I have very much enjoyed two recent sessions on the Taw and Torridge with both rivers in perfect trim. On the Taw I was privileged to fish a middle river beat that has a very good track record. I fished the prime lies carefully searching with a high degree of optimism. A couple of large sea trout or grilse leapt tantalizingly from the river but as my fly drifted across the spot there was no delightful tightening of the line. It was as always a delight to be on the river as kingfishers frequently flew past. As we enter the second half of August the evenings are growing noticeably shorter as autumn looms and it easy the feel slightly melancholic as the light fades from the day. It is heartening to remember though that the next six weeks should give every chance of some good fishing.
I arrived on the Torridge to find the river up at a perfect height the water resembling real ale. Surely there would be a silver salmon waiting today!
In my favourite upper pool a salmon erupted from the water thirty yards below. I fished with great concentration down through the run and had sharp tug on the line where the salmon had cleared the water. I had one other gentle tug on the line so I knew I had been tantalizingly close to success. I fished through the run twice more changing the fly on each occasion. Two mink frolicked on the far bank; creatures I viewed with mixed feelings. It was fascinating to observe nature up close but I am well aware of the destruction these vicious predators can inflict on bird life. I was also a little surprised to see them as there is a healthy population of otters on this river and the two do not generally mix.
I enjoyed a couple of hours on the Mid Torridge last evening with the river in perfect trim. As I fished carefully down a favourite run the line zipped tight and there was a flurry of spray as I lifted the rod. “Dam” I exclaimed as the rod sprung back and line hung limp. First hook up this season and its off in a few seconds. This bodes well though as there are plenty of salmon throughout the system and so long as we have few wet spells I am sure there will be more chances.
Day ticket opportunitys exist at Little Warham a couple of mile above where I hooked my fish.
Whilst the recent rain has not been welcomed by summer holidaymakers it has brought a much needed rise in local rivers that has brought a run of salmon into North Devon’s rivers. I fished the Middle Torridge on Saturday and whilst I did not connect with any salmon the river was in prime trim. Several salmon have been caught on beats on the Upper Torridge which indicates that the salmon have forged up through the river system and are now well spread out.
Little Warham Report – From Amanda and Anthony
After a series of good spates with occasional overcast days, last weekend Anthony caught a couple of fresh salmon with the biggest being 9lb. He also caught a 5lb sea trout. The second spate saw a 13lb salmon caught by a visiting rod. Gary Pearson one of our seasonal rods also caught a 6lb Grilse. Anthony also caught another salmon and see trout over the weekend.
Friday August 4th Johnathon Hellyer, one of our seasonal rods caught two salmon of 12lb and 6lb. Anthony caught a small sea trout and a 14lb salmon!!
Walking the river bank it is evident that the season is passing by all too quickly with spiders webs glistening in the grass and hazelnuts swelling in the trees. The salmons flanks are also starting to take on those richer autumn hues as what is perhaps the best of the season approaches.
Ian Blewett was among successful anglers on the River Taw landing and returning this cracking specimen from a Middle Taw beat.
I have also heard of a 16lb salmon from the Day Ticket Weir Marsh and Brightly Beats of the Taw where several salmon have been tempted in recent weeks. Tickets can be obtained from the Rising Sun at Umberleigh.
Rain brought a slight rise in local rivers that brought in a trickle of salmon and sea trout. On the Torridge Duncan Betts fished a mid river beat and landed four grilse, all fresh run fish of around 5lb.
Sea trout specialist Martin Weeks and his brother Ed fished two nights on the Middle Torridge to land 17 sea trout up to 3lb.
On the Taw salmon to 11lb were landed and a huge sea trout of over 14lb is rumoured to have been caught on the River Mole. Edwin Barclay landed a brace of fresh run 8lb salmon from the day ticket Weir Marsh and Brightly Beats of the River Taw.
At this time of year salmon and sea trout anglers fishing the lower beats are often privileged to witness the prehistoric looking sea lamprey spawning. These eel like fish are an encouraging sign, as they require good quality water in which to survive. Reaching lengths in excess of three feet they are often mistaken for eels but unlike eels they cannot be caught on rod and line.
(Above) Thomas Downing sent me this picture of a dead lamprey on the Torridge estuary
On the river Torridge sea trout specialist Martin Weeks landed a fine sea trout of 10lb and lost a far bigger fish when the hook pulled free after the fish tried to empty his reel of line. Dr Jonathon Compson landed five sea trout averaging 1lb 8oz from an upper river beat and Paul Carter landed a 4lb grilse from a middle river beat. Graham Roberts also landed a grilse of 4lb and Adam Baron caught a 10lb salmon and a 3lb sea trout.
I fished a Middle Torridge beat and whilst I failed to tempt a salmon or sea trout I did manage to catch a beautiful brown trout of around 1lb. Unfortunately the picture suffered from some incompetence from me!
The recent rain has brought a welcome rise in North Devon’s Rivers giving excellent prospects of salmon during the coming week.
I took a walk up the Lower reaches of the Lyn earlier today (June 30th) It looked absolutely perfect for spinning and I received confirmation that a salmon was caught from the river the previous day. This 7lb salmon was tempted on a worm presented on a de-barbed circle hook as supplied with the anglers permit purchased from the E.A. Permits are now available from Barbrook Petrol station from 7.00am. The Lyn is now 100% catch and release and as a result it is not fished by as many anglers as in past seasons. Whilst the reduction in angling pressure is undoubtedly good for the salmon stocks I cannot help but feel slightly sad as I remember my own days on the river a couple of decades ago when after a spate like this anglers would hurry to the river in large numbers from miles around. There was quite a community back then and many of those characters have passed away. As I jumped up onto familiar rocks to study the water and search for the sight of a salmon I remembered those anglers and almost expected to glimpse them searching the water with worm or spinner.
On a wet summers day I can think of no better place to be. The river holds many happy memories and whilst I only saw this magnificent river as its salmon and sea trout run started to decline I had a glimpse of what it once produced and in my forthcoming book I can reveal some of its former glories.
The Torridge has also risen and should be fish-able within a couple of days as the turbidity drops out of the water. Day tickets are available at Little Warham Fishery and at the Half Moon at Sheepwash.
Day Tickets are also available on the Taw from the Rising Sun at Umberleigh who can also provide tickets for the Weir Marsh and Brightly Beats controlled by Ivan Huxtable.
This well deserved fresh 7lb salmon was caught by Stuart Eynon at Little Warham on Saturday morning( June 24th). After persisting with the low water levels and mainly fishing dusk till dawn for sea trout, this was a welcome surprise!
Amanda at Little Warham sent me this delightful image above of an enthusiastic group of young anglers who have been making an annual pilgrimage to the fishery. Lets hope they can all pose for the same picture in 2024 and that they will again enjoy success with the Torridge salmon.
The guys first came here in 94 by responding to an advert in the local rag by Group Captain Peter Norton-Smith. They were vetted by him and Terry and told that they were expected to catch! On their first day here fortunately one of the lads caught a salmon and then became annually welcome to the Fishery. Their number of salmon caught at Warham now exceed 100. It was great to have them back and great sitting outside the hut listening to the stories of the Fishery over the years. Terry’s reluctance to have four seventeen year old lads from the north east has certainly paid dividends for the fish numbers and its great being in touch with them and having that connection to the rivers history over the past 23 years! They still love the river just as much and their enthusiasm certainly hasn’t diminished and hopefully will continue to make their annual pilgrimage to Little Warham.
Swallows swooped to and fro above as Pauline and I sat savouring tasty paella on the patio. We were guests of Anthony and Amanda the latest owners of Little Warham Fishery nestled deep in the Torridge Valley near Beaford. It was Midsummer Eve and birdsong resonated all around with pigeons cooing peacefully in the trees. We had met with the new custodians of Little Warham back in the autumn at the Torridge Fishery Associations annual Dinner at the Half Moon Inn at Sheepwash. Summer seemed a long way off then with the leaves turning brown and the evenings growing longer. Anthony and Amanda had told us enthusiastically of their plans for the coming year and invited us to join them at some point for a look around the fishery.
Those eight months had certainly flown past, as life seems to these days. The old Farmhouse has a timeless air about it and glimpses of its history linger. Anthony showed us the larder in which the salmon were stored after being collected from the river by horse and cart. An ancient dark wood smoker stood beneath a fine copper beech tree. The house is thought to date back to around 1790 and was for many years a fishing lodge undoubtedly visited by many salmon anglers in far off days when I guess it was predominantly the gentry who would cast their lines.
We talked of fish, of fishing and life before setting off to the river down a delightful path that lead to fields of wheat and oats that stretched before us to the river that was hidden from view by a row of trees that were in their resplendent peak of lush green. Summer flowers lined the hedgerows. The yellow flowers of spring having now given way to pink fox gloves and dog roses of summer. The scents of summer drifted in the air.
We came to a path leading down a steep slope towards the river that could be glimpsed through the trees. As we reached the valleys base the damp musty smell of the river filled the nostrils. The famous fishing hut stood here the heart of the fishery and place of peace, contemplation and I am sure the focus point of many enduring friendships.
I was passed the key and carefully opened the door of the hut stepping inside to a hut full of memories. The smell of wood-smoke hung in the air. An old gaff hook hung upon the wall and cheap white plastic chairs contrasted starkly with the historic feel of the hut. Anthony lifted the trap door that concealed the cool recess where salmon were stored until the days end.
On the fireplace sat an old black and white photo within a frame. Winston Churchill stood inspecting a row of military personal, one of which was Group Captain Peter Norton Smith the late husband of Theresa Norton Smith who had resided at Little Warham since the mid 1960’s when they had moved to Devon following a long distinguished military career that culminated when he was appointed CBE.
Captain Peter Norton Smith and his wife were instrumental in helping to rejuvenate the River Torridge that was at that time heavily polluted by farm effluent.
Norton Smith was Chairman of the Torridge Fishery Association a post later held be his wife. A hair wing salmon fly was created in his honour and the Norton Smiths were also the subject of a poem, “Torridge Salmon” by Ted Hughes.
Carved into the roof of the hut is the outline of a huge salmon weighing 32lb one of six magnificent salmon landed on April 10th 1932. The six fish totalled 106lb and were landed between 10.00 am and 1.00pm. A fact that reminds me of a conversation I once had with Charles Inniss who told me that the best time to catch a salmon is when you have just caught one.
After lingering for a while within the atmospheric fishing hut it was time to wander downstream to view the river and some of its 17 named pools divided between four beats. Guests fishing the river traditionally swap beats half way through the day after breaking for lunch in the fishing hut. The river was at low summer level and showing its bones. Despite this I knew there would be salmon and sea trout hidden within the deeper pots and expected to see a splash and a glimpse of silver at any moment.
This enchanting stretch of river meanders with a mixture of slower pools, glides and rapids. The far bank descends steeply to the river and is densely populated with pine trees. The right bank we walked upon is populated with sycamore, withy, ash and majestic oak trees. Anthony informed me that the oaks were planted beside the river so that they could be felled and timber floated downstream to the boat builders at Appledore.
Amanda talked of walking the riverbank during the spring and of the snowdrops, wild daffodils, primrose, bluebells and wood sorrel that had preceded our visit.
One of the joys of walking a river is reading the water and guessing where the rivers fish will be stationed. The occasional trout rose as flies drifted down, we saw a mayfly drifting slowly in the surface film and wondered how long it would be before it was devoured by a hungry trout.
As we strolled we caught site of the flash of electric blue as kingfishers darted above the water. The whole valley had a timeless ambience undoubtedly enhanced by a lack of intrusion from road or rail. The Torridge unlike the Taw has long stretches of river that are far from such transport links ensuring it remains silent except for sounds of nature and occasional rumbling thrum of a farm tractor.
Our walk was interrupted at one point by the discovery of a sheep that had become trapped upon its back beside the river. Anthony quickly scurried down the steep bank and helped the poor creature to its feet. It staggered drunkenly for a few yards and then trotted out into meadow free to continue its simple life.
The fishery retains its character no manicured banks here just a few well-placed lengths of rope to aid access to the pools. Anglers have wondered its banks for many decades and little has changed accept perhaps the fish populations that are undoubtedly just a shadow of what they were in those halcyon days of old. It is sobering to think of those Victorian anglers loading horse and cart to take their days catch to the salmon larder at the house.
Anthony with his first salmon from Little Warham
I look forward to returning once again to the river when a recent spate has brought in a fresh run of salmon, descendants of those fish angled for many years ago.
I will undoubtedly be able to put the flies I purchased during the visit. For they carry a selection of flies tied by those detained at HMS Prison in Exeter.
After reluctantly leaving the river we were taken into the recently refurbished holiday cottage that will make a wonderful base for both anglers and lovers of deepest rural Devon. The cottage is furnished to a high standard with Amanda’s artistic touches evident throughout. A wood-burner ensures that the cottage will be warm and cozy during autumn and winter when the valley is decorated with a crispy layer of frost, autumn leaves flutter to the ground and the salmons journey culminates as they spawn in the river of their birth.
I have tried to paint a picture of the river valley but when I returned home that night I thumbed through the pages of a book in my collection. “ A Summer on the Test” by J.W. Hills.
“ Indeed valleys are not only objects of natural beauty, but necessities, if you are to keep in tune with your surroundings. And there is another point. It is not only that the valley itself is pleasing, but the running water of the river gives it heart and life as a fire gives life to a room: and therefore you have both the attraction of moving water and also of its surrounding scenery. And further, if you follow the river and not the rail or the road, you will find that in its twists and turns it is always showing you the distant view under another aspect and you get a totally different idea of the country from that gained by one who scours the straight highway only. If also you go right down to the level of the water, as you do if you either fish or go in a boat, you step into a different plane of life. You see much that is hidden from him who only walks the banks – the habits of birds, and their nests, and flowers, which before were unnoticed. You see all this life, not from above, but on an equality, as though you formed part of it. All these attributes are the peculiar advantages of river valleys. And they have the further merit that in no other part of the earth can the changes of the seasons be observed better.”
A short period of heavy rain brought a welcome rise in the River Torridge initial optimism from local anglers keen to reap the benefits was temporarily thwarted as a surge of white water descended down river from clay workings. This ongoing issue has brought condemnation from angling bodies who are working hard to improve the Torridge environment.
As the waters cleared anglers enjoyed some exciting moments with Peter Stemp catching a fine brace of salmon from a middle river beat estimated at 14lb and 12lb. Colin Buckingham caught a 12lb salmon from an up river beat and another angler hooked a huge salmon estimated at 20lb that gave the angler a tantalizing glimpse at it leaped from the water before shedding the hook.
I fished a middle river beat one recent evening with my son James and enjoyed a tranquil few hours beside the water. The start of our trip brought optimism as a fine salmon leaped from the water. Whilst we failed to connect with the king of the stream we both enjoyed a pleasing diversion catching hard fighting brown trout using upstream dry fly fishing tactics. The fleeting glimpse of a kingfisher added to our enjoyment.
We left the river as the colour faded from the day and owls began hooting in the nearby woods. If we had the time and no work next day we should have commenced fishing for the silver sea trout that often succumb in the still of the night.
Recent rainfall brought a welcome rise in the River Torridge and Anthony and Amanda Milner of Little Warham Fishery took the opportunity to cast a line. Amanda was delighted to tempt a hard fighting silver sea trout on Monday June 12th. Anthony fished the following morning and tempted a fine 12lb fresh run salmon.
This is the couples first full season on this delightful fishery on the River Torridge where they provide both accommodation and day ticket fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. I hope to bring a full report on this fishery in the very near future.
Whilst the recent rain has not been welcomed by summer holidaymakers it has brought a much needed rise in local rivers that has brought a run of salmon into North Devon’s rivers. I fished the Middle Torridge on Saturday and whilst I did not connect with any salmon the river was in prime trim. Several salmon have been caught on beats on the Upper Torridge which indicates that the salmon have forged up through the river system and are now well spread out.
I will undoubtedly be able to put the flies I purchased during the visit. For they carry a selection of flies tied by those detained at HMS Prison in Exeter.
