After a successful trip to Wistlandpound last week and reports of good sport from other anglers I headed back to the reservoir again. On arrival I met up with Fluff Chucker Rodney Wevill who had travelled up from his home close to Launceston. It was good to meet up with Rodney on his first visit to the picturesque water close to my home in North Devon. We chatted fishing on our way to the water and I was able to give a quick run down of the waters history since I started fishing it in the late 1970’s.
Starting on the South Bank of the lake we commenced putting out a line on the water. We both connected with hard fighting browns within five minutes and admired their spotted flanks and varied hues. I was using a small black lure on the point with a black spider pattern on the dropper. The fish were hitting the point fly and a slow retrieve seemed to be the favoured approach.
Rodney hooked a cracking fish that came off close to the net whilst I was pleased to bring a pristine fish of around 10″ to hand.
Rodney Wevill hooks a good brown
Martins swooped above the lake and birdsong filled the air. It really felt that spring had arrived at last after weeks of predominantly North and East winds.
Rodney with a typical Wistlandpound brown trout
We fished an enjoyable session with Rodney catching eleven browns to just under 1lb. I managed eight fish the best a stunning trout of 15″, Its buttercup flanks dotted with spots of brown, black and crimson.
A stunning trout of 15″, Its buttercup flanks dotted with spots of brown, black and crimson.
These fish though small by commercial fishery standards are a delight to catch offering truly wild fishing at a very reasonable cost. Day Tickets are £11.00 from
(Below) Kamil Wos who had a few fish out up to 25lb from swim 7 (The nook) up on lodge lake , Kamil was using Sticky baits krill boilies
(Above) Debbie Stevens who had 8 fish out from swim 2 (The Triangle) on Beatties Lake. All fish were caught on DNA secret 7 boilies and Remix wafters over pellets and boilie mix.
When my good friend Steve Dawe expressed an interest in fly fishing for pike it seemed a good idea to arrange a trip to that mecca of pike fishing Chew Valley Lake. This large expanse of water in Somerset has a well-deserved reputation for producing huge pike. It is also a water that has shattered more dreams than it has made for its rewards are not always easily won.
It’s a venue I love to visit when I get the chance though rising fuel costs are certainly a cause for concern when travelling outside of North Devon in search of fish. We seemed to have struck it lucky when we arrived at the Lodge to look over a flat calm lake. The previous two days had seen all boats cancelled as a result of strong to gale force Northerly winds.
Calm waters on a Spring Morning
Early April is perhaps a little early to target the pike on the fly as they will still potentially be recovering from spawning. May is probably the best month before weed growth and high water temperatures put paid to pike on the fly until September when the water starts to cool again.
We were encouraged by reports of a few pike seen in the weedy margins and decided to head to these areas first. I have enjoyed some success in the past targeting pike on the fly and tend to stick to the flies I have confidence in. Medium sized black lures with perhaps a bit of lure flash added.
Confidence is key to enjoying fly fishing, especially pike fishing with the fly. The allure of Chew is that you know that the next cast could bring the fish of your dreams. Thirty pound plus pike are present with twenty pounders likely. The reality is of course that the majority of pike caught will be jacks. These give exciting sport and help to maintain that interest.
In the first hour the pike were certainly feeding with several hits that resulted in a nice jack to get Steve off the mark. I hooked and lost one and had several follows. Moving into deeper water we had several fish follow the fly to within a few feet of the boat. Some of these were good fish certainly upper doubles maybe bigger. Steve added a second jack to the tally.
Early success for Steve Dawe
By mid-morning the takes dried up a bit and we searched the lakes known hotspots. Each area brought a hit or follow with good sized trout also attacking the large flies from time to time. We both had a brief interlude with the trout gear but our hearts were not in chasing trout we wanted a big pike and soon returned to casting the big flies despite aching arms.
A second jack for Steve
The weather seemed to be going through all seasons with calm conditions early changing to cold and windy later in the day with a brief shower that abated as soon as we got our coats on.
By late afternoon I was starting to contemplate a blank session. I still believed though and persisted. Each move brought a little hope that we could find that big pike that was on the feed.
At just after 5.00pm after eight hours of constant casting I put the boat into a reed fringed bay and put out another cast. The line was jerked savagely tight the rod hooping over and the water surface erupted in a flurry of spray. The pike looked far bigger in the water than the scales would tell. At 12lb 8oz it was no monster but it was reward enough for a long hard day of persistence. Steve captured the image in the late afternoon sun and we fished on for another hour before deciding to pack up with a long drive home ahead of us.
Back at the Lodge we chatted with trout anglers who had been practicing for a big competition over the weekend. They had caught several pike on buzzers whilst fishing for trout. Perhaps we should have scaled down on our big flies! We will hopefully be back in a few weeks when the waters have warmed up a little.
Bideford and District Angling Club Coarse Section monthly competition Tarka Swims results, :
1st Paul Elworthy 25lb 10oz
2nd Roger Ackroyd 13 lb 12oz
3rd Craig Crash Lamey 13lb 1oz
4th Keith Copland 13lb 0oz
5th Keith Mountjoy 10lb 15oz
6th Martin Turner 10lb 1oz
23 anglers fished in a brisk South Easterly.
Paul’s trip up from Tiverton was worthwhile, he took top spot with nice net of carp ,tench and some silvers mainly on maggot over micros at 11metres. His catch was made on the golden peg ,11, meaning a handy bonus pickup.
Rogers 2nd placing was also a pole caught mixed net from peg 14 , The next 2 places came from shallower pegs 22 and 5.
North Devon Quay Sports Tackle Club held their latest match at Jennetts Reservior.
The seven anglers taking part put together some great bags of silver fish. The deep water at dam end produced the larger stamp of bream and skimmers where further round more roach and small skimmers made up the weights… most fished long pole/ whips today.
I always enjoy joining Wistlandpound Club on the annual trip to Wessex Waters Clatworthy Reservoir which is fished in early April. The fishing at this reservoir in early spring is normally excellent with hard fighting good conditioned rainbow trout generally succumbing to lures fished down deep in the cold water.
On this occasion the competition was to be fished from the bank. Catch reports suggested that fish were being caught on buzzers and dial bachs fished on floating lines with long leaders. Whilst this is a way I love to fish I set up with an intermediate line and an orange blob on the dropper with an olive damsel on the point. We all headed up into the Westcott Bay area to start our search.
Paul Grisley search for spring rainbows
The fishing proved to be more challenging than expected and it took me an hour before I hooked my first rainbow of the day.
I persisted with my tactics allowing the flies to sink for 20 seconds or so before starting an erratic retrieve. I completed my five fish limit by 1.30pm and spent the next couple of hours chatting to fellow club members and taking a few pictures of the action and splendid spring scenery.
A typical five fish limit of spring rainbows
I am always fascinated to see the remains of the signal crayfish that abound around the shores of the lake these unwelcome crustaceans have established a large population within the lake and I suspect the herons stalking the banks may have been feasting upon them when we arrived.
Dave Mock brings a hard fighting rainbow to the net.
Andre Muxworthy added two rainbows to his bag within the last half hour. Andre Muxworthy with a pleasing rainbow
We gathered at the fishing lodge at close of play with all members catching a few rainbows.
Salmon fishing on both the Taw and Torridge has been encouraging with around half a dozen salmon now caught from each river. Barnstaple and District Angling Association river keeper Don Hearn caught a fine spring run salmon from the lower Taw estimated at 13lb 8oz the fish was tempted on an Rowes variant ally’s Shrimp tied by Terry Rowe . A few sea trout have also been caught of up 3lb and several smolts have also been caught which is encouraging for the future.
Wistlandpound is just a short drive from my home in North Devon and provides the opportunity for shorts sessions with the fly Rod in search of the wild brown trout and Rudd that abound in the lake.
As I walked to the water via the wooded path I was delighted to hear the sound of chiff-chaffs calling from the trees a sure sign that spring has truly arrived despite the overcast sky and near gale force south west wind. I arrived at the waters edge with the wind blowing from left to right which made it easy to put out a decent line despite its strength.
I retained the team of flies that had brought some success at Colliford at the end of last month. A small black lure on the point and a black spider on the dropper.
I put out the floating line and paused to allow the fly to sink a little before starting the retrieve. My plan was to cover plenty of water making a step along the bank between each cast. On the third cast I was delighted to feel a strong pull that resulted in a spirited scrap from a wild brown of around 10″.
Half a dozen casts later after missing a few tentative takes I once again felt a strong pull and connected with a good fish that put a decent curve in the rod. After a short tussle I was thrilled to bank a beautiful wild brown of 14″.
This was a truly stunning looking trout that was admired briefly and its image captured.
I continued to search the bank missing several takes and connecting with several more stunning wild browns that were between 10″ and 12″. Each fish was totally different in appearance with some almost silver like a sea trout others golden flanked and crimson spotted. In the short two hour session I brought seven trout to hand each one released carefully ensuring future sport.
I look forward to warmer days with a gentle breeze rippling the lake surface but I doubt the fish will be so eager to grab the fly then.
North Devon’s anglers are looking forward to the Opening of new Day Ticket Carp Fishery at Bulldog Fish Farm Ltd
Richie Eaton was lucky enough to be invited for a nights fishing at the new carp lake which is soon to be opening to the public for day tickets this common being the biggest of a couple fish landed.
I will announce full details of opening as soon as I receive them along with a full report on my own visits to water.
(Above) Debbie Stevens who had 8 fish out from swim 2 (The Triangle) on Beatties Lake. All fish were caught on DNA secret 7 boilies and Remix wafters over pellets and boilie mix.
