THE RIVER EDEN

Rising high in the North Yorkshire Moors, the River Eden flows north for over 60 miles, changing character from fast streams, riffles, stony glides and deep pools, providing much variety.

The Eden flows over some carboniferous limestone, making it very rich in habitat and species biodiversity, as well as over sandstone and mudstone. It flows through beautiful meadows and woodlands with a large variety of wildlife.

The record Eden trout weighed 8lbs and was 9 years old. This was caught in 1911 on a stretch now run by the club with a Bustard moth pattern, a fly that was, and still is by some, fished at night and is unique to these waters (this stretch has also produced two specimens over 7lbs and one of 5lbs). There has been at least five other captures over 6lbs recorded from the Eden, a brown trout found dead at Crowdundle Beck in 1923 weighed 9lbs. Leviathans of this size will still lurk in the depths but only rarely come to the fly.

Trout and grayling predominate in the Association's water, although the occasional salmon and sea trout is encountered. By far the majority of fish are wild, native stock.

It is difficult to specify the expected, average size of fish likely to be encountered during a day's fishing. This will vary depending on the fishing technique and the stretches fished. However, trout of 1lb to 1½lbs are common, with fish upwards of this regularly caught throughout the season. Several fish of 3lbs to 4lbs have been taken over the past few years.

The Association controls approximately 9 miles of the Eden on various beats between Bolton near Appleby and Armathwaite.

More photos from the Eden (click on photo to enlarge) :