Ed Rands enjoyed the spring sunshine at Blakewell Fishery catching this stunning 5lb + brown trout along with another brown trout and three rainbows for a pleasing five fish bag totalling 15lb 8oz.
Don’t forget the fishery are offering a five fish loyalty ticket for just £30.00.
A fine blakewell brown trout a fine reward for late winter fishing trip.
Blakewell Fishery are offering a special rate for a days fishing offering great value for money. Plus if you visit on a Saturday there will be a delicious homemade stew available from the cafe for £5.00 an ideal warm up for lunch before travelling home or continuing fishing.
Loyalty 5 fish ticket for £30
Dear Angler,
Richard and John would like to thank you for your support last year; it was a challenging season and the Summer had an effect on all of us.
We hope to see you all soon for this new season and would like to offer you an all day 8am until sunset, loyalty 5 fish ticket for £30 available on your next visit.
Every Saturday there will also be a homemade stew available from the cafe for £4. Any angler who visits the fishery twice in a month and uses 2 x £30 tickets qualifies for a free bowl of stew and tea or coffee.
Tight lines and kind regards
John and Richard.
Line is probably the most harmful material anglers use and experienced anglers change their line on a regular basis as it is the vital link between them and the fish they hope to persuade to the waters edge. Discarded line has long been an issue that causes concern even when put out with the rubbish it can get onto landfill where it can entangle birdlife. I have in the past cut my line into short lengths or burnt it on the fire. Now there is a scheme to recycle old mono and braid and the good news is that North Devons tackle shops are participating in the scheme so please bag up your old line and take it to your local tackle shop and place in the designated receptacle. For more information on the scheme please click on the below link.
https://www.anglers-nlrs.co.uk
Andy Facey with a fine 4lb 8 oz Brown caught on black and peacock with flash back wing case size 8 wet cast to crusing fish 10ft from margins stalked for 5 or six casts on floating line with very slow almost static retrieve…
Wistlandpound Flyfishing Club members visited Blakewell Fishery for the final leg of their winter challenge series and all members successfully completed their three fish bags within a couple of hours. The water was still crystal clear despite heavy overnight rain as the inlet had been diverted to maintain good water clarity. My first trout of the day was a fine rainbow of around 3lb 8oz that gave a great account in the cold water. The fish was tempted using my favourite winter Stillwater fly the olive damsel. This pattern always seems to work well sinking quickly due to its chain eyes with its long marabou tail fluttering enticingly with a slow erratic retrieve.
After catching my first trout quickly I decided to wonder around the lake a little and take in the scenery a little. I was pleased to see that frogs had been busy spawning in a small pool adjacent to the lake. Signs of spring were in fact all around if you took a moment to look around with daffodils well advanced and green buds on the hawthorns along the path to the fishery.
Dennis Toleman from the Triple Hook Club had elected to take a walk around the lake and as we chatted a small wild brown trout seized my fly and was captured on Dennis’s phone before being slipped back into the water.
1st – Dave Richards – three Fish – 7lb 13oz
2nd – Wayne Thomas – three fish – 6lb 10oz
3rd – Paul Grisley – three fish = 5lb 13oz
4th – Colin Combe – Three fish – 5lb 8oz
5th -Nigel Bird – Three fish – 5lb 3oz
The winner of the Winter Challenge was Dave Richards with 23lb 2oz, runner up Colin Combe with 22lb 8oz and third Wayne Thomas with 21lb 7oz.
Paul Grisley was forth with 21lb 4oz and fifth Nigel Bird with 20lb 6oz.
After fishing I enjoyed a fresh cup of coffee with John Nickell who shared exciting prospects for the coming spring. After a difficult season in 2018 due to the exceptionally hot summer plans are in place for 2019.John tells me stock fish are now growing well with plenty of good sized rainbow and brown trout coming along for stocking in early spring. In addition they will be stocking with sparctic trout a cross between brook trout and Arctic char. They are also planning to stock tiger trout a cross between brook trout and brown trout both species are obtained from Torre Trout Farms.
I was also tempted with some superb smoked salmon to try later in the day beside a roaring log fire. Blakewell smoke their own grown trout and organic salmon that taste far superior to mass produced products bought at the supermarket.
Wimbleball enjoyed a fantastic season last year under the management of Mark Underhill who has transformed the fishery stocking hard fighting quality rainbow trout throughout the season.
The new season gets underway on March 1st and promises excellent sport from the off. I hope to see you there!
For all fishing information please call Mark on 07758561412
Facebook: Wimbleball Fly Fishery
Email: [email protected]
If you want to buy any tickets please enter your email address and name below and the number of tickets you require. We will then send you an invoice which you can pay online, alternatively please call 01398 351371.
With the snow melting fast outside it seems like a good time to show some of the stunning fish that anglers at Exe Valley have been catching. The cold spell has far from slowed the fishing with anglers having great success on a variety of flies and tactics. The fish are in great condition & fighting hard.
(Below)John Ratcliffe from Exmouth visited on a very cold day and used a variety of different patterns and depths with a slow retrieve. He caught all six of his fish including a lovely Blue Trout.
(Below)Andy Dade from Berrow visited and caught 4 fish including a cracking 6lb 1oz Rainbow Trout noting “Good day again, all fish on Apps Bloodworm. Deep and slow retrieve” A few days later however Andy returned to Anchor Lake and landed a stunning 12lb 2oz Rainbow Trout using an Apps Bloodworm on a floating line. This Rainbow was Andys personal best Rainbow Trout – well done Andy!
(Below) Colin Nice from Exeter visited with a friend during last week and enjoyed bacon rolls on arrival & soup by the lake for lunch – available from our the fishery pre order menu. Colin caught 6 fish including a nice 4lb Rainbow Trout. Colin said “Very good – enjoyable all aspects. All fish on small flies P.T.N, D.B, Bloody William & floating line – 6”-12” down.”
The Roadford Fly Fair is a very popular event at the Start of Spring coinciding with those first forays to the waters edge in search of wild trout and salmon.
On a cold winters day rainbow trout can provide some exciting sport! With only a month to go until the start of the salmon season why not get a bit of casting practice in, an appetiser for the main course ahead…
Some very nice, hard fighting Rainbows coming out at the moment, all methods are taking fish but surprisingly they are still up in the top couple of feet so floating lines still working, but bigger flies and lures seem favourite, like the black or viva woolly bugger…
