Members of South Molton Angling Club are saddened by the death of Ian Binding who was a founder member of the club giving close to fifty years of sterling work as secretary.
South Molton Angling Club – Saddened by the passing of Ian Binding
WIMBLEBALL – LATE AUTUMN
Fly Fishers have enjoyed a splendid season at Wimbleball Reservoir with regular stockings of quality rainbow trout throughout out the season.
I enjoyed some exciting sessions at the venue in the spring but have struggled to get back during the summer months with other fishing trips and lifes demands conspiring to keep me away from this delightful venue high on Exmoor. With reports of some stunning rainbows being caught during the autumn I was determined to have at least one more session before the seasons close at the end of November.
Whilst the North Devon coast was tempting I decided I must take the fly rod and try for a reservoir rainbow. After the big storm that had blown through on Saturday I wondered what the water clarity would be like as I arrived on Sunday morning. To my relief the water was crystal clear and sparkling in the late autumn sunshine. A brisk Westerly breeze was blowing across the lake into Ruggs Bay where I started my session. After half an hour or so without a pull I decided to move to Bessoms Bank opposite where the wind would be blowing over my shoulder, This was also the area that appeared to be fishing well according to the catch returns in the fishery office.
A couple of other anglers were already fishing this area and boats were drifting off this bank indicating that a few fish were probably about. It was encouraging to see several fish rising within casting range of the bank especially with it being November 3rd. I was fishing a team of flies with a floating line, Montana on the point and buzzers on the droppers. After ten minutes a fish rose at the limit of my casting range and I dropped my fly bang on target! One pull, two pulls and there came that satisfying thump down the line. The rod hooped over and several yards of line disappeared through the rod rings. A near fin perfect rainbow of around 3lb was soon safely in the net.
I persisted with the floating line set up for a couple of hours briefly feeling one other fish. With few fish rising as afternoon set in I changed over to a sinking line and a lure with a long black marabou tail and silver head. After ten minutes a solid take resulted in another hard fighting rainbow of a similar size to the first.
With two trout in the bag I now ensured that I was using barbless flies. For a while I persisted with the lure and sinking line approach and had several follows and swirls, I glimpsed what looked like a very large brown trout following the lure right to waters edge. After this all went quiet for a while and I reverted back to the floating line for an hour without success.
With no activity on the surface I again swapped over to the sinking line and lure approach. After ten minutes a beautiful brown trout of around 1lb seized the lure and was slipped free without removing from the water. Next cast brought a solid take from another brown trout that was pushing 3lb this was returned immediately as being on my own it would be difficult to get a decent picture.
As the light started to fade heavy rain began to fall and I decided it was time to head for home. It had been a very enjoyable day with a couple of good trout for tomorrow nights tea a pleasing brace of browns returned and that monster glimpsed to come back for next time. I slipped back into the permit office to make my return and checked out what others had caught. Plenty of stunning rainbows to over 5lb had succumbed with several multiple bags of fish. I could have done better but at least I had caught a few and enjoyed my day. I will be back in the spring. There are over three weeks left of the season and there are some stunning rainbows waiting to be caught from what has to be the West Country’s best large Stillwater. trout fishery.
Wistlandpound Club – Bratton Water Result
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club Members enjoyed a good mornings sport at Bratton Water with the eight competitors all completing their three fish limits. Winner was Paul Grisly with 7lb 4oz. David Eldred and Dave Richards were runners up with 7lb 3oz and Nigel Bird fourth with 6lb 13oz.
Fifth – David Holmes 6lb 11oz
Sixth – Colin Combe 6lb 9oz
Seventh – Dave Mock 6lb 1oz
Eighth – Andre Muxworthy 5lb 4oz
Another Month At Wimbleball- Full Tailed Rainbows on the agenda until end of November!
West Country Fly-Fisher’s have enjoyed an exceptional fishing season at Wimbleball Reservoir where Mark Underhill has transformed the quality of the fishing stocking regularly with hard fighting rainbow trout.
The season at Wimbleball continues until November 30th and will when conditions permit offer anglers the chance of some superb sport. I intend to make at least one more visit to the fishery before it close for the winter.
On Sunday October 27th they hosted Kennick Flyfishers for the final round of their Snowbee Top Rod Competition 2019. The weather was kind, considering recent conditions, providing the 14 anglers taking part with a dry, sunny day & cool northerly breeze. After a good day on the water they managed 52 fish between them, with 8 anglers getting their bag limit, the action was mostly in the Bessoms & Ruggs areas. Best fish of the day went to Alan Riddell of Newton Abbot with a fine Rainbow of 8LBS 6OZ, (pictured). Top 3 anglers were:
1ST ALAN RIDDELL OF NEWTON ABBOT – 5 FISH 19LBS
2ND TOM HENDY OF CHUDLEIGH – 5 FISH 15LBS 11OZ
3RD ANDY WATSON OF BOVEY TRACEY – 5 FISH 15LBS 3OZ
Tackle Shops Essential for the Angling Community
posted in: Articles, Casting around North Devon, Coarse Fishing, Game Fishing, Match Fishing, Sea Angling, Sidebar, Uncategorised |
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Many thanks to the Summerlands Team for welcoming me into their treasure trove of fishing tackle to promote my book “I Caught A Glimpse”. It was an enjoyable couple of hours spent chatting with local anglers and reminded me of the importance of tackle shops in maintaining angling rich community.
CHASING RAINBOWS
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club members travelled to Clatworthy Reservoir high on Exmoor and enjoyed some fine autumn sport. All members caught but it was those who were in the right place early in the day who secured the best bags of hard fighting rainbows. On arrival at the lake overnight showers were clearing away and a vivid rainbow stretched across the lake as autumn sunshine beamed down onto the lake.
I started my day at the top end of the lake and used a bead headed Montana on the point with a diawl Bach and black buzzer on the droppers. A floating line and 8lb b.s leader completed the set up. Casting out with a stiff breeze blowing from my left I retrieved the flies slowly delighting as the line drew tight and hard fighting rainbows surged to and fro before being coaxed in the waiting net. Within just over two hours I had completed my five fish bag limit and spent the next three hours taking in the scenery and atmosphere. White clouds drifted quickly across the vivid blue sky, I watched as three buzzards drifted high on the thermals mewing continually as they often do in late summer and early autumn. Brown and bronze hues are starting to appear amongst the green signalling that the seasons change is starting to paint the countryside. Hard to believe that another summer has drifted into the past. The last time we fished here was in the spring with summer to come.
Wessex Water Ranger Danny Ford told me that it had been an excellent season with good fishing and plenty of anglers returning frequently to enjoy the fine sport on offer. We are very fortunate to have Clatworthy and Wimbleball offering the region some of the best trout fishing in the country.
Result :-
1st -David Eldred – Five trout 11lb 3oz
2nd – Colin Combe – Five trout – 10lb 9oz
3rd – Wayne Thomas – Five trout – 10lb
4th- Dave Mock – Four trout – 9lb 14oz
5th – Andre Muxworthy – Three trout – 7lb 8oz
6th – Paul Grisley – Three trout – 6lb 14oz
7th – Nigel Bird – one trout – 1lb 15oz
South Molton Anglers Visit Bratton Water
I joined several members of South Molton Angling Club on a mild misty autumn morning at Bratton Water. Conditions were ideal for trout fishing and all members completed their three fish bags before the close of the competition. The water was gin clear and small imitative patterns resulted in the quickest full bags. The best trout caught was a stunning brown trout of 3lb 15oz that fell to my rod on just the second cast of the morning. Roger Bray tempted the best rainbow of 3lb. All fish fought hard and were in superb condition.
This picturesque and sheltered water should offer great sport in the coming months as autumn hues tint the wooded valley. Dry flies can work well right through the autumn with some stunning browns caught each season.
GOODING IS BEST OF THE BEST FOR THE THIRD TIME…
GOODING IS BEST OF THE BEST FOR THE THIRD TIME…
Andy Gooding has won the annual Snowbee Best of the Best competition at Kennick Reservoir for the third time in five years. Andy scooped a cool £1000 for his efforts, catching 8 fish for 15lbs 12oz with the successful flies being Damsel Nymphs fished high in the water on a floating line with 20 foot leader. Andy’s largest fish was 2lb 14oz.
32 anglers fished on the day and a huge congratulations goes out to all of them in qualifying for the final. The weather was very unsettled with sunny spells and gentle breeze turning into gale force winds and very heavy downpours! Casting in some zones was very difficult but the anglers really stuck at it well.
A cracking BBQ was provided by South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) Countryside Warden Mark Baxendale and the presentations were made at the Kennick Lodge.
The event was sponsored, yet again, by Snowbee UK who are a leading manufacturer of fishing equipment and clothing. The products they supply are simply superb – www.snowbee.co.uk.
Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling for SWLT, thanked Simon Kidd and Russell Weston of Snowbee for supporting the event and being very generous in the prizes they provided.
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QUALIFYING PRIZES
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Andy Gooding has won the annual Snowbee Best of the Best competition at Kennick Reservoir for the third time in five years. Andy scooped a cool £1000 for his efforts, catching 8 fish for 15lbs 12oz with the successful flies being Damsel Nymphs fished high in the water on a floating line with 20 foot leader. Andy’s largest fish was 2lb 14oz.
32 anglers fished on the day and a huge congratulations goes out to all of them in qualifying for the final. The weather was very unsettled with sunny spells and gentle breeze turning into gale force winds and very heavy downpours! Casting in some zones was very difficult but the anglers really stuck at it well.
A cracking BBQ was provided by South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) Countryside Warden Mark Baxendale and the presentations were made at the Kennick Lodge.
The event was sponsored, yet again, by Snowbee UK who are a leading manufacturer of fishing equipment and clothing. The products they supply are simply superb – www.snowbee.co.uk.
Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling for SWLT, thanked Simon Kidd and Russell Weston of Snowbee for supporting the event and being very generous in the prizes they provided.
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QUALIFYING PRIZES
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End of Season Flourish
Len Francis ended his salmon fishing season in style tempting a brace of 11lb 8oz and 4lb 8oz from the Weir-Marsh and Brightly Beats of the Taw. Ed Ruell caught a fish of 4lb 8oz. Several salmon were also seen in the high water conditions that would have deterred many anglers. A large salmon was also hooked and lost after a battle in the high water. Heavy overnight rain has now almost certainly brought an end to this season. The heavy rain has come too late to save what has been a difficult season hampered by low flows.
SEASONS and CHANGING TIMES – A few thought from the waters edge.
Autumn seems to be setting in early this year with the salmon fishing seasons end almost upon us and no prospect of wetting a line with heavy rain bringing a big spate that has come too late to save what has been a lacklustre season as a result of low flows for much of the year. On the plus side the swollen rivers will enable salmon and sea trout to forge upriver and with no anglers or nets to impede their progress they will hopefully successfully spawn ensuring fish for future seasons.
Autumn colours are already showing on many trees on higher ground; martins and swallows are glimpsed as they head south battling the autumn gales as they start their epic journey. In a few weeks they will be swooping over a different landscape in Africa with elephants, lion and wildebeest instead of red deer, foxes and badgers. Each year these natural migrations take place and to some extent we take it all for granted expecting it all to continue year on year. Sadly things don’t always go on and we should watch with concern as nature faces troubled times. I read today of a threat to the Horse Chestnut trees and a shortage of conkers. Ash die back threatens to decimate our woodland.
As I drive around North Devon I am dismayed at the number of houses being built. Have we the infrastructure to cope? How will all of this impact upon the natural landscape and wildlife of North Devon? My recently published book “I Caught A Glimpse” reflects upon a North Devon I grew up in. Each year the stories within its pages seem far removed from the present day.
The coming months are often the best of the year for many anglers with carp already showing from our local lakes at impressive weights their bronze flanks reflecting autumns hues. Stillwater trout are likely to bring exciting sport. On the coast sea anglers will be relishing the chance to catch tope, bass, conger, Huss and grey mullet. In the estuary flounder anglers will enjoy simple fishing as rod tips rattle as bunches of ragworm are engulfed.
These autumn storms will of course pass and warm sunshine will bring reminders of summer warmth. November generally gives those first chill days but even then garfish and mackerel can bring a pleasant surprise on the coast. Part of the joy of angling is not knowing what will happen next and being out there by the water is a constant adventure. What better place to watch the drama of life on earth unfold?
