Keen local angler Tony Watkin’s joined with protesters in Barnstaple to raise awareness regarding the plight of UK rivers and the horrendous discharging of sewage by water companies. I publicised this protest on North Devon Angling News and I wondered how many anglers would make the effort to attend. I personally tend to try and raise awareness via my writing using reasoned argument and feel slightly ill at ease with protest groups. The state of our rivers and the decline in Wildlife and nature across the world indicates that reasoned and rationale debate is not working. Frustration at the failings of politicians to address the system leads to ever stronger protests. It is time for all of us with a passion for nature to work together in a common cause forcing those who have the power to act now. It is time to re-evaluate how we measure progress and move away from GDP to appreciating how nature and the Environment is key to our survival as a species.
Tony Watkins reports –
Ask yourself this question would you say that almost 6 Million hours of dumping sewage into rivers on 775,704 separate occasions over just 2 years might qualify as ‘Exceptional’?Or the fact that South West Water was branded the Worst Polluters in the UK by ofwat Dec 2022. Yesterday local Catch n Release Salmon Fisherman Tony Watkins himself campaigning here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/627440
Joined a peaceful group of over 170 protesters in Barnstaple yesterday to protest against Sewage, joined by groups The Baggy Blue tits part of the International Swimming group The Bluetit Chill Swimmers, Surfers Against Sewage, Plastic Free Devon, Xtinction Rebellion, marched from Castle Green to present a (mock)blue plaque to local MP offices Selaine Saxby (see pics).The peaceful march continued up the High Street with a joyous lively samba band to Green Lanes where various speeches were given by the groups in highlighting the Sewage Crime upon us.
A few details of the Fly Fair programme for the day with timings however this may be subject to a little change. As per last year for those looking set up the day before the main Exhibitor room and the Tying Lounge is available from 5pm – 7pm, it’s worth noting that parking may be restricted on the morning 26th morning. For anyone looking to get breakfast from the Café this will be open from 9am so please allow some additional time as it was particularly busy last yearJ
FLY FAIR SCHEDULE
Time
Event
Location
Duration
10am
Doors Open
Burrator room
10:15am
Welcome – Charles Jardine
Burrator room
10 minutes
10:25am
Gary Champion – Fly Tying
Burrator room & Onscreen
30 minutes
10:55am
Charles Jardine Casting Demonstration
Waterside area Outside
45 minutes
11.40am
Lee Hooper – Fly Tying Chevron
Burrator room & Onscreen
30 minutes
12.10pm
Q & A with Charles Jardine and the Panel
Burrator room
20 minutes
12.30pm
Cooking Demonstration with Gary Champion
Outside on Balcony
45 minutes
1:15pm
Steve Skuce – Fly Tying Grayling Bugs
Burrator room & Onscreen
30 minutes
1.45pm
Charles Jardine – Fly Tying
Burrator room & Onscreen
30 minutes
2.15pm
Rodney Wevill – Pike Fly Tying
Burrator room & Onscreen
30 minutes
3pm
Gary Champion – Casting Demonstration
Waterside area Outside
30 minutes
4pm
Charles Jardine – Raffle Draw & Closing
Burrator room
ALL DAY EVENTS
10am – 4pm
Café/Restaurant is open for food & hot drinks
Restaurant/Café
10am – 4pm
Free ‘Have a go Fly dressing’
Fly Tying Lounge
John Rumbold, Ron Wildhay & Dave Matthews
10am – 4pm
Free ‘Have a go Casting a Fly Rod’
Outside on grass
Andy Waton, John Dawson, Dave Mathews, Mike Kent, David Lynch, Harry Chance
10am – 4pm
Tip & Advice’ from Snowbee Fly Rods and Reel demonstrations
Combe Martin SAC member Kyle Bishop has enjoyed some hard earned success during the first month of 2023 tempting tope of 38lb and 34lb along with several Bull Huss to 12lb. The club are holding their AGM and presentation night at the White Lion, Braunton on Saturday 28th January. New members are welcome so please come along and suport the club.
The rivers are the arteries of the land and anglers and other groups are dismayed at the apparent lack of investment in protecting this vital part of the environment. Those with a passion for clean rivers are gathering this Saturday in Barnstaple at Castle Green to raise awareness of this issue.
12 anglers fished the 4th match and fishing was hard going with very few bites. 1st place went to Anthony Bentley with a nice net of carp for 29lbs 8oz fishing the feeder with banded pellet on peg 17. Second place went to John Lane on peg 18 with 10lbs 12oz and 3rd place was shared between christiaan Russell and Sheila Found with 1 carp each for 7lbs. The next match is on 26.2.23 venue to be arranged.
I met Barry Bassnett on several occasions whilst fishing for trout at Blakewell Fishery. We exchanged stories of angling in North Devon and I was delighted to record some of Barry’s recollections in my book “ I Caught A Glimpse”. Barry recently expressed his opinion on fishing styles after I posted an image of static fishing. Fishing methods can to an extent be split between a trapping approach where the bait is positioned whilst the angler waits for an audible or visual indication before reeling in the fish. The other approach is to hold the rod and feel for the electrifying pull as the fish moves away with the bait or lure the angler driving the hook home with a strike. Many thanks to Barry for allowing me to reproduce his comments and recollections.
I use both approaches depending upon my preference or to what I think most likely to succeed. I remember my father preferring to hold the rod at all times waiting for that magical pull transmitted through the line. Barry’s comments and recollections are reproduced below.
A musical fish perhaps. Ha ha. But I can’t just sit there. Waiting for a buzzer to go off. It would drive me mad!!
I also can’t sea fish with a rod rest. I like the feel of a rod in my hand waiting for the bite. I want to lure fish this next summer. I’m hoping my neighbour Andy. Across the road will help me get started and I want to get out on the Lyn again .
I found out I’d got a Morecambe book about fishing. The Morecambe of Morecambe and Wise. It’s a brilliant book
And a great read.
I also have somewhere, an old book of old salmon fishing flies. I’ll have to try and find it some time.
Does Barnstaple have an angling club. And if it does what waters do they have and do they have many waters. And sections of the club is coarse fly and sea. Included.
Do you remember Bill Leg? A chap I fished with many many years ago.
We were with Owen another friend. It must have been in the seventies. We went to an open sea competition at Saunton. And there was a severe gale blowing. They decided to stop and cancel the competition. But our bunch decided they were all soft. So, we had to wade all the way to where we decided to fish .it was extremely hard going even up on the dunes was deep sea water. The wind was so strong. All along the beach we were wading in our waders. The water knee high.
When we decided we’d trudged far enough to start fishing. We got set up with four ounce weights on the end and started to cast
But however hard we tried to throw the weights out they ended up on the beach behind us. The odd one did get into the waves a couple of yards out.
Of course, eventually we had to give up it was humiliating as we had told the rest we were going to fish it. As it couldn’t beat us.
It was a struggle to get all our stuff in hand and make our way back to Owens car. It seemed miles in the very strong gale. Walking against the wind. We got back to the car soaked and shattered. And totally beaten.
It was so great to be let out of the car outside my home.
And into the warm again.
I learned my lesson .
It was years after since I was young and had fallen into the river East Lyn. And spent the day with wet clothes on And soggy socks. Fishing.
But this experience was far worse. I don’t let myself get soaking wet now. I’ve a full waterproof suit now. That floats me.
Happy memories. I often sit and smile of my times in the water. When I’ve fallen in or been out in storms too stupid to give in and stop fishing.
And I now also stop fishing during lightening storms.
But in the early days I was using my mother’s old greenheart fly rod. That was safer it was only six foot six long and a great rod for under the low trees and bushes on the Lyn on our own stretch. Casting over my shoulder with my right hand. Holding the rod. That was back when I lived at Millslade in Brendon. I used to get a lot of free flies on the Lyn back then when there were loads of visitors staying at the Staghunters. And they used to lose their flies up in the trees and bushes from where I collected them.
(Above)The old bridge at Brendon
Oh, happy days! Back then the Staghunter’s rented all the Halliday water . The water now known as the Glenthorne fishery was connected to Glenthorne down beside the sea below county gate. My great grandfather. Used to be the butler at Glenthorne before he bought the three cottages that he turned into the Staghunters Inn hotel in Brendon. Of course, that did mean I got to fish all of the East Lyn for free plus we had two fields with our own fishing with Millslade. It was paradise for me for all my childhood days. I so miss it now.
It’s such great memories. And I fell into the east Lyn many times. When I was young or got a boot full of water.
On one occasion I was in the field opposite Leaford. One field up and I was stood on a narrow pointed stone and one of the old hunter air craft flew up the valley extremely low. Just above me and I lost my Ballance. And of course, fell in. .and again was wet for most of the day. My feet didn’t dry out. .but if I went home to change my father would put me to work. Again. Mowing the lawn or gardening or cleaning the shippens out moved a huge amount of cow muck over the years. When I was young on to a large heap to rot down a bit for the fields and the veg garden .
Tackle shops can often be the start of angling adventures as was the case when I was chatting with Mark Potter of Quay Sports. When Cheddar Reservoir popped up in a conversation about pike fishing Mark asked if I had ever fished the venue. I hadn’t but said it was a venue I have often wanted to try.
A few weeks later I started the car as the temperature read -3.5 degrees. After clearing icy windows I traversed the slippery roads to meet up at Quay Sports where Mark Potter, Mark Frith ( Lakebed leads) and I loaded the van with our tackle for the day.
We arrived at Cheddar reservoir as the sun slowly illuminated the frosty landscape. We met up with Ryan turner a good friend of Marks who had caught pike from the reservoir on previous trips.
Cheddar Reservoir is a manmade concrete bowl completed in 1937 with a surface area of 260 acres. It is one of Bristol Waters reservoirs with the fishing managed by Cheddar Angling Club.
We were targeting the venues pike and headed for a deep area of the reservoir known to produce pike on a regular basis. Rod pods are essential for fishing from the concrete steps that surround the water and were coated with ice as we set up.
Dead-baits were the chosen tactic with some of us opting for legered baits others choosing the pleasing crimson of a pike float upon the water. Popped up baits are considered a good option on this water that has extensive areas of weed.
After casting an array of bait’s, we sat back to enjoy the view as the sun slowly rose in the sky. The Somerset levels stretched out to the South and East and the Mendip Hills and the famous Cheddar Gorge to the North. The vast sheet of water twinkled in the morning sun and large flocks of water birds floated upon the calm surface.
Ryan Turner said that it was very much a morning water and we were all full of optimism for the day ahead. Any moment an alarm would surely sing out the question was how big would the pike be? On checking my set up I was slightly concerned to find the line frozen solid in the rod rings! A quick tug on the line every five minutes ensured that it was kept free until the rising sun brought the temperature above freezing.
As the sun rose the dog walkers, strollers and joggers came out in good numbers circum-navigating the lake and glancing at the camouflaged guys sat expectantly behind their rods.
We chatted of fish, fishing venues of tactics and of past glories. Mark Frith has fished North Devon waters for many years and has many reflections on past days beside the water and the potential to catch a wide range of species. Modern days focus upon carp fishing has resulted in many of today’s generation overlooking the chance to catch specimen perch, eels and bream.
As the morning ebbed away it became obvious that the pike were not actively seeking a meal. Our hopes refocused upon a late in the day feeding spell as the light began to fade.
Baits were changed from time to time and relocated within our swims. We had decided on a sit and wait approach confident that pike would be present. At around 4.00pm Mark Friths alarm sounded and a small jack came to the net. Perhaps this would signal the start of a feeding spell?
Mark’s dog Scruff watches the pike swim away.
News that an angler fishing the far bank had caught three pike increased our hopes. He was using a bait boat and was placing his bait at long range. Perhaps the fish were too far out for us to reach?
The sun slowly sank to the horizon and the surroundings were illuminated by a golden glow. Large numbers of silver fish dimpled the surface with occasional large swirls indicating the likely presence of feeding predators. Hope lingered as the temperature began to drop along with the light.
We packed away as darkness fell another day done. Ancient oaks were silhouetted against the embers of the day and the first stars blinked as night descended. The call of owls drifted across the fields and we headed for home. Despite a blank day for most of us our spirits were high as we discussed plans for the coming year and opportunities that would surely come our way.
Angling Trust – Marine – Wyvern Region Open Shore Slapton, South Devon, On the 15th Jan 2023.
The South West’s first major event in 2023 attracted 130 anglers to the South Hams to fish the annual Angling Trust Wyvern Open Festival, with some competitors traveling from South Wales & the Isle of White, the weather conditions on the day saw a strong to gale force, west / south westerly wind with occasional heavy blustery showers for the five hour event. Whiting, Dogfish, Smoothounds, Spotted Ray & Small Eyed Ray were caught during the event, 52 competitors returned to the scales with fish to record. The results were announced within half an hour of the close of scales at the Festival Headquarters at the Stokeley Farm Shop.
The main sponsor was Julian Shambrook of Anyfish Anywhere Ltd, a major fishing tackle manufacturer, based in Torquay. All of the sponsors for the day were thanked for their continuing support each year, also a big thank you to Stokeley for their hospitality & providing an excellent venue.
The worthy winner, of the event was Tom Travers of Honiton S.A.C., he recorded a Whiting of 1.225lb & a Spotted Ray of 3.25lb giving him a total of (153.89%),he was presented with the top prize of £200 cash and the Brixham Bowl, other tackle prizes to the value of £800 were awarded down to 12th place, these were announced by the Chairman of the Wyvern Region Alex Parker and presented by Julian Shambrook.
It was also very encouraging to see a junior Archie Sweetland from Honiton SAC take 11th place in a competition which attracted 130 anglers.
The Region promotes the Angling Trust “Take Five” anti litter campaign and encourages all anglers to leave the beaches cleaner than they found them.
The first Twelve Places are as follows: –
First: £200 Brixham Bowl
Tom Travers Honiton SAC, Whiting 1.225 lb, Spotted Ray 3.25 lb
Total: 153.89%
Second: Pick of the Prize table & Bideford Cup Cup
Adam Slack Brixham SAC, S E Ray 6.69 lb, Whiting 0.855 lb
Best Team: Team Shield: (Team of four anglers, Best fish by each angler)
Team: Anyfish Anywhere:
Rob Marshall
Julian Shambrook
Marcus Ward
Pete Hutchins Total 251.87%.
Pool (best individual species)
1/ 50% Alan Hobbs Roving Rods SAC 92%
2/ 30% Tristan Rowe Cormorants SAC 90.33%
3/ 20% Tom Travers Honiton SAC 81.67%
As a member of the Wyvern committee, I attended the event and was nominated as the end marker at the Strete end of the beach. I also acted as a steward but saw very little action at this end of the beach until the final hour witnessing just 2 dogfish and a couple of whiting. Despite the lack of action, (I blanked) it was a very enjoyable day.
Coming from North Devon it was great to be able to set up on the beach without having to chase the tide up and down. The sight of beach shelters are rare up on the North Devon Coast where the tides make them impractical. And up North we are of course more hardened to the cold weather shunning the need for shelters!
Slapton is a superb competition venue having plenty of parking and easy access along its 3 miles of course sand. There are a wide range of species caught from the beach throughout the seasons.
Slapton sands has an interesting history with a very moving story attached to it. In 1943, the beach was used by the allied forces as a rehearsal area for the D-Day Landings. Unfortunately, a combination of live ammunition and poor visibility resulted in the deaths of 749 American servicemen. You can visit a stone monument which was set in place on Slapton Sands to commemorate the ill-fated.
Whilst I had never fished the beach at Slapton I have fond memories of pike fishing in Slapton Ley before angling ceased under the stewardship of the Slapton Ley Field Centre. The Ley once held huge shoals of rudd and pike to twenty pounds. Its reed fringed waters provided a fascinating and atmospheric venue.
As is often the case in large sea angling competitions the weigh in reveals plenty of fish at the scales with dogfish and whiting dominating. The introduction of catch and release for ray, smoothound and spurdog was in my view a positive step towards conservation. I intend to fish again next year and hopefully tempt a brace for the weigh in.
Congratulations to all those who won prizes. And big thanks to those who organised the event and to the generous sponsors.
The cold light of dawn brought with it frosted car windows and icy roads. It seemed the traditional day for pike fishing sat beside the calm waters of a lake. My good friend Paul Blake joined me for a day at Lower Slade reservoir where our alarms bleeped out as a few jacks graced our nets.
South West Lakes Trust have updated their pike fishing regulations for Slade and other stocked pike waters. Treble hooks are now allowed in conjunction with wire traces. Braided line with a minimum breaking strain of 40lb breaking strain is now compulsory. These measures are in-line with good practice across the pike fishing community, the strong braided line reduces the chance of losing fish and improves bite indication reducing the risk of deep hooking.
