Of course the answer is no. I do not have shelves stacked full of spades or pick axes on buy one, get one free. There is no blue tow rope on offer either. The reason behind the strange looking spectacle was of course ice. All week we have been relatively ice free and then when Saturday arrives …. -6 and half the lake is covered. I saw red … or rather mist through the "cold" lens of my Costas. Venturing out of the cosy hart flyshop office clad in a multitude of layers and armed with many heavy implements I decided to wreak havoc on the surface of Exe Valley. The anglers who had made the effort were going to catch some fish, but the ice would have to go first.
I must admit at this point that I had no idea if my plan could backfire, resulting in several "bodies" floating to the surface after my blitz. Setting to work with "Ice Breaker – Mk 1", (a spade attached to the rope) I tried some tentative throws resulting in a few holes before pulling the rope back to cause stress fractures. Having created half a dozen or so "softeners" I waited a while to see if anything happened. Nothing did … no dead Trout so far. At this point you may have been forgiven for thinking that I was training for London 2012, as the Saturday morning peace was shattered (literally) by my grunts and the sound of a spade (pickaxe or club hammer) swooshing through the air. "Different" in approach this method maybe but the result was incredibly satisfying as the ice began to shatter into hundreds of little pieces. On one occasion I got quite carried away and even managed a war cry before Ice Breaker Mk 1 died. Ditching my cheap and nasty plastic spade, "Ice Breaker Mk II" was born, sporting a hard wood handle and super heavy head. Not so great for distance but the ice was not liking it one bit.
The spade sliced through the ice surprisingly well
A few hours went by and slowly but surely little gaps began to open up, allowing a fly to be fished in previously frozen water and before long one of the anglers had hooked a Trout. I had also been joined by John who had arrived expecting to enjoy a days fishing but got roped in to my hair brained scheme. Little did he know that within a few hours he would be more than rewarded for his efforts! But before that there was a lot more ice to be broken, especially as the low temperatures were causing some of it to freeze once again. We did not give up, especially when the sun began to shine. By breaking the surface layer up it should defrost faster and then the natural current in Exe Valley would begin drawing the ice away from the corner … or at least that was the plan.
Strangely enough we experienced no takes on the hand lined pickaxe!
As we continue our mission a fish is hooked
Although the ice was becoming badly damaged I was beginning to question my sanity a little as only a few major holes had appeared. That was until Alan Jukes turned up in the corner we had been working on to give it a go. A few of the others had been mumbling about the commotion but Alan took notice of my advice that the majority of the fish had been sat in the deep corner covered in ice. He began prospecting with a lure through a few of the gaps … little did we expect what happened next!
Mind that Leader - Alan hooks a Trout through a hole in the ice
Tense moments as a hole is cleared to land the fish
I was just chuffed to see Alan hook a fish from the previously impenetrable corner, but after a few minutes and by the tense look on Alan's face I knew that not only had he managed to hook a Trout but that it was a decent size. A few weeks ago he bought one of the excellent McLeans nets from the shop which I usually use for Salmon and what a good job as the frame is very tough enabling us to clear some ice in readiness to land the fish. There were several heart stopping moments as the fish used its weight and power to charge through several broken layers of ice which at any moment I expected to slice through the leader. Thankfully the leader held and …
Alan banks a stunning 11lb 10oz fish!
What a buzz! A beautiful conditioned winter fish that almost certainly wouldnt have been caught unless the ice had been broken. Not much more than an hour later Alan appeared with his full bag limit of 5 fish which also included another specimen of well over 5lb. Meanwhile the other anglers had all begun to catch fairly frequently as the sun defrosted the broken ice. Evidently the fish were not bothered that we had spent the morning hurling blunt implements at them! And remember John? …. he is in the background of this picture.
The broken corner - by late afternoon the lake was almost free of ice
And ten minutes later he was stuck into this beast. His first ever double figure Trout caught on a sinking line and landed using a 5 weight set up. What a brilliant way to finish the day. But will I be doing it again? Well today despite very cold temperatures last night the ice receded rapidly, even though it is overcast and the air temperature low. Usually the ice will begin to thaw and then refreeze, which increases the density. However by smashing up the ice I think that today the ice was much thinner which has meant good fishing once again in the now ice free corner. But no, I wont be doing it like this again because 4 hours of work based on per kilo fish weights and the market price of a ticket does not stack up. However, it has made me realise that all I need is Ice Breaker MK III in the form of a boat powered by an electric engine which should reduce the time taken to clear the ice immensely although if I am honest … I don't think it will be so much fun!
Rewarded for his efforts - John Yianni with a personal best 10lb 3oz winter Trout
On the reservoir scene Farmoor has enjoyed quite a renaissance and the good news is that it remains open throughout the year. Its a concrete bowl (comprising 2 separate lakes), so perhaps not every ones cup of tea, but if you want the chance of a full tailed, over wintered Rainbow this is definitely the place. Boats are available on Farmoor 2 and it sounds like it is going off. I have just spoken with one of the rangers and the boat rod average is over 18! Currently typing with one eye on the diary! There is also a catch and release lake, Farmoor 1, that is home to some monsters which just love a Buzzer swung on the wind, a Cruncher twiddled back slowly or an ultra slow fished Blob. Sunburst Yellow is a favourite. By the way if you like fishing Booby style tactics then F2 is just brilliant. Check out their fly fishing section on the Farmoor website
Farmoor Reservoir - open all year for fly fishing
But what about the rivers? I get several calls a week about the Exe and its population of Grayling. It is of course possible to catch these fish at this time of year but the major hassle is water height. The Grayling also seem to hide themselves away very well and the only way to extract one is by going super deep with heavy bugs, fished with an indicator of sorts and possibly a Czech/French style leader. This latter approach certainly provides a great deal of sensitivity and the ability to offer the most natural of presentations. A friend of mine did just that a couple of weeks ago in fairly heavy water conditions and managed one Grayling although I think it was the mended Salmon Kelt that snaffled a rubber leg nymph which surprised him most of all! If you are tempted then my advice is to keep checking the network of Farson Digital watercams for water conditions. You can see the Exe camera here
Or you could head to a chalkstream. Many have closed their doors for Grayling fishing by this time of year but John Aplins beautiful stretch of the Frome is still taking bookings and judging by his twitter post this morning it sounds like conditions could be just right. They also have a camera here.
The River Frome - Early Season
I have a few more hardcore days in the office to finish and then I have got to have a crack at one of these although there is something else. Fly Fishing for Pike. As we move towards spawning I guess our chances might diminish somewhat but there is always the chance. And even if now is not quite the right time, I have had some brilliant sessions by early March. Intermediate fly lines and highly mobile streamers proved irresistible to fish like the one below during a hectic session in early 2011. This is also budget priced sport which has to be a consideration after the expense of Christmas and now yet another hike in fuel prices on the horizon!
And I do believe the sun is shining through my office window … the season is on the way!
]]>We will peg each of our competition heats by draw at the beginning of the day, with anglers moving around the lake in a clockwise direction every 30 mins to give all competitors a fair chance to fish the hotspots. The bag limit will be 5 fish, but after the limit has been reached anglers will be able to continue fishing on a catch & release basis with points scored per fish caught. There will be prizes at the heats but the main objective is to reach the final being held on 20th May at Elinor in Northamptonshire. The winners prize is £2000, with various other tagged fish and spot prizes!
The amount of places available at each heat, going through to the final will depend on numbers who enter, but there is a good chance that the top 4 to 6 rods at each of our heats could go through. The heats will be be based on fishery rules with the exception of catch & release which we are offering on the day to provide an exciting competition, barbless or debarbed hooks will be obligatory. We are also providing a special 5 fish limit at £25.00, which is based on the usual price of 4. The entry fee for the first heat is £25.00, although further heats can be attended for a reduced fee of £22.00 All forms should be sent to the organiser including a cheque for the entrance fee, fishery fees to be settled on the day of the heat. We have entry forms available at the shop, but you can also download one by clicking here. And for further details including rules for the final which will be entirely catch & release please see this page.
We already have quite a few entrants but places will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. So if you fancy the chance of a lovely day out on Exe Valley, a new fly line, some extra flies for your box and even the chance of winning yourself £2000 should you make it to the final … please enter, we would love to see you. And of course we will also stock one or two specimen fish, see here for our latest catches. So those dates for your diary again, Airflo World Bank Masters Competition Heats at Exe Valley Fishery on Sat 3rd & Sunday 4th March 2012. We hope to see you there!
]]>Personally I have had some very enjoyable times on the match circuit and found them to be a huge buzz. I also learned. A lot. Many of the tactics that we use during our "pleasure" trips have been dreamed up by competitive anglers looking for an edge. You note I have highlighted the word pleasure there because it has always interested me when anglers define pleasure/competition fishing in this way. For me even a competition has to be pleasurable. Sure we have a different mind set and I guess we add some pressure to the day. But I try to forget all that, enjoy the day, enjoy the social side and of course enjoy the fishing.
During a competition my heart always pounds a little harder when a fish is hooked. Just one fish, that's all it takes to win a match and I have experienced both the enormous high when you pull off a win, or qualify to the next round coupled with the lows when you miss out. But isn't that what fishing is all about anyway, competition or no competition? Most of the matches I entered were reservoir based because if you have an eye on an England cap for example (as I did), this is where the eliminators/finals take place. It was also an opportunity to travel around the country, see new venues, practice a variety of methods and gain invaluable experience.
All well and good but when we take into account that most of the fly fishing enjoyed in the UK is on a small water, why have they been virtually ignored by the competition circuit? After all by providing small water anglers with a chance to enjoy a match in more familiar surroundings we may encourage a few to step up to something a bit bigger in the future. There is of course the long standing Troutmasters Competition organised by Trout Fisherman magazine which has a huge following, although this encompasses both large and small still waters. Catch a big fish, head to a fish off and if you win, you are in the final. It has been hugely successful and I love to see our anglers proudly wearing their badges after they have caught a big fish here at Exe Valley. But … there is room for a small water competition that has a similar format to the matches fished on reservoirs … and it has arrived.
The World Bank Masters Individual Competition 2012 is the brainchild of 2009 world fly fishing Champion Iain Barr. Heats are going to be available nationwide and I am pleased to say that both Hart Flyshop and Exe Valley Fishery have become involved in this exciting new event. I will post full details here tomorrow regarding our heats which will take place on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th March 2012.
]]>
But the memories survive and the experience. It’s what it is all about right? And last week on the Deveron was no exception. That trip had everything we needed, great highs, a few lows, plenty of banter and even the occasional bottle of wine.
And what about the fish? Well they were tough to come by, but there was just enough action to keep everyone alert and plenty of stories to share over multiple curries in Banff! But best of all fishing had united a bunch of guys who all herald from various walks of life.
No Fishing on a Sunday! The team prepare for the week ahead by checking out the river.
There was Al who had flown over especially from Dubai, James from Ireland, Stu from Aberdeen and Dom from Edinburgh plus us two reprobates from Devon. I refer to myself and Patagonia man of course, my new nickname for Lewis who appeared on the scene looking more like a Detroit Gangsta Rapper than an angler hell bent on catching a Salmon!
Patagonia Man
It was over all too quickly but at least we have that other great fishing pleasure to revel in now, the anticipation of the next trip. I can’t wait! I will post some memories from the trip over the coming days.
Fishing is not just about the fish - its about the banter on and off the water
Many thanks to Dom for the images which appear with this post, you can see more of his work here. More about Dom and his first ever fish (a Salmon on the Deveron) in future posts.
]]>Cian from Absolute Fishing has been fishing Wave Worms recently and so I decided to give them a go. First session and I pulled a fish, using a weightless soft plastic. Instantly I had confidence in the method and fished it hard throughout the session. But I am convinced that those fish knew the weather was on the way, because we all struggled for the rest of the day.
In fact the weather got so bad that we opted for bait during the next couple of days. I am into all sorts of fishing but so used to the active characteristics of fly fishing that two solid days without a fish (I was very good at missing bites!) meant that I was keen to get back to lures. Then Nick Roberts of Topwater Lures turns up and nails a fish on a Komomo 2. That was it; I would be stringing up the lures the next day.
Highly experienced lure angler Nick Roberts with an lure caught Irish Bass taken in murky water conditions - photo by Henry Gilbey
We arrived quite late in the morning to coincide with a decent tide and I was ready, tooled up with a new rod from Megabass (The Blackshadow) which to all intents and purposes is a fly rod which will cast lures. The water was dirty so I went for a White Wave Worm incorporating a pimped out Chartreuse back … colour bleed from another Wave Worm. Carefully wading into the shallows I cast hopefully towards fish movement which I assumed was Mullet, hoping that maybe there were Bass amongst them. Most of the fish spooked.
I continued fishing and then suddenly there was a huge bow wave heading straight for the worm, but no take? Was it a Mullet perhaps; spooked and rejoining a shoal? Nothing else happens for a good hour and by now both Nick Roberts and I have covered a fair bit of ground. I started changing lures, hoping to find the winning formula. I tried a Chartreuse Wave Worm in an estuary flow and did have one hit, but my confidence was dwindling. More lure changes.
Moving to some moorings (the same area in which Nick had caught the day before) my confidence climbed once more, especially as I had tied on a Komomo 2. Within a few minutes Nick had called over “crank it slower, feel for the action on the rod tip.” Really confident, I followed his advice and then I noticed a loop in my braid. “Damn, why now!?” At which point Nick hooked a fish on some kind of rubber minnow … my mind was all over the place. I didn’t have minnows, the worm had not worked and was I really fishing the Komomo correctly? Confidence back down and a tangle to sort.
He does it again - James Barry with a Bass on a Wave Worm. Photo by Henry Gilbey.
Then James Barry turns up and I begin inching closer to him as he throws a few casts. Fish with this guy and you will know this is wise; he rarely blanks. It was no surprise to see his rod hoop over and I set off to Boga a good fish for him. And guess what it had eaten … yes, a White Wave Worm! I was kicking myself! Why had I not just gone with my instinct and stuck to the method … suddenly the bow wave in the weeded margins seemed more likely to have been a fish.
The worm went back on and when James got back to fishing I watched his every move and asked questions. “What speed should I wind, should I add movement via the rod tip etc” As with all the guys over in Ireland including Cian, Ger and Paul they are only too willing to help. I learned a lot from watching James and once again felt confident, especially when he got hit again, tearing the worm clean off the hook.
Heading towards some rocks we had a particularly exciting few minutes when we could see Bass momentarily in the waves, gliding through murky water little more than 2 feet in depth. One of these fish rushed my lure but refused at the last moment. We continued fishing, following the tide and hopefully the fish, but even James wasn’t getting a take. We must have lost them.
I have fallen in love with Irish Bass this last year and catching them on soft plastics is just so much fun. Photo by Henry Gilbey
The rocks began covering and then my radio crackled into life as Henry explained that they were heading back to drive to a new mark. I could see them about half a mile away and said I would continue fishing until I could see them nearer the car. Waist deep in water I wasn’t confident that we were with the fish and began wading back towards the rocks, there had to be fish hugging this feature! A Tern dived nearby and I turned to shout to James … he was already shouting to me and motioning that I should get a lure in there. The Wave Worm goes out; I give it a moment to sink and then crank steadily, gently flicking the tip of the rod to impart movement, confident that any moment I will hook up. There is slight resistance; I just keep winding and then the fish hits. What a feeling, total satisfaction … confidence had once again won the day.
White Wave Worms, Bass love them! Photo by Henry Gilbey
It’s what I love so much about fishing; it’s about learning,observing, listening, trying stuff, using a bit of instinct and above all being confident. My instinct had been correct (the White Wave Worm, the rocks and the Tern) and who knows, had I stuck with my original plan maybe I would have caught a bunch more fish? That doesn’t really bother me, what does is becoming confident in a method and the only way to do this is to listen and observe those who already have confidence/experience in a technique… then try it for yourself. The result will be that you catch more fish! I have a lot of guiding coming up over the next couple of weeks but at the earliest opportunity I will be throwing a Wave Worm at a Devon Bass; I have total confidence in them!
]]>I left the guys fishing by 3.30pm and headed off for Bristol Airport and my evening flight to Dublin. The meet and greet parking was brilliant as usual, but I could have done without the £80 overweight baggage charge levied by Ryanair. Perhaps I should have taken the ferry? Too bad, the Irish Bass are worth it and I kind of forgave the airline company because the flight arrived 20 minutes early! There was to be no lonely trip down towards Dungarvan either because Florida fishing maestro Rodney Goodship was there to meet me for the journey. On a break from his Fish the Dream operation, he was about to sample something quite different, Irish Bass Fishing. The last time I met up with Rodney for a fishing trip was several years ago in Miami so the chatter was nonstop during our 2 ½ hour drive.
We arrived in the wee small hours of Friday morning and after catching up with the guys various members of the party including Henry Gilbey, Andy Bignell and Rodney quite sensibly retired to bed. That left Cian of Absolute Fishing and me. After trying to talk ourselves into getting some much needed shut eye we took the slightly insane decision to put our waders on instead. Cian had been up since 7am too and it was now 2am the following day. Rods were thrown into the car and we set off eager for a fish; we could sleep later. We fished hard but drew a blank, even though conditions seemed perfect. Some thanks for our effort! We had to be back to catch up with the other guys by 4.30am, at which point we did a U turn and set out for a favoured mark that produced fish during our last trip in July. But once again sport was slow and I have to admit that I was starting to feel the effects of 24 hours with no sleep.
The wonderful Wave Worm soft plastic - Bass love them!
Local Bass fishing junkie, Ger, came to the rescue. He had joined us for the morning session and managed a Bass of around 5lb using his favourite Feed Shallow lure. I fished my Wave Worm soft plastic with renewed anticipation, a method of lure fishing that shares many characteristics with the world of fly fishing. Rigged to swim weedless without any weight, I cast into some mouth watering gullies adding lots of tip flicks, pauses and other movements to simulate life. I got it right on one of the occasions and was hit hard by a Bass of 4lb. This was a fish to be savoured, not only because it was my first ever on a soft plastic but also because it looks like the next few days could be no good for anything except bait. Not to mention the fact that I had now been awake for over 25 hours!
The 25 Hour Bass!
The weather is now horrendous! At one point the barometer on my Casio Protek just crashed signalling the arrival of massive South to South West winds and driving rain, interspersed with periods of relevant calm, even sunshine. But the weather has taken its toll and many of our intended marks are now unfishable. Frustrating yes and the forecast doesn’t offer much comfort, but time spent in the company of like minded anglers is just as good and I am sure we will find some more fish in the days to come. Andy has been doing just that and I am constantly amazed at this guy’s ability to extract fish from about every location we go to such as this fish taken on Crab. Hopefully we will get some more fish for Henrys camera soon. Writing this blog late on a Sunday night I should probably do the sensible thing and get some sleep!
Andy seems to extract Bass everywhere we go - despite the weather!
Day tickets for the Frome are available from John Aplin at Casterbridge Fisheries
What red blooded angler would?! Gin clear water, stunning scenery … specimen Grayling caught to over 4lbs! I had been counting down the days. Arriving early on Thursday morning I was greeted by a hot cup of coffee and when Henry turned up this was followed by a cooked breakfast, which was good because I had awoken so early that I had not bothered to eat. This is the kind of service you can expect from John and his wife Andrea who manage the fishery. Arriving on the water, we were not disappointed and yet John explained that we were seeing the Frome at its worst. The dry spring had taken its toll and we were fishing over very low water, which had rendered some very tasty runs unfishable. First stop was a deep pool although the low morning sun made it hard to spot fish.
We moved upstream and found a pool teeming with life. I had expected to see big Grayling but suddenly was faced with a 2lb Trout. This may not sound big by Trout standards but this is no stocked chalk stream. This was a Wild Trout, which was also very skittish, especially after my less than graceful leap over a barbed wire fence. 10’ #3 Greys Streamflex + at the ready I aimed a catapult cast in amongst a swathe of branches and hoped that the fish would return. It didn’t but a few decent Browns up to 1 ½ lbs did. In plopped a Quill Bead head and a Grayling of no more than half a pound appeared from nowhere and nailed it! Not the intended fish and certainly not the specimen Grayling we were after, but great fun all the same.
Next stop was a mouth watering pool. More Trout were spotted to over 2 ½ lb (John has seen them to over 3 ½!) and remember these are wild fish. I worked those fish over but they were just not on the feed. But what about the Grayling? Well they were there too and I reckon the best went 2 ½ lbs, big enough but not by Frome standards. In the hope of seeing the kind of fish this venue can produce John walked us to the top of the beat but in the low conditions the fish all spooked and shot off upstream. Even so my eyes were on stalks, the bow waves were enormous. I had to see one of these fish up close … pleeease!
At last I whinkled one out for the camera (photo - John Aplin)
We went back to our previous pool and I began working one of the Grayling hard, it didn’t really seem to be feeding but every now and again it cast various offerings a sideways glance. This is one of the things I love about the species, they will let you throw all sorts at them and basically ignore it and then all of a sudden … you are hooked up! At last something for Henrys camera and nearing 2lbs a superb fish, it was hard to believe that somewhere not far from us was a fish twice the size. As usual Henry could be heard cooing from behind the camera, the conditions were superb for pictures and Grayling are just so elegant.
Our morning was complete and lunch beckoned. Once again the full Aplin hospitality service was bestowed upon us as a lovely ploughman’s lunch was served up complete with particularly fine homemade chutney. These guys also have some very reasonably priced self catering accommodation and nearby there is a great deal of excellent sea fishing, including Bass. I had begun conjuring up trips!
John was desperate for us to have a crack at one of the Frome’s monster Grayling and so after lunch we were taken to a deep pool, covered by a canopy of branches. Do not expect manicured, that is not what this place is all about although Johns enormous experience spanning some 25 years managing rivers can be seen throughout. The venue is extremely fishable, but testing; just the way I like it. The deep pool did show up one fish that I would have put at around 3lbs, although in the shade it was difficult to say. It was also in the company of a few other fish and so in true Hart style I managed to extract the smallest, using the tip section of my rod! More pictures followed but time was running out.
We headed back to the original pool; the light conditions were better. But concentrated fishing takes its toll, especially after several back to back days of guiding and a very late night spent at the cinema … oh and not being able to sleep through being too excited! Why did the big fish appear now?! Sat under a low branch, right up against the opposite bank I could see a decent looking specimen which I bombarded with everything. That was when I actually landed a fly in the water because on several occasions I hit the branch, or snagged the opposite bank. Controlling 2 bugs at range on a long leader is not easy, especially when knackered!
Eventually even Henry decided it was time to throw in the towel and packed up his cameras. Yes we all know he is not famous for his patience but actually when out taking pictures I marvel at how long he will wait for the shots he needs. Sure I am a guide and watch people fishing every day, but I am very involved. Sitting behind a lens all day, waiting for a fish, that takes dedication. I could hear him still in conversation with John so in one last ditch attempt to fool this fish I waded out carefully to try and get a better look and enable control of my heavy weighted bugs.
I cannot publish the expletives that followed. Clearly unsettled by my presence the big Grayling … no let me rephrase that … massive Grayling took a little wander around the pool. “HENRY” I bellowed “you have to look at this”. Both John and Henry joined me to see what all the fuss was about. More expletives! I think Henry said “Herman” and “Holy Cow” a few times. Meanwhile I continued to fish like an idiot much to my companion’s amusement although if I am brutally honest and without trying to make excuses I was shaking like a leaf! I attempted to compose myself, shortened the leader a little and tied on a plain and simple Billy.
A few casts went in, I played tennis with either bank for a moment and at one point turned away to get out of the water and go home … beaten. No, just one last cast! The Billy sank; I lifted the rod and noticed the Grayling slightly alter its position. It seemed as if we were suspended in time for a moment as I struck and then the fish slowly turned on its side. It was hooked!!! Then there was chaos as Henry charged out of the river to unpack his cameras while John urged me to take care and not lose this fish now careering all around the pool. The hook held and suddenly our aim had been achieved, the biggest Grayling I have ever seen in my life was in the net. Measurements put this fish at around 3lb 12oz, it could have been smaller or possibly even bigger but the exact weight of a fish has never really bothered me.
One very big Grayling - One very happy angler! (photo - Henry Gilbey)
What more can I say … true elation, a massive angling high and even better you guys can do this for yourself without breaking the bank. Please go and take a look at Johns website, Casterbridge Fisheries here … you won’t be disappointed.
]]>But enough complaining. I have to say that this year has been a great season for big fish and Friday last was no exception. My guests for the day were Jim Pool and JJ from the South East of England, which has witnessed more than its fair share of precipitation in recent weeks. So much so that I received a couple of nervous emails from Jim requesting a plan B if A fell flat on its face. I was keen to stick with plan A as during our correspondence I was surprised to see that the golden orb had decided to put in an appearance. The local web cam also beamed a reasonable river condition back to my laptop, a little high but certainly fishable and the gauges showed that the levels were falling. Even so I went to bed crossing my fingers.
The next morning I wondered if plan A, a trip to the lower Exe, was indeed flawed. The sun was well and truly hidden, masked by a thick grey sky which refused to cease pouring copious amounts of rain across the region. During breakfast I tentatively navigated to the webcam, fearing the worse. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find that the river levels had in fact dropped some more. Result! At least Jim and JJ would get some fishing today. But for how long?
Fishing is all about preparation, especially when working as a guide and in particular if adverse weather conditions are to be dealt with. Boxes were stocked with heavy bugs and large dry flies the night before the trip and 10′ #5 rods packed just in case. On the way to the venue I collected hot pies from our local butcher, stocked some beer in the cooler and arrived at our meeting point with time to spare. When the guys arrived our first conversations were unsurprisingly weather related.
No going back now, the guys pulled on waders and we set off in haste … the river could blow at any moment. The web cam findings were confirmed and instantly confidence levels were boosted. Were we going to experience some good sport; even in these conditions? I will let the pictures do the talking!
Drenched but very happy. Jim Pool beats the weather and this stunning River Exe Grayling.
Jim had in fact already got off the mark with a couple of 8″ Browns taken on a Baetis pattern which was pleasing considering the conditions. However the good old French Nymph fished New Zealand style accounted for this superb fish around lunchtime … note the rain in the background. We continued fishing, leaving the pies in the truck!
Who cares about the weather?! JJ looks very pleased with his biggest Grayling to date.
That proved to be a good move. I guided JJ into a run just above Jim and before long his French Nymph had been spotted by this superb fish in peak condition.
Bigger again! Another Grayling for Jim.
My picture does not do this fish justice. I think this was down to a mixture of excitement and trying to keep the lens free of water!!! This was seriously fat fish and awesome to see these specimens in such good condition. Heading towards the magical 2lb mark and caught once again on a French Nymph not far from Jim’s first fish.
Wow! Plan A comes together as JJ lands his best ever West Country Wild Brown Trout
I had set JJ up with an extremely long dropper (4′ +) section hanging from his indicator fly and finished it off with one of our secret Orange rubber legs nymphs, a serious killer this season. I had waded JJ into a deep section of water after we had seen a big rise but covering the area with a dry repeatedly produced nothing, so we changed to sub surface tactics. This was the result … and still it rains!
Jim gets in on the Trout action
After a late lunch washed down with a cold beer (should have been soup, or hot chocolate!) we fished the middle to upper section. Fish were caught but nothing to rival the previous specimens, although we did manage to get the dry to work. The river had started to show signs of colour and was definitely cooling, especially after one particular deluge! It was so heavy I could do nothing but giggle uncontrollably! We all looked like drowned rats and questioned our sanity if only for a moment. Perseverance can and will pay off though and Jim finished off the session with this reasonable fish.
So even in such extreme conditions (it did not stop raining all day!!!) our wonderful West Country venues can still produce the results. To be honest I reckon the guys would have been happy with a few palm sized fish for their efforts. Well done to them for facing the weather and sticking with the original plan, it certainly paid off … even if it was a little wet and wild!
]]>