28 Apr 2017

SAVING FRESHWATER MUSSELS ON THE TORRIDGE

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At the end of March I attended the Torridge Fishery AGM where we were given a fascinating presentation by Izzy Moser of the Devon Wildlife Trust. I spoke with Izzy the following day at the Riverfly training event when she kindly offered to share information on the efforts to restore freshwater mussels. I have thrown together a few information leaflets and some of Izzy’s notes from the slide show to give an overview of the project and the fascinating life cycle of the mussel. The project is supported by Blakewell Fishery.

This project has been set up in north Devon’s river Torridge

The aim of the project is to protect and restore FPM populations, and with this, to improve water quality for all users of the river.

Broader water quality issues – for example, pollution (soil, nutrients, pesticides), acidification, heavy metal inputs… and how we can improve these.

Partner project – Biffa funded etc.

Margitifera Margatifera – latin name

Freshwater Pearl Mussels are filter feeding bivalves from the group mollusc. They are one of the longest living invertebrates known (they can live over 100 years) and they inhabit the beds of rivers in the UK. According to the documentation, the require clean, well oxygenated, fast flowing waters

Filter 50 litres of water /day. In large numbers they can help to improve water quality through filtration.

Part of their life cycle is spent attached to the gills of salmonids (brown trout and Atlantic salmon, so good populations are vital to the survival of juvenile mussels.

Currently most of the populations are in Scotland but FPM were once widespread across the UK and could be found in the Tamar, Exe, Dart, Teign, Taw and Torridge. Currently, the only know populations are in the Taw and Torridge and these are relatively low numbers.

On the Torridge there estimated to be around 2000 individuals and this makes up the 4th largest colony in the UK.

However, these mussels are not thought to have breed successfully since the 1960’s, and are therefore aging significantly.

FPM critically endangered and nationally protected.

Genetically different from populations in northern England.

Thriving mussels populations can help to improve water through filtering

Thriving mussel populations are a sign of healthy rivers.

27 Apr 2017

The West Country Fly Fishing Seminar 2017

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The West Country Fly Fishing Seminar 2017

Close to seventy fly fishers from novice to expert assembled at the Fox and Hounds, Eggesford for the annual West Country fly fishing seminar all keen to learn more about the art of fly fishing. Fortunately it was a warm spring day with new growth bursting forth on the trees and recently arrived swallows swooping around the old fishing and hunting hotel.

The event is hosted in a collaboration between the Devon School of Fly Fishing and Fly Fishing Tackle.co.uk who are based locally in Crediton. There were a team of expert guides from all over the country to assist in the delivery of talks, demonstrations with tuition on casting, watercraft, fly selection and a whole lot more relating to fly-fishing.

The morning commenced in the meadows beside the Upper Taw where Peter Tyjas (Above) opened proceedings with an informative talk on the event and aspects of fly-fishing including tackle and his undoubted passion for casting a fly in various waters; especially for the wild brown trout that swim in the Upper Taw.

The guides present included:-

Jim Williams
AAPGAI MASTER level fly fishing & fly casting instructor, Sales manager for Vision Flyfishing UK

Jim Fearn
AAPGAI qualified salmon casting instructor and Rio Pro-Guide. He is responsible for product development at Guide Flyfishing who distribute RIO Lines, McLean Nets, Redington, Fishpond, Loon

John Legg
Managing Director at Guide Fly Fishing and AAPGAI level instructor.

Pete Tyjas
AAPGAI qualified instructor and principal of the Devon School of Fly Fishing, together with his team of fully qualified guides.

During the morning session each of the instructors gave a talk on their area of expertise with casting demonstrations that included in depth advice on spey casting, double haul timing, casting the perfect loop and the need for practice.

After these extensive and fascinating displays and talks the anglers were encouraged to assemble into relevant groups where they could receive relevant tuition dependent upon their knowledge or avenue of interest. There was also the opportunity to handle and cast the latest fly rods with lines and reels.

Lunch time gave the opportunity to mix and mingle in the dining area of the hotel and to have a drink in the bar where hundreds of old photos of salmon catches of bygone days decorate the walls.

After lunch it was back to the meadow where at this point the guides got into the river to talk about watercraft and the wide range of techniques available to the fly-fisher. Dry fly fishing, New Zealand style presentation, czech nymphing and American style streamer fishing. Whatever style you choose observation of the waterside environment is vital with weather, water condition, temperature and light values likely to impact upon the food available to the fish we seek. In addition to this watercraft is valuable in providing an educated guess as to where the fish are likely to be. All the above factors will influence the tackle required. Though in reality it is impractical to carry all the rods and reels required for each technique and presentation compromise is therefore required for most of us.

The choice of fly or lure is of course important but the need for a vast range is generally not required as presentation and positioning are of more value. The importance of the leader is also an important but often overlooked component in the link to presenting the fly correctly. Tapered leaders aid good presentation with a stiff butt leading to a fine tippet via the middle transition section. One of the key factors in dry fly presentation is of course ensuring a drag free drift.

The guide giving my wife Pauline tuition told us that the key areas to consider when fishing for trout are: –

Presence – Not alerting the fish to your presence

Presentation – Presenting the fly in a natural manner

Pattern – Choosing the correct imitation on the day

By the end of the day we had been given a huge amount of information and thought provoking ideas. Success in angling is undoubtedly boosted by attention to detail and the best anglers fine tune their tactics to suit the fish they seek, I realized that despite being an angler for over fifty years I know very little about the sport I love. Being an all-rounder I must concede that I will never be an expert in any discipline of angling if such a thing exists. In angling it is the fish that write the rule-book and the only certainty within that book is that fish don’t always follow the rules.

Fortunately we have a vast range of waters in North Devon to practice on and I look forward to casting a line far and wide this coming year. Hopefully with her recent tuition Pauline will also connect with the wild fish that swim in river, stream, lake and sea.

 

18 Apr 2017

EXE VALLEY – CATCH AND RELEASE WORKING WELL

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Anchor Lake has been fishing its head off ! One angler  had 9 in under 2 hours and there have been a couple of 7lb fish in amongst some limit bags including this cracker caught by Daniel Stocker which was also tagged so he  headed home with £20 and an Easter Egg! Despite the concerns about C&R making the lake hard we see no evidence of it and today of the 14 anglers fishing 7 are on sport tickets, all catching using a variety of tactics including washing line, straight nymphs & dries.

16 Apr 2017

RIVER NEWS

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After several weeks without substantial rain the rivers have started to drop away. I fished the Middle Torridge on Saturday and was pleasantly surprised at how well the river level has held up with it at a height that I would expect fish to be present. I fished the lies carefully and failed to move any fish. It was as always a delight to in the river with fresh green growth sprouting forth all around and birdsong filling the cool spring air.

Spring tides over the previous week should have encouraged a few fish into the river. Sea trout will start to show soon with every chance of double figure fish in the early season. Ideally we need some heavy rain within a couple of weeks to replenish the rivers. If the rain does not come it will be well worthwhile targetting the wild brown trout that populate our local rivers. Early season fishing sees the fish rising freely to bushy dry flies ideally fished in conjunction with a small beaded nymph in the so called New Zealand Style.

I received this report from Barnstaple & District Angling Clubs John Webber

“Just received details from Taw Cottage Beat. Owner John Saunders invited local angler Bob Lewington to fish his top beat on Good Friday afternoon, resulting in a fresh run 12lb salmon.Bob was wading in deep water with high bank when fish hooked and managed to net whilst still in the water. This was Bob’s his first catch of the season, which I understand brings total fish landed on the Taw to 14.”

———-

The day ticket Brightly and Weir Marsh Beats of the Taw have produced a fine couple of spring salmon with Andy Nixon catching a fine 10lb salmon and Len Francis one of 10lb 8oz. Day tickets can be obtained from Ivan Huxtable on 0777 9214909 or by calling in to The Rising Sun at Umberleigh where they also have fishing available. Click on the link below.

Below are a few notes from Roger Furniss relating to smolt survival. These highlight the range of problems that impact upon the smolt as they journey to the sea sea. Without smolt of course we have no salmon.

SWRA Council Meeting – 11 April 2017 Paper 5
From Headwater to Headland – Improving smolt survival in rivers and estuaries

From Roger Furniss

Introduction

I attended a two-day conference in Berwick with the above title, organised by Atlantic Salmon Trust and Tweed Foundation – Programme attached. The Proceedings will be published but there was so much information relevant to how we manage our rivers I have summarised the key points below.

At the end I draw some conclusions about how we should manage our rivers in the light of the information

Freshwater Influence on Smolt Production and Survival

  •   Increasing freshwater temperatures are causing average smolt age and size to decrease (1+ smolts average 10 cm, 2+ average 13 cm on Burrishoole);
  •   Smaller smolts have lower marine survival;
  •   Smaller 1+ smolts tend to produce MSW’s, larger 2+ tend to produce grilse;
  •   Smolts have a narrow ‘window’ when they are in right condition to go to sea;
  •   Run timing is getting earlier (temperature effect) and causing mismatch betweenfreshwater and sea conditions, especially temperature, with cold springs better (sea temperatures do not rise as quickly as freshwater) – earlier migration is correlated with lower marine survival – effect is worse in rivers with short/no estuaries;
  •   Pesticides, herbicides, etc adversely impact home river imprinting, ability to cope with change to sea water;
  •   Smolt survival in freshwater and transit time down river and through estuary inversely proportional to river flow;
  •   Most smolts transit estuary on ebb tide, irrespective of time of day;
  •   Small loss of scales OK, large loss bad;
  •   Managing freshwater phase critical to marine survival;
  •   Hatchery reared fish have poorer survival;
  •   Wetted area of juvenile habitat vital; Smolt Migration in Rivers
  •   Environmental change is happening faster than evolutionary adaptation and may be different on different rivers;;
  •   Rivers with impoundments and in-stream structures have higher smolt mortalities than rivers without;
  •   R Bush salmon run 1975 – 1995 averaged 30,000 pa, reduced to 5,000 pa by early 2000’s. Now back to 30,000;
  •   Factors affecting Bush were siltation of redds exacerbated by weed growth, lower marine survival and predation;
  •   Inland movement of cormorants (increased numbers on coast and less inshore fish) killed 600-1200 smolts a day, totalling 50% of smolt run;

1

  •   Cormorant shooting/scaring must start early in the run and early in the day – break the habit;
  •   Cormorant control biggest single factor producing better adult runs – also gulls on weirs;
  •   Most smolts leave freshwater in the dark;
  •   Allier (Loire) smolts travel average of 32 km/day, with early migration ‘passive’ – ifnot rapid enough smolts killed by high temperatures and missing the ‘window’;
  •   Impacts of hydro schemes can be direct (shear, pressure and mechanical injury inturbine) and indirect (delay and easier predation) – latter exacerbated by cumulative

    impacts;

  •   Bindon (Frome) hydro (unscreened Archimedes) with parallel river route showed nodifference in smolt survival, speed of travel, or marine survival of smolts passing down turbine and smolts passing down river.

    Smolt survival in the lower river, estuary and coastal waters

  •   Norwegian sea trout from 100’s of streams fall into only four genetic groups, ie individual river stocks are not separate;
  •   High flows increase the proportion of daylight smolt migrants;
  •   Low flow sea trout smolt losses in freshwater can be as high as 50% and kelt 30%,normal flows 20% smolts and 5% kelts;
  •   Model smolt production by classifying habitat (0 unsuitable – 4 very good) andestimating proportion of catchment in each class; survey juveniles in each habitat and

    model survival to smolt;

  •   Deveron – 40% smolt loss between headwaters (80km upstream) and estuary, mainlypredation by sawbills and large trout – loss of 0.77%/km, 18 days average travel time

    – faster smolts more successful;

  •   Dee smolts move out of harbour very quickly (average 1 mile in 40 minutes);
  •   26 % in-river smolt mortality (0.78%/km cf Deveron);
  •   In-river migration speed flow related;
  •   In Moray Firth smolts ‘wander’ in daytime (?feeding?) and go in straight lines at night(?active migration?)
  •   Moray Firth smolts trapped 70km above tide, 50% loss in freshwater;
  •   Salmon smolts move away from river mouths more quickly that sea trout;Impact of Predation
  •   In Denmark recent changes in cormorant numbers and behaviour have had significant adverse impact with coastal population pressure and reduced sea fish stocks pushing birds inland;
  •   In 300 sq km estuary in three weeks 25% of tagged smolts eaten, 50% of tagged eels and all flounders;
  •   Seals, cod and saithe are major predators in inshore waters;
  •   In freshwater up to 70% of smolts lost to predation at some low dams (pike but mostlycormorants);
  •   In some Danish rivers cormorants are the main factor reducing fish stocks to belowWFD standards;
  •   Cormorant egg oiling not very successful, night shooting at roosts better;
  •   Relative values of salmon and cormorants key factor in driving policy;

2

  •   In 2012 England inland cormorant population rose from 2,400 pairs in summer to >30,000 in winter;
  •   Hampshire Avon coordinated catchment-wide cormorant shoots (licence to kill 20% of estimated population of 700, ie 140 birds);
  •   Scaring include use of lasers, gull spikes on weirs, dummies, starting pistols;
  •   Restigouche (Canada) – increased numbers of double-crested cormorants reversedsalmon recovery – mouth of river colony went fro no birds in 2000 to 2294 in 2015;
  •   Miramichi (Canada) – striped bass in estuary 1990’s nearly extinct, conservationmeasures now 300,000 in estuary at time of smolt migration.

    Conclusions

  •   Smolt losses in freshwater are a major factor limiting adult runs;
  •   Climate change is adversely affecting production, migration and survival;
  •   Shading to keep freshwater temperatures down could help;
  •   Helping smolts get to sea quickly will help unless it’s too early (warm freshwater,cold sea) – use of water banks on regulated rivers;
  •   Micropollutants (agri-chemicals) adversely affect survival;
  •   Remove as many impoundments as possible and treat downstream migration asseriously as upstream – potential conflict between maximising smolts to sea and

    angling!

  •   Archimedes Screws may not be a problem for smolts;
  •   Management can help, especially predator control, habitat improvement – needsa much more aggressive, coordinated approach to cormorant and goosander control.
5 Apr 2017

Torridge Fishery Association – AGM

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The Torridge Fishery Associations Annual General Meeting was held at the Half Moon Inn at Sheepwash on March 31st and was very well supported by its membership. I always look forward to attending this meeting as this and the Annual Dinner is the  time when most members get to meet up and share in their passion for the river and its health.

As always the river Environment was at the top of the agenda and of course the fish stocks. Paul Ashworth gave an update on the hatchery. The clubs project to attempt to stem the decline in salmon and sea trout numbers. The past winter has proved a successful one with brood stock successfully caught stripped and returned to the river. The result has been 30,000 fry stocked out into tributaries of the Torridge. It is impossible to know for sure if previous years stockings have proved fruitful but with a 95% survival to swim up fry stage there has to be a chance that a few eventually make it back as adult fish.

Environment Agency Fisheries Officer Paul Carter gave a report on the latest regarding staffing levels with the agency and highlighted the need for anglers to act as the eyes and ears of the river bank. Any environmental concerns or suspicious activity should be reported immediately either direct to Paul or via the agency’s hotline – 0800 807060. Paul expressed concern at the apparent lack of salmon spawning activity on the upper reaches of most local rivers. My own hope is that this is a temporary situation with a poor return of salmon as a result of the extensive and severe floods of 2012 washing out large areas of the salmon’s redds. In light of the ever decreasing stocks Paul emphasized the importance of catch and release and in particular ensuring large fish of over 70cm are returned to the river even later in the season as these fish are often the ones returned by anglers fishing earlier in the spring. Provisional 2016 returns for the Torridge indicated 58 salmon and 206 sea trout.

Izzy Moser from Devon Wildlife Trust gave an enlightening talk on the successful attempts to breed freshwater pearl mussel with the intent of reseeding areas of the Torridge where the species is threatened with extinction. These mollusks can live for over 100 years and require pollution free waters to survive. The creatures can also contribute to the rivers health by filtering large quantities of water as they feed. For more information on this fascinating project visit http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/freshwater-pearl-mussel-project

One of the major factors impacting upon the Freshwater mussel is that of sedimentation caused largely by farming practices. Devon Wildlife Trust is working with anglers towards a purer river that will benefit both mussels and salmon.

Adrian Dowding and his colleague Phil Turnball of the West Country Rivers Trust gave a presentation reporting upon  an extensive fry survey undertaken last season. This did not make good reading with fry numbers very disappointing throughout most of the Torridge catchment despite extensive work over recent years to improve habitat. The survey highlights the urgent need for extensive efforts to address habitat issues on our rivers. The loss of salmon and sea trout in any of our West Country Rivers would be a tragedy.

Invasive species are also a major concern with Himalayan Balsam one area that anglers can make a difference. A campaign encourages anglers to pull up ten of these plants every time they visit the river.

Despite all of this concern for the river anglers remained upbeat and optimistic for the season ahead with river levels now dropping after several spates some fish should be caught. John Hellyer caught a fine 10lb salmon from the lower river, the second so far this season showing that a few salmon have already moved in.

The Half Moon Inn has for many years been the hub of fishing on the Torridge and fortunately this is set to continue as the new owners Andrew Orchard and Alan McIntosh have vowed to continue the Inns future as a premier fishing Inn that will undoubtedly be well supported by Charles Inniss whose years of knowledge and enthusiasm has provided inspiration for generations of visiting anglers.