Wessex

[exerod]

Had my first day of the season on Sunday. River a bit on the low side but not as low as this time last year. Stiff north easterly and hail showers. The only contact was two kelts, both on black and silver templedog.
Any other chalkstream salmon anglers out there?



Gillie not helping


Hard to believe it was nearly black two months ago.


Tight lines

Andy

[robmason]

Chalkstreams are a closed book to me. Where are you fishing?

[zeolite]

Hi Exerod. Interested in the pics. Whereabouts were they taken?

[exerod]

Its the lower end of the Frome. Zeolite if you looked over any bridges when you were down in Dorset early this year you will have seen this beat. It doesn't really look much like a salmon river does it? A bit of a long shot at this time of year but it has a history of producing early springers so maybe one day.

Tight lines

Andy

[kercock]

Looks like presentation is everything on that water.Tried fishing near Christchurch many moons ago for trout, an experience I never did get the chance to repeat, first find your trout etc. I hope you are successful real soon. Nice pictures too.

[zeolite]

Exerod. I knew the Frome was a salmon river and I did have a good look at it when I was in Dorchester. It is certainly stuffed full of trout and bloody expensive to fish as well I found.
I would love to throw a line at it. Do you not have to avoid tripping over roach fishermen?
AS you probably read in another forum I have an interest in chalk so would like to get a better look at it next time I am down.
How many salmon do you get?

[exerod]

Zeolite, let me know when you are down this way again. I usually get about half a dozen per season but am hoping for a few more this year as I will be able to get there more often this season. The coarse anglers are banished from the river during the salmon season so no trouble there!
Talking of coarse you never know what might turn up, yesterday I had on a 2" salmon fly a pike 40" long

Tight lines

Andy

[zeolite]

Exerod... Thanks for the kind offer. when I am down in Dorrrrset I stay in Swanage and work a 12 hour day at Wytch farm digging holes. So time off is not in abundance but a couple of hours on the river would be very welcome after being stuck in a steel box all day/night.
will let you know next time I am down.

[robmason]

Andy you have a PM.

[hodge]

First fish off the Hampshire Avon reported on Monday - 15lb from Ibsley area above Ringwood.
Hopefully with a change in the weather, a few more fish will enter the river.

[exerod]

Thanks for the update hodge, good to hear that at least one salmon has found it's way up the English channel. My total for March is five kelts and one pike
Just hope the rain keeps coming.

Tight lines

Andy

[hodge]

Managed my first salmon on the fly last week ;D ;D ;D
12lb from the Hampshire Avon - a few more starting to be caught now. I think the total for the river is around 15.

Tightlines everyone.

[tynetraveller]

Is there a straightforward way to get access to decent fly water for salmon on the Hampshire Avon? I know there was some uncertainty over the Royalty fishery last year. I would love to have a go, especially at this time of year- It would reduce my mileage drastically.

Cheers, Simon

[tynetraveller]

Exerod, a 2" templedog is a massive fly for a clear stream at this time of year! Was that last gasp shock and awe tactics?

Simon

[ar]

tynetraveller said:

Is there a straightforward way to get access to decent fly water for salmon on the Hampshire Avon? I know there was some uncertainty over the Royalty fishery last year. I would love to have a go, especially at this time of year- It would reduce my mileage drastically.

Cheers, Simon

See here for info on DTs for the Royalty:

www.davistackle.co.uk/royalty2.htm

[hodge]

Simon
Day tickets are available on the lower water on the Royalty - see Davis Tackle website.
Fishing on the Somerley Estate is via Christchurch Angling Club - membership is around £150 and a salmon season permit for the estate is another £120 on top or you can get day tickets as a member for £10/day.
Cheers,

Hodge

[exerod]

tynetraveller said:

Exerod, a 2" templedog is a massive fly for a clear stream at this time of year! Was that last gasp shock and awe tactics?

Simon

No first line of attack! From what I've read big flies have always been used on the chalkstreams. Although the water is clear it has a deceptively powerful current and most of the lies are deep (six feet on average where I fish). A two inch fly certainly doesn't look massive in this water. I intend to do more day time sea trout fishing this year with smaller flies, so maybe I will prove myself wrong later in the season.

Good to hear of a few fish off the Avon, well done Hodge. Not heard of a fresh fish off the Frome yet but the sea trout smolt run is well underway now. I expect there will be a run of salmon over the next two weekends as I will be away in the far north!

Tight lines

Andy

[nickwarren]

hello exerod
i have just started posting here , i wondered if you ever fish for the salmon down at bridport

[exerod]

I will admit to throwing a spinner across Westbay harbour on a couple of occasions (well you can't really start waving a fly rod about next to the burger huts can you!), but I think they are best left alone. It's a bit of a miracle that they keep running the Brit at all and I would worry that if I got one it would be half the breading stock!
About 15 years ago I was talking to a nice chap who claimed to have taken two twenty pounders out just below the weir in Bridport, on worm, on Boxing day

Andy

[nickwarren]

i fish it every summer , i was born in bridport and fished it as a kid , the seatrout fiishing , at niight , is great at times , the salmon seem to diisapear , no bad thing ,as you say , my only worry is they are at great threat in the harbour from poaching , i am down in august again if you live down there maybe meet up for pint , cheers
nick