26 May 2023

Thoughts from the waters edge

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The warm late May sunshine is starting to impact upon the rivers with levels now dropping and the water becoming clear. A few salmon have been tempted from the River Taw with Ian Blewett amongst the successful anglers with a silver springer from a Middle Taw beat.

The Torridge has seen very few salmon caught and with the river now below ideal height most will wait for the next spate before casting a salmon fly. The wild brown trout fishing on the Torridge can be superb so as the mayfly start to show there could be some exciting sessions.

I wandered down through the beat I fish on the Torridge swinging a salmon fly and ever hopeful of success. Whilst I delighted upon the beauty of the river I couldn’t help but feel a certain unease at the lack of swifts and swallows. Looking up river I savoured the evening light streaming as it illuminated the water. Yet even here I noticed the bare branches of a tree ravaged by ash dieback. I and others of my generation have witnessed a catastrophic decline in nature. It is likely that salmon will be extinct in West Country Rivers before our granddaughter is old enough to drive. Whilst there is a lot of effort by keen conservationists to stem the decline I cannot help but feel a sense of melancholy as I walk away from the river.

It is perhaps time to get out onto the coast and taste the salty air and relish the savage pull of a bass?

 

 

19 May 2023

Salmon brace from Middle Taw

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Chay Boggis tempted a brace of spring run salmon whilst fishing a middle Taw beat. The fish were tempted using black and yellow flies. The warmer weather coinciding with a dropping river has lead to several salmon being tempted including rumours of a fine 18lb fish.

2 May 2023

From the river bank – May 1st

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The 1st day of May heralds the opening of a glorious season for anglers, a time when an all-rounder like myself is torn as to where to cast next. With the countryside and nature bursting into life it is certainly a great time to be  at the water’s edge.

On Mondays I fish a middle Torridge beat and with the river at perfect height and colour salmon were the intended target. I tied on a pleasing brightly coloured salmon fly that I felt confidence in and fished through all the known lies methodically. With conditions perfect there was that essential degree of expectation.

The line tightened a couple of times as wild browns intercepted the fly as it swam across the river. Beautiful spotted fish that I will target later when the river drops further making the pursuit of salmon even less hopeful.

 

 

 

I savoured the abundance of wild flowers on the river bank. Each year when I walk the beat rod in hand I witness these wonders of  natures cycle.

Old rails assist the angler to climb from the water and I cannot help but mourn the loss of  abundance within the river. The decline of salmon is surely a wake up that all is not well within our natural world?

Years ago, previous generations fished this river and on good days a horse and cart would transport the salmon caught from the river. The ghillies of the day would apparently limit the anglers to 3 salmon of between 15lb and 20lb as they couldn’t carry them up the hills! The taking of these fish would have impacted upon the salmon populations as would the netting in the estuary. This was not however the main reason for the salmons decline. Today there are multiple issues impacting upon the salmon mostly symptoms of a sick planet that has been plunged into an eco-logical downturn by mankind’s growth and greed over recent centuries. Sadly, our generation has witnessed one of the greatest collapses in the natural world. Is there hope? We can try and raise awareness but I fear the general populace cares little for the arteries of the land. Read the latest political agendas from councillors; how many have the health of the countryside at the top of the agenda?

On a positive note, there have been a couple of fresh run spring salmon caught on the lower Taw.

17 Apr 2023

Devon & Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (D&SIFCA) Netting Permit Bylaw Review, Benefits and Implications

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Andrew Burt Chairman of the National Mullet Club is urging anglers who have benefited from the netting ban in estuaries across the South West to express their thoughts regarding the significant benefits in extending the current bylaw that has undoubtedly protected stocks that are valuable to the recreational angling community who largely practice catch and release. 

Below is an explanation of the current situation with information that can be drwn upon when drafting a letter or email.

Devon & Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (D&SIFCA) Netting Permit Bylaw Review, Benefits and Implications

The D&S IFCA netting bylaw, D&S IFCA MCRS and Bylaws (see page 20 for netting), came into effect on the 1st March 2018. After 5 years it is now up for review and the process will start shortly.

D&S IFCA introduced this bylaw to protect salmonids, bass, grey mullet and other species that use these inshore areas for migration, as nurseries or for refuge. In doing so D&S IFCA recognised the importance of protecting these areas from commercial fishing and the benefits to recreational fishing and local communities. It is worth noting that many of these areas now fully protected are BNAs (Bass Nursery Areas) and are ecologically sensitive.

The bylaw as it stands only allows for seine netting for sandeels. This offers complete protection of all other species using the estuaries and harbours.

The Environment Agency pushed for a complete ban due to the poor ecological status of salmonids particularly Atlantic Salmon. The financial benefit to local communities of thriving salmon and sea trout is huge, not only getting local rods out fishing again but attracting anglers from other parts of the country to return.

The harbours and estuaries are home to all three native UK grey mullet species, particularly thick and thin lipped. These two species use these areas throughout the juvenile stages and then adulthood. It can take a thick lip mullet 10 – 12 years to reach maturity before they can breed for the first time. Often aggregating in large shoals and demonstrating a high site fidelity (often returning to the same places) they are particularly vulnerable to overfishing. During winter months they are known to aggregate in particularly large shoals prior to spawning; this makes them extremely vulnerable to commercial exploitation at the time when they are most in need of protection.

As previously mentioned, many of the areas protected are already BNAs, however this does not protect bass from unscrupulous commercial fishing or mortality when caught in nets set for other species and outside of months when bass nursery regulations apply, see link for current regulations,D&S IFCA Bass Nursery Areas and Regulations . Like grey mullet species they are spiky and easily caught in gill nets of any mesh fished tight or slack.

These inshore areas are important not only for the fish but for recreational angling as they offer good access as few anglers have boats and fishing from the open coast is often not possible or safe. Thriving inshore fisheries are of huge benefit recreationally and financially to local communities where anglers can fish for species such as grey mullet, flounder and gilthead bream that are of low importance to commercial fishing as well as bass. Further up the rivers anglers and communities benefit from increased salmonid stocks.

It should be noted that much of the recreational fishing is catch and release, it is estimated that over 95% of grey mullet caught recreationally are returned alive (who would want to eat a fish that has spent 10 – 20 years eating detritus including raw sewage anyway?). Some species more commonly retained such as bass (bass may not be retained if caught from a

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boat), impact is extremely low and recreational anglers are severely restricted as to how many bass may be retained.

To sum up, the bylaw has little impact upon commercial fishing but huge positive impacts upon the fish living inshore, the communities and the financial value generated for Devon and Somerset. We firmly believe that there has been a positive impact upon the quantity and size of species since the bylaw was instigated as well as an increase in range of some species such as gilthead bream. During previous consultation landing data from the commercial sector highlighted the low commercial importance of these areas. The protection of these nursery and refuge areas, social and economic benefits to recreational angling, coastal communities as well as those further inland surely highlight that this bylaw should not be changed to weaken it. If you fish in the D&S IFCA region, please take a few minutes to contact D&S IFCA using the details below about the positive impacts and future potential the bylaw offers.

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More Info

https://www.devonandsevernifca.gov.uk

D&S IFCA Home

ADDRESS: Brixham Laboratory, Freshwater Quarry,
Brixham, Devon,
TQ5 8BA

D&S IFCA Region

GET IN TOUCH
EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: 01803 854648
OUT OF HOURS: 07740 175479

 

17 Apr 2023

From the river bank – April 17th

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Back on the River Torridge and the River seems to be at the same level as last week after spells of heavy rain the river has been up and down. The colour is good but it’s still just a little higher than ideal.

I follow the normal ritual drifting the fly across the river hoping a springer will be resting up and ready to take my fly. After several weeks of good water there are undoubtedly salmon throughout the river but they are likely to be well spread out and I feel they will be more likely to intercept our flies when the river drops a little more and they begin to settle into those longstanding resting places.

After fishing most of the beat I take a short break. Setting the rod down I enjoy a packet of crisps and a satsuma. A high pitched familiar piercing cry caught my attention followed by a streak of electric blue as kingfisher streaked past. A movement caught my eye on the muddy bank and a leech was looping towards me in what could almost be a sinister lust for blood.

I had been watching these amazing creatures on Countryfile a few days ago. They are bred in leech farms for use in the NHS.

I fished back down through the beat casting into familiar lies. As I approached the last pool my confidence grew and as I drifted the fly across the hotspot I expected a take. Strangely it didn’t materialise as in the past that feeling has brought success. Next time?

Shortly after writing the above I recieved a report of 9lb salmon caught at Okement Foot by Alistair Blundell.

 

 

14 Apr 2023

THOSE LESS PRODUCTIVE DAYS

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Compiling reports for NDANs I see lots of images of good fish and stories of success and these can inspire but can also raise expectations leading to disappointing days. I feel sure I am not the only one who sometimes sets out full of expectation and ends the day feeling slightly deflated.
In my case this disillusionment doesn’t last long for I know that if I keep at it long enough something good will come my way. Basically, effort equals reward and if you can afford to invest time and a little thought good things will eventually happen.
I have enjoyed a few non-productive days recently, fish caught wise anyway. There is generally a positive to be drawn from less productive days in the nature that surrounds or the company that is kept.
I have already swung a fly across the River on numerous occasions in search of salmon and have learnt to accept blank outings as the normal. The salmon just are not present in any numbers so all you can do is believe in the fly and present it to the best of your ability in the places that salmon are known to rest on their migration upriver.

A trip to Chew Valley Lake with my good friend Bruce Elston in early April proved a frustrating day. We set out on a mirror calm lake after a Full English in the Lodge. With bright sunshine and only a light- breeze we knew it was going to be hard going. Plus; we didn’t know what mode the pike would be in pre or post spawning? Local guide John Horsey told us he had seen some big fish but that they were proving fickle following the fly and then turning away.
The mighty Chew holds a certain fascination as the next cast can always bring the fish of dreams.

We drifted the water extensively that day. Twenty pound plus pike followed our flies; glimpses in the clear water that failed to connect.
We took a short break from the piking to have rest and tempt a trout on a buzzer.

But with huge pike to target I find it difficult to stop casting big flies after bigger targets.
We fished until the light faded as the sun sank below the hills. A day full of memories, we exchanged many fish tales and laid plans for future trips.


Chew is a magnet for twitchers and whilst I am no ornithologist I always enjoy hearing the birdsong and watching the many birds that haunt the lake. Grebes, swans, moorhens and coots. We caught sight of a hawk gliding over the reeds and I wasn’t sure what type it was.
We will be back later in the Spring once again.

Upper Tamar lake has been hailed as a mecca for big perch anglers. I headed there full of expectation. A couple of pots of juicy lobworms from Quay Sports a bag of raw prawns and a bucket full of ground bait mixed with mole hill soil. I had been given a tip on a productive swim and arrived at the lake shortly after 8:00am.

It was the day after Storm Noa and the wind had dropped but it was still a tad breezy and cool. Bright sunshine and a cool North West Wind. I was well wrapped up and relished the early signs of spring. It was good to see swallows and martins swooping low over the water.
The bobbins remained stubbornly static throughout the first couple of hours. Eventually I started to get a few twitchy bites on the lobworm baits. As the day drifted past I eventually caught a few tiny perch on lobworm and one on the prawn. A brown trout of around 8oz and a single roach. The fish would have thrilled me fifty years ago as a young angler but with age comes expectation.


As the light faded from another day I headed for home pondering my lack of success and looking forward to the next trip.