Bulldog Fishery is producing big brown trout, rainbow trout and few surprises.
Bulldog Trout Fishing
SOUTH WEST FLY FAIR
The South West Fly Fair returns this Spring and is a must go to fixture in the West Country Fly Anglers Calendar.
Trout in Paradise
Anglers Paradise is well known for its Coarse Fishing but it also has a trout lake offering Fly-Fishing and lure fishing for a range of species. The option of lure fishing for trout might be advantageous for those who have not mastered the art of Fly- Fishing. In my limited experience in most lakes the fly will out fish the lure most days.
The fishing is catch and release with barbless hooks only.
Trout Lake (Fly fishing or Lure fishing) for various species of Trout and our predator Lake Valhalla (Lure fishing only)for some fun Pike action.
Zenia Gregory and her family enjoyed a couple of hours family time on their trout lake and caught Tiger, Rainbow, Blue and a Brownie Trout. Joe caught a Pike yesterday from Valhalla Lake on a lure.
Day Tickets are £20
To book your session, please call 
01409221559 strictly between 9am to 4.30pm.
Bulldog Trout Sport
Fly fishers enjoyed some great sport over Christmas and New Year at Bulldog Trout Fishery with plenty of hard fighting rainbows and sone cracking browns.
Winter Solstice Reward
The Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year so with time limited and Christmas looming I decided on a short session at Bulldog Fishery in search of a winter trout. With a cold Easterly wind blowing this sheltered water was an ideal venue to grab a couple of hours sport.
I arrived close to 10:00am and was given a cheery welcome from fishery owner Nigel Early who was busy preparing Christmas turkeys.
The lake was crystal clear with very little weed growth remaining. I set up and took a wander around the lake glimpsing the occasional rainbow but none of the double figure browns or rainbows that have been recently stocked. I had tied on a small bead headed pheasant tail nymph and cast this to the middle of the lake where a few trout could be seen cruising high in the water. The first couple of casts resulted in missed takes.
The inlet area is often well worth a try and the sight of large trout rolling in the turbulent inlet water prompted a move to the far bank where I could cast my fly into the flow.
The line sailed out the small nymph dropping past the flowing water. I tightened the floating line and watched the tip intently. The line twitched and I lifted the rod connecting with a hard fighting rainbow of around 6lb.
A large trout repeatedly swirled within my casting zone and I wondered if it was one of the lakes big browns? I persisted with the small nymph adding a couple more trout to the bag each full tailed rainbow in the 3lb to 4lb range.
The water was crystal clear yet the light was wrong to get a really good look into the water. The occasional good sized trout drifted into view but takes eased off a little. I experimented with a wet daddy longlegs to no avail then switched to the tried and trusted damsel nymph.
First cast a large rainbow followed the lure before turning away after following for a couple of feet. Next cast the line drew tight and the rod bent over in a satisfying curve as a large trout shook its head in an effort to shake the hook free. The flanks of a large brown trout flashed in the clear water and a tense tussle ensued before the fish was safely in the net. I admired its boldly patterned flanks and slipped the hook from its jaws. The brown trout looked to be about 7lb a very pleasing result to celebrate the turning of the year. I held the fish for a moment in the cool water until with a kick of the tail the prize was once again within a different dimension beneath the cold surface of the winter lake.
I fished on for a while changing back to the pheasant’s tail nymph to take a last rainbow before heading for home in time for an early lunch.
South West Lakes Trust Season Report Summary
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).
SOUTH MOLTON ANGLING CLUB – Blakewell Christmas Competition
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 CHRISTMAS COMPETITION 2021
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.
Autumn Trout Sport at Bulldog
I joined eight members of South Molton and District Angling Club at Bulldog Fishery where a good days sport was enjoyed. It was a surprisingly mild and sunny day for early November and several good sized trout could be seen cruising in the clear water.
Bulldog is a small water and eight members is close to the maximum comfortable number for the water. But with all members being friends and it being very much a social event the fact that lines came close at times didn’t matter.
The hotspot seemed to be close to the lake inlet where several fish were showing including a large fish well into double figures. Small imitative patterns seemed to be the way to go with several fish tempted on montana nymphs. My first fish of the day succumbed to this pattern with a further three falling to small gold head PT nymphs.
I believe at least half the members ended the day with four fish limit bags with most fish weighing between 3lb and 5lb.
Bulldog is an intimate water that is stocked with rainbows averaging over 3lb and browns into double figures. It is a perfect winter venue that offers good sport and a good chance of a double figure fish.
THE CHALLENGE OF WIMBLEBALL
Late October and I am excited to be heading across Exmoor on a mild murky morning to target the hard fighting trout of Wimbleball. I am meeting with Snowbee Ambassador Jeff Pearce.
The news reports from the lake indicate that catches have been good in recent weeks with the lower Autumn temperatures encouraging the trout to go on the feed. Jeff had fished a match the previous day when some competitors had registered catches into the lower teens.
We were greeted at the boat pontoon by the ever helpful and enthusiastic Trevor who chatted about the day to day complexities of running the fishery and where we might find a few trout.
As we chugged out onto the lake it was soon apparent that the wind was going to be a bit challenging. A force 4 to 6 South Westerly was whipping up white horses on the water. We set up a drogue to slow the drift but even with this in place progress was brisk.
We commenced drifting the narrows casting our offerings close to the shoreline. Jeff was into a hard fighting rainbow first drift. Whilst I managed a couple of tugs. A repeat drift brought a second rainbow for Jeff and yet more pulls and tugs for myself.
On the third drift a savage pull resulted in connection to a pristine rainbow to my rod estimated at well over four pounds.
At this stage it looked like we were heading for a bumper day. But as the wind increased we decided to try our luck elsewhere on the lake. The wind was blasting into the shallows of Bessom’s and Rugg’s where we tried a couple of drifts before deciding to head up to the Upton Arm where we could enjoy more sheltered waters.
The wooded slopes of the Upton Arm were showing the distinctly Autumnal shades of golden browns. We drifted close to the shore where we tempted several beautiful wild browns each admired in the net before being released.
After a couple of hours without a rainbow we decided to head back into the wind. A drift across Cow Moor resulted in me hooking two good sized rainbows that came adrift after a lengthy and enjoyable scrap.
With the day ebbing away fast we headed back to the Narrows. A good sized rainbow teased as it followed the lure to the side of the boat before turning away at the last moment. This was repeated by a blue trout as we contemplated our last casts of the day.
Once again we had enjoyed a fantastic day with plenty of chances not converted into fish in the net. The strong wind had made everything hard work with difficult drifts, tangled lines and hard to find trout.
The joy of fishing these large waters is that they feel like truly wild lakes. The fish fight hard with their full tails and jewelled flanks. I hope to squeeze at least a couple more trips before the seasons end savouring the challenge of Wimbleball.
