Rain brings life to North Devons Rivers

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Recent rain has brought life into North Devons rivers with salmon and sea trout forging up river. Paul Carter tempted a fine 6lb salmon from a lower Taw beat along with a bright silver peal of around 1lb 8oz. With more rain forecast prospects for Taw, Torridge and Lyn are good.

An indicator of fresh run fish is often the presence of sea lice these can remain on the fish for up to 48hours. The tails of the lice contain the eggs which drop off before the lice. Small numbers of lice have always been an indication of a fish fresh from the sea. Sadly in some areas on the West coast of Scotland sea lice infestations from intense salmon farming have decimated salmon and sea trout populations.

Note the sea lice next to the pectoral fin an indication that the fish has been in the river for less that 48 hours.

Wild brown trout fishing is also good with some good mayfly hatches reported on the Middle Torridge.

Richard Nickell co owner of Blakewell Fishery tells me that some good brown trout are taking flies intended for sea trout with several fish well over the pound mark. Blakewell is in good form as well with buzzers working well.

Guidelines

Good Practice Guide

Catching the fish

Use appropriate tackle. Rod and line should be strong enough to bring the fish to net swiftly and without playing it to exhaustion. Move the fish out of fast water as soon as possible. The use of barbless single or double hooks is recommended. Barbed hooks can be rendered barbless by pinching with pliers.

Catch and Release
RTFCA strongly recommends that you practise catch and release whenever possible.

Playing the fish

When playing a fish try not to play it to exhaustion but land it as quickly as is possible.

Landing the fish

Use a fine knotless meshed landing net. No gaffs or tailers may be used. Ensure the fish remains in the water at all times.
Do not beach or tail a fish.

Handling the fish

Ensure that hands are wet and avoid squeezing the fish.

Removing the hook

Remove the hook gently, using forceps or a hook disgorger.
Should the fish be deep-hooked cut the line as near to the hook as possible.

Recording the fish

Do not weigh the fish, but calculate its length and subsequently use a length/weight conversion chart (see below) to find the weight. Suitable length marks on rod or wading-stick can be helpful. Photographs of the fish should only be taken while the fish is in the water.

Reviving and releasing the fish

Support the fish with both hands in a gentle current and facing upstream.
Allow time for the fish to regain its strength and be able to swim away on its own.

Disease

To guard against disease that can damage our fish stocks fishermen are directed to the Environment Agency’s website for “Guidance on Disinfecting Fishing Tackle”.

The Environment Agency Incident Hotline

For reporting any serious environmental incident such as pollution, poaching or fish in distress is

0800 807 060

  • RTFA strongly believes that fishermen are the best guardians of our river and if you fish the Taw why not join the Association to support our efforts.
  • Contact us via our website at www.rivertawfisheries.co.uk or phone our Treasurer, Richard Nickell on 10271 344533 / 07884 073932

RIVERS RISE BRINGS GRILSE

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Recent rain has brought all local rivers up  hopefully encouraging a few salmon and sea trout to forge up river. Simon Hillcox tempted a fresh run grilse of around 4lb 8oz from a Middle Torridge beat. The salmon was tempted using a Thunder & Lightning double. At present the water is coloured but as it fines down there is a good chance of taking fish.

( Above) River Taw at Umberleigh

Stafford Moor Carp Catches

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The Devon Fishing Diary group’s social organised by Jamie Lashbrook enjoyed great sport fishing on Beatties and lodge Lake at the weekend. Here are a few of their catches & also 4 of the guys now have new pb’s including Ashley Marsh with his 32lb 7oz stunner & Michael Goldrick’s 30lb 2oz. (Below)

(Below) Martin Stiling  fished on the beach swim on Beatties lake banking nine fish  up to 27lb 7oz which is Martin’s new personal best.  All Martin’s fish were caught on Mainline cell and our house pellets.

Summer gilts

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In recent seasons gilthead bream have become a regular catch for North Devon anglers with specimens landed on a regular basis throughout the summer months. Combe Martin SAC member Jamie Steward has landed several of these hard fighting sea bream from local North Devon marks the best scaling 3lb 1oz.

TORRIDGE CARP LAKES

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Torridge Carp Lakes opened earlier this spring and have been producing some quality fish to over 30lb. Contact details below.
Torridge Carp Lakes
Brookfield farm
Little Torrington
EX388PZ
 Shepherds and Old meadow lake are a pay as you go day ticket lakes (NO PREBOOKING)
£25 per 24hours (unlimited stay)
Tickets are on site and to be filled in and posted through the letterbox
Updates on swim availability will be every Morning and evening via Facebook page.

Top Sport on Bluefin

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Toby Bassett reported on a great day out on Bluefin Charters with Troy Laing and John Barbeary  and the lads.. A few tope caught Toby’s biggest went 29lb along with two others within 10 mins of each other.. Also had plenty huss and a fine specimen 16lb thornback ray.

South West Lakes Trout Fisheries Report June 2021

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Wistlandpound has been producing some good brown trout with several fish of over 1lb banked. Jason Hayes has had success with both brown trout and good quality Rudd. The Rudd are present in large numbers and can offer great sport on light fly tackle taking small dries and wets. Large wild browns feast on the Rudd fry and have been caught to over 3lb. The water clarity is excellent this season with no sign of the prolific algae blooms that have blighted the venue during recent seasons.

Kennick – The air and water continued to warm up in June, with a mid-month cold snap and heavy rain freshening the water. Weekly rod averages fell from 4.32 to 2.37 fish per angler as the month progressed. While some rising fish were taken on Beetles, Black Hoppers, Claret Snafflers, or Green Klinkhammers in the evening rise, most fish were caught subsurface with a slow figure-of-eight retrieve, using either nymphs (Diawl Bachs, Buzzers, and Montanas) or deeper fished lures (Tadpoles, Boobies, Cats Whiskers, and Kennick Killers). Favoured locations included the north end at Smithacott and the Causeway, Sycamore Wall, with boat anglers catching well in The Narrows and Boat Bay. Notable catches included nine rainbows to 3lb4oz by R.R., three rainbows to 3lb 8oz by Geoff V, and nine rainbows to 3lb caught by Malcome U.

The Snowbee Top Rod Competition was held on 13 June, and won by Alec Hoare of Abbotskerswell, with a bag of five fish weighing in at 8lb 12oz.

Siblyback – Some excellent fishing was enjoyed by Siblyback anglers, with rods averaging 3.16 fish per rod over the month. Plenty of beetle activity meant that fish were looking to the surface to feed, although with such plentiful food available, the fish were often very picky, and would ignore anglers’ offerings. Stocky Bay proved to be the most productive location, with a Damsel Nymph or Orange Gold Head nymph fished on a floating line and long leader proving successful in the deeper water by the dam. An Orange Blob fished as a dropper, with Black and Green Goldhead fished on the point also produced good results. John R had a couple of excellent sessions, catching eight rainbows to 2lb 6oz and eight rainbows to 2lb 8oz.

Burrator – Anglers enjoyed another great month’s fishing at Burrator, with anglers averaging 3.2 fish per rod, with the best locations being Longstone, Discovery Bank, and Sheepstor. As the month progressed, more Hawthorns and Beetles were evident, and plenty of surface activity (particularly during the morning and late afternoon), when floating lines and long leaders performed particularly well (especially when there was some cloud cover).Earlier in the month the fish tended to be at various depths – Mark M caught eleven fish on Black Buzzers and Pheasant Tail Nymphs, while Miles P caught twelve fish on a Pearly Spider and Tungsten Hares Ear.

 

Stithians – The fishing has really picked up at Stithians now – anglers averaged over 3.6 fish per rod, with early morning and evening sessions particularly productive. Numerous beetles blown onto the surface have produced some excellent dry fly fishing (Beetle patterns and Hoppers both caught well). Fish have been well spread out, and generally eager to feed near the surface – Mossops, Carnmenellis, and Yellowort Bay all proved to be excellent locations. Catches of note included bags of ten rainbows to 2lb caught by Tony C., seven fish to 2lb 9oz caught by Warren C., three rainbows to 2lb 8oz caught by Robert G., and ten rainbows and a small brown caught by John H.

 

Colliford – Weekly rod averages improved over the month, with the best week producing an average of 4.2 fish per angler. As is usual with Colliford, fish were well spread out around the lake, where keeping on the move with a stealthy approach produces good results. Fish have been feeding well throughout the day (with a lot of surface activity at first light and late evening), and if not on the surface, then no deeper than about one metre, so a floating line, often with a slow retrieve (or dry patterns fished statically), produced the best results, with fish often hitting the fly as it touched the water or on lift-off. Hoppers, Beetles, Sedges, Spiders, Hares Ears, Soldier Palmers and Buzzers all produced results, with the best bags including eleven browns caught on a Bibio by Philip H., Barbara L. catching thirteen browns to 1lb, and Daniel T. catching a bag of sixteen browns.

Fernworthy – Plenty of excellent bags were caught at Fernworthy in June, resulting in a rod average of just under four browns per angler. With plenty of insects being blown out of the woods onto the water, fish generally were feeding at or just below the surface, and smallish flies fished on the surface or just under with mixed retrieves produced the results. Fish fed well throughout the day, and would take eagerly even if not showing. Successful patterns included Zulu, Spiders, Black Nymphs, Gold Head Hares Ear, and Hoppers. The North Inlet and Permit Hut Bank both proved productive locations, with fish often fairly far out in the rippled water. Andrew Gooding enjoyed two good sessions catching twenty six fish; Andy W. caught ten browns to 2lb, as did Charles B., while Kevin Primmer caught twelve fish from a float tube, and David G. had fourteen fish.

Roadford – Here the fishing has been relatively quiet, with the fish still lying fairly deep (although some evenings have produced a reasonable rise), and a sinking line with a slow retrieve producing the best results; the fish moved nearer the surface to feed as the month progressed. Davies Bank, Grinnecombe, and the banks close to the centre proved to be the most productive. Duncan Kier caught the best bag – seven browns up to 1lb 8oz.