Wet & Wild on the Exe
It has been another year of unseasonable weather patterns. One minute we were fearing a drought and the possibility of requiring only slippers to wade, the next our drying room is filled with the smell of damp wading jackets. Where did the summer go? In all honesty bright blue skies and sunshine are not ideal fishing conditions but then neither is the requirement to wear thermals under waders to stay warm in August!
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!
The Lovely Lambourn
Every now and again it is cool to travel away from home and look after clients. Our local spate rivers teem with Wild Brown Trout and make for an energetic days fishing in stunning surroundings, but the Southern Chalkstreams are a little different. Slow moving, crystal clear, frequently stocked and convenient. City workers may find it difficult to head into the South West for a day’s fishing at the drop of a hat but many chalk streams are little more than an hour’s journey from central London.
The door to the fishing hut - ideal for a post fishing cup of tea
Rather than the over manicured razor shaven grass more fitting of a top flight golf course than a Trout fishing beat, the Lambourn is an entirely different proposition. In fact it is about as undomesticated as any chalk stream available, with a reasonable head of wild Trout to its name. And Grayling; BIG Grayling! There are 3lb + specimens that can easily be seen against the sand coloured river bed, but tempting them is another matter. These are clever fish!
Tackle ready for our Lambourn guests
All in all perhaps not the perfect place for a couple of novice anglers! But we like a challenge and so just recently Lewis and I set off for a mid morning meeting with Jim Pool and a couple of his guests. Jim is well known to us through his fishing adventures which he has enjoyed here in the West Country, but Jim was not our priority today. Instead he was hopeful that his guests may enjoy a guided day on a chalk stream (instead of a mundane corporate Golf outing!), with a fish or two to show for their efforts. It was only a few days before the event that Jim let on that one of the guests in question had never fished in his life! The dry weather has made for low flows and the Lambourn can be a tricky river at the best of times so this added a new twist to the day.
An enticing Lambourn hatch pool - home to BIG Grayling
Upon meeting Tom it was obvious that he was very enthusiastic to give fishing a go. We spent the morning getting to grips with the gear and learning how to cast, please note for those that think we are fishing downstream on a chalk stream (god forbid the thought!!!), Tom does not have a fly on. This was merely practice, meanwhile behind us the fish began to wake up and sip the occasional meal from the gin clear surface of one of the Lambourns mouth watering hatch pools. All was going well until we decided to tie on a fly and then Tom’s business associate Richard arrived, who had enjoyed a very successful morning. 4 fish with Lewis!
Teaching Tom to cast on the Lambourn
The heckling began and for 30 minutes Tom fell to pieces, until eventually Richard got bored and left him alone! The flow reappeared, a nice tight loop sailed upstream and in an instant Tom was playing his first ever fish. Phew … pressure off, grip & grin (Tom seemed quite happy!) and then it was time for lunch. The Cowdray Farm Shop provided a fantastic picnic, plus there was wine and champagne. For our guests anyway … while they talked a hefty amount of business Lewis and I watched several huge Grayling and a shoal of well conditioned Trout going about their day. We were both itching to get guiding again!
Tom practices his cast ready for action!
Eventually we got back down to the real business of catching fish. Tom added another fish to his scorecard as did Richard and after a mesmerising hour working on the elusive Grayling Jim popped the perfect cast. A decent specimen succumbed and engulfed an Oliver Edwards Freshwater Shrimp; a proven killer when gold head patterns are refused. And then it was time for the guys to head back into the smoke, although a celebratory pint in the local Pheasant Inn helped them on their way. Don’t let looks deceive, this pub may not seem like a typical English hostelry from the outside but their beer is very well kept and the food is superb. I see they also have accommodation. Maybe I will give it a go the next time I head up to the lovely Lambourn? Here are some memories from the day.
- Fishing and a Feast – certainly beats a day in the office!
Tom seems pretty pleased with his first ever fish!
... and just as happy with his second.
- Richard had fished just a handful of times but ended up with 5 lovely Trout under the guidance of Lewis Hendrie
The Lambourn Trout are stunning
... and this is a small Grayling on the Lambourn! Caught on an Olive Shrimp fished "upstream & induced" by Jim Pool
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.
The Fishing Clinic
On Saturday we ran our first ever fishing clinic here at Exe Valley. The day did not get off to the perfect start as upon my arrival at 6am I found an angler hot footing it towards the lakes, despite several signs explaining that we were closed for the event! The individual was obviously not happy, especially when I mentioned that he could join the day for £50 including tuition and a full day of catch & release. He retorted with “I dont need tuition!” Of course I may seem biased working as a fly fishing instructor, but don’t we all need tuition at some point? Isn’t the whole wonderful point of fishing that we learn all the time? Why go in the first place if we know it all?
Anyway drama over I made a few last minute additions to my fly box (Claret Stealth Buzzers- love them!) and then it was away to the Three Acres Country House for breakfast with Iain Barr who was our special guest for the day. Mulling over our lack of Sea Trout fishing the night before (we stocked the fly tray and then ended up in the Quarrymans Rest, followed by Eds Bar!) the topic of conversation quickly turned to the weather. Dark storm clouds were building and we knew we were in for a soaking, but there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad equipment. With the lake well stocked and 12 guests to entertain there was definitely no going back now!
Iain Barr lands a Trout for one of our junior guests Daniel Tranter
Our guests all arrived for a 10am kick off and we set about offering advice on the likely tactics for the day while also checking out tackle. Quite a few anglers were fishing with short leaders and there were one or two novel connections between the leader and fly line. Offering step by step advice we helped to create small loops, secure knots and therefore achieve better overall presentation … it is surprising how these small changes can make all the difference. What was particularly pleasing was watching one or two of the guests who had already been on one to one tuition days with us. Their leaders looked in good order and I was also really impressed by their fly choice, coupled with an ability to find the best fish holding water. Who said tuition doesn’t work?
Julie Hooper loves her fishing and caught a good bag during the fishing clinic. A two fish limit was followed by catch and release.
While Lewis and I did the rounds, checking retrieves, offering tactical advice and helping out with casting Iain headed straight for the two youngest members of the party, Daniel Tranter and Freddie Kent. We have been watching both these lads carefully over the last couple of seasons because their fishing is superb for their age (under 13) and in fact Iain soon had the boys showing the adults the way as there rods hooped into several hard fighting Exe Valley rainbows.
The new "deep point" at Exe Valley is fishing very well and Duncan Dart put it to good use.
... and after netting the fish I explain how to release it unharmed
And so the day continued with our guests enjoying a full day of fishing with an opportunity to release fish, using barbless hooks of course and so prolific was the action that our 2009 world champion guest could not even resist a cast or 2 …. or maybe that’s 1000! Iain is an infectious angler who still loves to catch fish, even from a small stillwater … using CDC dries to extract a healthy bag of Trout. Before long he had our anglers following his lead and for some this was their first ever experience of dry fly fishing. The smiles said it all and especially for one of our Exe Valley regulars, Trevor Ball who extracted his best ever bag of 11 fish, mainly on a CDC Buzzers.
However the biggest fish did not succumb to such subtle tactics. Fishing a slow figure of eight retrieve coupled with a long leader and a Sunburst Blob, regular guest of Nick Hart Fly Fishing, Rob Pithouse caught steadily throughout the day and then suddenly his rod took on an alarming curve! Seeing this from the other side of the lake I think my sprint may even have impressed Usain Bolt as I dashed to assist Rob with what was obviously a decent specimen. At 10lb 4oz it was by far the largest fish of the day and the perfect end to our first Fishing Clinic. Look out for more news about a similar day that Lewis and I are planning in the not too distant future and if you are a fan of facebook follow at www.facebook.com/nickhartflyfishing for more details coming soon.
Rob Pithouse with Iain Barr and a 10lb 4oz specimen taken during the fishing clinic
Exciting Exe
I am just loving the river fishing at the moment. Yes we do need water, that’s for sure, but the Trout are still willing to feed and it is very pleasing to see how well conditioned many of them are. However on our local stretch of the Exe they are by no means giving themselves up easily and standard Black Klinkhammers on a 10′ leader are meeting with little in the way of results. Instead long fine leaders coupled with tiny emergers have been the way to go.
Well stocked up with the relevant lightweight tackle I started guiding in earnest last week and enjoyed looking after a number of guests, including a party of four which included three generations of the same family. The Innes clan originate from Scotland and John Innes senior is no stranger to fishing, working as a trawler-man for most of his life. Anyone who knows anything about going to sea knows just what a tough (and dangerous) job that is. I marveled at this man who was incredibly agile for his 70+ years and an obvious fishing nut … our mission was to try and get John, his son John and Johns grandsons into their first ever River Trout.
Team Innes, wadered up and ready for their first ever river fishing session
Prior to the session we set up the obligatory team photo and then it was down to business with an hours refresher lesson on the lakes tuning up the casting; such an important part of river fishing. Instantly Lewis and I were impressed by the two sons Keiran and Tom, both teenagers showing some real casting skill and before long the two Johns were improving their loops while learning about those all important side casts. Lesson over we all headed off in earnest for the river with anticipation at fever pitch!
Lewis made a quick getaway for the upper beat with John senior and Keiran while I opted for the lower section. The sun was up which I like but this was the first day of the gusty downstream wind which we have been experiencing recently and an absolute menace when trying to cast long leaders upstream! Its a guides job to overcome these problems which are not solved by changing a fly but by continually offering encouragment and tuition where necessary to improve the cast. Practice tight loops when it is windy, coupled with high line speeds and it is quite possible to enjoy your fishing even on a blustery day.
Keiran with a Wild Trout. Who says we must dress in green to catch Trout?!
This was proving the case for John junior who started to pop some really nice presentations into an inviting looking run, often meeting with an acceptance of his emerger pattern. All we needed to practice now was the strike! We missed a few, hooked one that got off and then the silence was shattered by …. yes of course Lewis! Kieran had hooked a stunning wild Brown of above average size and Mr Calamity himself (I have many loooong stories!) had dropped his mobile phone into the river while trying to photograph it, all because he had forgoten to pack his camera. I can forgive Lewis quite easily because he is a top guide; indeed one of the best with an infectious enthusiasm. He grabbed my camera and ran back for a quick photocall …. well done Keiran, what a superb first ever wild Trout.
We got back to business and meanwhile little did I know that Lewis had hopped out of the River with John senior for a quick visit to Island lake. This is a sediment pool within the Exe Valley complex but fish thrive there on a rich soup of Bloodworm and Buzzer. Just look at the Brown that succumbed to dry fly tactics on a lightweight river outfit, I hear it put up quite a fight before once again being safely released.
John Innes senior gets in on the action with a nice Brown during an Island Lake raid.
Meanwhile we were still after a first fish which came in the form of a 6 incher to John juniors rod. I could see that Tom was desperate to get on the scorecard too as during his short fishing career he had taken part in four sessions and blanked every time! There was no way I was letting that happen again, but I could see Tom needed encouragement … we all know how important it is to bank that first fish. Post lunch we climbed into the back of Bend Pool and started to carefully fish up a smooth glide; the fish were feeding. I was blown away by the quality of Toms presentations considering his lack of experience and felt sure that any moment it would happen. It did!!! It is a privilege (and a huge buzz!) to stand next to someone when they catch their first ever Wild Brown Tout and even more special when it is their first fish ever. Small yes, but perfectly formed, wild and captured while fishing a dry upstream. It doesn’t get much better … Toms smile says it all.
Toms first ever fish!
He was now in the groove, confidence boosted and the sibling rivalry had kicked in. He wanted a bigger fish than his brothers. I reckon I had been gone a maximum of 10 minutes, guiding his father John along Bridge Run when I heard a shout and looked up to see a Trout mid air and Toms rod hooped over. Out of the water and off up the bank I went arriving just in time to net Toms 2nd fish, an absolutely stunning Brown with tons of condition and a definite contender for the best river fish of the day. All good but as I explained to Tom the fact that he had spotted the fish, made the cast and hooked up without any assistance was first class. Once again his smile says it all.
Tom with a cracking Wild Brown which fell to an emerger pattern
Later that day John senior and I hooked up for a quick session fishing emergers and I am pleased to say that he also managed to hook one although it managed to slip the hook, but as I explained river fishing is far more about the experience rather than just landing fish and it is only right that a few manage to get the better of us. Fortunately a quick visit to the lakes resulted in a few Rainbows for the table! All in all a day that both Lewis and I enjoyed organising from start to finish and made all the more special when we received this email from John junior the next day. Many thanks guys, it was pleasure to meet you and we hope to fish with you again someday.
Dear Nick and Lewis,
Sincere thanks for the time you spent with me, my boys and my father yesterday. I had set myself high hopes that the day would be good but you exceeded my expectations with your knowledge, patience, manner, good humour, and extremely professional delivery. You taught us an immense amount during the day, and if we can retain even a fraction of that, we will be richer anglers by far. The expressions on faces, laughter, and enthusiasm around the dinner table as each of us retold episodes from the day was proof of how successful, enjoyable and well received the day had been.
I will most certainly recommend both of you, the shop and the fishery, to any other angler, novice or otherwise, and look forward to visiting you again soon.
Many thanks for making yesterday so memorable for us, for the fish we caught and lost, the fish we caught and kept, and for the fish we caught and released. You covered everything I’d asked for in my original requests, and more. I couldn’t have asked for a more complete day.
It was an absolute pleasure meeting you both, and I wish you every success as you certainly deserve it.
Kind Regards
John
