4 Apr 2025

Stocking hope – Torridge Hatchery

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The Hatchery Project: has been a great success this year with about 33,000 swim-up fry  stocked out in selected sites in the headwaters during late March. The association were able to trap their broodstock from the fish pass at Monkokehampton Weir with relative ease at the end of November and by mid-December all five hens had been stripped and the eggs fertilised. The alevin started to hatch at the end of January and have grown on steadily with very limited mortality. The weather has helped: it has been a colder winter than average with the water temperature only once going above 10C.

Many thanks to Alex Rowson who kindly sent the images below showing the transfer of swim up fry from Torridge Hatchery to a tributary of the River Torridge.

 

 

Looking back through my many images I discovered to my amazement that the hatchery has now been running since at least 2008. It is still very difficult to assess its success but it has given hope to Torridge River Association and as each salmon is so valuable it is likely that it has helped the river cling on to its dwindling salmon population. The project works in line with other efforts to protect and enhance the complex river environment.

Since posting this I have spoken with Paul Carter who informed me that next years is the hatcheries 20th season and an average of 30,000 swim up fry have been into the Torridge system a total of 600000. This has surely helped the salmon maintain a foothold in the river.

Paul Carter with hatchery swim up fry from 2008.
Paul Carter stocks out swim up fry in 2008

 

26 Mar 2025

Torridge Rivers Association – Spring Newsreel

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Torridge Rivers Association

President: Lord Clinton

Chairman: Paul Ashworth                                                    Secretary: Charles Inniss

                                                                        Beeches, Sheepwash Beaworthy Devon EX215NW

                                                                                    e-mail: [email protected]

NEWSREEL: SPRING 2025

            The season so far: it has been a more encouraging start to the season. March has been dry with the river clearing and falling only slowly. There have been three salmon caught all on the Lower Torridge including a superb springer of 15lb caught at Madeira on 2nd March. Towards the end of the month warmer weather has led to a rise in the water temperature and the brown trout have started feeding on the surface: a sure sign that spring is on the way.

            The AGM: was held at The Half Moon Inn on Friday 21st March. It was an excellent informal evening enjoyed by all present. 33 members and guests attended. We were delighted that our President Lord Clinton and Lady Clinton were able to join us and also Izzy Moser from the Devon Wildlife Trust and our fishery protection officer Sam Fenner.  The agm supported the proposal for subscriptions to remain at £20. The committee was re-elected “en bloc”. After the meeting we all enjoyed the usual excellent Half Moon buffet. Membership has increased from 87 to 94, which is very encouraging.

            The Hatchery Project: has been a great success this year with about 33,000 swim-up fry ready to be stocked out in selected sites in the headwaters in the next 2/3 weeks. We were able to trap our broodstock from the fish pass at Monkokehampton Weir with relative ease at the end of November and by mid-December all five hens had been stripped and the eggs fertilised. The alevin started to hatch at the end of January and have grown on steadily with very limited mortality. The weather has helped: it has been a colder winter than average with the water temperature only once going above 10C

            Sam Fenner: Fishery Protection Officer: was able to help trap the broodstock for the hatchery by providing access to the site and the oxygenated tank to transport the fish back to the hatchery. He informed the agm he was now the only fishery protection officer for the whole of Devon. In the 1980’s when Paul Carter was our fishery officer there were 24!! It was now more important than ever for all of us to be the eyes and ears of the river and report any concerns.

            Westcountry CSI: (Citizen Science Investigation) is a scheme established by the West Country Rivers Trust that involves regular monitoring the water quality of our streams and rivers. Volunteers are needed to support the scheme. Our Association and The Devon Wildlife Trust are supporting the initiative and Duncan Betts (one of our committee members) has agreed to lead the project on behalf of our Association. A training day has recently been held at Hatherleigh and those taking part have been supplied with the necessary equipment. The Upper Torridge has had more than its fair share of pollutions in recent years so regular water quality monitoring is essential.

            Beavers: there are beavers in the Torridge catchment!! For many years, with the support of the Devon Wildlife Trust, beaver colonies have been held in enclosed areas but there have been escapees, either by accident or design (I suspect the latter!!) with the result beavers are now widespread throughout the county. There are arguments for and against beavers. My concern is that like all rodents they can multiply very quickly and they have no predators Ten years ago a pair of beavers were introduced as a trial into the River Otter: now there are over 100 in that river.

 

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7 Mar 2025

Torridge Rivers Association News

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The Torridge Rivers Association AGM will be held at The Half Moon Inn Sheepwash on Friday 21st March: 7.00pm for 7.30pm.

This is always a most enjoyable evening with the usual excellent buffet after the meeting. The North Devon Fishery Officer, Sam Fenner, will be joining us. The hatchery has been a great success this winter and the Association will be stocking out over 35,000 swim-up fry towards the end of March. Fishing!

The 2025 Fishing Season has begun and the river is in excellent condition. Charles anticipates a great fishing season and has suggested a strong chance of an early Salmon, proven on Sunday as regular visitor Reg Lawton caught a 15lb fresh run cock Salmon at Madeira. A beautiful Bar of Silver. Congratulations Reg!

 

To hear Charles’ full introduction to the season click link below:

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31 Dec 2024

BIDEFORD  CHRISTMAS COMPETITION RESULTS  2024

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BIDEFORD  CHRISTMAS COMPETITION RESULTS  

56 Fishing 20 fish caught 

1st S.Taylor 1lb 13 1/4oz

2nd Tom Downing 1lb 6 1/2oz

(Above) Tom Downing with his runner up flounder

3rd Craig Crash Lamey  1lb 5 3/4oz

4th A. Masters 1lb 3oz

5th S. Taylor 1lb 2 1/2oz

6th M. Sheldrake 1lb 2 1/2oz

7th G. Hooper 1lb 1 3/4oz

8th J. Dixon 1lb 0 1/4oz

9th C. Lamey 1lb 0 1/4oz

10th J. Dixon 1lb 0 1/4

11th R. Walker 14 1/2 oz

12th Mathew Druce 14 1/4 oz

13th Jazzer 14 oz

14th Ian Hooper 14 oz

15th D. Bowden 13 3/4 oz

16th S. Bowden 13 3/4 oz

17th M. Druce 13 1/2 oz

18th Jazzer 12 1/2 oz

19th J. Dixon 12 oz

20th S. Bowden 10 1/2 oz

Thank to the pollyfield and the Reds for letting us use their facilities for the sign in and the weigh-in.

Thanks to pollyfield for providing burgers at the weighing I think they went down very well.

Thank you ever so much to all are sponsors we couldn’t do it without you.

D S Electrical, Clawford Lakes Resort and Spa, Devon Baits, Tom Wade Anglers Heaven, Barnstaple Bait and Tackle, Gaby Fish Pillows, James Grigg, Honeys of Parkham, The Bell Inn Parkham, Parkham Cheese and Crusher. 

Final amount given to Pollyfield for the play park was £289

All the best tight lines and see you next year 🎣

Nathan Clements

21 Dec 2024

Bideford Angling Club – Christmas Competition Postponed

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POSTPONED

## BIDEFORDS CHRISTMAS COMPETITION ##

Hi guys we have unfortunately come to the decision to postpone the competition on Sunday and move it to the 29th of December.
Competition times will all be the same on the following Sunday !!!!!!!!
This isn’t ideal but we do not expect anyone to fish in a yellow weather warning with potential winds of 65mph.

Sorry for any inconvenience but I personally wouldn’t want anyone to have an accident.

30 Nov 2024

The Torridge Rivers Association

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The Torridge  Rivers Association

President: Lord  Clinton

NEWSREEL: WINTER 2024

President: I am delighted to report that the late Lord Clinton’s son, who is now the current Lord Clinton, has agreed to be the President of our Association. This will continue our long standing relationship with the Clinton family and the Clinton Devon Estate. Our Chairman Paul and his wife Geraldine, Steve Phelps and myself attended the memorial service in July for the late Lord Clinton, who instigated the creation of our Association in 1979 and was our President for over 40 years.

The Salmon Hatchery: Great news: this week we have been able to trap our broodstock from the fish pass. After several weeks without any appreciable rain the rivers were almost down to summer level: then came the snow. Our first attempt at trapping coincided with the arrival of Storm Bert and we were in danger of being washed away. Three days later after the Okement had fallen back and cleared we tried again and in two sessions we netted 13 salmon from the holding tank: 8 hens and 5 cock fish. Three of the hens have been released leaving us with 5 hens and 5 cocks (the maximum number we are allowed to hold). All the hens are approx 9lb except one superb fish of at least 15lb. The cock fish are slightly smaller. We are confident that some if not all the hens will be ready for stripping in the next few days. Extra trays have been installed so that the eggs can be more spread out. Last year some of the eggs had to be taken to the Colliford hatchery in Cornwall but this year we will be keeping all the eggs at our own hatchery.

The Annual Egg Box Dinner and Raffle: over 40 members and guests enjoyed another wonderful evening at The Half Moon with good company and an excellent meal. We were delighted that our fishery protection officer, Sam Fenner, was able to join us. Our annual raffle to raise funds to support the salmon hatchery project was as usual extremely well supported. All the prizes were donated and the net profit was in excess of £1,300

Membership: we have recruited several new members during the year. If you know of anybody who fishes or has an interest in the well-being of the river please encourage them to join our Association. Our strength is in numbers.

The Fishing Season: for the salmon and sea trout anglers it was another frustrating season. After a very wet spring it was a cool cloudy summer with never enough rain to maintain the river at a good level for fishing. With numbers declining there is less incentive for us all to make the effort and go out and fish. Several salmon were caught in the last week of the season. In contrast the brown trout fishing has at times been quite outstanding. The trout don’t rise so freely as they used to so the fishing is more challenging but those who persevere are often rewarded with excellent catches including several fish in excess of 2lb coming to the net.

The 2025 AGM: the Association agm will be held at The Half Moon Inn on Friday 21st March 2025.  Make a note in your diary, come to the meeting and get fired up for another season. We are all optimists and no doubt 2025 will be a bumper year!!

Winter well. Charles.

28 Oct 2024

Pete Tyjas with Charles Inniss

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Pete Tyjas chats with Charles Inniss at the Half Moon Inn a must listen for anyone interested in the River Torridge and North Devon’s salmon
Fly Culture
New Podcast – Episode 254
Charles Innis – One River
Pete Tyjas makes the drive over to visit Charles Innis at the Half Moon Inn, Sheepwash in Devon.
We talk about his relationship with the inn that goes back to the 1950s when his family took it on as a fishing hotel.
He tells me about his love for the Torridge, looking after guests and running the inn with his brother.
Charles is honest about the good and the not so good times and how a newspaper article made a huge difference to the business.
Now in his 80s he is still deeply involved with the fishing there and shares his deep knowledge and understanding of the river that means so much to him.
I had some rough questions planned but I just pressed record and let the conversation flow in whatever direction it took.
Just click link below to listen

 

25 Sep 2024

A FEW LAST CASTS

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I had a few casts on a Middle Taw beat hoping that recent rain had encouraged a few salmon into the river. The river was surprisingly low with the rocks very slippery and  covered in algae.

The colour was good yet I saw no signs of salmon as I fished down through the pools and runs.

A kingfisher flashed past, leaves drifted down as a breeze stirred the trees. Tell tale accumulations of leaves told the story of the changing season. Just five days remain of the Taw and Torridge salmon season.

 

A wild brown seized the salmon fly

Lower down the Taw Simon Hillcox tempted a beautiful salmon of around 7lb. like most salmon caught in recent days it was already decorated in Autumn hues a sign that it has been in the river for a while. The Torridge has risen more than the Taw and several salmon have been glimpsed and lost. The last week will hopefully see a few salmon tempted to be discussed at the annual egg box dinner at the Half Moon Inn.