Smoothound are still providing some rod bending action along the coast. Paul Hutchings landed six including two over 10lb in a short after work session this week.
EXE VALLEY ON A WARM AND SULTRY SUMMER DAY
I joined members of Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club at Exe Valley Fishery on Sunday June 10th and with a sunny day in prospect I wondered how hard the fishing would be as blue skies and sunshine are not always an ideal recipe for good sport. It was great to arrive and meet up with Nick Hart who manages the fishery with his wife Sue. Nick and I always have plenty to discuss and it was a while since we had last met and there was plenty to catch up on especially with NIck now working away in a prestigious role with Farlow’s in London.
Exe Valley has introduced an enlightened day ticket strategy that incorporates catch and release with catch and kill offering a wide range of options at different prices. The club members elected to purchase a three fish ticket that entitled the angler to retain three trout and then continue fishing releasing the next three trout. Catch and release fishing is strictly barb-less hooks, rubber meshed nets and fish to be returned as soon as possible with minimal handling.
After chatting with Nick almost half an hour of the competition had already passed by before I strolled out to the lake that looked stunning on this hazy summers day. Several members had already caught their three fish quota and were enjoying a chat and a drink from their flasks.
With trout rising freely all around I decided on using a light weight outfit presenting a small Cul de canard dry fly pattern on a 4lb tippet.
Casting to individual rising fish it was not long before I enjoyed the satisfaction of connection as a trout leisurely devoured the dry fly in that delightful moment of deception savored by trout anglers over many decades.
A few yards along the bank fellow club member Nigel Bird was also enjoying dry fly action practicing catch and release after completing his three fish quota.
Two more trout succumbed to my dry fly in quick succession and gave spirited tussles on the light tackle I was employing. Casting a dry fly to individual feeding fish was great fun and very rewarding fishing. The last of my three fish on catch and release proved to be my best trout of the day and I estimated it at just over three pounds a fish that made my reel sing as it tested my light weight outfit.
With my fishing over for the day it was time to take a stroll around the lake with my camera and capture a few images of this delightful fishery.
Vivid flag Iris brought a pleasing splash of yellow whilst brightly coloured damsel flies flitted amorously amongst the lakeside reeds and lush plants.
By early afternoon all members had caught their allocation of three trout and it was time to weigh in. Winner by a very large margin was Dave Richards with a three fish bag of 18lb 4oz that included a fine brace of rainbows caught within his first few casts weighing 8lb 8oz and 7lb 8oz.
Runner up was Dave Mock with 8lb and third Colin Combe with 6lb 12oz.
Tope sport is on the up off Ilfracombe
A fine tope on Bluefin Off Ilfracombe. The next couple of months should see some top rate sport with these hard fighting toothy critters!
Bratton Water – Rainbow boost
Bratton Water has a well deserved reputation for its quality brown trout fishing with fish to double figures banked in recent seasons. The best in recent weeks has a been a fine brown of 5lb 2oz to the rod of T.Evans of Barnstaple. The brown trout are however often hard to tempt and the hordes of small rudd often intercept the small imitative patterns before the browns get there. Mike has recently stocked a few rainbows that are being caught on a variety of patterns. The more aggressive rainbows are also feeding on the rudd fry in the margins giving an opportunity for the angler to stalk these fish. Mike informs me that the fishery is presently weed free despite the warm weather. The rudd whilst a nuisance at times will in the longer term lead to some big brown trout as they wax fat on the abundant food supply.
Sea Angling sport update
Sea anglers are enjoying mixed sport along the coast with bass, mullet and smoothound. It is also good to hear reports of a few mackerel and herring from the boats.
(Below)Nick Job enjoyed a good night fishing with his mate Ian Hooper targetting smoothound they landed several hounds the best this fine specimen of 12lb 4oz. Ian landed hounds to 8lb 13oz.
(Below) Nick Phillips was targetting grey mullet when this 7lb 12oz bass seized his bread hook bait.
(Above) Nathan Clements caught this fine grey mullet on his first attempt after the species this season.
Daniel Welch took his daughter Effie fishing for grey mullet and they both enjoyed success with Dan landing the above mullet of 4lb 4oz whilst his daughter enjoyed success with a nice mullet of 3lb 3oz.
Boat Fishing Sport Round Up!
Thomas Atkinson won Appledore Shipbuilders Boat Competition with a fine smoothound of 17lb 10oz. Andrew Atkinson was second with a hound of 13lb 4oz and third Michael Hammett with a hound of 12lb 6oz.
Appledore Shipbuilders enjoyed a great good day on the hounds with the average size around 9lb they also had a couple of tope around the 20-25lb mark along with a few small pollack and a few small huss.
Anglers are also finding goof sport off Ilfracombe aboard Dan Hawkins boat Reel Deal with beautiful weather and flat calm seas hard fishing at times but some good early sport The Tope are starting to show more often now along with Huss, dogs and bass.
Hounds and codling rewards a short after work session
Paul Hutching inspired by recent success popped out for a short after work session and was rewarded four hounds to 8lb and a brace of codling. Paul tells me conditions were challenging with a big swell pushing.
Fine rockling sparks ID debate
Combe Martin SAC member Kody Chugg landed this fine rockling of 1lb 10oz during a session at a North Devon Rock mark. Kody asked me to identify if the fish was a three bearded rockling or a shore rockling. My immediate response was that it is a three bearded rockling based on the colour of the fish and its size that would be a potential British Record if it was a shore rockling. As another angler muted the possibility of it being a shore rockling I referred to Alwyne Wheelers excellent reference book’ Key to Fishes of Northern Europe. The key distinguishing points are number of rays on the pectoral fins, the 3 bearded having 20 to 22 and the shore rockling 15 to 17. Having tried to enlarge the picture of the fin I can only make out around 17 rays. The eye position points to it being a 3 bearded. As there is small element of doubt I have sought expert advice and will report on findings later. This highlights the need to take numerous close up pictures if there is any doubt about a species of fish caught.
Kody also landed this bull huss on a recent trip.
A Fine Spring Run Taw Salmon
Peter Tyjas from the Devon School of Fly Fishing was delighted to catch this fine spring run salmon from the Lower Taw. With river levels now starting to drop at long last and temperatures on the rise the prospects of fish on both the Taw and Torridge are excellant.
Guided Fly Fishing with Nick Hart
On Thursday 28th Sept 2017 Nick cast aside his old wading boots and set off for Farlows of Pall Mall below is an extract from Nicks latest Newsletter.
Fed up with the winter?
Following the terrible UK weather experienced during the past few months at last the fishing season is open! To kick off I would like to welcome you to my first update of the year including news of my move to the world famous Farlows of Pall Mall and the latest from Exe Valley Fishery.
Guided Fly Fishing with Nick Hart
After many requests I am pleased to report that I will be swapping my Chinos for Waders, hosting a very limited number of guided days during 2018. Dates are available in April, May, June, July, August & September fishing for wild Brown Trout (on stunning Exmoor rivers like the one above!) and there are also my unique River to Rock Adventures which offer the chance to experience both West Country Trout and saltwater fly fishing for Bass on the North Devon Coast.
Please contact me directly by email [email protected] for further details & dates. Alternatively I am available at the store located in central London, telephone 0207 484 1021
Find out about these limited availability trips & view packages here
https://www.farlows.co.uk/farlows-fly-fishing-tuition/guided-days-nick-hart
Catch & Release 2018
It has been a tough winter at Exe Valley Fishery with low footfall due to the inclement weather. But now that spring seems to have finally sprung we are back in action with fresh stock introduced on a regular basis and our Catch & Release option launched last year continues for the same great price of just £25.
Meanwhile despite my new position as Farlows Fishing Manager, Sue will be available on a day to day basis to help with any queries you may have regarding the fishery and I will be visiting the lakes every week. You can also contact us on 01398 323008 or please email [email protected]
