Cast, Catch & Cook
I am all for catch and release, after all our wild stocks of fish are a precious resource which needs protecting. However some anglers argue that commercial fishing, fish farms etc., do so much damage that there is little point in “doing their bit”. In my opinion that is a crazy attitude. The more Salmon, Sea Trout and Bass that we free; the better.
These species receive a great deal of press regarding conservation. But what about Mackerel, persecuted beyond belief, piled up for bait or loaded into a bin liner and left to rot in a freezer? It may seem like there are innumerable individuals within a shoal but a string of feathers does not take long to decimate a community. This is not only bad for the species but also has a knock on effect for the predatory fish. Yeah right, OK, old news Nick we all watched the Fish Fight, we all know what’s going on.
But we are anglers and have a vested interest. What about those people who don’t have any interest in fishing but like eating fish? So long as they can head to the fish counter and get their fix of Omega 3 then everything will be just fine. That is until the time bomb which is ticking finally explodes and there is literally nothing left. Check out “The End of the Line” if you have stumbled upon this blog and wonder quite what I am wittering on about.
Anyway this post all came about because over the last couple of days I have been running a 2 day course for a father and son, Simon and Arthur, visiting from Brighton. The plan was that they would learn how to cast a fly and hopefully catch some fish, prior to heading to the North Devon coast for a spot of surfing. Model pupils both showed some real flare, no doubt assisted by their keen sporting and musical backgrounds. But despite their best efforts conditions were difficult and no fish were landed.
Personally I was not fazed by this and in fact on a two day course I reckon it is quite cool if you are up and running by lunchtime, casting and then spend the rest of the day fishing. If the fish don’t bite then this instantly educates newcomers to the sport that fishing is not only about catching. It’s about watercraft. Hunting if you like!
Arthur with his first ever Trout
Day 2 could not have got off to a better start. Fourteen year old Arthur flipped a stunning little loop out over Exe Valley, nestling his Black Hopper amongst a group of rising fish and instantly received his reward for all the effort of the previous day. It is such a buzz to see anyone get their first fish but when it is the new generation clad in jeans and a hooded top, even better.
Team work! Arthur helps his Dad to land another hard fighting Rainbow Trout.
Prior to this moment Arthur had expressed concern at the requirement to kill any fish caught so I quickly set about dispatching his prize while explaining how to ensure a humane end. I think he was quite surprised at how quickly this came about and went on to deal with all of his own fish and some of his Dads during the course of the day. I explained that our wild stocks need conserving but “put & take” style small stillwaters are a crop to be harvested. And what a fine crop too! OK this is not exactly Ray Mears but it is all part of the process. Take the odd Salmon, Sea Trout or Bass and fish lovers know how good Mackerel are. The point is we really don’t need to obliterate these already pressurised stocks. Yes I know the nets do more damage, that our common fisheries policy sucks and that nobody seems to be listening, but we have to do our bit. If we feel the urge to load up our freezer surely stocked Trout are the way to go?
Success! Arthur and Simon land their lunch
Arthur had never tried Trout, can you believe that? Thanks to his Dads brilliant little BBQ (called a Cobb, you can see them here) that was about to change. Garlic, Lemon, herbs, a little white wine and some herbs were stuffed inside the cavity and while the Cob did its stuff the guys continued fishing. And very successfully! In fact their bag of 6 fish averaged around 4lb per Trout at the weighing scale, which coupled with their weigh in permits amounted to around £55. So had they turned up as regular anglers the whole days sport would have cost just £27.50 per head and of course they can take the fish home. We could add the fuel costs etc., but the point is this. Right now Trout are going for something like £6.99 per kilo in certain supermarkets (we only charge £5/kg at the lake!). These poly wrapped fish are small, look ill and when we buy them do we really know where they came from, how they were dispatched etc?
The Cobb awaits! This nifty little BBQ is portable and ideal for cooking Trout next to the lake.
I am pleased to report that Arthurs first ever Trout went down well. He had cast to it, caught it and cooked it. In fact he was even asking his father if they could do the same for supper and pleading to go fishing again instead of surfing. Just imagine if we could convert more 14 year olds, then perhaps, just perhaps our precious wild resources may have some kind of future.
Cast, Catch and Cook!
Sustainable fish and they taste so good! Fresh Trout caught from and cooked on the shores of Exe Valley Lake.
My First Lure Caught Devon Bass
I had an entirely different blog post lined up for today. However it is fair to say that right now I am buzzing. The buzz that only fishing can give you. To be honest I really should have been sat at the fly tying vice sorting some sand eel patterns for James & Cian of Absolute Fishing … but instead I went fishing. Sorry guys!
Heading out to the North Devon coast with long time angling buddy Wayne Thomas the goal was to catch a Bass, not with flies, but with lures. It might seem like stepping backwards, using lure tactics when I have caught a stack load of Devon Bass with fly. But that’s not what this blog post is about. If you want to know my feelings on fly/lure crossover fishing then have a look here.
For this inaugural Devon lure outing I could not have been in better company. Wayne is a well known all round angler with a few books to his name and regular articles in the angling press. This guy knows his stuff, so much so that last week we aborted the trip because a strong North Westerly had “blown” the area we had hoped to fish. Believe me learning all about tides and weather systems is all important if you fancy tackling the salt; that is with fly or lure. So if you can find a sea fishing mate as knowledgeable as Wayne, hang on to their every word. There is a safety aspect too.
Wayne found us some awesome looking ground
All that stood between the mouth watering looking ground and our lures was a pretty impressive near vertical climb over a series of jagged rocks. I followed Wayne very carefully! It was well worth it as he had dropped us right on to some of the ground that I have come to know as Bass country through my travels to Ireland with Henry Gilbey. This place looked just right!
A "Basslet" got the session off to a good start. Wheres your mama?!
Within 5 minutes Wayne had landed a Bass on an IMA Komomo SF-125 in the Plasma Candy colour. OK, so the lure was almost as big as the Bass, but it was a great start in my eyes! At least there were some fish around. And then he moved! Always willing to experiment Wayne had gone off to have a play with some soft plastics, so without any hesitation I jumped into his spot and gave the area a bit of a pasting with a Feed Shallow (or is that a Shallow Feed?!) No joy.
Now that is one hungry little Bass!
Looking into the depths of my new Shimano lure box (thanks to James Barry for the heads up on that) my eyes settled on the Megabass X-140 GG in what I think is the Inakko colour. Don’t ask me why it is called Inakko, it doesn’t matter. All I do know is that it reminds me of a Sandeel, has a really nice action and is easy to use for a lure beginner like me. There was a fair bit of water clarity too so I felt that something not too garish which I had confidence in would be worth a chuck. It was!
I am not too sure who was more surprised, me or the Bass! What I did know was that it was a good bit bigger than the lure as it stuck a lovely curve into my Mazzera 742, (just 7’ 4” and a dream to cast) an ultra lightweight rod that offers real sport with these fish. Making sure the fish did not dive and cut my braid I soon had it on the surface, caught a wave and it was mine! We reckoned it was 3lb, a school fish by most standards, especially Ireland. But I did not care one bit and the fish might even have been 2lb. I wouldn’t have minded if it had been even less although I had better get myself a new BogaGrip, just in case!
My first ever lure caught Devon Bass - stoked!
I will always remember that fish it because it was my first lure caught Bass, on the coast of Devon. The light was not great for pictures but I think the grin says it all, moments later the fish was back home possibly wondering how it had been so daft as to take an X140 dangled b y a newbie! For the rest of the session I kicked myself that living so close to our glorious coast line that I have not been out there pounding the mile upon mile of wonderful ground available. Our session did not start and finish there because we had some more follows and in one excellent spot where the water really came to life as the tide flooded we rapidly increased our tally to 4 fish apiece. These were small schoolies up to a pound and a half although I connect briefly with another half reasonable looking specimen that shook the lure and we had a real thrill seeing fish chase the lures to the rocks.
Devon is home to mile upon mile of stunning Bass ground
Could I have caught these fish with fly? Quite possibly and next time maybe I will give it a go especially as the long range casting qualities of the lure fishing gear had helped to show where the fish hang out. But I have to say that once again I cannot thank Wayne enough because it was his knowledge regarding where to find those fish that was so important, leading to my first Devon Bass on a lure. We must have been on the right track as we bumped into Joel Squires who has had some serious Bass this season and operates a lure guiding service. Anyway I had better shut up waffling and go and do some work … and tie those flies … although I might just sneak a look at the tides first. Er Houston “we have a problem”.
C&F Design Line Pallet
Enter the line pallet available in 2 sizes, 19” x 12” with 12 cones and a larger 23” x 17” version with 16 cones. It is effectively a tray which will catch your line, before it hits an obstruction; meanwhile the smooth tapered cones store the coils neatly ready for recasting. I can honestly say that during my recent jaunt to the Emerald Isle that I experienced virtually no tangles. Tangles I can handle in small doses!
The C&F Design Line Pallet is ideal for wading
What really gets me are those annoying little rocks (often sharp!) which not only ruin fly lines but generally decide to trap the running line just as it disappears through the rod rings towards a shoal of decent Bass smashing Sandeel! When I was using the CF Design Line pallet this just did not happen. Within moments of hooking a Bass the line was back on the reel and I was in control. If while attached to a decent fish you have ever tried freeing a line caught by a rock or desperately attempted to remove weed as it drags line down tide then you will understand how important some kind of line tray is!
The C&F Design Line Pallet in Action (Picture by Henry Gilbey)
For years I used the “washing up bowl style” and they do work. Whether homemade from your local DIY store or one of the not inexpensive commercially available versions there is no doubting that they are better than nothing. As for the mesh sort, well I would rather do battle with the rocks. However the bowl style baskets have several major drawbacks. At best they are cumbersome which is not ideal for the nomadic approach to fishing, at worst when moving over rocky ground they can become dangerous. On more than one occasion I have caught my breath as the “bowl” got trapped between my body and a ledge leading to that horrible unbalanced feeling. In deep water this style of stripping basket can also become weighed down by liquid, dangerous and uncomfortable.
The advent of the new C&F design pallet has solved many of these problems. It is so lightweight that it can be strapped to a wading belt and you would hardly know it was there. When travelling a considerable distance the smaller version will pack away in a rucksack quite happily; much safer when covering dangerous territory. Alternatively these pallets can be connected to one’s self ready for a substantial yomp by linking the straps to a D ring or something similar. Either way it is far safer than conventional line trays.
It is even handy for storing a rod while releasing a fish! (Picture by Henry Gilbey)
This is also the case when wading. Two straps attach the tray to a wading belt ready for action, which can be quickly released if required, while a leg strap maintains the pallet in exactly the right location. But this is where it gets clever (yet simple) because when wading in deep water the leg strap can be removed leaving a floating line platform! While in Ireland I was wading out well above my waist and able to manage my line very effectively, even when the water was choppy.
The kidney shaped design moulds perfectly to a leg or waist and be in no doubt that this tray could be just as useful when fishing freshwater. In fact stick a bit of Velcro on the back and I reckon it could even be used in a boat! If I had to make a criticism I found that occasionally the cones dropped out, spares are available and I feel sure that the pallet would work even if some were lost. Personally I glued them into place! I am sure that many would argue that this product is expensive, but so is a fly line and it only takes one nick from a rock to ruin both a fly line and a days fishing. Overall a fantastic product that I look forward to using on my next saltwater fly fishing adventure.
The C&F Design Line Pallet is available in 2 sizes. 19″ x 12″ with 12 cones (£50) and 23″ x 17″ with 16 cones (£60). Click Here for further information
Weather and work …. are these the two biggest factors which ruin a day by the water?
Waking up to the drizzle this morning I began to think about the last few days. Yesterday I was supposed to go fishing on the North coast with lures for Bass, the fly rod packed of course, that was until the forecast NW wind materialised. Enjoying a shower I heard the phone ring and my wife answer, sometimes clients call early I thought … even on a Sunday!
Unfortunately it was my mate Wayne Thomas with some bad news, the wind direction had kicked up the surf, coloured the water and things were looking very bad. The nearest we came to actually going fishing was an hour of angling related chat! But should we have just gone for it? This was the question that kept going through my head as I settled down for a day with the family.
The inevitable withdrawal symptoms set in and I don’t mind admitting to more than a little frustration that our trip was aborted. It was made worse by the events which transpired on the previous Friday. I was supposed to have been at a track day screaming around the tarmac in some high powered super car, a special offer event available for just one hundred coins. But, the tides looked good so I decided to ditch burning rubber for some fly action on the North Devon coast. This time work got in the way … and whatever way I looked at it I was also a ton down.
Weather and work …. are these the two biggest factors which ruin a day by the water? I would personally vote YES. Should we use them as an excuse? Well I feel a bit like a hypocrite but today I vote NO … where possible. There is no point in flogging a dead horse that is for sure but with a busy week of work ahead I feel like I missed out on those wonderful hours of concentrated freedom and anyway it is not just about catching is it? Fishing is a chance to forget work (yes I know I am a fishing guide but I still have to run a business and pay taxes!) and anyway even if the weather is dire isn’t “a bad days fishing better than a good day at work?” Wrap up in some decent windproof wet weather gear and go fishing!
Perhaps Wayne and I should have struck out for an unknown South Coast mark or swapped Bass for Trout? That is one of the main but lovely problems about living in this part of the West Country, there are just so many options! This shouldn’t really be a dilemma but I have often found myself deliberating (while wasting valuable fishing time) over a venue.
Weather I can do nothing about. Sometimes work will get in the way. Being decisive about going fishing is something I need to work on.
A Fish with Fight
I can’t believe that it has been a week since Henry and I arrived in the Beara Peninsula. Barley Lake was certainly an experience but when I head out to Ireland I can’t help but get excited by the prospect of Pollack. For serious arm aching fun … is there a better fish? For prolific sport … is there a better fish? One thing is for sure, the South West coast of the Emerald Isle has plentiful stocks of this dirty fighter.
Rocks, ledges and deep water. The Pollack are not far away.
My set up consisted of a Hardy Proaxis rod (you have to cast one of these things!) coupled with a Hardy Demon reel. Expensive kit to be thrashing around on the rocks but the Beara Peninsula (Kerry & Dingle) represents the chance to tangle with the fish of a lifetime. During our trip I met one devastated angler who had lost a fish that was well into the backing and then his cheap composite reel jammed. Unable to control the crash diving brute the backing was then sheared off by a submerged ledge. His fishing was over. A decent drag would have helped; carrying a spare line (or two) would have at least got him back up and running. I never go fishing for Pollack without spare lines.
30 seconds of mayhem!
There are various lines out there on the scene which are suitable, you could make up a shooting head for instance with a lead core. But personally I am into the Depthfinder 500 by Airflo for really deep work and I also took a T11 Rio with me. Next time I will also go with a T14. Various streamers, such as a Deceiver are staple saltwater patterns. White, silver and flashy patterns seem an obvious choice and do account for plenty of fish. In fact on a reasonably shallow reef mark, set just off a beach, these patterns were engulfed (and I mean engulfed!) on a regular basis. Awesome sport!
Not big, but huge fun on fly or lightweight lure tackle
This was not the case out on the deep water marks. We were on neap tides and even the lure struggled to regularly pull fish. That said in one session Henry landed 3 fish all over 6lbs, such is the quality of this fishing. All of these fish came to dark lures and unfortunately I had nothing in the fly department suitable at the time. The next day I returned with an old favourite Pike fly tied on a 4/0, jet Black Marabou and a bunch of crystal hair for the tail. That fly worked within 2 casts and I managed several fish to around the 4lb mark. Not huge, but Jesus how hard do those things pull? It’s all go for 30 seconds as a rather angry Pollack crash dives towards the sea bed, doing its best to stick your fly where the sun don’t shine.
Would you want to be a little fish?
This trip has made me think about this species in an entirely different way. To be honest I have always considered them easy, yet I did not hook a really big fish off the shore. The lure did. The fish were obviously there. If I had cast that dark silhouette pattern for more than one session, would I have connected? One thing is certain I will head back to the Beara with an open mind about Pollack, especially after Henry finished our last session off with an 8lb specimen, just look at the size if that eye, captured perfectly in Henrys photograph (see more here).
If you are heading out to Ireland this summer then you could do far worse than hook up with Paul & Anne Harris of Dromagowlane House. A great place to stay with a fine breakfast and Paul also offers to guide anglers to some of the best marks on the Beara. But be warned, bait, lure or fly … once infected by the magic of the Beara Peninsula you won’t want to leave!
A very Beara(ble) session
Dromagowlane is the perfect anglers retreat with ample space for tackle, drying areas for clothing and very comfortable beds. But the best bit is the food! Paul’s wife Anne was soon filling us with all manner of tasty cuisine (small portions are not an option!), prior to heading out for a quick bash at the Pollack. Henry managed a couple on his soft plastic lures but other than that it was a quiet session. After the amazing fishing we had experienced a few days previously (see more here) we could hardly complain and headed back to base tired but more than happy. After all the next morning was going to be perfect!
Waking to the sound of heavy rain falling from a dreary grey sky it would have been easy to begin moaning, but what good does that do? Fishing is about dealing with conditions and that sometimes means bad weather. One of Anne’s legendary breakfasts had us perked up as we planned a visit away from the salt in search of Trout on one of the Bearas relatively under fished Loughs. The road into our chosen venue, Barley Lake, should have us told that we were about to witness something very special. It reminded me of that famous opening scene from the Italian Job as we wound our way towards Trout heaven, just praying for a little sunshine along the way. Our prayers were not answered.
Bearas Barley Lake, no other word ... stunning!
Instead Henry asked me to teeter on the edge of a high rock in the howling wind for an opening shot, while I chuckled at his efforts to control an umbrella and a camera, various expletives echoing across the valley. I must admit all I wanted to do was run down the steep boggy track to a calm looking bay (well … calmish!) and the chance of an Irish Brown Trout. An hour of fruitless fishing later I did begin to question our sanity. At least I was fishing! Taking pity on Henry who was huddled under his umbrella, 2 eyes peering from a small opening in his jacket, I offered him my second rod so that at least he could have a cast or two. He did not need to be asked twice and was soon casting into a new bay that we had found, home to a cavernous drop off. Counting down for over a minute with a Di-5 40+ I did not touch the bottom … or a fish for that matter!
Heading into the wilderness - Barley Lake in the Beara Peninsula
And then humiliation … Henry was into a fish! Fair enough it was not much bigger than the fly he was using, but it was a fish none the less. Now I HAD to catch a fish or the piss taking would have been relentless. There was only one thing for it, a big Black Minkie pulled at break neck speed. Within 2 casts I heaved a sigh of relief as a half pounder savaged the fly. At least Henry now had a fish for the camera and despite the cold and wet I was feeling that lovely warm glow we anglers experience after being rewarded for our efforts. I managed a couple more takes in the same spot but the whole time my eye had been on a huge ridge jutting out into the lake, probably only 200 metres away as the crow flies, although it seemed more like 2 miles such was the gradient of climb to reach it!
- The drop off was staggering – but the ridge drop off in the background was even deeper!
Arriving at the edge my first thought was to chuck a big Deceiver at the water, this drop off here was even more incredible and looked more like the Atlantic home of a Pollack! Snapping back into reality I used the ample back cast space to throw a long line into the mysterious black depths. First chuck an angry Brown charged the Minkie all the way to the shore, grabbed at it and then I struck like a lunatic … pulling the fly straight out of its mouth. A shame because it was a good fish. Next cast another half pounder. And so it continued as frequently I experienced plucks, follows and takes to a high speed Minkie. There was no doubting the aggressive streak in these fish, obviously required in such harsh conditions.
A gorgeous Beara Barley Lake Brownie
On which note our session came to a halt as the weather worsened and Henry suffered a double sense of humour failure as the rain pounded relentlessly meaning the lens caps needed to stay put and the wind thrashed two of his leaders into oblivion … I promise I did not laugh! All that remained was the long walk back to the car. But do you know I don’t think we would have changed that session. It had been wonderful fun in spite of the conditions. In fact the weather added a moody edge to the scenery. The Trout were perfect. And it means we have an excuse to return when the sun is shining … I am already looking forward to it.
Picking & Choosing in Ireland
Since we began stocking a bit of lure tackle at the shop we have had mixed reviews. Opinions seem to range from “why have you got this in a fly shop” (the phrase “going over to the dark side” has been heard being quietly whispered in a corner) through to those who see lure fishing as a method with characteristics not too dissimilar to fly fishing … and are keen to give it a go.
If you fancy targeting Bass with light tackle, then it is the definite way forward. Take a look on the internet and you will find any amount of blogs, forums and general banter related to this exciting form of angling. And I think we fluff chuckers should be taking note. Make no mistake that during my current visit to Ireland I am longing to catch as many fish with the fly as possible. On some marks the fly has even out fished the lure. But there is a “But”. Had I decided to head out early this morning with just fly gear then I would have been in deep trouble.
Henry photographs James Barrys huge Bass caught on lightweight lure tackle
For sure looking out over the coast things looked just perfect, light winds, mixed clouds and sun, just the conditions which produced fish to the fly earlier this week. Arriving at a stunning looking set of ledges I reckon I could have spent around 10 minutes comfortably casting and not with a #8, no it would have required a #10. Soon afterwards I would have been sunk, that is unless I was carrying a lure rod.
Chucking a stunning bit of plastic known as a Feed Shallow with ultra fine braid and a super lightweight 7’ 6” Mazzera lure rod I would love to say that I went on to bag up as the wind steadily increased in strength whipping up a substantial surf. My efforts were rewarded with a follow early in the session but our conclusion was that the drop in pressure and temperature had taken effect, leading to slow fishing.
James Barry with 5 1/2 lbs of Irish Bass
But it’s not just about the fish. I had a thoroughly enjoyable session in the company of James Barry of Absolute Fishing, chatting tactics, weather conditions and hanging on to his every word regarding technique. These guys are just so willing to help. But this session was only possible because I was carrying a lure set up … now is that going to the dark side or plain practical? Fishing is very personal of course and some anglers just love casting flies so much that nothing else will do, but if you are struggling at times to cope with conditions while fly fishing for Bass I urge you … grab yourself a lure set up! I have some thoughts on this subject with regard to the similarity to fly fishing but that is for another blog.
If you are thinking about it, but are not quite convinced then I urge you to head over to Henry Gilbeys blog and check out a simply sublime session that we enjoyed yesterday, Bass maestro James Barry scoring a trio of stunning fish including a double.
Bass Chomping in Ireland
I am lucky enough to find myself in Ireland again after my visit in October last year and as usual I am loving it! While the area around us, including North and South Devon offers a great chance of Bass it has to be said that landing quality size fish using fly gear is not the norm. However Ireland represents a great chance of encountering a tidy fish with the fly and of course for anglers who are willing to diversify there is also lure fishing.
During the whole trip (we are three days in as I write this) I have been carrying both, but so far other than a couple of tentative chucks with the Sakura Mazzera it has been a #8 Hardy Sintrix Proaxis that I have been relentlessly casting at every Bassy looking nook and cranny …. of which there are plenty!
I am over here with Bass junkie Henry Gilbey who has fallen in love with the coastline and makes several trips every year, those of you who know Henry will now how buzzed up he is right now! Sure the fishing has not been easy, but honestly I like to work for fish and while I have fallen in love with the lure … this time I was determined to land a fish from the shore using fly gear. The first day proved tough as we visited several marks in the company of Cian from Absolute Fishing and a real gentle giant, Ger, a local angler with phenomenal talent. It was his remark that “don’t worry Nick we will find some Bass chomping at our lures soon” which gave me the confidence to keep chucking my Rio Pike line and a DNA sandeel pattern … and when we were tired Ger producess the most incredible lunches. Great for my enormous appetite!
5 1/2lbs of shore caught Bass on fly ... and one very happy angler!
I don’t have much time to go into the details right now, dinner and an early start are calling but all I can say is that I am one very, very happy angler having landed this 5 1/2 lb fish on a sandeel pattern yesterday. There are a million other things that I would like to say right now but all I can honestly do is thank Henry, Cian and of course Ger for sharing their knowledge of the coastline around here. The marks we have been fishing have been outstanding and for us guys who like fly fishing it has to be said that there is some very fishable water around here … and if the wind blows up, chuck a lure! Henry has done just that and landed fish everyday, while Ger has had moments of brilliance, picking up fish on pretty much every spot he tried this morning. More soon …
