Some of the Derbyshire rivers are low at the minute, with the very shallow riffles being exposed. The kingfishers are very active, with low water and sunny days providing the ideal opportunity to feed on visible fry in the shallows. For the fish, the Trout will soon be sensing the changing of the seasons and developing an extra bit of aggression ready for fighting off unwanted attention during the spawning season. Some of the male fish developing a distinctive hooked jaw known as a Kype. The coarse fish in the river and the Grayling will be getting into an even finer condition as they continue to feed, they will not be spawning until Spring time next year.
It’s been such a funny year on the river, with ground frosts in May seeming to push everything back for 4 or 5 weeks. We went straight from Winter to Summer in terms of weather and the low water and current high temperatures are a continuation of a dry year. Riverkeepers and clubs will continue their hard work on invasive species, habitat management and surveys and get ready to monitor the spawning redds in Winter to ensure the Trout spawn as successfully as possible.