Eyebrook is a special place. We know that it is the site on which Royal Air Force bombers practiced for their assault on the otherwise impregnable German-constructed dams. The film, “The Dam-busters,” provides details in full, tells how one man, a British physicist, devised a bomb that would bounce on the water, and smash into its target from the front, rather than from above. See the film, if you haven’t already.

Happily, today, Eyebrook serves more peaceful purposes, and is a source of unmitigated pleasure for many fly fishing persons in pursuit of trout. That is not to say that some of them don’t suffer the frustration of an empty bag from time to time, but most return again and hope to triumph.

Eyebrook is also the source of water for Corus Steel, now owned by the Giant Indian steel-making concern. There was at first a bit of apprehension that our peculiar British ways would not get ready acceptance in foreign steel making circles. But nobody need be worried, not with Andy Miller in charge. Talk about the right man, in the right place doing the right job. And doing it very well. Andy could be Prime Minister. He would straighten out the country.

Andy makes everything seem easy, as if it all happens by magic, instead of the almost impossible task of running a fishery successfully. Fisherman want to catch fish, and if they don’t, they think it must be because there aren’t many around. And so do the cormorants want to catch fish; they used to do it at sea, but there isn’t much for them to eat there any more, so they have come inland, and find trout much to their liking. And there are people around who don’t care about trout, or fly fishing, but like cormorants, and are glad that they are helping themselves to our fish. So you can see the conflict that has arisen. And there’s more: There are people around who don’t want us to fish at all. Andy takes it all in his stride, and creates an atmosphere that’s as easy-going as he is, engenders a friendliness that makes everybody feel welcome, glad that they have come to this place. And as if this weren’t enough, Andy runs Eyebrook at a profit.

At the recent Game Fair, Andy was awarded a prize for having done the most for disabled anglers. And it wasn’t the first time either. There are two wheelie-boats at Eyebrook that serve the disabled. Let down the front, and the wheelchair-bound manoeuvre into the boat, fixing the chair to specially-made fastenings, so that the wheel chair won’t take off on its own, particularly in a rough sea.

Andy and Dawn were kept busy on the Eyebrook stand at the Game Fair. Lots of people stopped by, some to get information and come fishing, and others to tell about their fishing experiences there. When we got to Eyebrook , it wasn’t even raining. But the east wind was one powerful force.

I went out on my own in the morning, then, for a little while with Mark, who is a fishery officer at Eyebrook, and knows his fish and fishing. He started life pursuing other endeavours, but when he discovered fisheries management, he fell in love, and changing careers was no great problem for him.

We moved about the lake, covering some of the known hot-spots. The strong east wind was apparently having a disrupting effect. The boat bobbed up and down, and Eyebrook was one heavy sea. Mark and I got takes at almost the same time, but we both missed. An angler stopped by to have a chat with Mark, and exchange intelligence. He anchored near-by, a manifestation of the basic friendliness of this place; you could stop and fish close to another angler, who would welcome your presence.

Despite difficulties for some of the fisherpersons, it was a grand triumph for others. Brian Frith, fishing from a wheelie-boat, took his six fish on a black and orange nymph. Brian, who is an ex-miner, has a caravan near-by, and fishes here often. He knows what he is doing.

Darren Sumner knows what he is doing too. He took nine fish – when you reach your eight fish limit, you can keep doing it on a catch-and release basis. He did it with an orange, yellow and pink blob on a fast-sinking line. He very kindly presented me with his fish-killing fly. There is an obvious lesson to be learned here; this is generally a top-water kind of place, and mainly with what is natural. But the real danger is being too rigid. You have to try everything, even the non-conventional – or especially the non-conventional. I’ll have a go with that fly and report back on the results.

The next day we had a walk around Rutland Lake. It rained most of the day.

And so, our adventure concluded. It was all deeply rewarding. We saw old friends, and made new ones. How fortunate we all are. The land and the water gives us so much. Let us pause for a moment and think about it.

© Sidney Du Broff 2009