The 2025 trout fishing season got underway on rivers across North Devon on March 15^th and with rivers in prime condition it was good to see that several anglers had enjoyed success as I glanced through my social media accounts.

            Whilst I would have enjoyed a day on the river I was privileged to have been asked to be guest speaker at the Taw Fishing Club’s AGM at the Fox & Hounds Hotel at Eggesford.

            The Taw fishing club was established in 1912 and is a flourishing club of predominantly wild brown trout devotees. The AGM signals significant change with long standing and hard-working Chairman Professor Gordon Murray standing down after several years of sterling service. In his passionate closing speech Gordon gave his thoughts on the past present and future of the club emphasising the need for younger anglers to gradually replace the aging dynamic of the club. The club is at present in a very healthy and robust state with five miles of excellent trout fishing.

            Conservation of the river and its eco system were key throughout the AGM and as I attend numerous such meetings across Devon I realise just how big a part anglers play in helping to maintain vital habitats across the region. There was also conversation about how we need to work with other interested parties to protect our rivers. Surfers Against Sewage and Wild Swimming Groups have certainly done a great deal to ensure that rivers are now higher on the political agenda and we should give them credit for their success where we have sometimes failed to get the message across.

            My own talk was delivered to an attentive and polite audience with a degree of trepidation for following Gordon Murray a well-respected and eloquent speaker was a little daunting. My bullet point notes are included below :-

Notes for talk

• Thank you for asking me to talk today at the start of a new trout and salmon fishing season; hopefully I strike a cord with members and stimulate some thought and discussion
• I didn’t intend to write many notes but I have ended up with a couple of pages! So much for the intended free ramble…
• So onto my life of Fly Fishing and rivers
• I remember fondly where it all started: – As a child fishing the tiny River Umber in Combe Martin .  Worms, bread, soft cheese and grasshoppers. Freedom, those crimson spotted wild brown trout were abundant’ There were even the occasional large sea trout. The valleys stream were full of life brown trout and eels.
• I guess many here have similar memories of younger days at the water’s edge?
• From trout and worms I eventually progressed to Fly Fishing and despite what some may think the method is often far more effective at deceiving the fish.
• Before I talk more of my Fly Fishing thoughts I will reflect upon our rivers.
• I often think of rivers as the arteries of our living planet and their health is vital to us all not just as anglers.
• I always relish exploring new rivers and I believe that each river has a unique character established over millions of years with history and geology influencing each river. Sadly in recent years mankind has generally been a destructive force.
• Many of Devon’s larger rivers embark upon their Journey high on Dartmoor or Exmoor often within a relatively small area. The Taw, Torridge and Tamar all sharing sources just a few miles apart. The Exe and Lyn sharing sources close together on Exmoor yet the rivers meet the sea far apart sometimes on different coasts. Whilst the Twin rivers Taw and Torridge follow their own routes eventually converging at the Taw and Torridge Estuary.
• Both rivers are very different and even the fish within are vary with their own unique DNA.
• I recently obtained a copy of The TEIGN BOOK – The Story of the River Teign Restoration Project and other aspects of the Reading this book has certainly made me aware of how a river is impacted upon by many factors.
• I would also note that whilst we think of our rivers being in a poor state now many were impacted upon by significant pollution in the past from mining and untreated sewage etc. In many case they recovered but it could also be that many pharmaceutical chemicals that leach into our waterways are more sinister than we think.
• An article in the Spring Trout and Salmon Magazine by Uli Zellweger highlights the issue of Tick and flea treatments on dogs that end up in rivers having a devastating impact upon insect life.
• I caught my first salmon from the River East Lyn in 1981 a time when these iconic fish were relatively abundant. Now we are talking of their potential extinction in West Country Rivers within a couple of decades…
• In the past fifty years we have lost an estimated 50% to 70% of insects and between 1970 and 2014 we have lost an estimated 60% of wild vertebrates. Data is often suspect but surely our own eyes and memories tell us a story.
• Cast your minds back and remember clearing smeared windscreens of insects? Not an issue these days is it but … Shifting Base Line Syndrome perhaps masks the decline over time. Each generation calibrating to its own sense of normality. Fifty years and a doubling of the world’s population; we certainly need to get the natural world higher on the political agenda!
• Angling is great for connecting with nature but we have to accept that young people need to garner that connection with rivers and nature and this could via so called wild swimming, canoeing or simple exploring. With luck they will perhaps become anglers somewhere along the line.
• We all know about the sterling efforts regarding conservation by angling clubs and wildlife trusts etc. But there is a worrying divide between many within Country Sports and a growing urban country divide. We need to focus on common ground perhaps? On a controversial note we have a government that plans to ban fox hunting yet is determined to build, build, build and to grow the economy with scant regard for nature.
• I am often dismayed at the way success is measured by GDP. Can we continue to push for growth at all costs?
• Enough of politics let’s get back to fly fishing.
• I recently attended the Dulverton Anglers Association AGM where I was privileged to meet author Nicholas Fitton whose book “ Gently Down the Stream” Has recently been published. I asked him to sign my copy and we had a good chat about fly fishing and fishing. I was shocked a couple of weeks later to receive the very sad news that he had passed away suddenly as the result of a heart attack. A stark reminder of life’s fragility and the importance of relishing every moment.
• Nick challenged the upstream dry fly purist within the pages of his book and my eyes were opened further when I attended a Euro nymphing tutorial at the Arundell a couple of weeks ago.
• James Christoforou and Lewis Hendrie gave a fascinating demonstration on using tungsten nymphs to search the river. The use of wiggly worm patterns drew comparisons to LRF fishing techniques. Perhaps these new approaches will encourage a new generation to embrace fly fishing?
• There is a balance between new tactics and long standing tradition and it is perhaps for each angler to decide?
• There is no doubt in my mind that the ultimate delight is to see a wild brown trout slurp down a well presented dry fly but as fly life dwindles and trout lurk deep should we deny ourselves the opportunity to enjoy a well bent rod?
• For our pastime to continue we need clean rivers and young anglers ensure it continues. Key to this is perhaps the Angling Trust but many in today’s society do not join holding a what’s in it for me attitude to life.
• We are very lucky to share a passion for angling and as a new season starts let’s look forward with a sense of optimism for we must relish and savour what we are so fortunate to still have access to.

• What are everyones thoughts here?

After a moment of silence I was relieved when the membership embarked upon a lengthy discussion stimulated by my rambling delivery. I sincerely hope some of the ideas generated will sow seeds for future generations to immerse themselves in this wonderful pastime.

            At the Arundell Arms opening day was celebrated in style with a gathering of keen anglers enjoying conversation, complimentary coffee and bacon rolls before a traditional toasting of the river. Several beautiful wild brown trout were tempted by anglers despite the cold North East wind.