Smash & Grab Trout
Its quite possible that people driving over the bridge yesterday, in Exe Bridge, may have thought that some kind of madman had been set loose on the lakes. In fact I was fully expecting to hear sirens, prior to being carted off to the funny farm or possibly a cell. I am sure that they were wondering why on earth the few brave souls who had turned up to endure the cold were there in the first place, especially as they had been joined by a spade swinging, pickaxe throwing lunatic. Was this some kind of new "extreme" fishing?
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
Is competition fishing for you?
Some people hate the very thought of fishing competitions and I can understand that. After all fishing is a great way to lose ourselves, day dream a little, become absorbed and perhaps for one moment leave behind our everyday lives. Reaching targets, fighting for promotion and in recent times just trying to hold on to a job means that many of us have been thrown into a head to head battle on a daily basis. So why take all this and add it to a days fishing? Its all personal preference of course and that is my firm belief across the world of fishing. If you don't like it, don't do it.
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.
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.
Its Deep
I don’t have a right lot of time for this post as the river beckons and a days guiding. However I have had several requests for pictures of the work carried out recently to Exe Valley. It is safe to say that already the fish are much happier and this morning when I visited the site to make some checks a fish spooked just yards from the bank that a few days ago was just inches deep. Result!
And there is also an island … its only small for the moment but it will certainly act as an interesting fish holding are. The water has filtrated really quickly and so the lake is now open once again and we have anglers down there as I write trying out the new features. Come and give it a go for yourself! Finally the picture of me testing out the new deep water was taken yesterday morning before the water levels were reinstated, so in fact there is another 12″ of depth …. that would have been pretty much inside my chesties! Enough from me, here are a few pictures, they are not fantastic but should give some idea of the result.
Regular Jim Hatim is the first to try out the new "deep water point" at Exe Valley
Looking across the lake to the new point.
Check out the fish rising over the new deep water which was mere inches just a few days ago.
Shallow water now deeper on opposite side of the lake plus a new small island.
Excavation at Exe Valley
The diggers are in! Those of you who know Exe Valley fishery well will no doubt agree that the fishery has required some excavation for the last couple of seasons. The shallow promontory, originally formed to encourage waterfowl has now become a haven for anglers intent on wading into the middle of the lake. Don’t try it tomorrow, you may be in for a rather moist surprise!
Nine tons of Hitachi is currently making light work of improving this area for anglers and of course even more importantly the fish. Shallow water rises in temperature quickly causing deoxygenation of the water and poor living conditions for Trout.
With the water drawn down the shallow area is even more obvious
We have employed dumpers to minimise the effect on the surrounding area and expect to be back to business within a few days, allowing for the lake water to settle. Our contractor Neil Gregory is well known in the area as the man to call for this kind of work and I must admit it was seriously impressive to watch Aubrey “The Digger Man” doing his thing this morning. Meanwhile I will be posting news of a special event we are hosting in June here any day plus there are also some more surprises in store for the lake. Enough from me, here are a few pics of the guys in action …. I had better go and sort them out a well earned coffee!
The area that attracted more than just wading birds!
Ready .... Steady .....
GO!
- Birds eye view from the dumper. I know that my young lad would prefer to be here than at nursery today!
