Danby District Angling Club

We all have our favourite places.  And one of mine is the River Esk.  When I was a boy, I spent many happy summer days swimming in its cool water in a large deep pool just below the New Bridge near Castleton railway station.

The Esk is a beautiful Yorkshire River.

And it may be small in comparison to the other Eastward flowing Northern rivers such as the Tees, the Wear, and the Tyne.

But the Esk offers Anglers with unique challenges and opportunities for regular salmon, trout and sea trout.

The watershead for the Esk is in high Westerdale, on the other side of Blakey Ridge from Rosedale Abbey; in the wild, windswept and remote terrain of the ‘Esklets’.

As the Esk heads off to the sea at Whitby, it soon is joined by other "becks" (our local dialect for "streams") from the little valleys that make up the North and Eastern side of the North York Moors.

It gathers pace, and its size, depth, width, and water movement increase steadilly.

At the village of Castleton, the Esk first starts to become a proper river.

The river at Castleton may be small by most anglers standards.  But any skillful angler can catch brown trout and grayling throughout the season.

And salmon and sea trout can also be caught if the river is in spate.

Please note that the salmon and sea trout caught in October will be "long-run" fish (gravid) and ready for spawning.

It is both unsporting to fish for them, and they are poor table fish at this stage in their lifecycle.

You'll find that the slow, deep and snaggy pools below Castleton are often overlooked by anglers.

But some fine fat brown trout are often caught, up to 2.5lb.

The stretch of the Esk below Castleton is mainly under control of Danby & District Angling Club.

They offer incredible value season permits. 

You can buy yours at the Duke Of Wellington or the Post Office in Danby

The Danby Club’s river passes-by the little fields down to Danby.

From the Mill opposite the Danby railway station, the Esk gathers pace and widens.

The Esk between Danby and Danby Lodge can offer good brown trout fishing and the occasional grayling.

Eels also seem keen on this mainly shaded stretch.

But stealth is important if you want to catch fish in these often narrow pools.

The track to Crag Farm leads to a popular pool where the bridge crosses the river.

And the larger pool below Crag Farm is also a good bet for Brown Trout.

You can also try casting a fly for the sea trout in the back eddies.

Fryup Beck marks the lowest boundary of the Danby Club's water.

The key rule throughout is to steer clear of a clumsy cast and don't cast your shadow on the water.

Rosella Luxury Holiday Cottage

Rosella Cottage is a luxurious holiday home in Rosedale Abbey - in the heart of the North York Moors.  Built in 1850 but now completely refurbished; we have a cosy lounge, kitchen, a king-size bed in a big bedroom with vaulted-ceiling and exposed beams, and a lovely en-suite.

We've got a village-centre location and we're easy walking distance to the village shop, cafes, and village pubs with great restaurants.  To view our availability and for bookings, just click here.

Anglers are welcome!