Bideford and District Angling Club Coarse Section Monthly Competition
Lower Tamar carp and bream
Aaron Bunning had a trip to remember on Lower Tamar this week. After setting up in Swampy’s and catching one fish, he decided to move swims in the morning to Hilton’s. Putting a good spread of Mirage baits ‘Reservoir Specials’ he fished a matching wafter as a hook bait. He ended the session with four fish including this cracking 33lb 6oz common.
SPRING TROUT
It seems to have been a slow start to Spring this year with relentless rain resulting in bank high rivers. Even the Upper reaches are pushing through hard making fishing challenging.
With the rivers eventually dropping back and running clear I headed out to enjoy a couple of hours chasing wild browns. It was delightful to revisit the familiar river valley as new born lambs frisked in the fields.
The river was racing past high and clear as I walked the bank looking for slacker water to drift my heavy nymphs.
It was good to feel the cool water as I focussed on the sight tip of the leader. In the first pool I fished a small trout was on briefly before wriggling free.
I moved on relishing the smell of wild garlic in the fresh spring air. Chiff Chaffs song drifted through the valley and early bluebells were in bloom.
I worked my way upriver searching for trout enjoying the spirited tussle that even the smallest trout gave on the light tackle. A good fish of perhaps 10” came off its crimson flanks glimpsed as the rod flexed.
I drove away contented with a brief reacquaintance with the river.
A few days later I joined Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club at Bulldog Fishery. As we threaded the line through the rod rings the lake lay mirror calm fresh green trees reflecting in the calm water.
We chatted for a while before heading to the water’s edge. The water was gin clear and I decided to adopt an imitative approach presenting a PTN and buzzer beneath a foam buzzer that acted as an indicator.
As I worked the flies slowly through the water I caught sight of a large bird of prey. After a few moments I was able to ascertain that I was witnessing the rare and exciting view of an osprey. These majestic birds migrate North from Africa each Spring and are occasionally glimpsed over large lakes and reservoirs.
In addition to the rare osprey it was reassuring to glimpse swallows and martins arriving in the valley, a true sign that spring has arrived.
My quest for trout proved harder than expected with no indications or pulls. Fellow club member Andre Muxworthy had caught a brace of fish and I wondered what he had been using.
I changed to a gold headed damsel nymph on the point with a longer leader and moved to another area of the lake.
Andre walked over for a chat after completing his three fish bag and generously shared information as to his choice of fly.
Fishing close to where Andre had enjoyed success my line zipped tight and a decent fish was momentarily hooked before shedding the hook.
As is often the case a few casts later a hard fighting rainbow was brought to the waiting net. The next fifteen minutes I enjoyed several near misses as trout followed the fly their shadowy forms visible deep down in the clear and sheltered water. A spartic of a couple of pounds seized the fly and was netted after a pleasing tussle. A couple of casts after landing this fish I watched the dark shadow of a trout following my fly, I paused allowing the fly to sink slowly before twitching it teasing the fish as it moved towards it. The fish appeared to lose interest and I again let it sink. The trout promptly followed it down and I saw its mouth open, lifting the rod briskly I delighted in the life on the line. A tiger trout its vividly patterned flanks completing a pleasing three fish bag.
Andre and I watched on as fellow club member Colin Combe hooked into his final fish of the morning.
A pleasing spartic of a couple of pounds that would give him a total bag weight of 9lb 4oz and most likely first place in the competition. Andre’s three totalled 7lb 13oz and mine 6lb 7oz. One club member remained fishing when we left so hopefully he went on to catch his bag.
Lyme Disease: Bloody Patients And why they’re always wrong.
Lyme Disease: Bloody Patients And why they’re always wrong.
https://fishrise.substack.com/
Many thanks to Richard Wilson for sharing his wise word from his substack musings.
The first time I didn’t have Lyme disease was back in 2016. I took a tick bite with a classic circular Lyme rash into my local doctor’s surgery and was told it wasn’t Lyme because it was the wrong sort of round. It wasn’t a bullseye.
There then followed several years of not having Lyme disease, despite symptoms that suggested otherwise. So I was sent for scans, endoscopies top and bottom and saw specialists in everything except Lyme.
Controversially, I wondered out loud about Lyme (bloody patients with Google, eh?) and, over the years, asked for 2 tests which came back negative. Nobody told me how inaccurate the Elisa test can be (15-25% false positive/negative).
Then, early last year, my aching guts put me in front of 2 different gallbladder specialists. Why two? Because our chaotic health system sent me to 2 consultants, about a week apart. Both agreed that my gallbladder was full of stuff called sludge which explained all my ills. So it was true: I didn’t have Lyme Disease (again). I had sludge.
Unfortunately, the only way to get it removed, without waiting several years for a National Health Service operation, was to pay. So I saw a private surgeon, who confirmed that my bolshie gallbladder was indeed to blame for all my ills (see! no Lyme!) and, for the price of a small car, duly whipped it out.
I woke up post-op with no gallbladder, considerably poorer and with a full set of Lyme symptoms.
A few months later I paid, privately, for a 3rd Elisa Lyme test. This one came back positive. OK, almost 7 years had passed, but it seemed urgent to me. Although, as I soon learned, not to my healthcare providers. Which is where my problems now coalesced. My doctor’s surgery is guarded by reception staff whose mission is to keep the Bloody Patients at arm’s length. They told me that because I had arranged the test privately, I couldn’t see my own doctor and would have to wait 30 days for a phone call with somebody else’s. The official Lyme guidelines say that Lyme should be treated immediately. So emails were exchanged which included words like ‘unethical’ and ‘breach of guidelines’. My doctor intervened, a blood test was booked for the next day, and within 48 hours I had another positive Elisa backed by a positive, confirmatory Western Immunobolt. Suddenly I had Lyme. It was official, something would be done and I was going to get better. The sense of relief was enormous.
Ah. Not quite so fast, pal.
I was prescribed 4 weeks of Doxycycline and then 4 weeks of Amoxcyline. My symptoms subsided, somewhat.
Within weeks it was all back and worse than before. My blood pressure went through the roof, I was covered in a skin rash and my heart was intermittently, rhythmically deranged. I felt like shit most of the time, and it could get especially bad at night. Sleep became elusive. Since then my blood pressure has dropped and become erratic while my heart is more regular, but little else has improved.
My doctor is a decent, overworked man who I rather like. He referred me to the Infectious Diseases unit at the Big City Hospital. Sounds good doesn’t it? Experts. What could go wrong?
It turns out that this specialist unit seems to have a Lyme Guru romper room where they share spliffs and blend mind-wave communications with milk-shake flavours.
These experts reached out to me via the cosmic aura of the aether-net. They didn’t need to see or talk to me. They’re so good at this that I didn’t even notice they’d made contact. Anyway, they inhaled long and deep, and then they sent this to my Doctor:
“Mr Wilson has had adequate treatment for possible Lyme disease and further antibiotics would not be beneficial. There is no need for our service to see him. If the referral to the Care of the Elderly Team does not help then please consider referral to the ME/CFS service.”
This is real. Seriously. It’s not a joke. The appropriate anagram is: What a bunch of Fickwuts. Curiously, there are no amusing anagrams of the word ‘morons’. And how was I to know that if you ask a gaga old geezer (me) for an anagram of 2 random words like S**t*m**d and Hospital the answer would come back Medical and Negligence. Crazy! Bloody Patients, eh?
I think there are 4 reasonable comments they could have made, but didn’t:
First, that the bacteria are dead and I’m suffering from the damage they did. It’s going to be unpleasant, but my condition will improve. 2nd, I’m experiencing an overreaction by my immune system. 3rd, tick bites very often deliver bacterial co-infections. Let’s test. The 4th is a possibility acknowledged by leading medical academic institutions: The Lyme bacteria may have survived. With time, the little bastards can dig in deep and are very hard to get at (medically). If so, further antibiotics are suggested, even by our regulatory authorities.
Unfortunately, the Big City space cadets have now tied my doctor’s hands. So I’m back on the referral treadmill. I have 3 new appointments upcoming in the next month or so:
- I’ve been booked in to see a Gallstone specialist. It seems my gallbladder may be playing up.
- Next will be the Care of Older People and Specialist Falls Clinic. When they ask me why I’m there I’m going to have to say I don’t know. Which gets me halfway to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
- I’ve been referred to a Gastro-Intestinal clinic. Perhaps to investigate the missing Gallbladder? I may never know because the health service ap is blocking the booking.
It should all be funny. But isn’t and I’m stuck.
A lot of people have emailed me to say I should fly to the US and see a specialist. I would, but it’s very expensive and the gall bladder surgeon’s partner is now driving around in my savings.
Bloody Patients, eh? I really should be more grateful that, for example, I haven’t got Lyme Disease. And, in the last 8 years, I only had it for 10 weeks. Phew!
Don’t you just love a happy ending?
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Ilfracombe Aquarium
Ilfracombe Aquarium is located on Ilfracombe Pier and offers a fascinating glimpse into the world beneath the waters surface. There are many fish to seen that live within Ilfracombe Harbour and along North Devons coast. There are also insights into local freshwater eco systems and the creatures that live within. An ideal place to visit in conjunction with a fishing trip to Ilfracombe Pier where members of Combe Martin SAC club recorded over thirty species during February and March of 2024.
Ilfracombe Aquarium consists of Local Aquatic Exhibits, Pier Café & Gift Shop. It is a much loved, award winning, and ever evolving, all-weather, family fun, educational attraction. It is located in the Old Lifeboat House on the pier. Conveniently located, it is surrounded by Ilfracombe’s picturesque & historic harbour which is home to Damien Hirst’s Verity sculpture and 14th century St. Nicholas’ Chapel. Ilfracombe town is located on the dramatic and spectacular North Devon coast. It is 20 mins. drive from Barnstaple, 10 mins. from Woolacombe. It is set within the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Ilfracombe Aquarium
REEL DEAL 2024
Happy Season everyone hope your all having a nice day. Sorry we have been quite of late but we have had lots going on with sorting out bits and pieces with boats and where we are going moving forward.Also battling this constant crap weather we are having. We haven’t been getting out a lot at all so far we haven’t been able to get to the sharks this season 🥲🥲 but we have done a couple of channel trips on the spurs and Huss. Now with the season changing and the summer species coming in it should start to hot up just need the weather to sort its self out so we can get out. Couple of new things this season we have been working on are as follows : 6 hour bass lure trips based around the perfect state of tide to get on the marks that produced some great sport last season available online asap. Also a slight change to our summer Sharking it’s now going to be summer big game fishing, if it’s booked as a shark trip that’s what we will be doing but if we happen to get surrounded by the BFT’S like last season we can switch up and go and have some fun on them and we’re also able to use new methods this season to exciting stuff and can’t wait to try these out then once the weather puts pay to our season down west we are going to go back to our roots and fish up channel this will be on the nice Time tides for the all day trips and when we have the neaps a lot more 4 hour trips I’ll get on the times and dates for booking as soon as I can. I have decided to take a step away from the summer tourist season and do all day trips through out august again I need to put these online but keep your eyes peeled as July and September are 99% booked out apart from a couple of dates so once I put them on I am sure there going to go quick. That’s enough from me with the update and I look for to seeing you all soon and getting stuck In to some serious rod bending pain locker fishing cheers Dan
The UK River Summit – Communication and collaboration: The key to environmental solutions?
Communication and collaboration: The key to environmental solutions?
Set to take place at Morden Hall on the River Wandle, London, on the 21st May 2024, The UK River Summit & Festival is an event which promises to be a platform for collaboration and communication to improve our river health.
Bringing together leading international, national and local environmentalists, policy makers, businesses, individuals, brands, and members of the public who share a desire to work towards a more positive future for our rivers, this event offers environmental stakeholders the opportunity to build relationships and network while celebrating our rivers, engaging in community-led initiatives, and river experiences.
Following the success of the first two River Festivals in France (2022, 2023) and the inaugural UK River Summit on the River Test, a famous chalkstream in Hampshire, in June 2023, this new event now moves to the River Wandle, a unique urban chalkstream which celebrates a rich historical and ecological importance.
Claire Zambuni, Founder of The River Summits & Festivals said “Morden Hall, London, situated on the River Wandle, is a fine venue to host a Summit about the state of our rivers in the U.K, as it is a location which serves as a reminder of how nature, river wildlife, and urban life can peacefully co-exist. It is also perfectly positioned as an accessible oasis in a bustling city, meaning we are able to welcome a much wider audience to this event. We invite the public to learn first-hand the issues our rivers are facing and distell our anger to make a positive change.”
As we navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing planet, the key to environmental progress lies in facilitating continuous dialogue between various players – from government officials and NGOs to businesses and the public. This event aims to bridge these gaps. Attendees will gain informed knowledge from key environmental stakeholders, be able to ask direct questions, work collaboratively to find solutions, and celebrate our rivers.
Date, Location, and Schedule:
Tuesday 21st May 2024 at Morden Hall, South-West London
Event opens at 9.30am
• The UK River Summit Panel begins at 10:15am
• Lunch at 12:30pm
• Afternoon activities from 1.30pm – 6pm
Summit Panel Speakers include:
• Penny Gane – Head of Practice at Fish Legal
• Dr Bella Davies – CEO at South East Rivers Trust
• Shaun Leonard – Director at Wild Trout Trust
• Jim Murray – Actor and Founder of Activist Anglers
• Dr Jack Hogan – renowned local historian and member of The Wandle Piscators, The Fly
Connect Don & South East Rivers Trust.
Afternoon actvites include:
• River restoration and hands-on outdoor experiences with South East Rivers Trust, Fishing for Schools, the Wandle Piscators, The National Trust and Orvis UK
• Panel discussion “Effecting Policy” including Penny Gane, Head of Practice, Fish Legal, Stuart Singleton-White of Angling Trust, Bobby Dean, Liberal Democrat Candidate for Carshalton & Wallington, and Shosha Adie of ENDS Report
• “The Freshwater Emergency: from scarcity to abundance” River Don UK panel chaired by CEO James Wallace, and speakers including Lawrence Gosden of Southern Water, Lila Thompson of BriDsh Water, Feargal Sharkey, key policy makers and investigators
• “The History of the River Wandle” talk with Dr Jack Hogan
• Wandle Industrial Museum: textile printing demonstration and display of works by William
Morris, Kilburn, and Liberty’s
• “Wandle: A River at Risk” film screening with panel of cast and crew including Bobby Dean,
Liberal Democrat Candidate for Carshalton & Wallington
• “Hydrotherapy” film screening by Friction Collective
- The Funny Terns: performance by comic musician duo
- Art Exhibition with works from Jo Minoprio, Julia Manning, and moreTickets:Tickets are now on sale here: UK River Summit – Orvis UK
- https://www.orvis.co.uk/products/uk-river-summit
- Tickets include refreshments and lunch, and all actvites on offer during the day.Event partners include South East Rivers Trust, Fish Legal, Orvis UK, River Action UK, Filson, Fly Fishing for Schools, The Wandle Piscators, The Wandle Industrial Museum, Delivita, and Lakedown Brewing Co.For more information please contact Zambuni Communicatons on the details below.PR Contacts
Claire Zambuni | [email protected] Emma Sandham | [email protected] Iona Mackay | [email protected]
South West Lakes Trust Trout Fisheries Report – March
South West Lakes Trust Trout Fisheries Report
March 2024
The new season is now firmly under way at all of the South West Lakes Trust trout fisheries; where available, boats are now on the water, and should be pre-booked (online or via the telephone). Generally the weather for the opening month has been both mixed and challenging to anglers, with strong winds, rain, snow and hail, and cold temperatures. Fish have been feeding throughout the water column, with some already starting to feed near the surface, and many have been caught using floating line tactics. The very wet winter means that the water levels are full.
Fishing:
Kennick – Rods averaged just over 5 fish per angler over the month, with fish generally well spread out around the lake and eager to feed. Both boat and bank anglers caught fish in most locations (particularly the Top End, Clampitts Bay, the Dam and Hawthorn Point), using a variety of tactics from floating lines fishing nymphs just under the surface, to Blobs and Boobies fished on fast-sinking lines, all with a variety of retrieves. Andy Western caught a four pound rainbow, the best fish of the month.
Siblyback – The fishery continued to produce some fine fishing, with anglers averaging 3.9 fish per rod. Two Meadows, Stocky Bay, Crylla and North Bank produced the best sport, with bank anglers getting marginally better results than the boats. Dark fly patterns seemed to be preferred by the fish, with Montanas, Vivas, and Black and Gold Fritz patterns fishing well over a range of depths and with various retrieves; a few fish were even tempted to the surface to take Black Hoppers. Small hatches of buzzers produced rising fish on occasions. Benjamin Lang (from Launceston) caught one brownie and seven rainbows – the best of which was 3lb 8oz, caught on a size 14 buzzer cast to rising fish feeding off hatching buzzers off Meadows Bank. Simon Peters (from Truro) caught a bag of seven rainbows to 2lb 8oz, fishing from the East Bank, using a Black and Green Snake and a Black and Green Bunny Cat on an intermediate line.
Burrator – Again, the great start to the season continued at Burrator, with anglers averaging 5 fish per rod, with fish well spread out around the lake, particularly at Longstone, Sheepstor, Lowery, Pig Trough and Bennett’s. Floating and intermediate lines with a variety of retrieval methods (fast, slow figure of eight, washing line) all produced good sport. Hatches of buzzers and black gnats meant that fish were frequently found feeding near the surface (and occasionally caught on a Klinkhammer); however, the majority of fish were taken sub-surface on a variety on nymph (Damsels, Pheasant Tails, Buzzers and Montanas) and lure (Orange Blobs, Black Fritz, Humungous and Cats Whisker) patterns. Kevin Sellar (from Plymouth) caught twelve rainbows and a brown from the boat, fishing off Discovery Bank, then Lowery Point, Pines, Bennett’s and Narrator, using a slow intermediate line. Al Lawson (from Plymouth) caught a bag of five rainbows fishing between Lowery Point and the field, and then on to Bennett’s; Dom and Ben Garnett (from Exeter) caught four rainbows and three browns, using a Damsel Nymph at first, and then a Black spider when fish started to rise to hatching buzzers, at Narrator Bank.
Stithians – The fishing improved as the month progressed, with anglers averaging 3.3 fish per rod. The best sport was to be had at North Bank, Yellowort, Goonlaze, Chapel Bay and Mossopps, with surface activity during the occasional buzzer hatch. Fish were caught at all depths on a wide selection of nymphs (mainly Damsel variants) and lure patterns (Orange Blobs, Cats Whiskers, Cormorants and Muddlers), with some fish rising to both Claret and Green Hoppers, as well as small parachute dry patterns and Coch-y-Bondhu. Simon Peters (from Cusgarne) caught a bag of eight rainbows in the space of an hour, pulling an Apache Lure on an intermediate line and slow retrieve, with aggressive takes; on another visit he caught five rainbows to 2lb 8oz from Deep Bank. Phillip Lockley (from Constantine) caught four rainbows using a home-tied Damsel nymph fished near the bottom.
Fernworthy – The fishing improved as the month progressed. The middle week resulted in eight anglers out of thirteen catching full bags, and an overall rod average of 2.23 fish per angler; the average then rose to 2.7 fish per rod in the final week of the month. The most successful method was a medium or slow retrieve on either a floating or intermediate line, with most fish feeding in the top six feet of water, mainly on a variety of sub-surface nymph patterns (including Diawl Bachs, Pheasant Tails, Montanas, Buzzers and Bibios), while a few fish rose to take a Daddy Longlegs from the surface. Prime locations included Permit Hut, Boat Bay, Lowton Bay and South Bank. Rodney Wevill (from Lifton) caught five browns to 1lb 4oz using a Soldier Palmer and Blue Zulu on a floating line with a medium retrieve.
Colliford – Again, the fishing improved toward the end of the month, with rod averages rising to 3.5 fish per visit, with the best fishing to be had by the dam, Lords Waste and along the West bank. Generally floating lines with a medium or slow-jerked retrieve produced the best results, using Soldier Palmers, Muddler Minnows, Zulus and Hare’s Ear patterns. When there was a rise to hatching buzzers, small Black Gnats and Bob’s Bits both caught fish, as did Deer Hair Sedges and Daddy Longlegs patterns. Dean Boucher (from Gunnislake) opened his season with four (three overwintered) browns to twelve inches using a Black Tadpole and Zonker. Chris Tilyard (from Fraddon) caught four browns, casting a Black Gnat to fish rising to a Black Buzzer hatch, while Roger Truscott (from Liskeard) caught eighteen browns in one session. Richard Ticehurst (from Kelly Bray) caught six browns to 14” in an afternoon session, noting plenty of insect activity (tiny black terrestrials, longhorn sedges, small brown beetles, and craneflies) – he found short casts and static presentation of dry patterns for the fish to find the most successful method. Colliford is the only reservoir not yet at full capacity, being 95% full at time of writing.
Roadford – Rods averaged 3 fish per rod, with most fish caught either in the deeper water by the dam or at Grinnacombe. Generally a slowly retrieved floating line, fishing Beetles, Tadpoles or a mini Scruffy Tiger produced the best results. Jamie Gillman (from Plympton) caught ten browns up to 1lb, all using a Beetle pattern.
Please see the Trust’s website (www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing) for more information on buying tickets, boat availability and booking, and forthcoming events. The Trust, in conjunction with Fluff Chuckers, will be running a Brown Trout Masters competition this season, to be held over three dates at Colliford, Fernworthy, and Roadford – please see the website for more information.
Chris Hall (April 2024)