Glynn Aiken landed this pleasing 3lb brown trout at Blakewell and undoubtedly enjoyed a tasty meal. I like the fillets pan fried in butter with plenty of pepper how do you like yours?
Trout Fishing starts on local rivers
March 15th sees the start of the trout fishing season on running water and we are fortunate to have miles of wild brown trout fishing here in North Devon. What these trout lack in size they make up for in their beauty and tenacity giving a spirited fight on light tackle. Perhaps the real joy of wild trout fishing is the being beside our rivers as spring unwinds all around with wild flowers and birdsong reverberating through the air.
I could not resist a few casts today and tempted a beautifully marked brown trout with a just a few flicks into the fast flowing river. A small gold headed nymph will generally work well at this time with sparsely tied spider patterns also productive.
First Salmon of the season
I can report that Andy Nixon has landed the first reported salmon of the River Torridge season whilst fishing a lower River Beat controlled by the Half Moon Inn at Sheepwash. The fresh run 8lb salmon was sea liced and is great news and will undoubtedly encourage more to venture forth and cast a line for one of angling greatest prizes.
I drove over both the Taw and Torridge yesterday and both rivers looked to be in perfect trim. Below is the Taw at Newbridge running a little high but as each day passes it will become easier to fish and those spring run fish will start to settle into their spring lies.
Wistlandpound Opening 2017
Wistlandpound Opens for fishing on March 15th after an initial stocking that was witnessed by Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club Secretary Steve Edmunds :-
Torre Trout put in the stocking yesterday. The initial stocking of 685 brown trout was as follows:
450 trout between 7″ and 10″
140 trout weighing 1lb,
80 weighing 1lb 8oz
15 weighing 2lb.
They put in 2000 last year and only a couple of hundred were shown on catch returns. Even allowing for a few anglers forgetting to put in returns and the cormorants having a few, we should have about 1600 from last year plus 685 this year so about 2300 stocked plus naturals. I also understand that S W Lakes intend putting some more in around June.
Wistlandpound Information – From SWLT
Two stocking of Brown trout. One stocking a few days before the season starts on 15th March and one in early May.
· Season is 15th March to 12th October in line with EA byelaws for brown trout fishing
· Less fish than last year but some larger size
· Majority of fish still 8-10 inch but a good number of fish at 1lb and 1.5lbs with a scattering of 2lb fish.
· The fishery is only in its second season as a Brown trout fishery –the idea is to build stock levels the first couple of seasons and depending on progress and interest in the fishing we would then alter the stocking accordingly moving forwards with larger fish etc. This is still the plan local support is vital to achieve this and continue to move forwards sustainability.
Prices are the same as last season £15.50 for full day, £13.50 for concession day, £5 for children, £195 for season ticket, £160 for concession season.
· Boat price is £10 per day for members
· Volunteers and WFFC members, Dave Bocock and Steve Edmunds will help with permit checking, managing boat bookings and asking dog owners to comply with the regulations (dogs on leads and out of the water)
· New swims have been opened up and will be maintained by new SWLT warden Chris Eyles with assistance from volunteers Dave and Steve
· SWLT are keen for more volunteers to assist with bailiffing / practical sessions – please contact me: [email protected]
· Day Permit agents are the same as before (including Challacombe Post Office, Calvert Trust reception etc)
Triple Hook Enjoy Blakewell sport
Dennis Toleman and John Vaughan are well pleased with their brace of Blakewell browns.
Triple Hook Club members enjoyed good sport at Blakewell landing both brown and rainbow trout. Dennis Toleman won the competition with a four fish bag totalling 10lb 4oz. Runner up was John Vaughan with four for 9lb 12oz. The biggest trout caught was a rainbow trout of 3lb 2oz to the rod of Bernie Scoines.
Stunning Bratton Browns for Wistlandpound Club
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club members enjoyed quality trout fishing at Bratton Water with some impressive bags of brown trout. Danny Ford won the D & D Cup competition with four trout for 13lb 3oz. Danny caught his fish using small buzzer patterns and spent time after bagging up sharing his knowledge with other club members.
(Below) Danny Ford with brown trout each weighing 4lb 1oz
Runner up in the competition was David Richards who landed four trout topped by a fine specimen of 5lb 5oz that was winning the biggest trout of the day until David Eldred secured the biggest trout of the day prize with yet another stunning brown of 5lb 8oz. David Eldred secured third place with a four fish bag for 11lb 3oz and I took forth with an 11lb 2oz bag that included a fin perfect brown of 4lb 14oz.
(Above) This 4lb 14oz brown trout is probably the best looking trout I have ever caught.
Fishing at Bratton Water was enhanced by the onset of spring with daffodils and primroses in full bloom and toads spawning in the lakes margins. Fishery owner Mike Williams spotted two house martins on the morning of the competition a sure sign that Spring has truly arrived.
Trout-masters at Exe Valley
Exe Valley Trout Fishery hosted their Troutmasters fish off at the end of February. This year was a very hotly contested match with 63 fish weighing 233lb 6oz caught by a total field of 15 anglers. That’s a 3.9 rod average with an average weight of 3lb 7oz!
Nick Hart Reports:-
Well done to Devon based rod builder Alan Riddell who caught his limit with 2 hours to spare winning with a total of 6 fish for 24lb 12oz including a 2lb bonus. Meanwhile special mention has to go to the juniors James & Alfie. Both stuck it out but once again James took his 2nd junior win in a row and if he hadn’t lost 4 fish during the match including one that was a definite double he may have won the match! He did manage to beat his Dad with 4 fish for 14lb and also caught a tagged Trout so went home £10 richer.
Thanks to all who took part in such good spirit and well done to Keith Ratcliffe & Alan Jukes who both bagged potential monthly Troutmasters awards by both landing Trout of 8lb 8oz Good luck in the finals Alan & James!
Junior angler James Mockridge into an early first Trout
Rod Licence update
The EA have introduced a revised rod licence system for the coming year with some welcome changes see info and links below.
To see poster on new rod licenses please click on below links.
The Environment Agency has also launched “Get a Fishing Licence” on GOV.UK to simplify the process of buying a fishing licence: www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence. This is part of a series of improvements to the service, which include:
- Free licences for junior anglers, up to the age of 17, announced in November 2016
- The fishing licence now lasts for 12 months from the day it is bought, rather than expiring at the end of March each year
- The use of three rods now needs just one licence, rather than two.
People are required to buy a fishing licence in order to fish legally in England, Wales and along the Border Esk in Scotland. Sales of licences for the 2015/16 season raised £21 million. The money was used to restock rivers with 452,220 coarse fish, encourage over 35,000 people to try angling for the first time and bring 2,043 successful prosecutions against crimes like poaching.
SOUTH WEST LAKES – TROUT FISHING REPORT
The latest report from South West Lakes Trust indicates some good catches from reservoirs throughout the South West. At recently downgraded Wimbleball several overwintered rainbows were landed. Wistlandpound Opens on March 15th following a substantial stocking of brown trout that will boost existing stocks of browns from last year and the resident wild population. The abundant rudd that are thriving in the lake could well result in some big brown trout in the years to come.
South West Lakes Trout Fisheries Report (Opening Weekend 2017)
General:
The 2017 season opened earlier this year at South West Lakes Trust’s Rainbow Trout waters (4 March, with a preview day for season ticket holder on 3 March) and got off to a flying start at the lakes, with the opening weekend producing some outstanding sport, both in terms of the quality of the fish and their willingness to take the fly in spite of the cold, wet and windy conditions
Fishing:
Kennick – Rods averaged nearly 4.5 fish per angler over the opening weekend, with a number of fish over 4lb being landed. Very little insect activity is yet evident but fish were keen to take sub-surface nymph and lure patters, fished mainly on intermediate lines. The most successful patterns included Damsel and Montana nymphs, as well as deeper fished Tadpoles and Boobie patterns.
The best fish caught included a 4lb 4oz Rainbow, as part of a full bag, which also included another fish of 4lb, caught by Paul Lee from Ivybridge fishing with a nymph pattern from the bank. Mr Peppit caught a full bag, which included Rainbows of 4lb 4oz, 3lb 10oz and 3lb 2oz, while fishing from the bank.
Siblyback – Anglers averaged 3.7 fish per rod over the opening weekend, with most fish being caught in Two Meadows, The Marshes and the North Shore, with fish following the windblown food source. Floating and slow sink lines proved to be the most successful, with darker nymph patterns, such as Montanas, Dark Damsels, Diawl Bachs and Black Pennells, or pulled lures (Tadpoles, Cats Whiskers, Orange Gold-heads and Baby Dolls) catching fish.
The best fish was a 4lb 6oz Rainbow, caught by Mr R. Cogar from Bodmin.
Burrator – With the reservoir full and boats not yet available at Burraor, fishing from the bank at Longstone has been the most productive, using mainly intermediate lines. Rods averaged just over 2 fish per angler, with Montanas and Gold-head green Damsel nymphs catching well, as did dark lure patterns such as Tadpoles and Black Boobies.
The best fish caught was a 3lb 10oz Rainbow, caugh by Pat Power, fishing at Longstone, using a White Strike.
Stithians – The harsh conditions meant that the fishing at this exposed site proved to be challenging, with Pub Bay and North Bank proving to be the most productive locations. Sub-surface nymphs and lure patterns fished on sunk lines proved to be the only method, with Gold-head Tadpoles and weighted Orange and Yellow lures the successful patterns.
The best fish caught was a 3lb 8oz Rainbow, caught by Mr. Docking from St Agnes, using a Gold-head Tadpole.
Drift – Rods averaged 3 fish per angler, which included a number of Blue Trout which seemed to favour small lures and Damsel patterns. The Badger Sett bank proved to be the most productive area, with teams of nymphs (Damsels in particular) catching well, as well as deeper fished Black Woolly Buggers and Pink/Orange fritz mini lures.
The South West Fly Fair was held at Roadford on 25 February, for the fifth consecutive year, and proved to be even bigger and better. In spite of poor weather forecasts, the rain held off to allow for outdoor casting demonstrations and clinics, while indoors there were fly tying demonstrations, along with numerous stands offering tackle, advice and information, as well as a masterclass Trout cookery demonstration from a local top-class chef. Show patron Charles Jardine was on hand all day and, when not giving demonstrations, was available for advice or just a chat.
The Trust’s Brown Trout fisheries open on 15 March. For detailed fishery information and prices for the 2017 season visit www.swlakesfishing.co.uk or visit one of the fishery-based self-service kiosks.
Rising water temperatures should see an increase in surface activity, with floating lines starting to come to the fore in the next month.
Chris Hall (March 2017)
Too much water for start of salmon season
One week into the salmon season and barely a line has been cast as a result of both the Taw and Torridge being swollen by successive days of rain. The rain is however good news in the longer term as it should ensure fish are well spread throughout the river system when fishing does get underway. With water temperatures rising and plenty of water prospects have to be good for a big spring run fish.
The RIver Taw Fisheries Association are holding their Annual General Meeting on Friday 17th March 2017 at Highbullen Hotel, Chittlehamholt.
Guest speakers are Paul Carter, EA High Impact Enforcement Officer and Simon Evans, Chief Executive, Wye and Usk Foundation.
The Torridge AGM is on March 31st at the Half Moon Inn Sheepwash