A tumbling river in springtime with the smell of ramsey and birdsong filling the air has been a part of my life since I was a child catching crimson spotted brown trout from the River Umber that runs through the village of Combe Martin. A few weeks ago I found myself looking into the river where I first tempted those spotted trout. Sadly there were no signs of the descendants of those trout which is a sad refection on the waning state of our countryside.
Fortunately there are still plenty of rivers in North Devon that still have healthy populations of trout. I took a wander along my local river wielding a split cane rod I had bought from a work colleague. The old scottie rod had been bought at a car boot sale and I later found that the rod had been taken there by Richard Mann who I had fished with on several occasions at Blakewell Fishery. Richard was a very enthusiastic angler who had fished far and wide with many a tale to tell. In latter years he had done a huge amount of work for a local branch of the Salmon and Trout Association. Richard sadly passed away last year.
I flicked the flies upstream and thrilled as the free rising trout seized the fly. The old rod flexed as the trout gyrated and darted to and fro in the clear water. I wondered what other adventures the rod had been on? It didn’t really matter what rod as the small river didn’t demand distance casting, a bit of precision perhaps. A modern carbon rod could have ticked every box in functionality but perhaps the old rod was more in keeping with the late spring evening? The river had those same characteristics I had enjoyed close to fifty years ago, perhaps that is one of angling’s greatest attributes in that it brings back those childish perceptions and feelings.
A couple of nights later I was casting a fly across the River Torridge in hope of salmon. The river had dropped away but still had a nice tinge of colour. I started hopeful but as the evening swept past I felt slightly melancholic at the lack of salmon surely after the recent spate there would be salmon present? It was a glorious evening full of birdsong and riverside aromas. I did catch one or two glorious spotted brown trout but these were not enough tonight for I had set my expectations higher and with that came a slight feeling of failure. I will of course be back casting again full of expectation next time the river rises and brings fresh hope of silver tourists.
A glance over the bridge at Umberleigh revealed the Taw running with a slight color perfect conditions for a fish a two.
We called into the Rising Sun at Umberleigh to enjoy their Wednesday steak night. A glance into the Fishing Log revealed the days catch! Spencer Whitbread fished the Rising Sun’s water at Umberleigh and was delighted to land his first fish on the fly a handsome sea trout of 5lb 10oz. The fish was tempted on a Wille Gunn a favorite early season fly on the Taw and Torridge. Spencer was expertly tutored by Mark Izzard.
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.
Alex Gibson RTFA Chairman and Simon Evans Wye and Usk Foundation
Members of the River Taw Fisheries Association assembled at High Bullen Hotel on March 17th for their Annual General Meeting an eagerly anticipated date in the Taw angler’s diary. Whilst primarily consisting of salmon and sea trout anglers there is a growing number of enthusiastic trout fishers who share the love of the river and care greatly about its future.
Many of the association members are riparian owners who work together for the overall good of the river within this well run organisation that has over the years contributed a great deal to enhancing the Taw habitat.
The meeting commenced with Chairman Alex Gibson summarizing the past twelve months on the river. The initial good news was that two salmon had been landed from the Taw in the past week. Alec introduced the evening’s guests including the main speaker Simon Evans (Chief Executive) of the Wye and Usk Foundation and Paul Carter our long serving Environment Agency Fisheries officer. Alex also acknowledged the achievements of Roger Furniss of the West Country Rivers Association and the attendance of Adrian Dowding of the West Country Rivers Trust.
I was saddened to learn of the death of Ron Warwick who I met with on several occasions to share his passion for fishing on the Taw. He was for several years my main source of news from the river and could always be relied upon to have up to date catches from the waters edge. I will always remember catching a silver barred spring run salmon from the Hall water on a silver stoat tail tied by Ron’s own hand. Ron was a true gentlemen his enthusiasm for life and fishing an inspiration.
(Above)The late Ron Warwick beside his beloved River Taw
Last years catches were disappointing with provisional catch returns indicating 146 salmon ad 299 sea trout. This was undoubtedly due in part to a lack of water throughout much of the season. The licensed salmon nets took 44 salmon and 55 sea trout from the estuary. Good news is the increasing number of brown trout being caught in the River particularly in the Upper Reaches.
There has at long last been success with the imminent removal of all drift netting from the estuary and its approaches (IFCA Approved subject to ratification). This will eradicate bye-catches of salmon, sea trout and bass. It will also help to protect vulnerable grey mullet populations and make policing the estuary far more straightforward. Salmon seine netting is EA controlled and will continue in June and July, there are three nets fishing, but net limitation order is for one.
The West Country Rivers Trust have carried out important work throughout the Taw to improve habitat with removal of debris dams, walk over surveys, fry surveys, farming advice and the collation of a catchment action plan. There is also the Riverfly Initiative http://www.riverflies.org/rp-riverfly-monitoring-initiative
Paul Carter gave an update on the latest from the Environment Agency with welcome news of additional support of trained enforcement officers to assist in the patrolling of West Country Waters. Paul expressed concerns at the disappointing redd counts experienced last winter.
Simon Evans (Chief Executive) of the Wye and Usk Foundation was the events main speaker and did not disappoint delivering a passionate talk and presentation covering the work of the Wye and Usk Foundation and the many challenges that we face both now and in the future.
Key elements in the talk were the need for all stakeholders to work together for the good of the environment. Habitat improvement is seen as the key with acidification, fish access, abstraction, drought, phosphates and soil wash off all major issues. The Wye and Usk Foundation have made huge efforts to engage with farming interests to address many of these issues. This is all very complex and we must realise that how we live, what we buy, and what we choose to eat has an impact on farming practices. It is clear that there are ways that farming practices can be modified to improve the environment and at the same time increase efficiency. Soil run off being a typical example, the loss of millions of tons of quality topsoil into rivers is clearly damaging to the river environment and a significant loss to the farmer.
The closing section of Simon’s presentation was perhaps the most alarming and covered the issue of Climate change and in particular the impact of temperature change in relation to salmon spawning and fry survival. There is a critical temperature typically 10 degrees C above which salmon do not spawn. In addition to this high water temperature can lead to premature hatching of fry in late winter instead of springtime when there is adequate food for fry growth and survival.
Global warming is of course a contentious subject that not all subscribe to, despite a huge amount of scientific data to support its existence. I personally accept that climate change happens and has always happened the only question is how much has mankind contributed? There is hope that salmon will adapt and that evolution will ensure their survival. This could of course mean that they simply stop inhabiting our local rivers and shift further north?
The presentation was followed by the annual fund raising auction that provides a significant proportion of the associations income. The association thank all who have made generous donations to the auction and all those who took part in the enthusiastic bidding for lots.
Talking around the table over our meal afterwards it was clear that we had all seen a dramatic decline in populations of both sea trout and salmon populations in local rivers within the last thirty years. It was also apparent that there is still a great passion for the future of angling and an almost inexhaustible optimism for each coming season.
For more information on the Wye and Usk Foundation visit: –
www.wyeuskfoundation.org
For more information on the River Taw Fisheries Association visit: –
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.
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)
The mild conditions have really brought the carp on the feed at Stafford Moor where anglers are enjoying success on both Beatties and recently reopened Lodge Lake.
(Above)Jack Lord with his 25lb 3oz catch from Beatties lake on the inlet swim using Mainline Cell boilies. (Above)Matt Luscombe had a new personal best of 27lb 6oz from the dam wall on Beatties Lake Matt had 2 fish out in 24 hours using good old Mainline Cell boilies.
(Above)Simon Jones who comes fishing here with friend Jon Osman. They fished up on the dam wall on lodge lake at the weekend had 6 fish out up to 22lb using Mainline cell pop ups .
Natasha Harrison with her 11lb catch from the spit on lodge lake using sticky Baits Manila boilies. Natasha had blanked at other fisheries for the last 7 times she has gone fishing so was pleased to just catch even if it wasn’t the biggest she still caught !
Steve Pinn “The BIvvy Tramp” sent me this report from the recently reopened Lodge Lake.
“These are the best of last week’s catches on Lodge lake which has been closed for most of Jan and Feb for maintenance work. We were rewarded as the first on there for some time with 21 fish between myself and ‘The Captain’ Keith Maker. I think Keith had more fish but I was delighted to get a cracking fish for Lodge lake and a pb for that lake at 25Ib 14oz plus the beautiful ‘apple slice’ mirror at 17Ib 4oz – a perfect example of how size doesn’t matter when they are that attractive. I also caught the scaley fish during that wonderful purple dawn. Bivvy Tramp.
With the help of Paul Carter from the Environmental Agency B&DAA have added stocks of Tench and Crucian Carp plus further quantities of ‘Silver Fish’ for this coming year. Further extensive tree work and pond access is in the pipe line to enable easier fishing access with close car parking.
The game section’s water at Newbridge will, weather permitting be fishable as soon as we get a drop in water heights. The club also has subsidised ‘private beats’ available to it’s members on a day ticket basis on the Upper Taw, Lower Torridge & the famous Blackpool Beat on the River Exe.
There are still membership vacancies in both Course & Game sections at £35 for the whole season.
For further details please contact John Webber [email protected]. or membership secretary Colin Ashby on 01271 323017.
