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

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

 

From the river bank – April 17th

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.

 

 

THOSE LESS PRODUCTIVE DAYS

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.

 

EXMOOR’S RIVERS – A NATIONAL TREASURE

“ Exmoor’s Rivers – A National Treasure”.

I had been looking forward to Roger Furniss’s talk at  the Lanacre Barn Gallery  on April 5th. Situated  in the heart of  Exmoor a short distance from Lanacre bridge that straddles the River Barle.  For two weeks the gallery has hosted an art exhibition focusing on fish and life within water. https://moorlandart.com  In conjunction with this Jo Minoprio has invited various speakers to focus on and raise awareness of the tragic decline in salmon and river life.

After a drive  across a mist shrouded moor our son James and I arrived at the gallery where guests were already mingling, chatting and perusing the fine fishy art on display.

Roger Furniss has been a keen angler since his childhood days and shares my own passion and fascination with fish and water. He has worked within river authority’s, the  water industry and since retirement has worked tirelessly with the Westcountry Rivers Trust the Angling Trust and other bodies to protect the rivers of the Westcountry.

This evening’s talk was entitled, “ Exmoor’s Rivers – A National Treasure”. Roger delivered the talk from the heart meandering through the complexities of rivers and the life within. Drawing upon his own in depth knowledge and experience Roger painted a vivid picture of troubled waters and a desire to put their survival high on the agenda.

Exmoor’s rivers are an integral part of the Exmoor National Park with the names of many moorland towns and villages and the moor itself derived from the rivers that flow through the landscape.  Lynmouth, Lynton, Brayford, Exford, Winsford, Allerford, North Molton and South Molton a few examples.

Reflecting upon his own childhood days beside rivers Roger drew upon the words of William Wordsworth. “Sweet childish days, that were as long, As twenty. “Sweet childish days, that were as long, As twenty days are now.”. Poignant words that we can all perhaps relate to as our  perception of time passes as our living years tick away all too fast.

The story of rivers and the history of their protection is a fascinating tale that reflects the changing values and vagaries of our political system. In 1923 the Salmon and Freshwater fisheries Act imposed a statutory duty to protect and improve the life within the nation’s rivers.

“The Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1923 was an Act of Parliament passed by the United Kingdom Government which attempted to consolidate fishery legislation, which at the time consisted of the Salmon Fishery Act 1861 and 18 amending Acts which had been passed subsequently.”

The 1995 Environment Act set out that National Parks should conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. Promote opportunities for understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of National Parks by the public. The Sandford principle states “ If there is a conflict between these purposes the authority shall attach greater weight to the former’. The 1995 Environment Act also updated environmental guidance with a statutory duty ‘ To Protect or Enhance the Environment…so as to promote the objective of achieving sustainable development’.  This dual duty introduces Government allowance to prioritise.

         The above legislation is there to protect the rivers and Environment but as with all laws they are only effective if adequately policed. In this instance the body that upholds the legislation is the Environment Agency a body that has had funding cut severely in recent years.

River’s matter to us all as they are used for water supply, drainage, Industry, Irrigation, recreation, wildlife corridors and landscape. From the perspective of nature the wildlife corridor aspect is vital in ensuring that local habitats do not become isolated.

There are many threats to the rivers of Exmoor and the UK. These include pollution, sewage, land use, abstraction, obstruction and diversion, climate change, access, non-native species, predation and taken for granted. Roger emphasised that TAKEN FOR GRANTED is the largest threat for without public pressure there is no political will to protect.

Roger gave an in depth description of each threat bringing the reality of each to life with images that illustrated each point. It is fair to say that a significant factor is the dense population of the UK. Roger drew comparisons with other less populated countries that have a greater connection with nature and of course have less pressure. For example; Canada has 3 people/ per SQ KM the UK 200 people/ per SQ KM.

The European Water Framework Directive set out ambitious targets for water quality improvements. Brexit has impacted upon this with the UK governments ambition to enshrine the legislation into UK law complex and drawn out. The Environment Agency is dual purpose with its focus politically motivated.

The picture painted is bleak but there is perhaps some room for optimism with significant efforts being made to address the issues. South West Water’s Upstream Thinking and MIRES initiatives have brought welcome funding to improve water quality with the aim of reducing the costs of water treatment. The MIRES project looks to retain water on the moors maintaining healthy flows in the rivers for longer. The charitable sector including the Westcountry Rivers Trust are undertaking  and supporting various projects to protect and enhance the river. They work in partnership with the River Exe and Tributaries Association and Exmoor Rivers and Streams Group. The Exmoor National Park also play a significant role in the custodian ship of the rivers.

The beauty of a wild brown trout

The river Barle and Upper Exe are the key spawning areas for salmon. There is therefore a strong focus upon the health of these areas. The River-fly Monitoring scheme has proved a useful tool in assessing the health of the river. The results clearly indicate that the high tributaries of the Exe on Exmoor are the healthiest areas.

Gravel washing of potential redds in late summer and early Autumn is seen as a valuable operation to remove silt and loosen compacted gravel. Gravel introduction has also been undertaken in some areas where gravel depletion has occurred.

The fencing of banks to reduce diffuse pollution from cattle and selected coppicing of trees to reduce overshading and  allow natural light to penetrate.

The 30 weirs on the Exe Catchment are a major issue – a salmon heading for the upper Barle has to pass over 17 of them – as does every smolt. Good evidence that delays have a lasting effect on probability of reaching target spawning site. Will get worse with climate change. Smolt losses occur at weirs – if 2% at every weir half of upper Barle smolts don’t get to sea. Many kilometres of impounded reaches useless for juvenile salmon, great for predators.

The efforts to remove and improve the migration routes for fish on the Exe are an ambitious project that will require considerable investment.

Roger emphasised the importance of the three E’s. Economics, Enforcement and Education. Education is vital in the class room, engaging in river quality investigation, river restoration with landowners and via the Exmoor Rivers and Streams group.

I spoke with Roger before his talk and expressed my concerns regarding the future for salmon and how recent talks I had attended had been increasingly depressing. Roger assured me that there would be some optimism with in his talk. This was true as there is a deep desire and conviction to do all that is possible to help nature to heal. Climate change is perhaps the greatest threat to salmon.  And to mankind as a species. Some scientists have labelled this as the Anthropocene.

from anthropo, for “man,” and cene, for “new”—because human-kind has caused mass extinctions of plant and animal species, polluted the oceans and altered the atmosphere, among other lasting impacts.

This recognises the fact that mankind has become the first single species to significantly change the worlds complex eco system and climate.

Whilst climate has changed over millions of years nature has adapted to cope and thrive. In this new age where mankind has broken the natural cycles climate is changing at an unprecedented rate that salmon and other creatures cannot adapt to. Without significant intervention salmon may be extinct in the UK within 20 or 30 years.

         An angler’s connection with nature is strong. Non anglers will struggle to grasp the passion that anglers like Roger and I share. Perhaps it is as simple as the fact that without salmon there will be no salmon anglers for where fins swim so do we.

         Our generation have been fortunate to have enjoyed nature. As a child I played in our rivers relishing simple delights. In the years since my childhood the world’s population has more than doubled.

Our impact on nature is now significant and how we retain that vital connection without destroying it is certainly a challenge.

         I expressed my view at the end of the talk that the world needs to refocus and challenge the perception that GDP is how we measure success (Gross domestic product (GDP) is the standard measure of the value added created through the production of goods and services in a country during a certain period. As such, it also measures the income earned from that production, or the total amount spent on final goods and services (less imports).

How do we put a value on the  natural world that is vital to our physical and mental health?

Below is my own attempt at poetry and the  demise of salmon in Westcountry Rivers during a brief passage of time.

I REMEMBER WHEN

The old guy said, 

I remember when the salmon poured into the pools, 

Packed like sardines you could have walked across their backs, (1983) 

I remember when some anglers caught one hundred salmon in a  season,  (2003) 

It’s been a better season we caught forty from the river last year,  (2023) 

I remember when there were salmon in the river,     (2043)                                                                                                  

I remember being told there were once salmon in this river,  (2063)

High Bullen House Hotel AGM, Talk and Dinner

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High Bullen House Hotel

AGM, Talk and Dinner
17:30 on 31st March
Some spaces left
Either come and pay  on the night or click below to pay online

We have a talk on the  EA’s new water enforcement regime and a second on the work on headwaters to reduce peak flows.

£32.50

The funds raised from the following auction will all go towards improving the ecology of the River Taw, Mole and other tributaries.

Please bid generously and forward to other likely interested friends

 

RIVER EXE – SALMON A River Full of Fish ( Once Upon a time)

RIVER EXE – SALMON

            Lanacre Barn Gallery is situated  in the heart of  Exmoor a short distance from Lanacre bridge that straddles the River Barle. The gallery is hosting an exhibition focusing on fish and life within water. https://moorlandart.com

‘Fabulous Fish’ will run daily from 25thMarch – 8th April 2023, from 11am-5pm, at Lanacre Barn Gallery in Withypool, Exmoor, TA24 7SD. It will be open to the public, admission is free, and refreshments will be available.

            As part of this event a talk was held with Phillip Turnbull Fisheries Technical Officer with the Westcountry Rivers Trust. The talk entitled The River Exe – A River Full of Fish, gave a fascinating insight into the history of the river Exe and the fish that have swum within.

The River Barle at Tarr Steps

            The Westcountry Rivers Trust aims to enhance and protect rivers across the region with the long term survival of fish at the heart. Phillip listed the fish that have been recorded in the Exe including migratory and non-migratory species. Migratory species include salmon, sea trout, eel, lamprey ( sea, brook and River) Allis/ twaite shad, Atlantic Sturgeon. Non migratory fish include brown trout, grayling, bull head, stone loach and minnows.

The River Barle

         The salmon are of course the most iconic of these species and much of the talk focused upon salmon and their past and future. The story of salmon on the Exe is an all too familiar tale with a dramatic decline in recent decades. Salmon are believed to have been harvested from the Exe since before Roman Times. Records from 1771 tell of  a catch of 1000 salmon in Exeter in one week, A river full of fish indeed!

            The largest salmon recorded from the River Exe was caught in a net at the mouth of the River in 1924 and weighed 61lb 4oz. I believe a cast of the fish can still be seen in the museum at Topsham.

Migratory fish (all species) have declined globally by 76% and 93% in Europe alone.  This is reflected in global Atlantic salmon populations with a steady decline since the 1970s, with an estimated 50-70% decline in the past 40-50 years.  River Exe salmon are classified as ‘At Risk’ meaning we need to work together to reverse the decline.

                       Salmon are seen as a keystone species the proverbial ‘Canary in the mine’.

An ambitious  five point plan has been implemented to reverse the decline in stocks.

  1. Improve Marine Survival – Missing salmon alliance https://missingsalmonalliance.org
  2. Reduce exploitation – Catch and Release, Netting ban
  3. Remove barriers to Upstream migration
  4. Improve Water Quality
  5. Safe Guard Flows

  The present focus is to deliver bespoke fish passage improvements at all remaining weirs on the river, whether this be removal or installing site-suitable fish passes.

A similar initiative was undertaken on the River Taw and has resulted in some promising signs.

The River Barle has been identified as the prime spawning area on the Exe system and is an SSSI with good water quality and significant redd capacity.

            Climate change is having a significant impact on river flows and weirs are impacted upon with times of optimum flow reduced. Salmon migration both upstream as adults and downstream as smolts is impacted upon by high and low flows. Up to 50% of smolts are thought to perish in the rivers. The slowing descent of smolts disrupts their marine feeding time, water quality is impacted by low flows and predation is increased.

            The weirs can be removed or modified to incorporate fish passes. The project involves a great deal of research to determine ownership and complex negotiations to deal with abstraction licences and use. RETA ( The River Exe & Tributaries Association) Is working in partnership with Westcountry Rivers Trust, which is supported by the Environment Agency and South West Water.

            The talk also highlighted many factors that can impact on salmon and river life some of which do not immediately spring to mind. The redds are vulnerable to disturbance during the winter and early spring and care should be taken when entering the river at this time. Veterinary products used to treat dogs such as Spot On are highly toxic to invertebrates living within the river. Wild swimming is also a concern with sunscreen highly toxic especially during  times of low  water when dilution is minimal.

            AWARENESS of the river environment is key with education essential.  Citizen Science can play a significant role in highlighting issues with regular monitoring of water quality a key initiative. The  underfunded EA does not have the resources to carry out adequate monitoring.

            The River Fly Monitoring program can also play a significant  role in identifying and highlighting problems. https://www.riverflies.org

            Connection with our rivers is vital in helping us to understand their delicate and unique eco systems.

            Nicky Green gave a talk on the Invasive signal crayfish that are now to be found throughout much of the Exe system. These crustaceans carry a plague that kills the native white tailed crayfish. They predate heavily upon invertebrates, fish eggs, fry and lichens. They also burrow deeply into banks resulting in siltation and erosion.

The crayfish were introduced during the mid 1970’s as part of a failed food industry plan.

 

Musings on Angling literature from Richard Wilson

Many thanks to Richard Wilson for sharing his latest musings on angling literature and the realities of early season excursions.

Sex, Drugs & A Perfect Snake Roll

Some of the finest fishing literature is drenched in sun-kissed hedonism and fuelled by drink, drugs, sex and fighting. So what am I doing wrong?

It’s early March and, at last, I’m on a real river. It’s the moment of transition out of my close-season daydreaming. A rude awakening.

Every year this re-entry induces a psychological shock as a churning ice flow crashes into my expectations. So why, after so many years of winter prepping, is this always a surprise?

Before we go chasing fish, please come back with me to my close-season habitat. My den is a place of comfort, clutter and a friendly armchair.  There are plenty of fishing books, very few of which are of the ‘how-to’ genre. Real books offer tactile pages and vicarious riverbanks.

Meet the righteous stuff of my Dreamworld: From my armchair, I can prepare for the coming season with a dabble in Hemingway’s knuckled prose, sun-kissed marlin and drunken machismo.  Surely (I hope) he would have been knocked senseless by Norman “A River Runs Through It” Maclean and his brawling brother.

And, from my playlist, what exactly did Louis Armstrong mean by his summery “Gone fishin’ – I’m real gone man” Or how about John Gierach’s story of meeting a familiar face, knowing only that it was last seen “under the Haight-Ashbury sign” in a late ‘60s summer?

For more context, I could turn to flamboyant jazz maestro, author and fishing junkie George Melly. He was truly well gone, but back then the only snow in the jazz clubs went up your nose. And let’s not forget the Great Gonzo angler-provocateur Hunter S Thompson whose sun-soaked drink and drug-crazed fishing exploits would have been fatal for most of us.

It’s heady stuff and, back in my den, I’m left wondering if self-medicating my lengthening midlife crisis counts as exuberant hedonism. On reflection, I decide probably not – but live in hope.

Many of the best fishing books live hard and fast, mixing the profound with the earthily profane.  And nowhere do these two primal urges collide with more urgency than in the timeless prose and jaw-dropping life story of Negley Farson, author of Going Fishing. He was the real deal; a buccaneering, hard-drinking, hard-living, hard-fishing all-American writer who really did drink Hemingway under the table. And, whisper it quietly, isn’t Hemingway’s branding looking a bit past its sell-by date? Just sayin’.

No list could be complete without the soothing influence of Harry Plunket Greene. He was light on drink, drugs and fighting, even though he had a direct family link to Mary Quant without whom the psychedelic 60s would have been beige. His utterly charming 1924 book Where Bright Waters Meet is a page-turning delight about favourite beats, some of which I know intimately. He transports me to a time when it’s always June and the evening rise is dappled perfection.

That was then. Now I’m in northeast Scotland where, thanks to my winter book-worming, I have arrived primed to hit the water with rod loaded and dander rampant (that’s a Scottish heraldry thing).

This is the Oykel, a river I have long wanted to fish – but harsh reality is not quite the image I’ve spent the winter incubating.  Spring, it isn’t. The baby rabbits, lambs, migratory birds and the damsels a-dancing are nowhere to be seen. It’s immediately clear that my cock-sure arrival is hopelessly misjudged.

The view from the hut.

Today the river is vengeful and the gillie is insanely lightly dressed. I’m wearing every layer I have because the wind, rain, hail and even the top 6 inches of the foam-flecked water are all travelling upstream. Everything is flotsam except the salmon, of whom there is no sign – and who can blame them? They’re all tucked up warm, comfortable and far out at sea.

It gets worse. I am on the right bank fishing down and the only cast that might work doesn’t. So another cack-handed Snap T variant disappears upstream, a flailing line spun from angry eels. And I’m still in mid ‘Snap’.  I may remove the fly for my own safety and I’m starting to hallucinate with cold.

My face is blue, my hands are rigid and soon I’ll be the late departed and shuffling off to meet Isaac Walton. I think I see my fishing partner Charles float past, face down. Perhaps he’s a log. Whichever, I’m not going in to retrieve his corpse in this. Hopefully, he left his Winston rod on the bank. I can’t yet find the words I’ll use to tell his widow I’ve retrieved only the Winston, but I have 5 more days solo fishing to work that out – and enjoy the rod.

This, emphatically, is not the armchair fishing I have perfected over winter.  What was I thinking of?

It’s not just the books that have led me astray. I’ve also followed a lackadaisical close-season training routine.  I have occasionally sat in my armchair making perfect, minimalist Snake Rolls and Double Speys with, machismo alert, just my bare hands. Anyone who knows the mesmeric rhythm of Spey casting intuitively does this: Lift, roll and whoosh. Now try a Snake Roll.  Always a perfect cast. We all do this boastful in the bar after fishing and in private as an angle-maniac’s onanism.  Even when refined to the most compact of movements my imaginary rod loads and fires perfectly every time, if a little late in life.

It’s self-delusion of course and, worse, makes me look like an idiot in the eyes of my family.  And, damn the hubris, my indoor training has now dumped me bereft of talent in the maw of a blizzard.

A picture containing outdoor, ground, field, old

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A break in the weather.

I retreat to the fishing hut and a mug of chicken soup, mercifully hot from the flask. Disappointingly, Charles is alive and already in here. So I won’t be getting his Winston, yet.  But he hasn’t seen or caught anything either, which is good.  Fishing is a brutal zero-sum game. My gain is your loss, and vice versa.

And where’s the gillie? Have we been abandoned? We wonder if a fishing party has ever been found, days later, frozen to death in a fishing hut with snow drifting into the eves. Is there any nutritional value in cork? At that moment the door opens: “Sorry lads, had to move the pickup.  How’s it going?” He looks pink, smug and warm. We exchange suspicious glances.

So whose fault is it that I always arrive bankside with plans-akimbo? Why, I wail into the gale, why didn’t someone tell me?  Well, I already know the answer to that and can name names. I have a rogue’s gallery of culpable bastards whose fishing worlds promise warm, cosy waters stuffed with hard-fighting fish.

So here’s the shortlist: Hunter S Thompson for dazzling my teenage years with aspirational derangement. Plunket Greene for living the dream at the expense of his marriage (no, I can’t).  Farson for showing that there’s no such thing as excess provided writing, fishing and drinking all travel together. The siren Taw Fishing Club for the sexiest fishing website ever. Simon Gawesworth for making Spey casting look ridiculously easy.  The Beatles for staying at a favourite hotel, The Edgewater in Seattle, and fishing from their bedroom windows.  And Led Zeppelin, who went one better and had a live fish in their Edgewater suite.  Although what they did with it is not entirely wholesome and their drug-fuelled orgy might still, even now, have legal repercussions.  Proper rock and roll fishing. So why wasn’t I invited? All bastards.

I could go on. There are many, many more and you may have your own to add (name some; it’s cathartic). In fishing, like politics and childhood, someone else is always to blame.

Finally, I would urge you to heed my favourite definition of fishing: “Getting away from everyone for a few hours to talk about stupid things and act like you’re catching fish.”

So next year I should spend February and March warm and cosy in my den reading stupid things and acting like I’m catching fish. So: Lift, roll and whoosh – then mend and … strike!

But I won’t: How else will I get the Winston?

A print version of this essay can be found in the March edition of the excellent Fly Culture Magazine. For the online North American take, please try this: The Hatch Magazine

 

CASTS IN HOPE

  Hard to believe that three weeks of the 2023 salmon season have passed already. The first few days of the season saw rivers running low and clear with numerous kelt’s tempted by anglers fishing the lower Taw. There were rumoured to be a couple of fresh springers tempted but I have not actually seen any pictures of such fish.

            Heavy spells of rain have brought the Taw and Torridge up and a couple of weeks have seen both rivers virtually unfishable. I set out today for my first visit to the Middle Torridge.

            The river was running higher than ideal but clarity was good with a perfect tinge of colour. If any salmon were present I felt there would be a chance. Salmon are scarce these days and expectation is not as heightened as it once was. Despite this we fish on in hope and drift flies across those old lies where the line has tightened in the past.

After a couple of drifts across the river the line zipped tight and it was good to feel life pulsing through the rod and line. A pleasing brown trout of close to 1lb had siezed the salmon fly.

            Steady rain was falling as I reacquainted myself with the river. It was good to be back once again on the river bank. The yellow splash of colour from primrose and daffodil telling that spring was here. Catkins and pussy willow decorated the riverside trees.

            Pheasants broke cover occasionally startling me as they fled, mallards flew up from the river and buzzards mewed high above the trees.

            All seemed as it should yet I couldn’t help but reflect on the depressing words of the ghillie who spoke of the dying river Wye on the BBCs Country file.   The Wye that borders England was once one of the country’s greatest salmon rivers, today it is dying as a result of pollution and climate change.

            The Taw, Torridge and most South West rivers are suffering a similar fate. It is sad that we could be the last generation to enjoy the privilege of fishing for the Atlantic salmon.

With this in mind I savour each cast hopeful that I might once again connect with that iconic silver bar.