The Rising Sun at Umberleigh are holding an end of season dinner with a special fish orientated menu. For full details contact the Rising Sun details on their website on link below. (Click on icon)
Several salmon have been landed from the Taw in recent days with the river at a good height for fishing following recent rainfall.
Len Francis fished the day ticket Weir Marsh and Brightly Beats on the River Taw to catch a fine brace of salmon estimated at 14lb and 10lb.
Day tickets can be obtained from the Rising Sun at Umberleigh. Click on image below for details.
I fished the Torridge on Sunday morning as heavy rain beat down (above) the river colored quickly as I fished and I failed to connect with any salmon. Following this rain the river came up over a metre and was very coloured with sediment. By the end of the week conditions should be near perfect and I expect several salmon to be caught.
Mac McCarthy worked tirelessly for the River Taw Fishery Association and South Molton and District Angling Club his passing will sadden all who knew him in the local angling community. The above picture shows Mac beside Head Falls shortly after the project was completed making upstream access for salmon and sea trout much easier hopefully ensuring the long term survival of these enigmatic fish.
Mac McCarthy
It is with great sadness that I report the death of Mac McCarthy earlier in the week. As you will all know Mac loved the Taw. He was an active and successful fisherman and a stalwart of RTFA in his role as Treasurer over so many years. Our finances were kept in impeccable shape by Mac and his help was invaluable to me from the moment I became Chairman. This is particularly true in respect of the two fund-raisings for the Taw Access over Weirs Project and TRIP. He will also be missed more widely in the south west where he was well known by all the river associations from his time as Treasurer of the South West Rivers Association. Mac moved away from North Devon to Hampshire about two years ago.
Alex Gibson
Anglers in the North of England have landed several Pacific salmon I don’t thin any have been landed in local rivers but if you do catch one please ensure you notify the Environment Agency and of course North Devon Angling News. More info on below link.
http://anglingtrust-news.net/3XSU-99Q1-0F2NFPLC54/cr.aspx
The Taw and Torridge have both now dropped to a good level with every chance of salmon and sea trout from both rivers. As the sun shines each day will undoubtedly see prospects decrease. Several salmon have been hooked and lost at Little Warham on the river Torridge where one salmon and sea trout were landed. The best time for contacting salmon or sea trout is undoubtedly in the early evening. A sound plan would be to fish for brown trout through the day and then target the salmon and sea trout from late afternoon. Even if you do not catch the river in early September is a wonderful place to spend a day.
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.
I once rather naively thought that fish farms were a good thing in that rearing salmon would reduce the demand for wild fish and eradicate the threat of poaching and commercial harvesting. Many years later I see fish farms as a menace and a very real threat to wild salmon stocks and other fish. The much publicized concerns regarding sea lice infestations and potential genetic issues with farmed fish mingling with wild stocks are just a couple of issues.
The Angling Trust have just publicized a campaign to halt the use of West Country Wrasse to control sea lice infestations in Scottish salmon farms.
Whilst I have not got any degree of scientific expertise I have grave concerns regarding other aspects of fish farming. I have recollections of statistics revealing that 5 kilos of fish meal is used to produce 1 kilo of salmon. Fish meal is basically ground down fish such as sandeel and mackerel both vital links in the aquatic food chain.
Whilst in Norway recently we caught cod and halibut with their stomachs full of pellets. These fish had undoubtedly been feeding from the spillings of food from the growing number of salmon farms. Many of the cod, coalfish and halibut also had large numbers of sea-lice on them. I do not know if this is normal or if numbers of sea lice have multiplied in recent seasons? At times there appeared to be an oily slick on the water was this pollution from the salmon farms? It is alarming if as I suspect this pristine arctic environment is being tarnished by commercial farming of salmon.
These issues are of course complex as we need to eat and we have probably all eaten farmed salmon and have not given any thought to the costs to the environment.
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
Ian Blewett landed the above 5lb 12oz grilse whilst fishing for sea trout at a quarter to midnight on a Middle Taw beat. The recent rain has encouraged a trickle of salmon and sea trout into both the Taw and Torridge. Two salmon of 5lb and 11lb were caught on a Middle Taw beat on Friday. Rumours are circulating of a 14lb + sea trout from the River Mole?
On the Torridge four grilse were tempted from a Middle River Beat despite the river being very low.
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!
