29 Jun 2019

Time to try for sea trout

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Andy Barret caught this salmon from the East Lyn following the spate a couple of weeks ago. The areas rivers have now dropped back and salmon and sea trout will be hard to find. There is a good chance of sea trout on the Taw and Torridge fishing after the sun has set. Night time fishing for sea trout is an exciting pastime and well worth a little sleep deprivation. Large surface lures can work and certainly sets the nerves on edge as large fish boil on the surface often missing the lure altogether. Small traditional flies tend to work well on the Torridge whilst larger flies are preferred on the Taw.

29 Jun 2019

Jeremy Wade – To Visit Torrington

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Jeremy Wade in Great Torrington

book signing and more

 

Jeremy Wade will be in Great Torrington, Devon, England on 4th August to sign his new book “How to Think Like a Fish” at the Plough Arts Centre. (Books will be available to purchase on the day)In addition, we will be screening one of his latest programmes Dark Waters.

Jeremy will open with a short presentation at 10.30am before the book signing begins which will be until 12.30pm in the gallery at the Plough. The screening will be from 1.30 and there will be an opportunity for any questions and answers after the film finishes.

We look forward to seeing you on the day.  Tickets are available from the Plough for £5 per person to enjoy both sessions and guarantee your seat at the film. The Plough Tel No is (44) 01805 624624 Web details are www.theploughartscentre.org.uk

The event is organised by River Reads bookshop so please contact them if you require any further information, or would like to purchase a signed copy of Jeremy’s book and are unable to attend.

24 Jun 2019

Reflections on Turbulent waters

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We took a short evening walk beside the River East Lyn. The water tumbled over boulders as it raced to the sea. The valley was in sombre mood with mist hanging in the warm summer air. The vivid vibrant green of summer was subdued in the early evening gloom.

I fished this beautiful river frequently for close to thirty years and caught my first salmon in 1981 a silver bar with sea-liced flanks. When I say the River valley is in sombre mood what I really mean is that I am perhaps in a sombre and reflective mood myself. The river holds a wealth of memories of fish and fishers. Whilst salmon and sea trout still forge up through the vibrant tumbling water’s they are far scarcer than they once were.

Today all salmon must be returned to the water and whilst I am happy to fish with a fly on the Taw and Torridge, I have reservations about spinning and worming with the dangers of deep hooking. The Lyn is not a river for the salmon fly fisher.

It is not the salmon anglers that have decimated the salmon of the Lyn but it is mankind I feel sure that has contributed to a sad demise. So when I walk the banks of this river the memories come thick and fast. To think of the river with no salmon or sea trout is like a book with no words or a candle with no flame. As an angler I have taken gleaming salmon from the river and extinguished their life. I remember that momentary sadness as that vibrant hue faded from silver flanks. I will never forget the power of the salmon as it battles on the line, the rod bending frightfully in my hands. Strangely this direct contact and interaction with the salmon brings the angler close to the fish and its environment.

I guess what I am saying in a clumsy sort of way is that as angler on the river I feel that I have been in the film instead of watching from afar. I fear that day when no salmon swim the river and that glimpse of silver is no more.

22 Jun 2019

Rivers rise to bring a run of silver tourists

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The recent rainfall has boosted rivers levels and brought a welcome run off salmon and sea trout to both the Taw and Torridge. Around a dozen salmon have been tempted from the River Torridge and I suspect a similar number from the River Taw. One angler was certainly in the right place at the right time catching three salmon in a short session on a middle Torridge beat. If we get more rain to top up the rivers more sport can be expected.

A fantastic fresh run 18lb salmon was caught, landed and returned safely by Jamie Walden who was fishing alone in a challenging location mid river, on the Little Warham Fishery testament to his skills being able to land it on his own. Jamie also lost two sea trout in the same session.

12 Jun 2019

RAIN BRINGS WELCOME RISE IN LOCAL RIVERS

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After a prolonged spell of dry weather recent rainfall has brought a very welcome rise in local rivers. The next few days should see salmon and sea trout caught from both Taw and Torridge as the river levels drop back and the water clarity improves. Windows of opportunity are often brief so it is essential to hit the river as soon as conditions allow.

I have already heard of a few salmon from the Lyn a river that very often becomes fishable within twenty-four hours of a spate. The Taw and Torridge tend to take a little longer to hit the perfect colour. I would expect salmon fishing to be very worthwhile over the next week with sea trout fishing likely to be excellent as the water clears with nocturnal forays likely to bring exciting sport.

Excellent salmon and sea trout fishing can be expected at Little Warm Fishery on the Torridge.

 

9 Jun 2019

Big Rainbow at Exe Valley

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Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club visited Exe Valley Fishery to compete for their Holland Trophy electing to fish a combination ticket allowing members to retain their first three fish for the competition and release three on a catch and release basis. Omens were good as we arrived to purchase our tickets with an angler walking away from the lake with a stunning rainbow. Neil Kyle had tempted the 12lb 8oz rainbow using a small bloodworm fly.

On arrival at Anchor Lake trout were moving all around with rises and bulges on the calm surface. Members were soon into fish with a variety of tactics succeeding until as is often the case the fish started to wise up. I tempted a fish after a short while using a small booby on the point with two buzzers on droppers. A pleasing trout of around 3lb taking the booby on the point.

After this I struggled for a while and chatted with club secretary Dave Richards who had already taken his bag of three using a briskly retrieved lure. Not one to persist with finesse if it’s not working I switched to a large damsel nymph with long marabou tail. My bag was soon complete. It was now time to go catch and release and for this I elected to scale down to a 4lb point with a tiny grey duster dry fly. I spent the next half an hour flicking the fly at individual rising fish savouring that delicious moment of deception as the trout rose to the fly slurping the fly down and then feeling that moment of success as line tightened followed by a bucking rod and screaming reel. Strange how I had struggled to catch my three and then as soon as I went catch and release the fish came with ease.

 

Dave Richards with a fine rainbow of 5lb 4oz.

As storm clouds gathered it was time to travel back home and enjoy the drive across the stunning Exmoor landscape. On the way I popped into Dulvertons’ excellent bookshop Rothwell & Dunworth where I picked up a pleasing book entitled ” Fishing a Highland Stream” A Love Affair With A River by John Inglis Hall.

The results of the competition were :-

1st = Dave Richards & Colin Combe both landing three trout for 9lb 8oz

2nd Wayne Thomas – Three fish for 7lb 4oz

3rd – Nigel Bird & Dave – with single rainbows of 4lb each

Colin Combes also released a fine rainbow of close to 10lb.

29 May 2019

FORCE the Cancer charity day organised by John Dawson at Exe Valley

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Many thanks to Exmoor Fly Fishing for letting me reproduce their report on the charity event at Exe Valley.

Fishing for FORCE the Cancer charity day organised by John Dawson was held at the superb Exe Valley Fishery by kind permission of Sue & Nick Hart.
The day started overcast and dimpsey in other words Exmoor weather! Jackie joined me to learn how to fly fish in no time she was throwing nice loops so it was on to the lake …no pulling lures here it was small flies from the word go . She was soon into her first fish of the day a quick burger and coffee then I took Rory under my wing it wasn’t long before I heard the shout “ I’ve got one I’ve got one” an epic battle ensued before a fin perfect Exe Valley rocket was drawn over the net….several more soon followed, the fishery is fishing really well and the Trout are up in the water and will readily take a dry.
Thanks must go to John Dawson, Sue Hart and the ladies from Force for putting the day on and raising lots of money for the charity.

24 May 2019

Pledge for Nature!

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Hello North Devon Angling News

I’m a keen freshwater and sea angler, and also passionate about nature.

The North Devon UNESCO Biosphere is launching a Crowdfunder https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/nature-needs-you to raise funds for a ground-breaking local initiative called Pledge for Nature! – to engage north Devon’s communities in nature’s recovery. We are extremely concerned by rapid declines in the quality of some habitats and populations of some of our key species like breeding cuckoos, lapwings and curlews in our farmland, salmon, sea trout and freshwater pearl mussels in the Taw and Torridge river systems, and even commoner species like hedgehogs, swallows and house martins, wildflowers and insects.

Nature needs more space and wilder areas to thrive. Pledge for Nature! aims to engage citizens and particularly farmers across north Devon in practical actions to tackle the damaging effect that decades of development and intensive land use have had on North Devon’s precious ecosystems. Their actions will help to boost wildflowers, insects and birds in farmland, gardens and greenspaces, plant trees and woodlands, and improve our rivers.

We are asking the National Lottery Heritage Fund to cover the majority of the coordination costs (and have passed the first round in the application process), but we urgently need to raise at least £10,000 as match funding to demonstrate to them that our community cares. Anglers are a really important group to help address some of these problems, and many are already very active (eg I’m a member of the Taw Fishing Club which is doing lots of habitat work).

I’d be really grateful if you could share the link to the crowd-funder site through the North Devon Angling website and social media and help spread the word in any way you can to friends and colleagues. I also attach a poster that can be printed and put up in community centres etc..

Many thanks for your help, and fingers crossed we can beat our target!

 

Mike

CLICK ON THE POSTER BELOW FOR FULL DETAILS

 

Mike Moser

Chair, Nature Improvement Group

North Devon UNESCO Biosphere