Waltonian Angling Club Limited

The W.A.C. was formed as a Limited Company in 1956 from an existing long established Sheffield Angling Club and is administered by a group of elected members forming the Board of Directors.

The ethos of the club is to provide top quality mixed discipline fishing for our members at an affordable annual fee with the minimum of rules and regulations.

Over many years the club has taken a progressive outlook towards expanding its portfolio of waters and now owns outright some excellent fishing and adjoining land as well as being the leaseholder to other waters.

The majority of the clubs waters are superb game / fly fishing rivers but there are also some excellent coarse fishing venues available to members.

We take great pride in the maintenance and accessibility of our waters and have in place river fly monitoring and regular checks are carried out by an expert biologist on the water and invertebrate life. Regular Health and Safety checks are carried out on club facilities to ensure a safe angling experience.

We have recently improved and modernised all our administration procedures and most aspects including payments are easily completed online. To be inclusive we still cater for members who do not have computer access or skills using more traditional methods of communication.

We have extensive fishing rights on various sections of the river Derwent between Ladybower and – also the river Dove at Pilsbury – – rods on Ladybower / Derwent and Howden reservoirs – Coarse fishing on the tidal at Carlton, Nottinghamshire and three stunning coarse Stillwater ponds at Carlton, Hassop Hall and Wingfield Manor, South Wingfield.

All enquiries regarding membership should be forwarded to Mr Tony Randell at this email address [email protected]

The River Derwent The Derwent is a special river for our members and is rightly considered to be the “jewel in our crown”

The W.A.C. Committee took the bold step in 1956 of purchasing outright fishing rights upstream of Calver as well as the “Shuttle House” at Calver New Bridge which was subsequently sold and monies raised from the sale used to purchase more fishing.

Members have access to various sections of the river giving a wonderful diversity of much sought after fishing on this iconic river.

Yorkshire Bridge

The W.A.C. has an arrangement with Birchinlee Fly Fishing Club to fish the river either side of just downstream of – this is wonderful small river fly fishing for wild trout.

Grindleford to Baslow

The river widens in places and there are two weirs on this extensive stretch covering several miles. The pools and glides are varied offering some tremendous fishing for both wild and carefully stocked brown and rainbow trout; there are also large shoals of grayling to be found – the beautiful “Lady of the Stream” providing fantastic winter fishing on both bait and fly.

Most methods of fly fishing (traditional and modern) work well on this stretch and we are blessed with a prolific Mayfly hatch in late May and early June.

The W.A.C. owns the fishing from Grindleford to Calver and has recently (2019) acquired the lease from Chatsworth Estates to the stretch from Calver to Baslow.

Darley Dale

Mixed fishing is available on two stretches at Darley Dale offering yet more variety of water not far upstream from Matlock. River Derwent – Picture Gallery

River Lathkill Our members have shared fishing rights on the sublimely beautiful river Lathkill upstream of Bridge near not far from .

This stretch offers dry fly fishing of the highest quality in gin clear water to visibly feeding fish – it is challenging fishing indeed but ultimately satisfying to see your delicately presented dry fly taken by these world renowned fish.

You are literally walking in the footsteps of Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton here – Cotton wrote of the Lathkill “It is by many degrees the purest and most transparent stream that I ever yet saw, and breeds it is said the reddest and the best trout in ”

River Dove – Pilsbury

The W.A.C. has only recently acquired this fishing on the upper river Dove which gives us access to 1,000 metres of single bank fishing upstream of Hartington.

The beat can be fished from the bank or with careful wading and is fly only, catch and release.

Although not fully explored as yet by our anglers there have been some surprise big brown trout caught on dry fly this season. This is fabulous small stream fishing in absolutely stunning scenery.

Ladybower and Birchinlee W.A.C. members have access to 4 day rods on Ladybower Trout Fishery as well as 2 day rods on waters of the Birchinlee Fly Fishing Club.

Ladybower is an historic and productive Stillwater trout fishery set in breathtakingly beautiful scenery in the heart of the .

This is a stunningly dramatic area of the Peak District steeped in local history. The dam wall at Derwent was used as a practise target for the famous Dam Busters raid in World War 2 and the ancient villages of Ashopton and Derwent now lie peacefully beneath the waters having been flooded when the reservoir was filled.

There are new owners at Ladybower which has excellent facilities and fishing of the highest quality is on offer.

Tickets are booked through the Ladybower Fishery Office and fishing is either from the bank or for a fee there are various options of booking a boat and even Float Tubing is available.

The Birchinlee Fly Fishing Club has a section of the river Derwent at Yorkshire Bridge below Ladybower and also bank fishing on Derwent and Howden reservoirs further up the valley.

Derwent and Howden reservoirs offer bank fishing for wild brown trout in often splendid isolation much further up the valley, an area of natural beauty often compared to the wilds of Scotland.

Coarse Fishing The W.A.C. takes pride in offering mixed discipline fishing to our members although in recent years the majority of members joining have been fly anglers.

There are some excellent coarse fishing opportunities available to our members.

Carlton Lake and River Trent

Members have access to a stretch of the tidal river Trent as well as a lovely lake which is a venue for club social fishing days and barbeques during the season.

Hassop Hall Ponds

These are two delightful small ponds located in a gated Estate near to Hassop Hall. Our members fish these waters through a reciprocal arrangement with the host club, the Sheffield University Staff Angling Club.

If you are looking for great coarse fishing in marvellous seclusion this is the venue for you.

Manor Ponds, South Wingfield

W.A.C. members have access to this beautiful coarse fishery complex comprising of 4 ponds giving excellent fishing for silver fish and carp.

We are guests of the local fishing club on this complex.

Hassop Ponds Manor Ponds

Carp from Manor Ponds