Despite the bright sunshine, the trout are feeding well at Blakewell. Here are the best two for Jacky and Mark, who both caught limits today. 6lbs 14oz and 6lbs, respectively, that put big smiles on their faces! Great to see all the hard work that has been put into the fishery paying off, now, with plenty of hard-fighting trout coming to the net.
Looking ahead to the 2022 season at the lakes, the trout fisheries will be stocked, opening and operating under the latest Covid-19 guidelines, in line with the Angling Trust and Government guidelines.
Tickets and boats:
The on-site permit huts will not be open, so day tickets, season tickets, and boats should be pre-booked online (www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing) or via telephone. Alternatively day tickets can be purchased using the Westcountry Rivers Trust FishPass app, or from the Kennick, Siblyback, Burrator, or Stithians Clubs (available for club members only).
Boats will be available for pre-booking at Kennick, Roadford, Siblyback and Stithians, with boats available via the Burrator Club for club members only.
Opening dates:
The rainbow fisheries (Kennick, Siblyback, Stithians, and Burrator) will open on 12th March (with one-day preview days for season ticket holders on Thursday 10th March at Kennick, and Friday 11th March at Siblyback). The brown trout waters (Roadford, Fernworthy, Wistlandpound, and Colliford) will open on 15th March.
Early in the season the water will still be cold, so expect the fish to be lying deep, with sunk lines and weighted lures (Blobs, Nomads, Tadpoles, and Cats Whiskers) or Goldhead Damsels and Montanas the most likely patterns to produce results.
South West Fly Fair:
The annual South West Fly Fair will be returning to Roadford on Sunday 6th March, with fly tying, casting, and cooking demonstrations, along with tackle and trade stands, and will be opened by Charles Jardine at 10am.
Competitions:
The Siblyback Team Bank competition will be held on 10th April, Kennick Bank Pairs on 8th May, and the Peninsula Classic at Kennick on 26th June.
Self-launch float-tubing will be available at Kennick, Roadford, Siblyback, and Stithians (this will only be available with a ‘buddy system’ or if safety cover is present) – see the Trust’s website or telephone for more information.
Please visit the South West Lakes Trust website (www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing) for the latest updates, as well as details on season and day ticket prices, fishery information, clubs, competitions, and boat availability.
Bulldog Fishery is producing big brown trout, rainbow trout and few surprises.
A smashing first trip to Bulldog Trout Fishery for Keith, Dave and Howard. Braving the cold weather the lads had great results, keith finished the session with 4 fish, biggest of which 4lb6oz and a combined weight of 15lb8oz! Dave also managed 4 fish of a similar size and Howard ended with just the two.
01409221559 strictly between 9am to 4.30pm.
Trout fishing report for the lakes and reservoirs in Devon and Cornwall.
General:
All South West Lakes Trust rainbow trout fisheries operated under Covid restrictions, Angling Trust, and Government guidelines throughout the 2021 season, with self-service permit huts closed, and tickets and boat bookings made available via the telephone or online through the Trust’s website. The rainbow waters closed for the season at the end of November (Brown trout waters in Mid October).
Season Summary:
There was some good fishing across the region, especially at Burrator, Kennick and Siblyback, while the fishing improved dramatically toward the end of the season at Colliford and Roadford in the last few months.
The Snowbee Team bank competition at Siblyback in April was won by the Innis Fishery Team from Cornwall, catching 23 rainbows weighing in at 30lb 5oz;
The Snowbee Top Rod competition in June was won by Alec Hoare (of Abbotskerswell), catching five rainbows weighing 8lb 12oz; the Peninsula Classic Bank Competition at Kennick (also in June) was won by Darren Penfold, catching seven fish weighing in at 12lb 1½ oz; the ‘Best of the Best’ final was also held at Kennick on 17 October, with the winner, Dave Johns (from Cornwall) catching 12 rainbows weighing in at 25lb 2oz, and taking home the first prize of a cheque for £1000.
The ‘Fishing For Life’ project (supporting people living with breast cancer) continues to grow, with regular monthly sessions throughout the season at various fisheries.
Fisheries Summary:
Siblyback: Best fish – 4lb 4oz brown, caught by David Ryder in April, using a Black and Green Cats Whisker.
Kennick: Best fish – 5lb rainbow caught by Sharif Adams (as part of a bag of six rainbows between 2 – 5lb) using a Gold Damsel.
Stithians: Best fish – 7lb Brown trout caught by Adam P on 25 June. The best rainbow weighed in at 3lb 8oz, caught by Clive P in July.
Burrator: Best fish – 4lb rainbow caught by Benjamin L in July. Al Lawson (from Plymouth) caught a 4lb brown trout on 22 October.
Colliford: Best fish – 2lb 8oz brown trout caught by Dean Boucher (part of a bag of eight fish) caught using Foam Beetles and Red Hoppers in early October.
Fernworthy: Best fish – 3lb 1oz brown trout caught by Rodney Wevil in April.
Roadford: Best fish – 3lb brown trout (as part of a bag of twenty fish) caught by Jamie Gillman (from Plymouth) in September.
The season opening dates and prices for 2022 will be posted (along with other information) on the Trust’s website and on their Facebook page (Trout Fishing South West Lakes Trust).
I Joined South Molton Angling Club for their Christmas get together at Blakewell Fishery where members hoped to win the Mac McCarthy Trophy for the biggest trout caught this season. The biggest trout up until this date was fine rainbow of 5lb 6oz from Wimbleball.
The morning was incredibly mild for mid December with an overcast sky that occasionally allowed glimpses of bright winter sun. I was hoping to once again slip into the bay where the trout had been shoaling the previous week. I joined club Chairman Ed Rands in the favoured spot and began working the bay with a damsel nymph.
Within an hour both Ed and I had secured five fish limit bags of quality fish with my five totalling just over 20lb and Eds around 15lb. We both chatted with Matt Kingdon who moved into the bay and continued to tempt the trout that had by now wised up a little. Strangely it seemed that the trout wanted a virtually static fly often taking the small black lure Matt was using as it sank through the water. It was fascinating to watch as Matt watched the end of the line twitch setting the hook with a quick strip of the line.
Blakewell Fisheries Christmas competition was held as a lower key affair this year in part due to high COVID rates in the area with only a small number of local anglers invited. Sunday morning dawned cold and showery as the draw for pegs was made along with a glass of port and a cup of tea.
The competitors drew lots at the start of the match with the intention of rotating around every hour. With the water cold and clear it was surprising that trout proved hard to tempt at first with several anglers struggling to get any takes at the start of the competition.
As the morning progressed it soon became apparent that the trout were tightly shoaled in the bay with any angler fishing there enjoying consistent takes. I was fortunate to draw this peg just before dinner and quickly added a brace of trout to the single trout I had tempted on my second peg. The best fish close to 4lb. The first two trout falling to a bead headed cats whisker the third to an orange blob!
A hot pasty dinner and cool beer enabled anglers to exchange opinions and tales around the venues large outdoor dining table.
After dinner the rotating pegs format was to a large extent ignored as the bay again fished well. I moved to the corner of this bay away from the other anglers and flicked a bead head PTN out on a short line. After fifteen minutes my bag limit of five fish was completed. By now the trout were wising up as lures seemed to lose their pulling power.
As the afternoon grew colder competitors gathered for the weigh in with a hot cup of tea. Over half the competitors had managed to take limit bags with several rainbows topping 4lb.
1st – James Burdus – 5 for 16lb 13oz
2nd – Paul Grisley – 5 – for 15lb 15oz
3rd – Dave Winter- 5-for 15lb 8oz
4th Wayne Thomas – 5 – for 12lb 5oz
Many thanks to hosts Richard and John Nickell for holding the event.
Richard told of the impact of changing climate on the trout fishery with warmer temperatures resulting in extensive weed growth throughout the year. The traditional season on small still-water trout fisheries has certainly changed across the country with the best of the fishing now starting in late October through until early summer. Increasing numbers of trout fisheries now close during July, August and September. Extensive farming could also be impacting with run off from fields helping to promote weed growth.
Blakewell is open for the rest of 2021 with a short break over the Christmas holiday. The lake will close for most of January when the lake will be drained to allow treatment of the weed growth. It will reopen rejuvenated in February with excellent prospects for late winter, spring and early summer.
All of the South West Lakes Trust trout fisheries continue to be operated under strict Covid-19 restrictions, in line with the current Angling Trust and Government guidelines. At the time of writing the on-site permit huts are not open, so day tickets, season tickets, and boats should be pre-booked online (www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing) or via the telephone. Water levels are now starting to rise to between 60% and 75% full (depending on site), while water temperatures continue to fall.
Fishing:
Kennick – The weather conditions have generally been very changeable, with some pleasant sunny days mixed with days of strong winds and heavy rain showers, while overall temperatures have remained mild for the time of year. There has been little surface insect activity, and fish have only risen to feed very occasionally in the early part of the month. Subsequently, most fish have been caught between one and six feet down on slow-sink or intermediate lines, with bank anglers catching the majority of fish. Fish have been well spread out around the lake, although Sycamore Wall, The Narrows, and Clampitts have been particularly popular. The usual selection of nymphs (Buzzers, Diawl Bach, Montanas, and Damsel Nymphs) and lure patterns (Orange Blob, Boobies, Cats Whisker, Kennick Killer, and Nomads) have produced the best sport, with Bibios, Shrimp, and Vivas also catching well. Sharif Adams (from Moretonhampstead) caught the best fish of the month with an impressive bag of six rainbows between 2 and 5lbs, using a Gold Damsel fished about a foot beneath the surface. Graham Roberts (from Totnes) caught three rainbows weighing in at 2lbs, 4lbs, and 4lb 4oz, as well as a 1lb brown; Bryan Parry (from Newton Abbot) caught rainbows of 2lb 8oz, 3lb, and 4lb, using a Damsel Nymph; Mick Megee (from Newton Abbot) caught seven rainbows to 3lb 8oz using a sinking line and slow retrieve. The final of the Lakes Trust’s ‘Best of the Best’ bank competition, supported by Snowbee UK, was held on 17 October – with twenty one anglers competing. Cornish angler Dave Johns won the competition (and £1000 prize cheque) with twelve fish weighing in at 25lb 2oz, Devon angler Andy Watson took second place with 15lb 12oz, and Andy Gooding won the prize for Heaviest Fish (3lb 2oz).
Siblyback – Although there has been little surface activity and few insects on the water, a few fish were caught early in the month on a dry static fished Black Hopper. Otherwise lures and sunk nymphs have been the patterns of choice (Red Matuka, Baby Doll, Viva, or Damsel Nymphs and Montanas), with an intermediate line producing the best results, and Crylla Bay the preferred location. Generally, fish caught have been between 1 and 2lb, with the best rainbow weighing in at 2lb 5oz caught by Nigel Muscelwate; Neil Barron caught a rainbow of 2lb 2oz.
Burrator – There was little surface insect activity over the month, and with the fish feeding sub-surface, generally intermediate lines with varying retrieval speeds proved to be the most successful method, with either a nymph (Montana, Damsel, or Diawl Bach) or lure pattern (Muddler, Leach, Orange Blob,or Kennick Killer) – although a Zonker fished on a floating line and pulled fast did result in a few fish caught. Longstone Point, Pig Trough Bay, and Sheepstor proved to be the most productive locations. The best fish of the month (and the best brown of the season) was caught by Al Lawson (from Plymouth) – a beautiful 4lb fish, using a Blue Flash Damsel on an intermediate line. Kevin Sellar (from Plymouth) caught a bag of seven rainbows to 2lb, using Damsel and Orange Blob patterns, while Steven Carter (from Tavistock) caught four rainbows to 2lb on a floating line and fast retrieve.
Stithians – Fish continue to be well spread out around the water, with most locations producing fish, although Goonlaze, Pipe Bay, and Dam Bank are all worthy of mention. With insect activity on the surface sparse, most fish have been caught on intermediate or sinking lines, although the occasional fish could be tempted by a dry Daddy, Deer Hair Sedge or Black Gnat on a floating line. With the majority of fish being caught subsurface, lure patterns such as Orange Blob, Cats Whisker, Black Cormorants, Boobies, and Fritz patterns produced the best catches. John Henderson (from Falmouth) caught the best fish of the month – a 3lb 8oz rainbow, as part of a bag of five rainbows using small orange gel blobs and mini orange boobies; Phil Messenger-Roberts (from St Austell) caught six rainbows to 3lb using black and white and green fritz patterns; Clive Pearce caught five rainbows to 3lb.
South West Lakes Trust’s brown trout waters (Roadford, Colliford, and Fernworthy) have now closed for the season, to reopen in March 2022.
Please visit the website (www.swlakestrust.org.uk/trout-fishing) for details on ticket prices, fishery information, clubs, competitions, and boat availability.
Chris Hall (November 2021)
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Annabel Underwood
Communications and Marketing Manager
South West Lakes Trust
01566 771930