http://www.eat-sleep-fish.co.uk/
Fifty odd Years of a fishing club
This article appeared around five years ago on the World Sea Fishing Website. With Combe Martin SAC’s AGM a couple of days away it seems a good time reproduce it on North Devon Angling News.
On October 29th 1962 almost fifty years ago a group of anglers met up in the Merry Makers Café in the village of Combe Martin famed for having the longest village street in England. They formed the Combe Martin Sea Angling Club that I joined eleven years later in 1973 at the tender age of 12. I write this forty odd years later as Chairman of the club. A post I first took on in 1984 during a time of major change in the club for as always where there are people there will be an evolution of change. Since those days I served the club continuously as secretary, Vice Chairman and Chairman. Present club Secretary Nick Phillips and I have been in these posts for far too many years serving a combined total of around 80 years!
The club is still active though much has changed since those early days back in 1962 just a year after I was born. The general perception we all have is that the fishing was far better back then but was it?
I note looking at the clubs history that on December 3rd they held their first competition on Ilfracombe Pier that was won by R.Jenkins with a conger of 3lb 14½oz.
I notice with interest that in 1965 the fish of the year was a bass of 10lb 2oz. would this win in these times? The answer is that with today’s specimen rating the fish would not have won once in the last ten years. In 1966 the club fished in the North Devon Sea Angling Trophy and Barry Hill weighed in a flounder of 9oz and Gerry Marigoni a 5oz flounder to amass a grand bag weight of 14oz. The best specimen of the year was a conger of 11lb 2oz.
In 1968 the club held a Women’s Open Competition and first prize was a bunch of flowers and second fifty cigarettes. Mr W.Legge was in hospital having an operation so the club kindly sent him 20 cigarettes. Comparisons with the TV series “ Life On Mars” spring to mind.
When I joined the club membership stood at 49 twenty of whom were juniors. Barry Hill was club secretary at this time a keen angler who gave us youngsters a great deal of help and advice. Barry was very much a stickler for rules and got embroiled in many passionate debates regarding the rules and what was right and wrong.
I look back upon those years with great fondness. On Friday nights the club seniors would collect us youngsters on their way down through the long village street at 6.30pm. We would arrive at Watermouth Cove or perhaps Ilfracombe Pier and set forth onto the rocks to fish. On those dark nights we would light up our paraffin fuelled tilley lamps. I remember with fondness the delightful smell of meths as the lamps were lit to then glow and emit a comforting hiss as we fished. At the end of the night we would struggle back with our bag of dead fish to weigh in. No thought of conservation in those days it just wasn’t an issue.
In 1977 Nick Phillips and I start ripping up the draw tickets at the annual dinner and dance; a chore I have continued to do for many years. Those early dinner and dances were highlights of the angling year. We were young and of course we drank far too much beer despite our young years. The singsongs on the way home in the coach were often raucous affairs that must have been a nightmare for the poor driver. Its strange looking back glimpses into a different era I guess. The clubs elders waltzing around to the dulcet tones of “The Last Waltz” by Engelbert Humperdinck while us young ones savoured the forbidden delights of underage drinking. An indication of how times have changed for back then the technology we now take for granted would have been seen on “Star Trek” with Captain James Kirk talking on remarkable cordless devices that could transmit through the air. Doors on the Starship Enterprise that opened miraculously; like those in Tescos’s. As to those elders they would have been ancient members possibly into their fifties!!!
How times have changed in many ways. It is highly unlikely that any club could now allow junior members to venture out onto dangerous shores unaccompanied. Back in those days there were no CRB checks to stifle and deter the senior anglers who encouraged us youngsters out to fish.
As a parent now I fully understand how fear has crept in and stifled the sport of sea angling and many others I would think. I would not have let my own son onto the rocks to fish with his mates as a young teenager. I am so glad that I grew up in a less fearful or protective age and had the freedom to fish.
Of course through the years there have been many differences of opinion as strong characters via for position or try to introduce new ideas. There have been several resignations as a result of this though more often members’ just drift away as other interests or conflicting demands take them away from the waters edge.
The early eighties were a time of change in the Combe Martin Club as a generation of anglers stepped aside as a young enthusiastic committee took the reigns.
I have served within this fluctuating committee ever since and have seen a few challenging events including cheating anglers, disputes over access and the inevitable frictions between individual members.
In 1980 Barry Hill who had been secretary of the club for many seasons landed a British Record shore caught Coalfish of 18lb. This magnificent specimen highlighted one of sea angling’s greatest attributes; the unexpected. No other coalfish approaching this size has been landed from the North Devon coastline.
Club members have broken three other British Records. Kevin Legge smashed the shore tope record with a specimen of 66lb on November 6th 2006. Incredibly five years later on November 6th 2010 Kevin broke his own record with a tope of 66lb 8oz. A fish I was privileged to lift from the water and photograph. On another dramatic nights fishing Kevin was to witness the capture of a British Record rockling of 3lb to the rod of Tim Neal. On this night Kevin also landed a 50lb plus tope!
(Above) Kevin Legge with his British Record Tope of 66lb 8oz
A major blow to the club came in 1987 when Barry Hill passed away after 8 months critically ill in hospital suffering from Guillan-Barre-Syndrome. For several years after this the club raised funds for the Guillan-Barre-Syndrome Support Group raising £100 in 1988.
Writing this it feels as if the passing away of Barry signalled the end of an era and start of the clubs modern development. Since this time much has changed yet the core membership number has remained fairly constant. We have evolved to changing times, no more bag weight competitions. Politics have become higher profile; society has evolved work practices have changed. Weekends are no longer that haven when men went fishing for we have become the seven day society with twenty-four hour living. There are many threats to our sport from over-fishing, restricted access, regulation, insurance and apathy.
Mobile phones, WWW. Facebook and so on have become valuable tools or worthless shortcuts to angling success? The club ethos has always been to promote angling and to help newcomers surely this new technology is ideal for this.
I see a serious decline in the traditional angling club and the social scene that once thrived. This is a phenomenon that has hit angling clubs nationwide as society changes. It’s got little to do with the recession for we were apparently far worse off in those dark days of the seventies and eighties when we had galloping inflation, miners strikes, power cuts and riots. Something’s never change!
Each day when I sit at my computer and open up my Facebook page I see a number of posts from fellow anglers enthusing about fish, landscapes and tackle. I am relieved for I can see that the desire to fish and talk of fish remains as strong as ever. Perhaps these are the golden days for another generation?
I hope that in fifty years time there will still be a CMSAC and that it will have evolved continuing to bring anglers together. For that is after all the main purpose of an angling club to foster friendship amongst anglers.
There have been occasions when involvement with an angling club has been highly stressful for there have been lows and those who have been around will know of those for human nature ensures that there will always be an unsavoury element.
On the other hand how can I look back without reflecting upon hundreds of hours spent in fantastic locations with great friends? Long may I continue to scramble over barnacle encrusted rocks breathing in the sea air beneath star studded skies not knowing what the next rattle of the rod tip will bring.
The clubs fiftieth year was a time to celebrate. Members benefit from generous sponsorship from our good friends at Ammo, Sakuma and World Sea Fishing.
The clubs presentation night in 2013 was appropriately held at the Royal Marine Hotel in Combe Martin an establishment that had been used for our committee meetings over many seasons. The club has had an impressive array of trophies over the seasons that we have cut back on year after year as the membership seem to value the awards less and less. Many winners seem reluctant to take their awards home an indication of changing attitudes. Perhaps a good picture and recognition is all that’s required?
In October of 2011 I was privileged to visit Iceland to help promote the shore fishing in the lead up to that years E.F.S.A Shore Championship. The full story appeared in the pages of Total Sea Fishing Magazine and online on WSF. Whilst in Iceland I experienced some exceptional shore fishing but In addition to this I made new friends who made me realise how powerful angling is at bringing people together and breaking through all perceived barriers of nationality and class.
Towards the end of our trip we enjoyed dinner at the home of the Icelandic Chairman. Smoked salmon washed down with red wine and cool beer followed a delicious meal of wild goose. The fishing talk flowed freely relating to years of casting into varied waters. As always potential plans are made that will never materialise for there will never be enough money or longevity to satisfy the passion to fish that is generated by a room full of keen anglers. We talked of salmon, cod, halibut, sea trout, artic char and many other species. I learnt that there were many similarities between Icelandic anglers and English anglers. I also detected a refreshing level of amateurism for they did not have all the latest gear. It’s not easily available in Iceland so angling was not so commercially driven as it is in the UK. In the competition we fished they awarded trophies and it seemed that the winners really appreciated winning. Including myself! At the presentation the officers dressed up in their smart blazers adorned with badges and medals. Perhaps what I had found in Iceland was the joy of fishing in England forty years ago! Perhaps there were aspects that reminded me of the formative years with CMSAC.
(Above)One of the clubs outings to Sark
And moving on from the joys of angling friendship to the places and the landscapes that angling takes its participants to. I have fished in the heat of Egypt to the cold of Iceland and Norway, in tiny streams, vast lakes and oceans catching fish from every watery world. I guess this is almost becoming a celebration of angling but I feel strongly that angling is a great way to appreciate many aspects of the world we live in and hopefully as a club we can help its membership to share this rich vein.
Wayne Thomas
Autumn Salmon news from the Torridge
NEWSREEL: AUTUMN 2017.
The Fishing Season:
It has been a most encouraging year for salmon, with the middle river beats doing particularly well. Despite the fact that in the spring and early summer the river was quite low salmon seemed eager to move upstream and by mid-May salmon were being caught as far upstream as Okement Foot. From July onwards the weather was much more unsettled and on occasions the river was out of order for several days. The lack of grilse in the last two months of the season was disappointing. Several fish approaching 20lb have been caught and the final salmon rod catch will probably be 90/100: the best since 2012.
The large sea trout were certainly in short supply, but a double figure fish was caught at Beam towards the end of June. However an encouraging aspect was that many of the school peal were in the 1.5/2lb range. Sea trout catches were similar to recent years. The few anglers who did venture out after dark often enjoyed some exciting sport.
The brown trout fishing seems to have been patchy but as in recent years there have been numerous reports of fish in excess of 2lb being caught. The perennial complaint is the lack of fly life which results in disappointing surface activity.
The EA Consultation on measures to reduce exploitation by both rods and nets.
The committee would like to thank all the members who went to the trouble of completing the consultation questionnaire. It was certainly far too long-winded. Let’s hope the EA sees sense and any proposed measures to reduce rod exploitation are purely voluntary. I will keep you all informed of developments. Obviously the EA will contact those of you who completed the questionnaire.
The Devon and Severn IFCA (Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority) Byelaw Review:
With the government lurching from one crisis to another a decision regarding banning drift netting for bass and mullet in our estuary seems to have been placed on the back burner. Apparently it has reached the last stage: all that is needed is for the Minister to rubber stamp.
The salmon hatchery:
Photo Left to Right: Members of the Torridge Fishery Association.
John Graham, Paul Ashworth, David Williams, Paul Carter, Ken Dunn and Paul Coles. Front Row Charles Inniss
Over the weekend 11/13th November the Okement came into spate after prolonged heavy rain, so we decided to try and catch up some broodstock. There were plenty of fish showing at the base of the weir at Monkokehampton and unbelievably at the first attempt we caught up the 5 hens and 5 cocks we needed. All were in excellent condition and hopefully some if not all of the hens will be ready for stripping in the very near future. There is a long way to go but so far so good.
The Annual Dinner and Raffle: Another superb evening at The Half Moon. Over 50 of us enjoyed an excellent meal followed by the raffle and auction. Once again member support for the annual raffle was tremendous and over £1,500 was raised which will go towards continuing our efforts to improve the fishing on this beautiful river. Particular thanks to Paul Ashworth, our Chairman, and his wife Geraldine who organised the raffle and the auction. There was the usual huge array of prizes.
Winter well: only three months to go until the start of another season. Have a great Xmas and above all a healthy New Year.
The River Torridge Fishery Association
President: Lord Clinton
Chairman: Paul Ashworth Secretary: Charles Inniss e-mail: [email protected]
The following article was written by Charles Inniss for the Sheepwash Chronicle. Many thanks to Charles for giving permission to replicate it here on the pages of North Devon Angling News.
Helping the Torridge Salmon
One hundred years ago there were over 70 weirs on the Torridge: all of these were an obstacle to salmon migrating upstream to their spawning grounds. These weirs were built to divert water into the leats to work the water mills. A good example of this is the leat above Sheepwash Bridge which provided water for Herrick’s Mill that sadly has now fallen into ruin. This leat rejoins the main river on the bend upstream of the bridge. Most of these weirs were just made of brushwood and were known locally as “browse” weirs. However on the River Okement, the major tributary of the Torridge, a huge weir was constructed at Monkokehampton to divert water to work the mill at Mill Farm. Today the mill is still in working order and is used regularly by the Murrin family. This weir was so high it was a complete stopper for salmon, preventing them reaching valuable spawning grounds upstream of Okehampton on the slopes of Dartmoor.
In the 1970’s the salmon stock collapsed. There were many reasons the main one being an outbreak of a fungal disease that affected all the rivers in the British Isles but the Torridge suffered more than most. Each year fewer and fewer salmon were surviving to spawn. After much pressure and in the hope it would help stocks recover, SWW, who at that time managed the fishery, agreed to install a Denil fish pass at the side of the weir. At the time this was a revolutionary type of fish pass but it has been incredibly successful. An extra fifteen mile of river became available for salmon to spawn. For the first time salmon were seen on tiny streams on Dartmoor. In recent years there have been signs that salmon numbers are increasing and this is largely due to the increased spawning capacity of the upper reaches of the River Okement.
Fifteen years ago our fishery officer, Paul Carter, suggested that The Torridge Fishery Association should set up its own small salmon hatchery. Early efforts met with little success but when the Environment Agency decided to close down its own hatchery at Endsleigh on the River Tamar, we were able to obtain much of their redundant equipment. For the last twelve years we have every winter successfully reared upto 30,000 salmon fry.
The first task every autumn is to obtain the broodstock. Each hen will usually have between 6,000 and 8,000 eggs so the aim is to catch 5 hens and 5 cocks. This is achieved by netting them as they ascend the fish pass: an operation strictly controlled by the EA fishery staff.
On Monday 13th November after a weekend of heavy rain and with the Okement running high we decided to have a go at catching up the broodstock. Wayne Thomas, the angling correspondent for The North Devon Journal Herald, joined us. Salmon and Sea trout were regularly showing below the weir and obviously there was a large number of fish eager to go up the fish pass and continue their journey upstream. Wayne took some amazing photos of fish leaping at the foot of the weir. If you want to see more of these images go to Wayne’s website www.northdevonanglingnews.co.uk. Without too much difficulty we managed to catch up all the broodstock. These were put in an oxygenated tank, loaned to us by the EA, and transported back to the hatchery. There, they were measured, weighed and checked over to ensure they were all in good condition with no sign of disease or injury from seals, otters or herons. Once completed they were carefully placed in the holding tank.
By the time you read this, some if not all of the hens will have been stripped: the eggs, having been fertilised by the cock fish, will be laid out in trays of flowing water. If all goes well by early April about 30,000 small salmon fry will be ready to be stocked out in the headwaters.
Why do we go to all this trouble? There are many small tributaries of the main river that currently are not used by salmon. It is the aim of the hatchery project to introduce salmon fry to some of these areas in the hope that in four or five year’s time they will return from the high seas and spawn where they spent the first two years of their lives. Mussel Brook, the stream that enters the main river between Sheepwash and Black Torrington, is a very good example. By artificially restocking this stream we hope to extend the rearing areas not at present used by the salmon population.
If anybody would like to visit the hatchery contact me on 01409231237 and I would be delighted to show you the set-up.
Charles Inniss. November 2017.
AUTUMN GLORY
I was privileged to join members of the River Torridge Fishery Association on a cold day in mid November as the Okement was running high following heavy rain. I was on hand to take a few photos and report on the above project as expertly described by Charles Inniss in the above article. I have been fishing the Torridge on a regular basis for over ten years and enjoy being a member of the River Torridge Fishery Association who work so hard to ensure the future of the salmon that continue to migrate each season. The Torridge appears to be holding up well in comparison with many of the UK’s salmon rivers though this is a fragile Eco-system that is often challenged by human kinds disregard for nature.
I arrived at the weir well before the other members and spent an hour watching in awe as the salmon attempted to ascend the concrete barrier that for many years prevented the fish from reaching valuable spawning grounds high on Dartmoor. The instinct that drives these incredible fish to forge up river is surely one of natures many wonders and I was thrilled to capture a few images of these majestic fish.
As an angler I care deeply for the survival of these fish and this goes far deeper than the desire to catch them during the fishing season. That connection with a fish through rod and line gives a physical connection with the fish and nature that I cannot adequately convey in words.
Standing beside the river as the leaves fall and the river roars I give thanks to angling for bringing me so close to nature and my fellow anglers,
The salmon close up are handsome fish their colours perfectly reflecting the rich colours of the autumn season.
Hopefully the hatchery will once again produce fry to stock into the Torridge tributary’s as spring unfolds and wild daffodils once again bloom along the banks and those first swallows gyrate in the air as sunshine warms the land.
Save our bass fishing
New proposals from the European Union Commission would have a devastating impact on recreational bass fishing. Now is the time for anglers to make their voices heard. Whilst angling’s representative bodies do a great deal of work to represent anglers its is surely imperative that individuals also make their views known. There are plenty of keyboard warriors on Facebook and the like who rant and condemn saying that speaking up is a waste of time. How many of these have written to their MP? Below is a letter I have sent to our local MP. I suggest that those who care about their bass fishing do the same.
Peter Heaton-Jones MP
Member of Parliament for North Devon
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
01271 327990
Dear Peter Heaton-Jones
I have been a keen and dedicated angler for over fifty years and whilst I fish for a wide range of species I have enjoyed fishing for bass in North Devon’s coastal waters for most of my adult life.
I am Chairman of Combe Martin Sea Angling Club and run a local website www.northdevonanglingnews.co.uk I have also written an angling column in the North Devon Journal for close to twenty years.
North Devon’s coastline has a rich history as a bass angling destination and recreational sport fishing makes a significant contribution to the local economy. The proposals by the European Union Commission would have a catastrophic impact on coastal tackle shops, charter boats and the holiday trade. The majority of experienced sea anglers already practice catch and release taking just the occasional fish for the table. Anglers are on the whole passionate about the safeguarding of future fish stocks and have campaigned passionately for many decades to restrict commercial exploitation. These proposals would be an injustice that could see angling severely restricted whilst commercial fishing continues.
Many anglers will be furious at these proposals yet will not bother to voice their concerns as they feel that protesting is waste of time. I would urge you to take time to listen and show your support as our local MP.
I have included below a summary of these issues as penned by the Save Our Bass campaign.
Yours Sincerely,
Wayne Thomas
The contents below summarise my concerns regarding the future of bass angling in the UK.
I’m writing to express my serious concerns over the recent proposal by the European Union Commission that that sea anglers should no longer be allowed to retain a single bass caught in 2018 and face a complete ban on even catch & release bass angling for 6 months of the year.
This has sparked outrage amongst angling groups, tackle shops, fishing guides and charter boat skippers, particularly because the Commission is proposing that some forms of commercial fishing should continue and is clamping down hardest on the sector that has had the lowest impact on bass stocks.
Members of the public who enjoy fishing for bass from the shore or from pleasure or charter boats make a significant contribution to hard-pressed coastal economies – estimated by DEFRA to be as much as £200 million a year and far in excess of the value of the commercial fishery. Not only is it ridiculous and utterly unenforceable to suggest that anglers can stop a bass, rather than a pollock or a wrasse from biting on their bait or lure, it is monstrously unfair and completely unenforceable.
As my MP, I would like you to raise these matters in the House of Commons, if possible at the forthcoming Annual Fisheries Debate, and to write to Fisheries Minister George Eustice calling on him to:
- Firmly reject, at the European Union Fisheries Council meeting, proposals by the EU Commission which seek to restrict anglers’ historic rights to the public Bass fishery, whilst allowing commercial exploitation to continue.
- Make clear that this measure is unfair, disproportionate and completely unenforceable. It would ‘criminalise’ thousands of anglers whose activities have had the lowest impact on European Bass stocks.
- Insist that there can be no justification for increasing the already severe restrictions on anglers who have borne a disproportionate burden of recent restrictions.
- Continue to rebuild Bass stocks by limiting their commercial exploitation by restricting bass fishing to sustainable hook and line fishing only.
The sea angling community and those businesses which it sustains will be most grateful for your support.”
No Fishing – Today!
Fishing tends to have a big influence on my day to day life beyond just going fishing. My long suffering wife Pauline inevitably gets drawn into this world and often accompanies me on piscatorial related ventures. On Saturday November 4th we attended a memorial to the late Mac Mc Carthy at North Molton’s Old School Room. The event was a fitting tribute to Mac whose enthusiasm and warmth contributed a great deal to the local angling community. Whilst his role as Treasurer of South Molton Angling Club and the River Taw Fisheries Association was important and carried out with the expertise to be expected of a man with a sound banking background it was his passion for life, fishing and community that shone brightly.
Update – The memorial collection raised £125 towards cancer research.
Mac always made me very welcome as a member of the local press and invited me to several meetings with the South Molton Angling Club that I of course ended up joining as a social member. I have fond memories of trips to the river with Mac to view habitat improvement work and as a guest on the beat he rented on the Taw. I have a couple of salmon flies Mac gave me residing in my fly box that will one day I am sure entice a silver salmon.
(Above ) Mac with a fine salmon ( Photo courtesy of Ed Rands)
After an enjoyable hour chatting in the village hall over a glass of wine and tasty nibbles we set off to enjoy a walk and a breath of fresh air. It was appropriate that we chose Landacre as our destination a place where Mac often exercised his dogs. I know this as Mac told me of the salmon he saw spawning in the Barle during late autumn and winter. Like myself I am sure Mac was drawn to the river in the hope of glimpsing the salmon for surely when not fishing the next best thing is to look for fish.
There has been a degree of doom and gloom relating to the Exe and Barle this season with catches far below those of past seasons. A fact that has been noted across the country on many rivers. The light was not quite right for spotting salmon in the clear waters and whilst I caught the occasional glimpse into the river I could not at first see any salmon. We did however reminisce about summer days when we had brought James to picnic by the river and catch minnows as I had also done when I was a child.
I as I Looked down the river that twisted through the autumn landscape a salmon leapt from the water a brief split second and an image to save in the minds eye with a thousands others that can never be frozen be captured with a camera.
Further down river I was also thrilled to see a salmon as its movement caught my eye. I of course had to walk onto the bridge and peer into the water below. What salmon have travelled beneath the spans of this ancient bridge I pondered?
From the river we headed to Dulverton for a coffee and a browse around the shops. Lance Nicholson’s tackle shop is always worth a look with its racks of quality rods and pleasing selections of flies for both trout and salmon. The bookshop, “Rothwell and Dunworth” always has a good selection of fishing books and on this occasion I was tempted and purchased a copy of “Sea Fishing” by the Late Clive Gammon. Clive is one of my favourite authors and this tome will undoubtedly carry many words of wisdom despite its publication date of 1969. The cover picture reflects how times have changed for the better with several tope carcasses gracing the cover. Flicking through the pages brings a view of a bygone age that I can easily relate to on this day of reflection.
Crow Point – Beach Clean
Pauline and I joined volunteers at Crow Point on a beach clean organized by the West Country Rivers Trust. Organizer Kathi Bauer told me that they counted 14 full bin bags of rubbish at the end of the event,lots of the usual waste but also some sharps. Whilst around 20 people signed in they counted a lot more – Jodie and Cat of the WCRT estimated between 45 to 60 people overall, including children.
It was great to join in clearing the debris from the estuary and to my relief there wasn’t too much angling related litter. The event commenced with an informative walk and talk with Dave Edgcombe, who gave a very informative talk about the Taw and Torridge Estuary explaining how mankind industry has shaped the landscape. I have been visiting the White house area for close to fifty years and was astonished how much the landscape has evolved as a result of natures relentless forces. The Whitehouse was originally built in conjunction with the ferry that once linked Instow, Appledore and Braunton. The location being the original mouth of the River Caen a river that once had a significant run of salmon and sea trout!
The breaking through of the sluice gates has certainly transformed the area known as Horsey Island behind the Whitehouse! ( Below)
(Above) Volunteers at the beach clean.
(Above) A wide range of debris
(Above) Bags of litter
Litter is something that really annoys me and it was great to get out in the fresh air and do our bit. I have raised the issue of angling related litter before and will do so again but its not just anglers who leave litter its a problem that blights the whole of society. I challenge any one to find any where that’s not blighted by litter. Even on a beautiful beach on the West Coast of Scotland there were bits of plastic debris on the shoreline.
Next time you go fishing make sure you take your litter home and any that others have left. If we all pick up a bit it will make a difference.
http://www.summerlands-tackle.co.uk
Changing Seasons -Autumn thoughts
Another salmon season has drawn to an end as I walked out to fish on the Middle Torridge. On arrival I realize I had arrived too late as the river was up and coloured with flotillas of leaves floating down stream.
As I am there I decide to fish anyway but have little confidence as I work my way down casting across favorite lies with little hope of a salmon locating the fly. Time has run out on this season all too quickly. Leaves collected in riverside eddies a rich variation of browns, gold’s and yellows those green shoots of spring have long gone. Summers gone yet I wish it could linger longer for I had so much more to do.
As I walked back to the car I listened to mournful mewing of young buzzards high above. I had one more trip to the river. and it proved to be my second season without a salmon. I look for no excuses as plenty have been caught just not on my watch.
We had just returned from a week in Scotland. Not a fishing holiday though a rod did get taken along. One afternoon Pauline and I walked up to a small dam within the glen. The mountains towered high above and stags bellowed their war cry across the brown livery of the glen. I cast across the dark water and was thrilled at the tug from a small trout. I caught four perfect wild browns of just a few inches more than enough reward for a miles walk in such splendid surroundings.
This was the only fishing I did yet fishing was never too far from my thoughts. I spoke with a local angler who painted a grim portrayal of salmon and sea trout fishing in the local rivers. He doubted if the species would exist in these local rivers in ten years time.
Whilst I knew that the sea lochs had great potential I did not see anyone fishing throughout our weeks stay. It seemed strange to have harbors that had no mullet. I was told of Pollock and coalfish from the rocky shoreline and wished I had light spinning rod or LRF set up to find out what was there. In the sound of Mull I peered into the deep and clear waters. At Tobermory I talked of common skate within deep waters off shore. Perhaps I need to return one day to answer some of my questions.
Back in North Devon my thoughts turn to autumn sea angling. Grey mullet, bass, conger and tope. As the nights draw in I know where I will be heading and look forward to the excitement of dark mysterious waters.
This angling game brings its frustrations and an awareness of the passing seasons; a brief spell of melancholy is soon replaced by optimism as the next chapter unfolds.
EXE VALLEY – TALKING TROUT
The salmon season over it was time to head off for a days Still-water Trout Fishing and hopefully put a bend in the rod. I was joining Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club to compete in their Rogers And Guard Shield Competition at Exe Valley Fishery. I can well remember Gordon Rogers who was one of the club members the shield was named after. Gordon was a Fishery Bailiff with the River Authorities of the 1970’s and a real character who many local anglers will have fond memories of.
The competition was due to start at 10:00am and I intended to get there in plenty of time so I set off just before 8.00am for an enjoyable drive across Exmoor.
A good days fishing is more than just a day casting a line it is often all about the entire day. As I negotiated the narrow lanes up onto the moor mist lay in the valleys as the sun climbed higher into a bright blue sky.
I noted several keen photographers out and about catching the morning light. On the high moor I glimpsed red deer blending into the bracken; the autumn stag were undoubtedly bellowing their challenge across the open moor. It was an awesome morning to be going fishing.
I arrived at Exe Valley to find that one or two members were already raring to start. I grabbed a coffee and began chatting with fishery manager Nick Hart and his wife Sue. Nick is embarking upon a new adventure joining www.farlows.co.uk in Pall Mall’ London. I have fished with Nick many times over the years and share his enthusiasm for fishing. After over an hour of chatting I decided I had better head out and do a bit of fishing. I had after all paid £35.00 for a three fish ticket + the option to release three trout, as part of the fishery’s innovative ticket choice system.
The sun was shining down on a mirror calm lake that was surrounded by a dozen or so anglers. I tied on a small gold head pheasant tail nymph and a black buzzer on the dropper. Trout were active all over the lake and a couple of members had already caught their three fish bags so I was on a catch up mission.
After a few casts I had had no takes. With fish showing all over the surface it was obvious that the trout were near the surface. I concluded that a lighter fly would be more likely to succeed and tied on a lightly dressed cruncher pattern.
First cast with this fly and the line twitched on the retrieve, the hook was set and the water erupted as a rainbow trout leapt from the water before putting a serious bend in the rod and stripping several yards of line from the reel.
Nick took a stroll around the lake and captured action with the next trout I hooked’ a handsome rainbow of close to 3lb 8oz. It wasn’t long before I had completed my three fish bag that was my competition entry for the day.
I took the opportunity to have a walk around the lake and preserve a few memories of the day with my camera. I was surprised that not everyone had bagged up whilst the trout were in an obliging mood.
The introduction of catch and release during the cooler months at Exe Valley has on the whole been welcomed by anglers who can choose various options combining catch and release and catch and despatch. The fishery has imposed strict rules to ensure that catch and release works as well as possible. Anglers must use barb-less hooks and rubber meshed nets. Trout should not be taken out of the water unless a quick picture is required as a memento of a special fish.
I decided to pay a quick visit to the site shop and buy a couple of barb-less flies and borrow a landing net with a rubber mesh. I returned to the lake with a fly known as an owl on the point. The number of trout rising had now decreased but a few were still showing and it was these fish I targeted. Watching carefully I attempted to drop the fly in front of cruising trout twitching it soon after letting it settle. Twenty minutes later I had returned two more hard fighting trout.
It was now time to head back and weigh in my fish with fellow club members. My three pulled the scales to 9lb and secured me the honour of winning the Rogers and Guard Shield.
It was now time for a coffee and a further chat with Nick about fishing past, present and future. One topic we discussed was the seasons of trout fishing. These small Stillwater trout fisheries are undoubtedly more productive during the cooler months. We both concurred that that there is value in revising the traditional trout fishing seasons. The trout season traditionally casts off in the spring and this is I suspect a follow on from the days before Stillwater trout fishing grew in popularity and wild fish were the target. A closed season during the winter months gave the fish protection during spawning time. This made perfect sense in rivers and where wild fish spawned. Modern day trout fishing on still waters is generally for triploid trout that are sterile.
During the cooler months the trout are more active and fight far harder. It perhaps makes sense to close many trout fisheries during July and August when weed growth is more prolific and water temperatures high. The English climate is not too severe and with modern clothing comfort is ensured.
We also discussed trout fishing tactics the importance of observing the fish to decide fly patterns and the idiosyncrasies of anglers. We could I am sure have talked for many hours. That’s part of angling’s joy for it is the trout and nature that make the rules that we anglers take great joy in analyzing. Before heading home I had a few more casts on the lake relishing the opportunity for one more catch and release rainbow before I left for home. It turned out to be handsome trout of close to 4lb.
It will be business as usual at Exe Valley for the foreseeable future with Sue taking care of the day to running of the lake while Nick embarks upon a new venture working with one of the countries mots reputable fishing tackle companies.
FIsh Trail Film – With IFCA
Last year I joined with IFCA and Wiseman Productions to make a short film on fishing on the North Devon Coast. The date coincided with a bitter East Wind but with help from fellow CMSAC members Kevin Legge, Callum Gove and James Hunter we managed some success. The project was funded by the EU COSME programme and D&S IFCA who promote a conservation-minded approach to angling.
To view visit the link below.
http://fishtrail.org/video-gallery/
Mullet Fishing all year – a challenge!
Many thanks to Combe Martin SAC member Daniel Welch who sent me this excellent article about his challenge to land a mullet in every month of the year.
5lb 2oz mullet October 2016
In October last year I had a great session on the mullet some of the best mullet fishing I have ever had for quantity and quality including one over the magic 5lb mark. Shortly after this I set myself a challenge to catch a reasonable sized mullet from the same location every month of the year. A challenge that I have now completed it in style. It started with a 5lb fish in October and ended with one just over the 5lb mark on the 16th of September.
5lb 1oz September 16th
Seeing the way a location changes through out the year has been enlightening and very enjoyable. From -6 crisp frosty mornings with not a person insight to +25 degrees in dazzling sunshine surrounded by holiday makers and dogs. Water ranging from gin clear and glassy calm to what could only be described as a torrent of frothy coffee coloured by the silt of the seven estuary and the tannins off the moor.
Some months there was no weed and bare rocks, other times the water was full of leaves and dislodged weed and kelp torn up by winter storms but by far he worst time of year was early summer when a thick carpet of dense vibrant green weed covered everything in the water including rigs, hooks and the mainline which made the fishing almost impossible.
Mullet have got to be the most frustrating species to target in the sea and there is no surprised that some people refer to them as being the grey ghost’s. I cannot recall the amount of people that have stood next to me searching for a sight of what I’m fishing for only to be shocked and surprised when you hand them some Polaroid glasses and they see a shoal of good size mullet just under the surface. They watch mesmerised as the fish just appear from the shadows and disappear just as quickly.
I have found it fascinating to watch the fish, some days the fish swim past the bait without showing the slightest interest, and other times they swim straight up to the bait swallow it and start ripping line off the reel. The most exiting and frustrating times are when fish and quite often the big ones suck in the bait and spit it straight back out without even registering on the rod tip. Its even worse when you have big fish feeding and just before they circle back around to the bait a smaller faster fish beats it to the bait gets hooked and spooks the shoal. It’s always great to hook one but you can’t help being disappointed when you were so close to hooking that big one it’s even worse when you land the small one and it weighs over three pounds!
Over the 12months I have caught two fish over the magic 5lb mark and lot of 3lb and 4lb fish.
I have also seen some truly monstrous mullet that look like tanks. I actually thought I managed to hook one of these monsters last year. The water was like chocolate and there was quite a bit of surf running so it was impossible to see any fish and difficult to see bites but the drag suddenly started to sing and I knew I had hooked into a big fish as it charged back out to sea. After a long fight it finally surfaced and disappointment set in as it turned out to be a bass. I landed it a little bit later and it weighed 7lb 13oz. A good fish and quite an achievement on bread flake 6lb line and a Size 8 hook but it wasn’t the tank of a mullet I thought it was when I hooked it! Shortly after weighing it, it was returned unharmed.
The fishing has been pretty consistent right the way through the year but the hardest time of year was April and the best fishing was September right through to the end of December.
I have seen some amazing sunrises and sunsets ones that turned the cliffs bright orange as if they are on fire. I have also seen some rarer British wildlife some of the most memorable have been seals, otters, and kingfishers. I quite often found myself observing these amazing sites whilst surrounded by large numbers of people completely oblivious to what is right under their noses because they have been too busy consuming large amounts of ice cream, chips and fudge. I enjoyed every minute and have been fortunate enough to share some of these with my family. I just wish I took more photos throughout the year. One great photo was when I captured the take on my left hand rod of the 5lb plus mullet i caught in October last year.
