Another cold snap, ‘The Beast From The East’, bringing thick snow across the region in the middle of the month, meant that water and air temperatures have stayed low (water temperatures not much higher than 4ºc) and there has been little insect activity, meaning that the fish have been staying and feeding in the middle and deeper levels in the water column.
All the reservoirs are at 100% capacity and topping over the spillways. As temperatures start to rise in April, fish will be starting to look to the surface to feed, enabling anglers to target fish with dry patterns and floating lines, with maybe the odd Hawthorn and Olive starting to appear toward the end of the month.
Fishing:
Kennick – The fishing was fairly consistent throughout the month, with anglers averaging 3.6 fish per rod, with the Top End, Clampitts Bay and Bank and the Narrows producing the most fish. With little insect activity on the water yet, very few fish have been showing, and all fish have been taken on sub-surface patterns (either Damsels and Diawl Bachs, or lures such as Tadpoles, Cats Whiskers and Boobies) at a range of depths – floating, intermediate and sinking line methods have all caught fish. With many anglers catching their bag limits, the best fish caught during the month was a 4lb Rainbow, which, along with another Rainbow of 3lb 4oz, was part of a full bag caught by Mr J.Howard.
Siblyback – Two Meadows, Crylla Bay and the North Bank provided the best sport, with a variety of lure patterns (Cats Whisker, Orange Blob, Baby Doll, Cormorant, Orange Fritz) fished on sinking lines producing the best results. As conditions warmed, Buzzers, Damsel Nymphs and Shrimp patterns started to catch fish, with the afternoons and evenings the best time of day. The best fish caught in the month was a 4lb 11oz Rainbow, caught by Mr P.England from Liskeard.
Burrator – Longstone Bank and Point have produced the best fishing, with a few fish also caught from the north bank, with intermediate and sunk-line tactics the most successful, as fish have generally been lying fairly deep. In addition to Booby patterns, various nymphs (especially Damsels and Montanas) have fished well, and bags have included good numbers of hard-fighting Blues providing excellent sport.
Stithians – The fishing improved as the month progressed and temperatures started to rise, with weekly catch averages improving from under one fish per rod to over two fish per angler. All fish have been caught on sub-surface lure patterns (Orange Blob, Viva, Tadpole and Fritz patterns), with the best locations including Chapel Bay, Pub Bay, Yellowort and the deeper water by the dam. The best fish of the month was a fine Brown Trout of 3lbs, caught by Mr D. Parker from Camborne while fishing from a boat at the end of the month.
Roadford – Catches have been averaging around seven fish per angler, with boat anglers achieving the best results over deeper water. Very few fish have been showing, with Bibios, Squinkies and Tadpoles proving to be the most successful patterns.
Fernworthy – The fish have been showing along the south shore, with anglers averaging between four and six fish per visit. The most successful patterns included Silver Invictas and Snipe and Purple.
Colliford – In spite of the bitterly cold conditions, there have been small back buzzers hatching and fish moving on the surface, with a few already being caught on dry patterns. Catches have been averaging at just over four fish per visit, with the majority of fish caught on pulled wet patterns (Bibios, Soldier Palmers and Zonkas) as well as nymphs and spiders. The fish have overwintered well and are in good condition – the best fish so far, a 22” resident Brown, was caught on Good Friday by a local angler Dean Boucher. The fish are generally in small clusters, and for best results anglers need to be mobile, with Lordwaste, West Stuffle, and North Bank the most productive areas.
It was a very cold weekend at Upper Tamar lake for the Pallatrax Carp Open pairs competition. This was the first competition of 2018 with two more to follow in July and September.
There was £3500 up for grabs for the top three finishing pairs and no one could predict which swims would do well this time around. The weather had been frankly horrendous leading up to the weekend with more than two feet of snow covering the majority of the lake at the beginning of the week!
The sun did eventually come through on the Sunday during the last few hours of fishing and it was rather pleasant during the BBQ and presentations.
The anticipation and nervousness for the draw on Friday morning was evident with some anglers arriving to get a couple of laps around the lake in the hope of spotting a few fish!
A fantastic breakfast was provided by Wendy Shore and her team in the Froghopper café at Tamar and we were all set for the draw which started at 1pm. Anglers names were drawn in turn from the draw box and they chose their swims until everyone had picked. There were 30 pairs of anglers and they were then transported to their swims either by boat or trailer.
The horn sounded at 4pm to start the competition and the first fish was lost very quickly by Roy and Greg Jones from the quarry swim.
The first landed fish and an early lead was taken by Neil Merriman and Adrian Morgan from West Bay, peg 27, on the Cornwall Bank with a 7lb 13oz common. Just minutes after Mark Thomas and Phil Haggarty caught their first from peg 33 by the dam at 5lb 11oz.
This was followed on the first night by Mike Trew and Roger Smith, peg 23, on the Cornwall Bank who had an 8lb 7oz fish and Rob Champness and Kevin Smith who were on peg 18. They landed a 6lb 15oz fish. Rob and Kevin also lost a couple of fish during the night.
It was fishing really hard, as the March competition always does! The wind changed direction a couple of times and there was a mild frost both nights and cold wind during the days.
At 6:30 am on the Saturday Mark Thomas and Phil Haggarty caught their second fish which proved very decisive. A 13.09 pristine common gave them the lead from peg 33.
Jamie Rusling and Nick White moved into contention from peg 16 on the Devon Bank, they had a 13lb 5oz common.
Saturday evening provided a couple of fish, a lovely 15lb 14oz common for Jason and Leanne McEvoy from peg 21 to move them into second and Richard Chalke and Jamie Woods from the lookout tower banked a 7lb 6oz fish.
It was all to play for and anticipation of a few more fish which would change the entire competition around.
Saturday night went without any more action until early Sunday morning when Richard Chalke and Jamie Woods managed their second fish, this time at 10lb 6oz, to move into second less than 2lbs behind Haggarty and Thomas.
With the sun now shining we thoughts a few more would be caught but how wrong I could be!
The remainder of the competition didn’t provide any bites.
With every single pair in with a chance right up until the hooter at 1pm it made for a really close competition which was well contested and enjoyed by everyone. The presentations were made during the free BBQ for competitors provided by Gary Vogel, warden for Tamar Lake.
Only 9 fish were caught and we look forward to the July competition when there will be plenty more!
It was great to have some new champions and runners up. Congratulations to Mark Thomas and Phil Haggarty for winning and Jamie Woods and Richard Chalke for finishing second. 2016 runners up Jason and Leanne McEvoy won third place.
A huge thankyou to our fantastic marshall team Terry Reid, Bob Davey, Ian Ellis, Steve Gliddon, Amy Maunder, Roger Maher and Bob Oates and to warden Gary Vogel.
Full results:
7th – 1 fish for 6.15 in peg 18 was Rob Champness and Kevin Smith
6th – 1 fish for 7.13 in peg 27 was Neil Merriman and Adrian Morgan
5th – 1 fish for 8.07 in peg 23 was Mike Trew and Roger Smith
4th – 1 fish for 13.05 in peg 16 was Jamie Rusling and Nick White
3rd winning £500 with 1 fish for 15lb 14oz was Jason and Leanne McEvoy
2nd wining £1000 with 2 fish for 17lb 12oz was Jamie Woods and Richard Chalke
1st winning £2000 with 2 fish for 19lb 4oz was Mark Thomas and Phil Haggarty
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.
John Shapland enjoyed a cold days fishing at Jennetts Reservoir using quiver tip tactics to catch skimmer bream and small roach. A raw prawn bait fishing in the margins tempted this lovely perch of 2lb 9 1/2oz.
Andy Birkett’s 5lb 8oz Brown trout from Fernworthy
2017 – A season in summary
As I reflect on last season it was a real story of two halves with a really good first half and very difficult second. The fishing at the majority of waters until the end of June was really good, some cracking fish were caught and good rod averages. From July onwards it was tough, although some waters provided some really good sport at times, particularly for Brown Trout.
We stocked Brown Trout at Kennick and Stithians instead of Rainbows in July as they are much hardier in warm waters and I hoped rod averages would be maintained while the Rainbows didn’t play ball. Plenty of Browns were caught but not as many as I had hoped. With the price of Browns being so much higher than Rainbows and Blues, I decided against this for 2018 and we will be back to stocking quality Rainbows and Blues from Milemead Fish Farm but with an increase in fish
Are times changing? Are the seasons changing? Many fisheries across the UK are struggling in the second half of the season with warm water temperatures making fishing hard. I read an article in Total Fly Fisher Magazine in 2017 which suggested seasons have changed and fishery managers would need to embrace this in the future and perhaps change season opening times and avoid stocking fish in July and August. It was real food for thought and something which has stuck with me in planning for 2018.
2018 – A season in anticipation
The season is now upon us already, it only seems like yesterday we closed for 2017. I am really looking forward to the new season and hopefully the few changes we have made will improve the fishing for all of you.
We are stocking a lot more Rainbows and Blues into Kennick. The season opened two weeks early, on 16 February for season permits and 17 February for day ticket anglers, and the first weekend of the new fishing season went really well. The weather was pretty kind to us and the water temperature of 6 degrees hasn’t put the fish off feeding. More fish arriving this Friday (23 February) from Milemead Fish Farm.
There have been some really good bags of fish caught with Phillip Watts banking 6 Rainbows for 13lbs and Mike Boston managing a full bag of 6 fish which included a 3lb 12oz specimen. Well done also to Chris Bee who caught and released the best Brown so far at 3lb 8oz. Damsels, Montanas and Tadpoles have been the most successful flies and not surprisingly nothing reported to dries just yet. Clampitts Bay and down through the narrows have been the best locations so far.
Warden Mark Baxendale and Senior Warden Kit Hancock will again be on hand to assist you at Kennick.
Stithians will also receive more Rainbows as a result of not stocking any Brownies. The fishery has been really consistent this last couple of seasons and some really good Rainbow Trout sport has given way to some great fun on the stocked and natural Brownies in the summer. Senior warden Beth Cross has been working hard during the winter with the CAST fishing club volunteers to get banks and back casting areas cleared. We have also installed some new signage to encourage dog walkers to abide by the reservoir regulations. There will be in increase in Rainbows stocked this season.
Burrator will also be having more Rainbows and our new warden Sam LeBailly has been busy bank clearing with the great help of Burrator Fly Fishers members. Sam is a qualified angling coach and will be on hand to help with any fishing enquiries at Burrator.
The wakeboard system at Siblyback is in the process of being removed and will be gone before the season starts, enabling access to Crilla Bay by bank or boat for the entire season. Siblyback stocking will be very similar to last season with some cracking Rainbows to around 6lbs and plenty of Blues. The adventures of Ron and John, our bailiffs which featured in the weekly catch reports, were great stories of ‘the one that got away’ as well as some terrific sport and experiences they had while being at the lake. Ron and John will feature again in 2018 with some top tips and information to help everyone enjoy their fishing at Siblyback. We have plans to make improvements to the permit room and introduce a signature fly which won’t fail to catch at Siblyback! Senior Warden Nigel Tomkinson, ably assisted by John Davies, will be around on site to help with any enquiries and will help direct you to the fish!
Fernworthy was our most consistent fishery in 2017 and I expect more great sport there this year. Our team of volunteers are planning some improvements to the permit room and will be out bank clearing to make sure casting areas are ready. Roadford will be very similar and we will be out bank clearing their also before the season gets underway. There will be 4 boats ready to go and the highlight of 2017 was Andy Birkett’s 5lb 8oz Brown. Bailiff Nick Coleman worked tirelessly policing the banks last season to stop poaching and to help anglers make the most of their visit. Nick has a wealth of knowledge in Trout fishing and I am sure you will bump into him around Roadford in 2018.
Colliford fished hard in 2017 but I am optimistic we can return it to the spectacular fishing from 3-4 years ago. We will continue to stock double the number of Browns that we did a few years back and with the Ruffe dying last season this should encourage the Trout to show themselves again.
Unfortunately Wistlandpound will not be stocked in 2018. The fishery will be open for low cost Brown Trout fishing and I anticipate some really good sport will be had. Although this is a great shame, fisheries have to be sustainable and I will look at the options for Wistlandpound’s sustainability during this season.
Drift fishery is no longer under our management as we will be concentrating more on Stithians. I would like to thank bailiff David Williams for his very hard work for the past few seasons.
At all of our Rainbow Trout waters we will not be planning to stock Rainbows or Blues during July and August unless weather conditions and water temperatures are favourable and I am confident the fish will survive. We will be stocking Rainbows again as soon as conditions suit stocking in September. However, we are stocking more fish as a whole.
I wish you an enjoyable and successful trout fishing season
Ben Smeeth, Head of Angling
Around the Clubs
Around our fisheries there are different clubs – why not become a member and get involved. If you are interested in joining a club here are the contact details:
The weekly catch reports at our fisheries are a great source of information to help you catch fish. The reports feature interesting information like hatches of flies observed, best flies of the week, best locations for catching, notable catches of fish and some fantastic pictures. We also do a monthly summary from around the fisheries so, if you would like to receive the weekly or monthly reports for any of our waters or all of them, please email me [email protected]
Find us on Facebook
We have an active Facebook page called ‘Trout Fishing South West Lakes Trust’
We post the catch reports, pictures, events and interesting information on this page so ‘LIKE’ the page for regular updates.
Website
Find all of the information you need about our Trout fisheries, competitions, catch reports, prices and contact details on our website www.swlakesfishing.co.uk
Buy your permit online
Did you know you can buy your fishing permit online through our website www.swlakesfishing.co.uk? When you land on the home page for Trout fishing scroll down and on your right hand side is a box which says ‘BUY YOUR PERMIT ONLINE’.
Online catch returns
You can complete your catch return from the comfort of your own home after your days fishing through our website www.swlakesfishing.co.uk. On the Trout homepage scroll down and you will see a purple box which says ‘CATCH RETURNS’. It is absolutely vital you complete a catch return, even if you don’t catch a fish, as this can help us work out stocking schedules and stock levels. Please also include any Brown Trout on your catch return if you’re fishing a Rainbow water.
Competitions 2018
We have a series of team and individual competitions across our waters this year. The Snowbee sponsored team of four competition kicks the season off at Siblyback, the Cornish Open Float Tube competition at Stithians is in May and there is a pairs competition at Kennick as well as a singles in early summer. The season culminates with the final of the £2000 Best of the Best sponsored by Snowbee in October at Kennick. Here are the dates, if you would like to enter any of them please contact me [email protected]
Snowbee Siblyback Team of Four – 15 April
Kennick Bank Pairs – 6 May
Snowbee Cornish Open at Stithians – 12 May
Kennick Peninsula Classic Singles – 24 June
Best of the Best Final Singles at Kennick – 7 October
Thousands of pounds worth of prizes are available during the season through these competitions and the chance to win yourself a season ticket for 2019 at some of them too!
Anglers’ survey:
During this season I will be sending around a survey to all of our Trout anglers. The aim for the survey is to consult with you, the anglers, to help shape the future of Trout fishing across our waters. I would like to know what you want or would like to see at any of our fisheries. I can’t promise anything but I do promise that all comments and suggestions will be discussed and we can implement positive changes to ensure the fisheries are sustainable for the future. Please take a short time to complete the survey when it arrives and have your say. I would love to hear from you.
Wimbleball
I am delighted to announce that Wimbleball will be open for Rainbow Trout fishing in 2018. Mark Underhill of Rainbow Valley Trout Farm has taken it on and has some really good ideas for the future of the fishery. Mark plans to install 10 boats this season and stock his home grown Trout of high quality with lots of fish in the 3-6lb size range. Mark is contactable on 07814324925 or [email protected]
Videos and photos
During the season we will be posting some videos of fish being stocked and people catching fish as well as loads of photos so keep an eye on our Facebook page and website. If you want to appear please send us in your pictures [email protected]
There are not enough waters in North Devon holding pike so a trip to Porth in Cornwall might be an idea.
Geoff Mason has caught this 19.05 Pike from Porth on a ledgered spratt. Geoff also had a 9.10 fish using his running ledger set up. This follows Geoff catching an 18.05 pike from the same venue only a couple of weeks ago!
Make sure you all the right unhooking tackle when you fish for pike and always use a wire trace.
Ben Smeeth of South West Lakes Trust is thrilled to announce the first capture of ‘The Don’ from Upper Tamar after it was stocked in September 2017. The fish was banked by Ashley Bunning at 34.04. Ashely had this to say: ‘It went 34lb 4oz, to say i am over the moon is an understatement. Had the fish over a big bed of Burton bait rollers ‘Magnet’ and the new test bait’. Congratulations to Ashley on the capture. The capture was part of a great weekend on the venue with anglers catching multiple numbers of fish and other fish over 20lbs being recorded.
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].
Its not North Devon but its is winter and nice to see a good pike. Ben Smeeth of South West Lakes Trust sent me this picture of a fine pike caught at Porth near Newquay. North Devon anglers can always target these toothy winter predators at Lower Slade near Ilfracombe.
Richard Mason visited Porth reservoir near Newquay at the weekend to land this cracking 18.05 Pike on a ledgered smelt near the Dam wall. A size 6 hook and 20lb Fox trace were the successful tactics for Richard.
Ben Smeeth of South West Lakes Trust is thrilled to announce the first capture of ‘The Don’ from Upper Tamar after it was stocked in September 2017. The fish was banked by Ashley Bunning at 34.04. Ashely had this to say: ‘It went 34lb 4oz, to say i am over the moon is an understatement. Had the fish over a big bed of Burton bait rollers ‘Magnet’ and the new test bait’. Congratulations to Ashley on the capture. The capture was part of a great weekend on the venue with anglers catching multiple numbers of fish and other fish over 20lbs being recorded.
