16 Feb 2023

South Molton and District Angling Club AGM

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I joined fifteen members of South Molton and District Angling Club at the Coaching Inn South Molton for their AGM. As always the event ran smoothly thanks to the sterling work undertaken by the club’s officers. Club Chairman Eddie Rands and Secretary/Treasurer Roger Bray gave their reports to the membership reflecting upon a year plagued by low water levels. The environment and river health were top of the agenda throughout with grave concerns regarding pollution from agriculture and South West Waters numerous sewage treatment works.

South Molton Club is a small friendly club that welcomes new members at a very reasonable cost offering superb wild brown trout fishing on five miles of the river Bray. The club also organise forays to the coast with both boat and shore fishing events.

https://www.southmoltonanglingclub.co.uk

(Below) The cup winners for 2022.
From left to right
Richard Power 30lb tope, Wayne Thomas bass just under 10lb,Steve Bendle 5lb rainbow and Steve Edmonds 7lb pollack.

After the  meeting I was priveleged to deliver a talk on my fishing and the variuos paths it has taken me on.

6 Feb 2023

WIMBLEBALL 2023 – Season Underway!

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A full English at the George Inn at Brompton Regis with fellow fly fishers was the perfect way to prepare for a day afloat on Wimbleball on February 2nd, day 2 of the 2023 season. We talked of tactics, trout fishers, trout flies and the complexities of modern society before heading to the lake full of expectation.

News from Opening day gave confidence that the fish would be likely to oblige with some anglers catching over twenty trout.

Wimbleball Report – Opening day Report

What a start to our 2023 season… Beautiful start to the day, bit of a shame about the fresh cold westerly breeze, but some fantastic fishing was had with over 30 anglers fishing the opening day, & some great pics from the first couple of days will be posted over the next few days… Tactics included intermediate or sink tip line, small black flies & black & green lures seemed the top takers… Some great returns & some struggled while watching others next to them pulling them in, a few noteworthy catches included James March with 25 fish, Clive Blacker 19 fish, Phil Giles 18 fish, Don Mansell 16 fish, Richard Earnshaw 15 fish, with many others in the 5 to 14 fish bracket, best fish weighed was just over 4lb, many reporting fish in the 3 to 4lb bracket… Happy days & thank you for your support!

I was sharing a boat with Snowbee ambassador Jeff Pearce an option that would allow us to explore a large area of water without having to wade out into the chill waters of late winter. Early season fishing at Wimbleball is often as good or better from the bank providing the shoals of fish can be located.

It was great to be back out on this vast expanse of water nestled within Exmoor’s undulating landscape. Trees towered stark and bare around the lake that was now brim full with water following a wet winter. The last time I had visited the lake was desperately low following the severe drought of 2022 when the reservoir had dropped to around 20% resulting in a premature end to the trout fishing season.

The summer of 2022

The 2022 drought and heatwave proved extremely challenging for fish farming across the UK and will inevitably create issues for the coming season across the country. Anglers will need to accept moderate increases in permit prices and a shortage of big stock fish. It is to be hoped that 2023 brings a more normal summer with average rainfall.

I opted for an intermediate line with a black woolly bugger on the point and a small black and green nymph on a dropper. This followed advice from my fellow anglers at breakfast who suggested that any fly pattern would work providing it was predominantly black with a touch of green.

After a short unproductive drift into Cowmoor Bay we headed for the shallow end of the lake and dropped anchor in a sheltered bay close to an area of dense withy. Jeff and I started the process of searching the water.

It was reassuring to get into the steady motion of casting and retrieving. The line alighted upon the clear cold water and was allowed to sink for  a few moments before commencing a slow figure of eight retrieve. It wasn’t long before the line pulled tight as the satisfying pull of the first trout of the season hit my dropper.

Turbo charged full tailed Wimbleball trout are amongst the hardest fighting fish in the country putting a pleasing curve into angler’s rods and ripping line through chilled fingers.

It was supposed to have been a bright day with sunny intervals but on this occasion Carol Kirkwood’s cheerful predictions on BBC Breakfast had proved over optimistic as a chill westerly wind with grey skies and occasional drizzle persisting throughout the day.

The consistent sport kept our spirits up as we savoured the start of a new season looking forward to the warmer brighter days of spring ahead.  We ended the day sharing a catch of fifteen hard fighting rainbows the best estimated as close to 5lb.

            I look forward to my return trip when those hard fighting rainbows will thrill again on what is widely recognised as the West Countries top Stillwater trout fishery.

At the end of the day pan fried trout with a sprinkling of Cornish Sea Salt -Lemon Pepper

26 Jan 2023

Roadford Fly Fair Details

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A few details of the Fly Fair programme for the day with timings however this may be subject to a little change. As per last year for those looking set up the day before the main Exhibitor room and the Tying Lounge is available from 5pm – 7pm, it’s worth noting that parking may be restricted on the morning 26th morning. For anyone looking to get breakfast from the Café this will be open from 9am so please allow some additional time as it was particularly busy last yearJ

FLY FAIR SCHEDULE
Time Event Location Duration
10am Doors Open Burrator room  
10:15am Welcome – Charles Jardine Burrator room 10 minutes
10:25am Gary Champion – Fly Tying Burrator room & Onscreen 30 minutes
10:55am Charles Jardine Casting Demonstration Waterside area Outside 45 minutes
11.40am Lee Hooper – Fly Tying Chevron Burrator room & Onscreen 30 minutes
12.10pm Q & A with Charles Jardine and the Panel Burrator room 20 minutes
12.30pm Cooking Demonstration with Gary Champion Outside on Balcony 45 minutes
1:15pm Steve Skuce – Fly Tying Grayling Bugs Burrator room & Onscreen 30 minutes
1.45pm Charles Jardine – Fly Tying Burrator room & Onscreen 30 minutes
2.15pm Rodney Wevill – Pike Fly Tying Burrator room & Onscreen 30 minutes
3pm Gary Champion – Casting Demonstration Waterside area Outside 30 minutes
4pm Charles Jardine – Raffle Draw & Closing Burrator room  
       
ALL DAY EVENTS
10am – 4pm Café/Restaurant is open for food & hot drinks Restaurant/Café  
10am – 4pm Free ‘Have a go Fly dressing’ Fly Tying Lounge John Rumbold, Ron Wildhay & Dave Matthews
10am – 4pm Free ‘Have a go Casting a Fly Rod’ Outside on grass Andy Waton, John Dawson, Dave Mathews, Mike Kent, David Lynch, Harry Chance
10am – 4pm Tip & Advice’ from Snowbee Fly Rods and Reel demonstrations Outside on grass Simon Kidd

 

Please see booking links below for future events.

 

South West Fly Fair: https://fb.me/e/2zLlbYrPf

 

Kennick Taster: https://fb.me/e/3t3Y4I180

 

Stithians Tasters: https://fb.me/e/2y91pWSzz

 

http://www.swlakesfishing.co.uk

22 Dec 2022

Message from Dil  Game Fishing Lead – South West Lakes

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Dear fellow anglers

With Christmas and New Year almost upon us, the 2022 fishing season is also drawing to a close, with the extended rainbow trout fishing ending on 31 December. We would like to thank the many anglers who have visited our waters this year. We have seen some fantastic fishing followed by very challenging conditions as the water dropped to unprecedented levels all over the UK and we have enjoyed meeting many of you on the bankside, at the Roadford Fly Fair and at the Fly Fishing Taster Day.

Your support during the season has been much appreciated as well as the all-important catch reports and written accounts of your fishing trips that are submitted – we find these immensely helpful for planning stockings, ensuring we focus efforts and resources where needed, and in encouraging new anglers to our sport.

Looking ahead to the opening of the 2023 season, plans are already well under way for the Roadford Fly Fair. This year saw a record number of visitors at the event who gave very positive feedback and enjoyed the day. It was a fantastic opportunity for the angling community to get together as well as stock up on supplies – a great way to kick off the new season! The date for next year’s Fly Fair is confirmed as Sunday 26 February. We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.

Here are some more dates to look forward to – more details will follow but do put them in the diary:

26 February 2023 – Roadford Fly Fair
5 March 2023 – Kennick Fly Fishing Taster Day
9 March 2023 – Season Permit Preview day Kennick & Stithians
10 March 2023 – Season Permit Preview day Burrator & Siblyback
11 March 2023 – All Rainbow Trout waters open fully
2 April 2023 – Siblyback Team of 4 Competition (sponsored by Snowbee)
22 April 2023 – Stithians Fly Fishing Taster Day
14 May 2023 – Kennick Bank Pairs Competition
25 June 2023 – Kennick Peninsula Classic Competition
5 August 2023 – Kennick Fly Fishing Taster Day (National Angling Month)

Angling season tickets for 2023 will be available to purchase shortly before Christmas onwards if you are looking to get prepared in good time, or would even make an ideal gift.

We hope you have a happy and peaceful festive season and look forward to seeing more of you out on the water next year.

Tight Lines.

11 Dec 2022

Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club – Christmas Competition

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Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club members fished their Christmas Competition at Bulldog Fishery where Colin Combe tempted a fine brown trout of 9lb.

Andre Muxworthy took the best bag of three trout totalling 9lb 6oz.

Dave Mock was second with three for 8lb 10oz and Dave Richards third with 8lb 4oz.

Dave Eldred was forth with three for 7lb 13oz.

The icy cold conditions do not deter rainbow trout that thrive in the cold well oxygenated water of winter. A variety of flies worked for members.

 

24 Nov 2022

Bulldog Trout on a wet and windy morning

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Local Fly Fisher and enthusiastic Fly Tyer  Eddie Tyas spoke with me recently to say how well Bulldog Trout Fishery was fishing with plenty of good quality hard fighting rainbows being caught. Always keen to wet a line I arranged to meet Eddie at the venue. Looking at the weather forecast I half expected a phone call suggesting  we call the trip off. Strong to gale force winds and heavy rain were on the way. On the optimistic side the worst of the weather wasn’t due until 11:00am.

As I pulled into car park at 9:00am large drops of rain were already dropping from a grey leaden sky  a gusty wind ruffling the water.

The water was slightly murky with the river swollen by heavy rain over previous days. After such a long dry summer the rain is of course to be welcomed but on a cold bleak November morning I did question our sanity. Tom Early suggested a bright white lure and this was what I put on after a few casts with my normally reliable olive damsel. Within a few casts a solid thump resulted in a rainbow of close to 3lb soon to be followed by a slightly smaller trout of just over 2lb.

Eddie persisted as heavy rain and wind increased, after a couple of hours Eddie did the sensible thing and called it a day. I was keen to get my last fish so persisted and tied on an even bigger white lure. After a couple of casts a savage pull resulted in my final trout of the day a well conditioned rainbow of just under 2lb. It was one of those rare occasions when I was actually glad to finish fishing for the day.

I hope to join Eddie again when the weather is a little less hostile..

21 Oct 2022

SWLT Trout Fishing Report

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In spite of recent rainfall, water levels are still low in many of the reservoirs, with many still under 40% capacity. South West Lakes’ brown trout waters (Colliford, Fernworthy, and Roadford) closed for the 2022 season on 15 October. The remaining rainbow waters are due to stay open until 30 November.

Fishing:

Kennick – The fishing has been slow at Kennick this month, with little surface activity, and most fish being taken on a slow-fished sunk or sink-tip line, with the deeper water by the dam, central midwater, Clampitts Bay, and off the East Bank producing the best sport. Various Damsel patterns and lures (Cormorants, and various Boobies) have been responsible for most catches – however there were no particularly large fish or outstanding bags recorded.

 

Burrator – Rods averaged 2.7 fish per angler over the month, with Longstone, Pig Trough, and North Shore the most productive banks. Fish were still looking to the surface to feed, and Daddies, Claret Hoppers, and Hawthornes all tempted fish, although generally sub-surface nymphs (Damsels, Diawl Bachs, Montanas, and Buzzers) and lures (Orange Tadpoles, Black Goldheads, Orange Blobs, Boobies, and Flash Minnows) accounted for most of the catches. Floating and intermediate lines along with medium retrieves proved to be the most successful tactic. Matt Baines and Andy Cottam (from Plymouth) both caught full bags of five fish up to 2lb 8oz.

 

Siblyback – Water levels are very low (just getting back to 30% capacity), and the fishing has been hard. Stocky Bay and the deeper water by the dam have produced the best sport, with anglers catching fish on Buzzers, Damsel Nymphs, Montanas, and Bibios using an intermediate line.

 

Stithians – Water levels are still very low here – at the time of writing only 19% full. Floating lines with Daddies or a selection of wets (Bibios, Soldier Palmers, Damsels, and Dunkelds) were responsible for most catches, with Goonlaze and the deeper water by the dam the most productive banks to fish.

 

Fernworthy – This brown trout fishery continued to produce good fishing, with anglers averaging over three fish per rod, either on dry sedge patterns or Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Black Pennels, and Bibios. Levels have now started to rise here to 50% capacity, and fish were caught from banks all around the fishery.

Colliford – Weekly catch rates tailed off as the month progressed, from 5.4 fish per rod, to 2.8 fish per angler. A wide variety of patterns caught fish, with dries (Sedges, Beetles, Daddies, and Hoppers) fished on a floating line and long leader, accounting for many; other successful patterns included Soldier Palmers, Buzzers, Black and Peacock Spiders, Bibios, and Mini Muddlers. Fish were well spread out around the banks, with most locations producing fish. Chris Tilyard (from Fradddon) caught six browns in one session, while Myles Gerard (from Tiverton) caught three superb naturalised fish of 1lb each.

Roadford – North Wortha Point and Grinnacombe proved to be the most productive banks, with Bibios, Foam Beetles, Zulus, Hares Ears, and Soldier Palmers fished on a floating lines catching the fish. Alan Judd (from Seaton) caught a bag of five browns to 1lb, taking fish on or just below the surface.

Please see South West Lakes’ website (www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing) for more information on buying tickets (note that permit huts are not open), boat availability and booking, and forthcoming events.

 

Chris Hall (October 2022)