Kilnsey Park Kilnsey near Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 5PS Phone number

Address: Kilnsey Park Kilnsey near Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 5PS Phone number:O1756 752150Directions: Make for Grassington on the Yorkshire Dales and take the B6160 towards Kettlewell. The park is approximately half way between Grassington and Kettlewell on your left hand side.Fishery: Two clear lakes of over an acre each, set in spectacular scenery. The water in both lakes comes in from a stream making it a clear water venue. Depths are up to about 10ft at the deepest.Stocking: Officially rainbows only but I did clearly see a very big brown off the cages. I suppose it could have got in from the feeder stream. However this fish looked to be well into double figures. The water was well stocked on my visit. The owners were not told of my arrival or of the work. I just turned up paid my money and fished.Literature gives the stocking size for rainbows as being on average between 2 and 41b. From what I saw this is a very accurate estimate. The record rainbow is given as 171b 7oz and the brown at 11lb 7oz. Tickets: The Park is open 9.00a.m to 5.30 p.m. Full day ticket with a four fish limit is £20. Half day two fish limit is £15. Junior ticket £10 for one fish. You are also charged a £1 returnable deposit on giving in your catch details. I thought this was a good novel idea. Facilities: These are exceptional with a small restaurant, water gardens, separate lake with children’s fun fishing, nature trail, W.C., pony trekking, hydro electric scheme and the aquarium is outstanding. There is plenty more for the family to do whilst you fly fish. A days fishingWe arrived from Pocklington near York passing some breath taking scenery on our way to the park. Parking was easy and I quickly purchased a day ticket from the coffee shop leaving Virginia to have a hot chocolate.I only had my 8.5ft 4 piece A.F.T.M. 5 travel rod with me but it was more than adequate for the two clear lakes. I started on the top lake with a floater with a 9ft leader of 41b b.s. Maxima ultra green. I particularly like this line because of its colour and reliability. I started off with a small cats whisker and had a rainbow of about 31b on my second cast. Then no matter how I altered the retrieve and the depth fished, I could not get another take.I had a word with a local angler who really knew his stuff. He advised me to fish a small gold ribbed hairs ear with a very slow retrieve. I changed over to a size 14 gold bead hairs ear casting out to maximum range to virtually let the wind pull the fly a long. Almost immediately I had a take that I missed. The same thing happened on the next cast but on my third effort my luck changed. This was no small fish as it stripped off about 10 yards of line. Keeping up steady pressure the fish was turned and carefully played out. It was a good rainbow of well over 5lb.It was time for lunch in the small restaurant which was very enjoyable before returning for the afternoon session.I tried the upper lake for my second session and started off with the same gold ribbed hairs ear nymph. I started by the cages casting a long line down by the cages. After a few casts without a pull, I had a smash take that turned out to be another three pound plus rainbow.I fished on without a take and moved further down the lake into clear open water. After three quarters of an hour I had another very light take that I hit. This was a big fish that tested my light tackle to the limit. It was certainly a good fish that I estimated to be over 71b and completed my limit. I was certainly most impressed by the fishery that at £20 offers real value for money.After I had handed in my completed return and loaded up my car, I decided to walk out on the walkway by the cages. I looked into the water to see some very big rainbows on the outside of the cages. As I walked back to the bank over the pontoon, I looked down into the deep water to see a terrific marked brown that I believe was well into double figures. It looked like a monster natural brownie.