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The Mill
Heathman Street
Nether Wallop
STOCKBRIDGE
Hampshire SO20 8EW
T: 01264 781988
F: 01264 782590
info@fishingbreaks.co.uk
www.fishingbreaks.co.uk
 

River Fishing in Yorkshire

Fishing Breaks offer the widest selection of the very best chalk stream brown trout dry fly and nymph fishing in the county of East Yorkshire.

The Chalk Wolds of East Yorkshire are an important source of highly prized spring fed rivers and streams. These watercourses make up a river system that forms the most northerly chalk rivers in Europe.

There are in total forty eight named chalkstreams in the Wolds ranging from some of just a mile or two in length to the River Hull at nearly twenty miles. Of these the most notable from a fly fisher’s perspective is the Driffield Beck, Forston Beck and The Great Eau.

Our rivers | Your Guide | Fishing advice and flies | Places to stay | Map

Our river

DRIFFIELD BECK

Driffield Beck is the most important of the chalkstreams in the Eastern Wolds, the most northerly point on the planet where alkaline, aquifer fed rivers exist.

Driffield West Beck as it is sometimes otherwise known rises as a spring at Elmswell in the foothills of the Yorkshire Wolds. It flows for a shade over 10 miles, in every sense a perfect chalk river until it joins the River Hull to complete a further 19 mile journey to the sea.

At some point in their angling lives most of the fly fishing greats made their way to Yorkshire. Articles way back to 1870 in The Field magazine sing its praises and J W Hills of 'A Summer on the Test' fame thought the Beck very like the River Itchen in Hampshire.

The river even has its own fly, the Driffield Dun (pictured left) which looks rather like a Greenwell's Glory. The seasonal hatch pattern, bar the absence of a Mayfly, will be very familiar to chalkstream regulars though the locals do tend to favour smaller sizes, sometimes going as small at size 26.

MULBERRY WHIN

Driffield Beck is a true chalkstream in every sense of the word. The river at Mulberry Whin has been in the same farming family since 1940, now passing to the fourth generation run by Andrew and his father Brian. The beat is double bank along its entire length of over a mile. The river meanders across the farmland with sharp, deep bends interspersed with shallow gravel sections with ranunculus and starwort weed. The fish are a variety of wild brownies, supplemented by Yorshire reared brown trout and grayling that run over 3lbs. It is bank fishing, with easy terrain, well maintained banks and an excellent cabin. My sincere thanks to Norwegian journalist Morten Harangen for use of his photograghs. See the story of his trip on his web site

For further details, please complete our enquiry form or e-mail info@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Your Fishing Guide – Dave Southall

Retired school teacher Dave Southall is a native of East Yorkshire and lives within a stones throw of Mulberry Whin, having known and fished it all his life.

It is fair to say that you will not find anyone more knowledgeable or enthusiastic about this famous northern chalkstream.

Dave is available for a half or full day, as a guide or instructor. Tackle is provided as required and Dave ties his own flies for you to use.

Fishing advice and flies

In broad terms the fishing season runs from April to September. The Hawthorn hatch, for which the Yorkshire streams are famous, is in late April/early May. It is worth noting that there is no Mayfly hatch. There are no easy pickings in the second half of the season, but small flies, delicately fished are the secret weapons.

Top Yorkshire Flies:

Bead-head nymphs, Peeping Caddis and Shrimps in a variety of sizes are the best sub-surface patterns. Weighted nymphs for grayling are essential.

Recommended outfit: 8.5ft rod, of 4-5wt. Floating line. Tippet to 2lb/8x. Flies size 14-18, barbless or de-barbed.

Places to stay and visit

Local B&B: Whin Lodge

Local self catering cottage: Mulberry Lodge

> View the full Fishing Breaks accommodation guide

Maps

YORKSHIRE

1 MULBERRY WHIN Driffield Beck

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