The bad weather endured throughout March has not been good news for fishery owners as Nick Hart Reports in his latest news brief from Exe Valley Fishery. It is to be hoped that springs warmth soon descends to encourage anglers out to the waters edge.
(Below )John Slaven with an Exe Valley Trout – one of just 44 anglers who fished at Exe Valley during March!
The weather during the last few weeks has resulted in our quietest March on record with just 44 anglers visiting (yes, that’s correct …just 44!) … 11 of them for the Troutmasters match which had to be rescheduled due to snow. Despite the lack of customers, we continue to maintain and stock the fishery as always, shown in the catch figures of 153 fish caught by the 44 anglers up to 29th March resulting in a rod average of 3.5.With the continued changeable conditions and lack of footfall we have regrettably taken the decision to delay the reopening of Lobbs Lake until such time that we feel the venue will have the support required to operate the lake on a day to day basis.
Wimbeball Reservoir reopened under new management on Friday 23rd March and visiting anglers were treated to some fine sport with pristine conditioned hard fighting rainbow trout that averaged well over 2lb. Adam Westcott banked the best fish of the day a fine rainbow of 5lb 12oz that topped a five fish limit bag of close to 20lb. J. Glanfield registered a return of five for 20lb 5oz and G.T Benson five for 18lb 2oz. Anglers practicing catch and release enjoyed frequently bent rods with up to fifteen fish per rod. A wide range of patterns worked well with small dark lures amongst the most successful.
I visited the fishery on Saturday March 24th eager to reacquaint myself with a long time favourite venue. Like many South West Anglers I was very disappointed when South West Lakes Trust downgraded the fishery in 2016 ceasing the stocking of rainbow trout. This was a huge blow to Fly Fishing in the area with the 374acre lake that was built in the 1970’s providing traditional reservoir trout fishing for many years. The Dam straddles the River Haddeo a tributary of the river Exe and is surrounded by stunning Exmoor scenery.
Wimbeball Fly Fishery is now under the fresh stewardship of Mark Underhill an established Fish Farmer and his wife Trudy. I met with Mark at the Fishery permit hut and had an in-depth discussion on the complex world of trout rearing.
Mark and Trudy Underhill
Fortunately Mark is a passionate angler and has an understanding of what anglers want from their day at the waters edge. Mark told me that he was delighted with the opening day when all of the fourteen anglers attended enjoyed great sport with the freshly stocked trout that averaged three pounds with plenty of trout between 4lb and 5lb. A five fish ticket is excellent value at £25 for five fish with an option to practice catch and release at the same price with the first two fish caught to be retained with barb-less hooks mandatory.
It was a cold dank morning when I arrived with Exmoor draped in mist and the car thermometer reading just 2 degrees C. After my enlightening chat with Mark I set off for the waters edge as the morning mist started to lift. Early season rainbows are not generally hard to catch with location the key. Based upon the previous days reports I decided to fish the Sailing Club Bay moving to other well-known areas if success was not forthcoming.
I had set up two rods one with a fast sink line and the other with an intermediate. To the fast sink line had tied an 8lb leader tipped with a black lure with long marabou tail and fluorescent green head. It was this outfit that I started with fishing the fly deep with a steady retrieve. After ten minutes I felt that electrifying tug as a trout attacked the lure. To my surprise I glimpsed a flash of golden flanks as a beautiful wild brown trout flashed on the line before being drawn over the waiting net. I admired my prize for moment before taking a portrait and slipping the prize back into the chill waters.
Whilst I love to fish a floating line and a team of nymphs later in the season I also relish this early season fishing that lacks the finesse of the warmer days. There is something particularly thrilling about that moment a trout hits the lure.
It was perhaps ten minutes before I caught my first rainbow of the day a hard fighting full tailed two-pounder. Mark had wondered down to see how I was faring captured the fish and I on camera.
Mark and I chatted for a while on fishing excursions for both shark and salmon swapping stories of our adventures and lamenting the sad decline of salmon catches over recent seasons.
I resumed fishing after this short break swapping to the intermediate line with the black lure on the point and an orange blob on the dropper. This allowed me to slow the retrieve down and it wasn’t long before another rainbow slammed into the lure. The next hour saw me hook one or two rainbows that came adrift, one a good fish that could well have pulled the scales to four pound plus. I also banked four rainbows ending with a fine fish of 3lb 8oz that pulled far harder than the scales indicated.
I returned to he fishing hut with a pleasing bag to weigh. Mark had intended to cast a line with me for a while but a damaged rod had kept him from the water. He was pleased to accept my offer to have a few casts with my rod and we wondered back to the water s edge to get a few more pictures. Mark’s wife Trudy joined us and I asked her if she fished to be told that she did not fish now but had once caught two salmon from the Exe illustrating that old adage that women often have an uncanny knack of tempting salmon.
Mark enjoyed half an hours fishing making contact with several trout that refused to stay on the line for more than a second or two. With fish to attend to back at the farm Mark had to leave to prepare for deliveries of fish to venues in the Midlands.
I captured a few images of the lake in its rather stark early spring state. When I return in a few weeks’ time swallows will be swooping over the water and fresh green foliage will decorate the trees. The trout will be sipping flies from the surface and my floating line will tighten at that glorious moment of deception.
Wimbleball Reservoir Opens for Fly Fishing after a significant stocking under the management of new Fishery Manager Mark Underhill.
The first stocking at Wimbleball 2018 saw the introduction of 300 fully finned Rainbows up to 4lb with another 4000 to follow before opening day on March the 23rd. Day Tickets for a five fish limit cost £25 which is excellent value from the look of the fish being stocked.
For details and to book contact Mark Underhill on 07758561412 or email :- [email protected]
Typical of the quality rainbows being stocked into Wimbleball
A delivery of boats for use at Wimbleball in the coming season.
The South West Fly Fair has become a popular event in the Fly Fishers Calendar and is held on the last Saturday in February each year at Roadford Lake. The event coincides with rising excitement amongst anglers as another River Season approaches and anglers thoughts turn to spring days, daffodil lined river banks, silver salmon and feisty wild trout.
( Above)Ben Smeeth – South West Lakes Trust
The event is hosted by South West Lakes Trust and was sponsored by Turrall Flies and Cortland. There were wide ranges of demonstrations held throughout the day including Casting, Cooking and Fly Tying. Close to 250 attended the show making it one of the biggest angling events in the West Country Game Fishers Calendar.
(Above)Charles Jardine the Fly Fairs Patron
Indoors at the conference venue there were a wide range of displays of fishing related interests including fishing tackle, art, media and environmental interests. My wife Pauline and I managed to get a round only a short section of the many stalls as we spent time chatting with the stallholders who were all passionate about fishing and their connection with it.
Conservation Officer Mike Blackmore (Above Right) and his colleague represented the Wild Trout Trust an organisation that nurtures nature to ensure the well being of the native wild trout. The world of the wild trout is a complex one and we learned that the gene pool of the trout is extremely diverse with populations of fish showing a vast differential despite being the same species. Each river population adapts over the years to its own unique environment with variations in colour, patterns, size and even tolerance to water quality. www.wildtrout.org
(Above) Alan Riddell Rod Builder and Fly Tyer displayed his range of quality rods and quality trout and salmon flies.
Mark Underhill Fishery Manager chatted about his plans for Wimbleball Fly Fishery that is due to open on March 23rd an exciting day for West Country Fly Fishing with quality rainbows to be stocked ranging between 3lb and 6lb.
Jane and Mandi from the established Get Hooked Guide were at hand to offer advice on where to fish throughout the West Country. There excellent guides and website have been providing an A to Z of fishing venues for close to thirty years.
Pete Tyjas and Duncan from the Devon School of Fly Fishing were at hand to promote the excellent on line fishing webzine Eat Sleep Fish and offer advice on casting and fishing on the River Taw and other local rivers. On Sunday April 22nd they will be busy hosting the West Country Fly Fishing Seminar at the Fox and Hounds Country Hotel, Eggesford. Pauline and I attended this event last year and had a very enjoyable and informative day.
Other exhibitors included Fly Fishing Tackle of Crediton, British Float Tubing Association, BASC, Arundell Arms, Crayfish UK, West Country Rivers Trust/River Fly Partnership, Turral and Cortland (Show Sponsors) Robin Armstrong, Luke Bannister Split cane rods, Chevron Hackles, Weatherbys Dry Fly, Milemead Fish Farm, Torre Trout Farms, Homeleigh Angling Centre, England Commonwealth Fly Fishing Team, Crediton Fly Fishing Club and Virtual Nymph.
(Above)Charles Jardine demonstrates the art of Fly Tying.(Above)Peter Tyjas demonstrating casting and fishing techniques.
Below is the press release from South West Lakes Trust Just in case I missed anything.
Annual Fly Fair Attracts Over 250 People to Roadford
The sixth South West Fly Fair got the Trout fishing season off with a bang on Saturday (24 February) as fly fishermen from all over the region attended the annual show, held at Roadford Lake and hosted by South West Lakes Trust.
The show is always a great place to grab a bargain, watch some fantastic demonstrations from Trout fishing celebrities and speak to the many organisation and trade stands that attend. There was also a free fly casting and fly tying zone for anyone to have go.
The show was launched by Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling for South West Lakes Trust and then officially opened at 10.20am by Charles Jardine, one of the country’s most respected fly-fishing gurus and patron of the show.
Activities throughout the day included casting demonstrations with Charles, who gave an entertaining and impressive display with the Trout rod, and Gary Champion, a local expert who travels worldwide teaching people to fish and give demonstrations. Pete Tyjas from the Devon School of Fly Fishing also gave a great display on river fishing for all to enjoy.
More than 30 people took advantage of the free fly casting lessons and clinics for both newcomers to the sport and experienced anglers feeling a little rusty after the closed season. The Chef from the local angling hotel, the Arundell Arms, gave a fantastic demonstration on ways to prepare and cook your Trout once you have caught it with samples to taste. This was a real treat on a very cold day!
There were a variety of angling conservation organisations including The Westcountry Rivers Trust, The Wild Trout Trust and two local custom rod makers, Alan Riddell and Luke Bannister, who has built up an international following for his beautiful hand-crafted split cane rods. The British Float Tube Association (BFTA) and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) were also on hand to provide information and advice.
South West Lakes Trust’s Trout suppliers, Milemead Fisheries and Torre Trout Farms Ltd, were on hand to talk to anglers and show a sample of the fish they could expect to catch in 2018. There were some stunning Tiger, Brown, Rainbow and Blue Trout on display for people to view. Those looking for new fishing opportunities in 2018 were able to speak to representatives from various fishing clubs throughout the region and ‘Get Hooked’ magazine who were also on hand to advise.
There was also a large selection of angling trade stands including impressive displays from the shows sponsor Cortland UK, with the opportunity to handle, try and buy this year’s latest equipment as well as an astounding selection of fur, feathers and specialist fly-tying equipment from suppliers based all over the country.
Mark Underhill of Wimbleball Fly Fishery was also on hand to inform everyone of his intentions for Wimbleball and its future as a Trout fishery now he has taken the operation on.
The 2018 Trout fishing season on the South West Lakes Trust Rainbow Trout reservoirs starts on 3 March at Siblyback, Stithians and Burrator and has already kicked off in spectacular form at Kennick reservoir. The Brown Trout season for Roadford, Fernworthy, Colliford and Wistlandpound starts on 15 March. Full details and this year’s prices are on the Trust’s website – www.swlakesfishing.co.uk.
Bratton Water has been no pushover, but fishing quite consistently in the cold and wet recent weather. Simon Jefferies, Dom Garnett and Gary Pearson enjoyed a good session using a mixture of flies on the lake. Buzzer fishing proved slow, but the fish were more responsive to lures. The best patterns were smallish and dark, including a Black Woolly Bugger or Crazy Legs, fished on a floating line but allowed to sink for several seconds and then retrieved with a picky figure of eight retrieve. Tail nips were common at times too, leading to the trio scaling down a little or even trimming back longer tails! All the fish were in consistently good condition, with sizes up to nearly three pounds, all but one browns as opposed to rainbows. The fish tended to follow the wind, collecting where the breeze blew; not the easiest for casting at times, but worth the effort of moving spots and putting up with stray gusts!
Bratton Water has been no pushover, but fishing quite consistently in the cold and wet recent weather. Simon Jefferies, Dom Garnett and Gary Pearson enjoyed a good session using a mixture of flies on the lake. Buzzer fishing proved slow, but the fish were more responsive to lures. The best patterns were smallish and dark, including a Black Woolly Bugger or Crazy Legs, fished on a floating line but allowed to sink for several seconds and then retrieved with a picky figure of eight retrieve. Tail nips were common at times too, leading to the trio scaling down a little or even trimming back longer tails! All the fish were in consistently good condition, with sizes up to nearly three pounds, all but one browns as opposed to rainbows. The fish tended to follow the wind, collecting where the breeze blew; not the easiest for casting at times, but worth the effort of moving spots and putting up with stray gusts!
A must go event in the West Country Angling Calendar
The South West Fly Fishing Fair will be held at Lakeside, Roadford Lake for its fifth consecutive year on Saturday 24 February, 10.00am – 4.00pm. This event, sponsored by Cortland UK, has become a regular fixture in the West Country’s angling calendar as anglers prepare for the start of a new fishing season. Each year the event has built on the success of the previous Fly Fair and the 2018 show will be bigger and better again!
The show will be opened at 10.00am by one of the country’s most respected fly-fishing gurus, and Patron of the show, Charles Jardine. There will be fly-tying demonstrations from both local and nationally renowned experts, with a chance to ‘have a go’, as well as the opportunity to pick up useful tips and valuable advice.
Other activities throughout the day include casting demonstrations, fly casting lessons and clinics for both newcomers to the sport and experienced anglers feeling a little rusty after the closed season as well as casting competitions and the opportunity to try float-tubing or kayak fishing!
There will be Trout cooking demonstrations and a variety of live Trout for people to view including Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and Blue Trout.
Trade stands will be selling tackle and equipment at bargain prices and there will also be rod making demonstrations.
The introduction of a second hand tackle sale was very popular in 2016 with anglers bringing their unwanted equipment along and having it sold on their behalf. This will be taking place again in 2018.
It’s a terrific event and the only one of its kind in the South West!
Entry is only £3.00 for adults and under 18s go free. The bar will be open for refreshments throughout the day and parking will be free.
For more information please contact Ben Smeeth by calling South West Lakes Trust on 01566 771930 or email [email protected].
Simpson Valley Coarse and Trout Fishery is set in a peaceful valley near Holsworthy amid over 140 acres of farmland. The complex boasts several lakes that hold a variety of species that can be targeted using a wide variety of tactics. I visited the venue with Snowbee tackle representative Jeff Pearce in the hope of contacting one of the venues big pike on fly fishing tactics. Mallard lake has been stocked with a good number of pike the biggest nudging 30lb with several topping 20lb.
Jenny Wren Trout Lake
The pike proved reluctant to play the game so we enjoyed an interlude in our predator hunt and targetted the trout of Jenny Wren Lake where I was delighted to catch my first tiger trout and a stunning rainbow of around 4lb that gave a terrific scrap in the cold water.
We were joined at Jenny Wren’s fishing hut by fishery Manager Andrew Moore who made us a welcome hot cup of coffee. Andrew chatted enthusiastically about Simpson’s Valley and of its fishing and plans for the future. The five lakes on the complex offer pike to thirty pound, carp to 35lb, along with specimen perch, eels, chub,trout and other species. There is a unique opportunity to target rainbow trout using LRF tactics on Skylark lake where catch and release is permitted during the winter months. This style of fishing is an ideal opportunity for young anglers to enjoy great sport without having to master the complexity’s of fly fishing.
Fishery Manager Andrew Moore with a hard fighting rainbow tempted on LRF tactics.
Andrew enjoys a hard fighting rainbow tempted on LRF tactics
We returned to Mallard Lake after our informative chat with Andrew and once again set about tempting a pike with our Fly Tackle. On two occasions I thought I had hooked pike but found that plump rainbow trout of close to four pounds had seized my four inch long pike fly! We will be back again and next time I may well sit it out with a dead-bait. If I don’t get sidetracked by trout or other species.
