Martin Introna

My son Oliver (aged 12) and I have been spending time on the river Don in South Yorkshire. It’s well documented that the river is clean and is producing some great catches of silver fish from Sprotborough to the upper reaches around Meadow Hall, some ‘free’ water!

In Sheffield itself, there is plenty to go at especially adjacent to the Sheffield Wednesday stadium. It is here that we catch good numbers of Grayling and Brown trout on the fly. There are signs of the ‘odd’ course angler who has lost his/her float in the overhanging trees but I have never actually seen anyone else fishing here. So, its pretty well unfished.


You are able to fish all the way down stream from the Leppings Lane end bridge to the next bridge on the east side of the ground.


A simple set-up is a Floating line.. 8ft leader of 4lbs BS, and a single gold headed hares ear nymph.. Size 12s.. Or a pink thorax Czech nymph of the same size. As well as the ever-faithful Klink dryfly.




Method (beware of the tree’s) is a cast ‘slightly’ upstream and trundle the nymph along the bottom… takes usually come as the fly drifts in front of you….strike at any unusual line movement.



Look for the fast runs… fish them hard….On our last visit here, we had over 30 fish.. Mostly browns to 10”.. Good fighters too for their size. I have found other areas of the river well below Hillsborough and also further upstream holding greater numbers of Grayling, again, around 10” maximum size… all fish are safely returned.

The only ‘downside’ is the amount of discarded rubbish which is shrewn on the banks and in the water in most areas… (except the Sheffield Wednesday beat). All manner of waste including old beds, chairs, settees, indeed every type of household and industrial rubbish you can imagine…with the occasional shopping trolly!! This aside.. the fish don’t seem to mind.

Good fishing to you all

Martin Introna