High water temperatures and extensive weed growth have made fishing challenging at Bratton Water as at many other waters in the area some of which have been forced to close temporarily. The skillful angler can generally tempt a fish or two from the Bratton Waters Crystal clear waters using either dry flies or small nymphs. South Molton Angler Bob Gooding put his many years of experience to good use catching five brownies in a session the best two scaling 7lb 8oz and 5lb. Arthur Bond landed a brace of 5lb brown trout and rainbow trout.
Bob Gooding
As autumn sets in sport at this tranquil lake will improve with the trout rising freely. Daddy long-leg patterns are well worth trying fished virtually static; this visual fishing is a particularly pleasing way to deceive the specimen browns that cruise within the clear waters.
The recent dry, bright sunny weather has brought fishing on the rivers to a virtual standstill with water now crystal clear. The only realistic chance of catching salmon or sea trout is early and late in the day when the sun is off the water. Before the rivers dropped several grilse and sea trout were landed from both the Mole and Bray.
A few fish are trickling in however and a couple of salmon have been tempted from the Torridge. I fished the Weir Marsh and Brightly beats of the Taw last week and saw several salmon show as I fished down through this splendid stretch of prime day ticket water. Two fish were caught from these beats including a 6lb salmon to the rod of David Rice and a 4lb grilse for David Carhart.
Weir Marsh & Brightly Beats of the Taw
Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Clubs Rogers and Guard Shield was contested by six keen club members on a bright sunny day not conducive to trout fishing. Winner of the event was Colin Combe with tow browns totalling 27inches. Runner up was Steve Edmunds with one quality brown trout of 15”.
Wimbleball catch reports show 1.6 fish per rod day.
Close to twenty members of Bratton Fleming Cricket club descended upon the normally tranquil waters of Bratton Water Trout Fishery for what will undoubtedly become an annual event. A mixture of experienced fly Fishers and first timers enjoyed the event that was blessed with warm summer sunshine. In the clear water small imitative patterns proved most successful with a gold headed pheasant tail nymph responsible for the demise of several of Bratton Waters hard fighting residents.
On arrival at the fishery I found experienced local trout fisherman and Bratton Water regular Glyn Rees who had enjoyed a good day at the water landing four brown trout to 4lb targetting the fish using dry fly tactics.
Whilst the fishing fraternity cast their offerings to the lakes trout the remaining members of the Cricket club prepared the BBQ and played a primitive form of cricket using bats made from old sticks. Others watched the anglers and helped with the netting of fish.
Most anglers landed their brace of trout despite the warm sunshine that beamed into the water. A pair of Polaroids were a distinct advantage enabling individual fish to be targetted with the two trout I caught both actually seen to take the tiny fly. The fish were a mixture of brown and rainbows with Debbie Tucker landing the biggest brown trout at 3lb 1oz. James Thomas landed a hard fighting of rainbow of 3lb 8oz that was leading the biggest fish of the day when we left the event to join another local event. Rob Scoines fresh back from a trip to Norway chasing big fish adapted to the finesse of trout fishing landing a brace of rainbows each weighing 2lb 9oz.
The Cricket club give special thanks to fishery owner Mike Williams for hosting the event that raised valuable funds for the Cricket Club.
Debbie Tucker with brace of Bratton Trout including a 3lb 1oz brown troutJames Thomas with a 3lb 8oz rainbow
Rob Scoines with his first brace of trout
Hard fighting troutSafely in the net, Sophie Welby nets a rainbow for James Thomas
The waiting net
Success!
Darrin Drew with a brace of rainbowsJames Thomas and myself with part of our catch.
Stephen Found was targetting thick lipped grey mullet in the River Torridge estuary when his bread flake presented on a size 8 hook to 6lb b,s line was seized by a fine specimen bass of 9lb. The fish battled for 25minutes before being successfully landed. Stephen is a member of Bideford Angling Club and lives in Holsworthy.
Over the years I have landed numerous species of fish whilst targetting mullet with bread flake including bass, wrasse, black bream,pollock, garfish and mackerel. The capture of big bass in the estuary is often accidental which raises the question of how many would be caught if anglers actually targetted them.
Sunday’s open at Clawford Fisheries, match was held on Fletchers lake which has been recently changed from a specimen lake to a day ticket water and match lake, great for access as only ten meters from the main car park. First place was secured by Nielsen Jeffery with a netfull of carp for 38lb 14oz, second was Chris Morris with 36lb 3 oz, third was Wayne Mitchell with 33lb 2oz, fourth was Gary Thornton who fished for the small pasties and skimmers and had a very impressive net of 29lb 14 oz. There will be another open this week on the same lake.
David Eldred secured Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Clubs Berry Shield fished at Clatworthy Reservoir with a five fish haul totalling 14lb 14oz. In runner up spot was Paul Grisley with three fish for 8lb 8oz.
Bideford Angling Clubs Midweek Evening Match Tarka Swims saw David Bailey take first prize with 28lb 12oz. Second was Matt Cross with 6lb 15oz and third Martin Hawker with 6lb 12oz. John Lovell forth with 6lb 11oz and Craig Crash Lamey fifth with 2lb 9oz. Winner David Bailey took 5 carp on banded pellet fished on the lead. Second place was secured using pole and paste tactics.
Apologies for the lack of updates over the past week normality will return very soon with all the latest news from North Devon plus a summary of a fabulous trip to Havnnes Handelssted in Northern Norway. A blog will also follow. Special thanks to Craig Butler for organizing the trip to all at Havnnes for there kind hospitality and to the group of anglers whose company made it extra special. Thanks also to Jon Patten for a wealth of advice prior to the trip, to Alex McDonald at Sakuma for providing some quality tackle, Veals Mail Order for great service and to St Leger Custom Rods for the use of three quality rods that performed beyond all expectations. Full write up to follow soon when I have sorted the tackle and caught up with all the latest from the North Devon fishing world.
Havnnes Handelssted101lb halibut – Craig Butler – Fish of the Week!!Midnight SunRob Scoines 20lb plus coalfishOne of several 20lb plus coalfish tamed on a St Leger Renegade Lure Rod
Martin Turner won Bideford and District Angling Clubs Monthly coarse section match at Melbury Reservoir with an impressive haul of 32lb. Kevin Shears was second with 25lb 5oz and third Colin Gorman with 8lb. Winning tactics for Martin were caster with long pole for roach and hybrids. Ground-bait feeder for a bag of skimmers took the runner up spot for Kevin Shears.
