Paul Hutchings enjoyed a short after work session at a local rock mark and landed his first smoothound of the season weighing 6lb 9oz. This is very early for the first hound to show with May generally considered to be the normal start of the smoothie season.
An exciting new opportunity for North Devon’s carp anglers with the opening of two new day ticket lakes stocked with carp to over 30lb.
There are 17 swims at Hacche over two lakes with booking limiting amount of swims occupied to allow anglers the space and freedom to move if they wish…over 200 fish from 12lb to mid 30’s split between the two lakes..bookings taken on 07814 510580. There is a strict no visitor rule to keep it quiet for the paying angler’s, if anyone wishes to have a look they can ring to arrange a viewing.
Combe Martin SAC member Kevin Legge enjoyed a weeks fishing from the shore in Norway where he and his companions from Veal’s Mail Order landed some notable specimens including cod to 38lb, halibut to 32lb and a fierce looking wolf-fish of 14lb 2oz to Kevin. To combat Norways hostile climate the team chose to wear clothing from North Devon based Reeds -Chillcheater.
(Above) Damien Close with a 32lb halibut
Twenty fours hours after arriving home from Norway Kevin was out on the local shoreline where he banked a stunning brace of bull huss scaling 13lb 9oz and 11lb 1oz.
The journey across Exmoor on a late March day evaporated into a whirl of fishing talk and tales as Jeff drove us to Wimbleball Lake high on Exmoor. On arrival we were greeted warmly by Trevor Telling who assists Mark and Tracey Underhill in running Wimbleball Lake.
Its just over twelve months since Mark took over running Wimbleball and I am sure that many of the anglers who have visited since will vouch for the Stirling job that Mark and his team have done.
I asked Mark to summarise his feeling after a year running the Lake.
“During our first season it was certainly a surprise to us how many fishermen came to fish at Wimbleball, and that gave us confidence to go on and order the Coulam boats. I don’t think we could have picked a worse year to have started running Wimbleball due to beast of a the east and then that awful fishing summer. But even with that we were very pleased with everything. The lake fished it’s socks off and we only had a few blanks all year, It’s truly a magical lake and I feel very blessed to have taken on the fishing my end goal is make Wimbleball one of the country’s top lakes for cracking quality and the hardest fighting fish any where in the country.”
Trevor Telling is himself a keen angler and is passionate to ensure that all those who visit the Lake enjoy the experience. He shares information freely suggesting where to fish and what flies and tactics are likely to succeed. We chatted at length about trout fishing and fisheries and how important it is to all work together in promoting this wonderful pastime. One issue that Mark and Trevor feel strongly about is the need to encourage young anglers into the sport and to promote this they offer Juniors under 16 the opportunity to fish for free when accompanied by a permit holding adult.
The adoption of a forward thinking catch and release policy has proved very popular with visiting anglers. The sensible catch and release ticket option costs the same as a five fish ticket with the first two fish to be retained ensuring a constant turnover of stock. The angler can enjoy a full days fishing without any worry about bag limits and having to leave when the quota is made.
A blue sky interspersed with white cotton wool clouds, birdsong drifting through the air, fresh green leaves and buds all around. Daffodils, celandines and primroses denote that we are in that delightful yellow phase of spring. Time to go trout fishing!
The bright sunshine and cool North West Breeze would undoubtedly make the trout a little harder to catch but this did little to dent our enthusiasm as we tackled up in the car park close to Bessom’s Bridge.
I threaded the Intermediate line through the rings attached a leader of 8lb b.s Fluro-carbon and put a bead headed black lure on the point with a buzzer pattern on the dropper.
Snowbee Ambassador Jeff Pearce set up with some of Snowbee’s finest kit and elected to start off with a booby on a fast sinking line.
We both walked eagerly to the waters edge and took a few steps out into the gin clear water before extending our lines. And so, the search began in a rhythmic cast and retrieve that is so absorbing. The icy cold water on the fingers, the coolness seeping through waders, the expectation as the line is pulled back through the rod’s rings.
This wonderful vibrant spring landscape is surely all so vital in this quest to connect with the hard fighting trout that live within this other dimension beneath the surface. It’s all so hard to put into words but I can only link the total emersion into this trance like state as the mind set determined during yoga or mindfulness endeavours.
It was mid-morning by the time we started fishing and I am sure that we both expected success early in the day. I persisted with the set up I had started with whilst Jeff continually swapped and changed lines, tactics and flies. After an hour I hooked a rainbow trout that erupted at the end of the line leaping two or three feet into the air in a flurry of spray before racing away at a rate of knots then coming detached from the hook. This frustrating occurrence was to be repeated several times throughout the morning. This at least gave hope that I was doing something right, as Jeff had not even had a pull in the first two hours.
We stopped briefly for lunch resting our arms and assessing the situation. It was apparent that other anglers were also struggling to find the fish as they were constantly moving around searching.
By mid afternoon our spirits had dipped slightly and we decided it was time to try a new area. If nothing else it would give us a change of scenery and fresh hope. We figured that the shallow bay opposite could be worth a try. Whilst several anglers had been fishing there in the morning they had moved on and the area had been rested for a while.
As we walked to the water’s edge there came that welcome ring upon the water that signifies a feeding trout. Jeff put out a long floating line with a Black n’ peacock on the point. First cast came a pull; second cast a bent rod and an acrobatic rainbow. We were both relieved to break the prospect of a blank day and I captured the moment before resuming my own quest for a trout.
A few casts later and I was once again enjoying the thrill of a hard fighting rainbow at the end of the line. Exhilaration once more turned to disappointment as the hook once again lost its hold. I was now however brim full of confidence and expected a take with every cast and It wasn’t long before I was again relishing the battle with one of Wimbleballs hard fighting trout. Each trout seemed to be turbo charged ripping line through the fingers as the rod bent and bucked to the strain.
The next couple of hours saw us hook multiple hard fighting rainbows with black lures fished on an intermediate line highly effective. We don’t know of course whether it was the change of location that had brought success or the trout’s appetite or mood.
The fact that we had eventually unlocked the key to success brought satisfaction, whilst the perfect light as the day faded brought appreciation of the artist in us both. As the sun slowly sank it was difficult to know what mattered most, was it the thrill of hard fighting trout or the capturing of that moment with the camera?
With bare trees silhouetted against the skyline and the mirror of the lake reflecting the glowing embers of the day I hoped that Jeff could seal the moment. As I framed him fishing; a fish seized the fly. The next few minutes we both relished the moments as a hard fighting trout tested the tackle for several minutes before eventually surrendering into the folds of the rubber coated net. The barbless hook slipped easily from the jaws of a stunning wild brown trout. After capturing the moment Jeff let the fish swim away into the cool waters and into our memories.
We packed away, our fingers tingling with the cold water, our feet numbed after hours stood up to our waists in the cool water. As we left enchanting Wimbleball Lake I commented that we would never endure such discomfort during a day at work!
As the road climbed up onto the moor Jeff’s phone sprang into life. The fact that he was due at the pictures at 8.00pm had totally slipped his mind whilst lost in the waters of an angling life.
Its always good to be at the start of a season with those longer spring days and summer evenings still to come. The thrill of rising trout during perfect days beside well stocked waters.
Wimbleball Lake is a large reservoir with a surface area of 374 acres. The dam construction was completed in 1979 and provides water that is distributed by South West Water and Wessex Water. It was run as a trout fishery for many years by South West lakes Trust who downgraded the fishery in 2016. Mark Underhill took on running the lake in 2018 stocking it with quality rainbow trout from Rainbow Valley Trout Farm.
The lake also has a good population of wild brown trout that run to over 6lb.
Combe Martin SAC Member Mark Jones landed a stunning brace of specimen fish during his latest shore fishing session. Mark landed a personal best small eyed ray of 13lb 2oz and followed it with a huge bull huss scaling 13lb 6oz.
In addition to the big ray Mark also landed five smaller ray. He was joined by Craig McCloughlin of Braunton baits who landed a brace of small eyed ray to around 9lb and a spotted ray.
RIVER TAW FISHERIES AGM
The River Taw Fisheries Association held their Annual General Meeting at High Bullen Hotel on Friday March 22ndand a good number of the 165 members were in attendance.
The membership overwhelmingly endorsed the RTFA’s new constitution with the removal of the two tier membership resulting in one membership type of full member at an annual subscription of £25.00.
Secretary George Marsh stepped down after giving several years of Stirling service and was presented with a gift in appreciation by RFTA Chairman Alex Gibson. Ian Blewett steps into the role and will I feel sure continue with George Marsh’s excellent work.
Representation of the rivers angling stakeholders is well represented with landowners, salmon anglers, wild brown trout fishers and important fishing hotels all key ingredients.
Reflecting upon the 2018 season was considered a depressing task with the beast from the East blighting the first month, followed by raging spates that then saw the onset of the worst drought since the summer of 1976. With fishing condensed into no more than a month it is no surprise that catches were very poor. Estimates appear to indicate a catch of between 50 and 70 salmon and 45 to 70 sea trout. The nets took 35 salmon and 23 sea trout. The removal of all netting should in theory ensure more salmon make it into the river where they will hopefully spawn successfully. Brown trout fishing was good despite the poor conditions with around 2000 recorded.
Alex Gibson and Paul Carter both stressed the importance of good practice regarding catch and release. The importance of carrying a suitable landing net and keeping salmon in the water is essential to ensure a high survival rate.
The RFTA is contributing to funding for the West Country Rivers Trust to undertake river improvement work including gravel washing. Investing in habitat improvement is vital with many issues impacting upon salmon and sea trout including, farming practices, Climate change, pollution from sewage works, reduced water flows and predation amongst just a few.
One concern shared by many in the RFTA is the lack of young anglers fishing on the rivers. The RFTA urges its members to introduce young anglers to the sport of Fly Fishing and actively promotes upcoming events at Blakewell Fishery.
Paul Carter urged anglers to report any pollution incidents or netting via the EA hotline – 0800 60 70 80. Trash dams have proven to be a serious issue on the Upper reaches of the Taw and its tributaries and it is imperative that landowners and anglers keep an eye open for any potential blockage to upstream migration.
Dr Andrew King gave a fascinating talk on the Population Genetics of Brown Trout and Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) in southern Britain. Whilst I have to confess that the in depth analysis and statistics left me slightly baffled it also opened my mind to the vast complexities of sea trout and brown trout.
Brown trout and sea trout are one and the same species with some trout opting to go to sea to feed. The studies carried out by Andrew on the genetics of trout focussed upon the rivers of the South West and in particular South Cornwall. This immediately struck a chord with me as I know many of these small rivers from visits to Cornwall over several decades. In particular the Polperro stream that I have walked beside on numerous occasions often punctuated by gaps of several years. As a teenager I glimpsed the trout as I walked down the street with my parents far more interested in the river than the quaint Cornish cottages and shops. Only last year I walked the street with my wife Pauline and again it was those spirited spotted brown trout that caught my eye. Still surviving in that tumbling brook running beside the tourist thronged streets that also lead to the bustling harbour.
The life of the sea trout is certainly complex as is nature once you start to delve into the amazingly interdependent jigsaw. Whilst it is generally considered that sea trout return to the river of their birth this is not always so. Returning sea trout will sometimes stray into different rivers and this it would appear keeps the stocks healthy reducing interbreeding within the rivers.
Navigation is of course one of those remarkable facts that we all ponder upon. It is generally accepted that salmon and sea trout find the river of their birth by utilising their sense of smell and perhaps the magnetic fields of the earth. This is truly remarkable if you give it a moment’s thought. I sometimes struggle to find our car in the Tesco car park after half an hours shopping! These fish find a stream or river flowing after a year or more swimming in a vast ocean.
I asked the question at the end of the talk as to why sea trout stocks seem to be declining at a faster rate than salmon? The most likely reason would appear to be a lack of food at sea due to mankind’s over harvesting of the sea in particular sandeel.
There is also the fact that not all brown trout get the urge to migrate out to sea and this could be linked to the health of the river. If the river is healthy and full of life then there may not be a need to go to sea to supplement the diet? How the sea trout work this out I have no idea. And it would also appear that around 85% of the brown trout that develop into smolts are female with most males deciding to remain in the river system.
To sum it all up sea trout and brown trout are complex creatures that deserve to be treated with respect. As anglers who delight in casting a line for these fish we owe it to the fish to do all we can to preserve the delicate environment in which they live. Whilst there are those who see angling as cruel there is no doubt that there is no group of people more passionate for the survival of salmon and sea trout than those who yearn to be connected briefly via a rod and line.
Kyle Blackmore travelled to the Chesil Beach to secure victory in Bidefords monthly Rover. I have heard a reports of several good local fish over the weekend and will publish as soon as I get full details.
Bideford Angling Club 24hour results
1st Kyle Blackmore – Blonde Ray 17lb 11oz 147.395%
2nd Dick Talbot plaice 1lb 3 1/2oz 60.937%
(Above) Lee Hayden fished with his son Frank on Beatties lake and between them they banked six carp all caught on banoffee pop ups.
(Above) Wade Peanutt Holmes banked three fish in a day session from Lodge lake up to 22lb 12oz caught on Sticky Baits Manilla boilies
Steve Renyard landed this stunning fully scaled mirror of 35lb from inform Furzebray Carp Lakes.
Burrator Reservoir Fly Fishing & Angling Association angler, Scott Borthwick with his 9lb Rainbow Trout caught during their match on Exe Valley’s Anchor Lake.
