River Taw - North Devon

[Tawpug]

Here's hoping we get enough water and enough fish to keep everyone happy in 2016.

Here's a link to the News section of the RTFA website outlining the progress made on the access over the weirs programme. it is very good news:

http://www.rivertawfisheries.co.uk/html/current_news.html

Regards to all

Tawpug

 

[Tawpug]

Its been a very quiet start to the salmon and seatrout fishing on the Taw system. Tempestuous storms and Easterly winds have kept rod effort levels low. Very few anglers spin in March these days and only the bravest fly fishermen take to the riverbank. That said, we have had two springers from below the junction (the first from the system) and one or two others have been seen or touched.

One or two pugs should start to make an appearance soon. The early salmon men will pick them up.

Interestingly, a conversation at the RTFA AGM revealed at least 8 seatrout well into double figures (biggest 16.5) were caught in the middle Taw and on the Mole in 2015. Last year's rod catch for peal from the system was probably well in excess of 400 ( a paucity of catch returns notwithstanding) with 70% being returned. A better figure than 2014.

Tight lines to all.

Tawpug

 

[Tawpug]

The river is down to its bones and in desperate need of some water. There might be the odd fish sneaking through but not much to be optimistic about.

 

[Sandmartin]

Anyone been out? Must be a few pushing through even in these conditions.

 

[Tawpug]

Going to have a quick recce tonight. Had a look in the Mole and Bray this morning - these showers have had very little effect. If we don't get rain soon, I'm going lure fishing for Bass!

 

[Tawpug]

At last. After two and a half months without any significant precipitation in the catchment we have rain and the river is rising!

 

[Tawpug]

I heard of four peal off the same middle Taw beat above Kingford; biggest five pounds. Looks like a few are beginning to arrive at last.

 

[Tawpug]

Two below junction last night 4lb and 1.5lb, both fresh run.

 

[Tawpug]

Had my first peal of the season last evening - not big but a start.

 

[Tawpug]

I'm on a roll. Had another peal last night and lost a salmon below the junction.

 

[ropeal]

I'm just back after a week's fishing on the upper river.Managed 5 school peal,up to 2.5lb and mostly very fresh, and a salmon of about 10lb from the junction pool.My friend down for a few days had 2 peal with the best going 3.75 lb.
It was quite hard work because the fish were just not showing,and so we just had to fish the known lies and resting places.Every now and then we would conincide with a small shoal of runners and get some takes.I found myself using a mouse more and more through the week as it seemed to provoke a reaction if there were any fish nearby.
From what I gathered from the grapevine nobody seemed to be doing much good with the sea trout,particularly the larger ones.....after last season's tally of big'uns this season's dearth seems odd.

 

[plankton]

Just got back from my annual long weekend with some friends on your magical rivers. Overall it was a thought provoking 3 nights. The catch was 2/3rds schoolies but enough better fish to keep you honest. It was our second best return in the 10 years we have been undertaking this caper. There appears to be a decent head of fish of all colours in the river.

It was noticeable how few fish were showing..we caught 2 times as many as we saw/heard. It might be because the water was still cold which could also explain why the surface lure was next to useless (in what were near perfect overhead conditions for it) but they did want big flies (2.5"-3") fished slowly on sink tips and intermediates.

They are also running hard. I had a red letter run as the sky lightened on Monday morning with three good peal in quick succession, 3lb, 2lb and 6lb. What was interesting (other than the 3lber that swam between my legs during the scrap!) was they were all as fresh as paint with scales dropping off them and the 6lber had sealice, unusual for July. I also saw some good fish bow-waving up through through stickles at first light on Sunday.

 

[Tawpug]

Well done Plankers old chap. I think things have finally started to happen.

 

[Tawpug]

Fished tonight below junction. Temp plummeted to 8 dec C by midnight. It was billy baltic!! Managed two peal and dropped a much bigger fish after a few hectic moments that left the pool rocking. That's seatrout fishing for you.

TP

 

[plankton]

On Saturday night on the Kings Nympton beat in the long impounded section above the old head weir I caught a 6lb 4oz recently stocked brownie...it had deformed dorsal and pec and eroded tail. Where the hell did that come from? Suffice to say it is no longer in the river and upon gutting had a few digested bits and pieces in its stomach.

Coming down again next week...can't wait!

 

[Tawpug]

Great conditions last night. Good water height and a balmy 14 deg C. Big, big tides. Fished a beat below junction. Still not much showing at all - very strange. Managed two 3 and 4lb both very fresh. One on the dropper and one on the point.

 

[Editor]

From the North Devon Journal...

Several salmon were landed from the Taw following recent rain, including a 12lb fish from a middle-river beat to the rod of Roland Eustace and a 10lb salmon to Trevor Smith from the Mole.

Several school peel have also been caught over recent days from beats throughout the river system with fish to 5lb from Highbullen Hotel waters on the Mole to anglers fishing after dark.

The Weir Marsh and Brightly beats on the Taw have seen grilse of 5lb to the rod of Clinton Marshall and 6lb to Len Francis.

There has been an improvement on the Torridge with two anglers sharing an impressive days fishing on a middle beat, catching seven salmon.

Seven other grilse have been landed from beats spread throughout the river, all estimated at around 4lb. Each season Martin Weeks visits the Torridge with a party of anglers to target the river's sea trout after dark.

In three nights before the river came into spate they landed an impressive 26 sea trout to 3lb.



Read more: http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/dan-redmore-takes-first-and-second-in-bideford-angling-club-s-monthly-rover/story-29487977-detail/story.html#ixzz4DpVVhe00
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Read more at http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/dan-redmore-takes-first-and-second-in-bideford-angling-club-s-monthly-rover/story-29487977-detail/story.html#YzJ7i41AyCSgTRg4.99

 

[Tawpug]

The Mole has coloured up a bit. Someone is digging/extracting gravel in the George Nympton area. Water clarity is affected.

 

[plankton]

Is it still going on? I am planning a long drive, night fish 1st half this evening and then back to Wales at 1am. Will save my powder if river is coloured.

 

[Tawpug]

Sorry just seen this - have been in hospital for the last couple of days. Hope your fishing was ok