing in you garden.

[@duncanmit5307]

💜💜💜💜💜🐟🐟🐟💜💜💜💜💜💜

[@C0nstance1]

Go and do your history! These big stockies are for the fee paying pundits. ' what a fish' was probably in a stew pond a couple of weeks ago weighing a half kilo than today. Please, please. please. the Test and tributaries are the longest stew pond in the world. And all for money. Read about fishing 60 and more years ago. What you showed today is purely artificial fishing. God how I mourn the Test, Itchen, Frome, Meon and all as they used to be.