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Globe Trotting North Devon Anglers
Globe Trotting North Devon anglers Colin Joy and Jon Patten travelled to Tanzania in search of some exotic foreign specimens to test their tackle. They had an unforgettable adventure boating some magnificent fish. Colin sent me these stunning images that shine a little warmth into these dark cold winter months.
(Above) dorado 40lb +
(Above) 30lb ruby snapper
(Above) 85lb swordfish
Blakewell Christmas Competition – Tackle Testing Rainbows
Thirty of Blakewell Fisheries regular customers gathered to fish the eagerly anticipated Christmas Competition and they were not to be disappointed as several tackle testing trout were hooked and landed. It was frantic action at the start of the competition with many anglers hooking trout on their first cast of the day. This fast and furious action of course eased off after an hour as the presence of thirty anglers casting into the clear water deterred the trout from feeding. Most anglers ended the day with their limit bag of six fish with an average weight of well over 3lb.
Trout were tempted using a wide range of flies and lures with damsel nymphs and cats whiskers amongst the most successful. Conditions really couldn’t have been any better with an overcast start to the day and mild conditions considering the time of year. As always the event was very much a social affair with many anglers setting their rods aside after landing their quota to chat with fellow anglers and compare notes.
The competition was punctuated by a welcome plate of chilli-con-carne cooked by the venues resident chef Richard Nickel who worked very hard with his assistant from the Blakewell Team Mia Bryant to play the perfect hosts to the anglers.
(Above) A fine rainbow of 15lb 13oz
Results –
1st – James Burdus – six fish for 33lb 14oz
2nd – John Buxton – Six fish for 31lb 2oz
3rd – Peter Furze – Six fish for 29lb 4oz
4th – Mike Bowles – Six Fish for 27lb 9oz
5th – John Sheppard – Six fish for 26lb 4oz
(Above) James Burdus – rainbow trout 15lb 13oz
(Above) John Buxton – Rainbow Trout 13lb 5oz
(Above) Peter Furze – rainbow trout 9lb 15oz
(Above) John Sheppard rainbow trout 9lb 13oz
Two double figure rainbows were landed and two others very close to double figures; in addition there were several tales of the ones that got away! Numerous quality brown trout were also banked including a fine brace of browns weighing 5lb 6oz and 5lb 4oz to the rod of Mike Bowles.
(Above) Mike Bowles with a fine brace of browns weighing 5lb 6oz and 5lb 4oz.
(Above ) Paul Grisley hold a 4lb 8oz brown trout
(Above) Ethan Hoggins – with a pleasing brown trout 4lb 6oz
Richard Nickel also gave a fine demonstration on how to fillet trout making it look all too easy. I have to confess that on trying the same technique on my return home I found my results somewhat lacking compared to Richards. My blunt knife probably didn’t help though I feel sure Richard would have produced a more appetizing portion of trout.
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.
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club -Winter Challenge
Double Figure Bratton Brownie
Barnstaple & District AA AGM
Barnstaple and District Angling Association are one of North Devon longest running clubs with a rich history. They control fishing on a popular stretch of the River Taw with salmon and sea trout fishing. They also have coarse fishing at Aller Pond an atmospheric and tranquil water sited within woodland near South Molton.
(Above ) Newbridge on the River Taw B&DAA Club water.
(Above) South Aller Pond
On Monday November 13th a good proportion of the clubs membership gathered in Barnstaple’s Corner House for their AGM.
After the formalities of reports and election of officers members mingled and we swapped tales of local fishing history and prospects for the future. It was good to see that this long established club is still going strong.
Membership Secretary, Colin Ashby, 13 Green Meadow Drive, Barnstaple EX31 4HT. Tel. 01271 323017.
e- mail [email protected]
Club Secretary Sheridan Toms, Upcott Farm, Brayford, N.Devon EX32 7QA. Tel 01598 710857.
Chairman. John Webber e-mail [email protected].
Eat Sleep Fish – Latest Edition
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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.
As the Reservoir trout season ends its time to turn to the smaller stillwater’s
Lottie Ava Kinnear aged 8 caught her first brown trout on a cats whiskers lure from Bratton Water. Her parents say that she really enjoyed herself and can’t wait to go again.
Bratton Water will start to fish well now as the cooler waters of late autumn and winter arrive. Last winter saw some stunning brown trout caught from the fishery with several over 5lb. (Below) Danny Ford with one of last winters stunning brown trout caught at Bratton Water.
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club fished the last day of the season at Wessex Water’s Clatworthy Reservoir where the rainbow trout that the fishery is renowned for played hard to get. Only three of the ten members taking part in the event fishing for the Secretary’s Shield managed to land trout. This was despite the lake being well stocked with good numbers of trout that were times visible in the clear water.
David Rudman was the winner with a rainbow trout scaling 1lb 151/2oz. Dave Mock and Danny Ford tied in runner up spot both landing rainbows of 1lb 15oz. (Below) The three successful anglers.
Despite the lack of fish members enjoyed a day in beautiful countryside with trees surrounding the reservoir in splendid autumn colours.
As members gathered at the Fishing Lodge reflecting upon the past season they were treated to a delicious offering of Lemon Drizzle Cake from the local Clatworthy Fly Fishing Club. We all hope be to back at Clatworthy in the spring when it generally offers superb sport with some of the West Country’s hardest fighting rainbow trout.
With the reservoir trout fishing season at an end it is time to turn to the small still waters where sport is at its best through the colder months.