Devon Rivers 2007

[robmason]

The rain is certainly helping catches on the Exe.

www.execarnarvonfc.co.uk/homeset.html

Come on Andy, pull your finger out! There heading your way!

[exerod]

I've been too busy catching big silver ones elsewhere

I see most of those fish have come off the Blackpool beat, maybe for once the abstraction from the top of the beat is helping them by keeping the water at a more fishable level. Certainly up on "my" bit we are struggling with high water. I was up there last Thursday and never touched anything but one came off a bit higher up. My mate went up this morning but it was too big.. and rising. There's another lump of rain on the way up now, the more the merrier I say. There are a few more folk fishing this year and cars being driven up and down the valley with rods on, it's starting to feel like a salmon river again

Andy

[smigel]

Tried the Upper Teign today, after a romantic interlude at the weekend in the area I couldn't resist taking the rod for a day out too. I have to report two posible knocks from peal, and nothing else. I was a little disappointed to see no fish at all, but the regular showers ( and continuous rain when I left) kept the river up. And yes, it was rising when I left.....

I agree with you Rob, can't understand why Andy hasn't had at least a dozen fish so far, it could be because he needs to get there earlier in the morning?

[robmason]

Yes, I drew a blank on the upper teign yesterday too. Too much water

[robmason]

With yet more water overnight I thought I'd change location today and headed for the upper Yealm. Bit of a disapointment really because it was dropping fast and gin clear by the time I got there. Snowbee Steve tells me they are picking up a good number of sea trout this season- sea-licers too!

I blanked, but spent some quality time with Mason Jnr who also blanked.

[salar]

Anyone know if any North Devon rivers are fishable for salmon this weekend?

Watersmeet?

[exerod]

Hi salar, bit of a late reply, did you get out anywhere? When isn't the Lyn (Watersmeet) worth a look

A most frustrating season continues on the upper Exe. After taking 2 in June we have had constant high water and yet nothing has turned up. It's bad enough in a dry year but this is just rubbing salt into the wound. Oddly fish are coming out just below us, not in great numbers but they are getting them none the less. We would normally expect to see grilse with this water but they just aren't there. 2003 was a very dry year with no water until November and very few fish up on the moorland redds so maybe we are suffering the knock on from that.

Andy

[robmason]

Must be frustrating for you Andy. The Carnarvon beats are doing well. Good sized fish too.

[robmason]

Had a few hours on the Teign yesterday. I was suprised how much water was still about- usually falls much quicker. Very clear too, obviously the ground is well and truly saturated.

Anyway, Mr Salmon didn't come out to play, but after dark the sea trout amused me until mid-night, one landed of about 1 1/2 lbs and a couple coming off. I think the waddington hook had been in the trees of the opposite bank so often they were blunt.

[robmason]

Dart and Teign have had a slow time of it despite the water this summer. I've barely had a day to myself in August to get out- not that I'd make much difference with my appaling record south of the border .

Some good news- Extensions agreed for Dart, Teign and Torridge, similar to the Exe over the past few seasons- until Oct 14th, C&R.

[robmason]

Well the opportunity to "get deeper" never arose, as I had 3 on the bank by 10.30 tonight and decided to call it a day.

[Tyne Angler]

Nice one Rob.

Any size? and off which river?

[elwyman]

Well done Rob, I managed a small one last night but the whole river seemed quiet with little sign of life.

By the way, 90% of my sea trout are caught on a floater with a 5' sink tip braid, usually slow sink but up to extra fast sink depending on conditions and depth of pool. I haven't used a full floater for sea trout for about 7 years, and my catches have definitely improved.

[robmason]

Thanks, I was out on the Teign. Full moon, cloudless sky. I reckoned casting into the gloom of the far bank and stripping a muddler back fast would do the trick, and it did! Plenty of fish sploshing about, my biggest was 1 1/2 lbs, the other 2 just under 1 lb. They where vicious takes and gave good account for themselves. ;D

I've yet to try anything but a full floater this season, I've just been changing the fly depending on conditions. Last night was the first "fly" I have used all season, before it's been waddies, tubes and snakes, but the river is now down to summer low!

[exerod]

Here we are six pages in and we haven't got a single piccy of a fish...

Well here's one at last! On a small Allys shrimp. Not the biggest or the brightest but by god was it welcome. I've been over two months without an Exe salmon in the wettest summer ever We have started to pick up a few up on the moor now the levels have dropped a bit.



Bit surprised to see the season extensions, especially on the Torridge. Who do we apply to for the Dart extension?

Andy

[robmason]

NIce one Andy, many more to come I'm sure. Members of the DAA are to apply to the sec of the DAA to fish the extension. I'll ask him what you should do.

[elwyman]

Well done Andy, hope you have a better autumn.

[salmonking]

Well done ,always nice to see a fishy photo

[exerod]

It's all gone a bit slow, well stopped for me actually. No rain forecast for a week or so and I'm away for the last week of September so that may be my Exe season over. Lots of water and then drying up just at the wrong time

Next year...

Andy

[tawrod]

Andy,

Fished the Taw Sunday with the Umberleigh guage at 0.4!! Had a lovely fresh 6lb Grilse with another moving in the same lie just after. They still seem to be creeping in to the Taw at least.

Trevor