10 May 2022

A wonderful time to fish the East Lyn for its beautifully marked wild brown trout.

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Many thanks to Simon Francis for sending North Devon Angling News this update on the beautiful East Lyn

April and early May is a wonderful time to fish the East Lyn for its beautifully marked wild brown trout.

The sun has warmed the waters (which this year is very low). Hatches of grannom and olives are trickling off from mid morning, and the fish are looking up, presenting the dry fly enthusiast with enviable sport. The trees are green but not in full leaf (so casting is mercifully easier), and the native birds are nesting (wagtails, dippers, wrens) and summer migrants like the flycatchers arriving. It’s a wonderful time to be by the river whether fishing or not.

I avoided the few walkers from Watersmeet by fishing upstream from Crook Pool, up through Rockford, and onto Brendon. The water was low so I skipped over the pools in favour of the runs and pots. Fishing these is fun. Presentation can be tricky, with swirling currents and a breeze, and drifts short, but the broken current allows you to get closer than you can on the pools. I fished a 7 foot 2wt old Orvis, overweighted with a 3wt line. I fished a ten foot leader down to 2lb tippet. Some new flies from Phil Middleton (https://instagram.com/thephilmid?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=) graced the business end and worked fantastically. Sedges, olives, CDC’s, work well in this early  season. When the rain comes, a change to Klink and Dink set up with a gold ribbed hairs ear or is very effective, if not as much fun as the dry flies.

Day and season tickets for the Watersmeet fishery can be brought from Barbrook service station, both at a fraction of the cost of single “stockie pond” ticket.
If you would like details of the fishing or stay to stay at www.primrosecottageexmoor.co.uk please email [email protected]