South Devon Rivers 2013

[ghammersley]

Really hard work this year. Had six fish so far, blanks for last 3 trips. Fish about in numbers but not taking. I did catch my first bat which was scary. Decent fish reported from Holne Chase water recently so they are there and may be caught. Nasty snag in tail of Caddaford. Not tried Duchy water this year.

 

[tandem]

So far , 3 peal and 10lb salmon . Usually in twenties by now at least . Duchy very thin , fish extremely difficult .
You should be aware campers and walkers bathing , boating etc even in pools as remote as timber and langdons . Suspect same throughout the river.
Am laying off until next rain .
Lets be positive though . Bass in Teign estuary , Brown trout in Venford . Always something to catch somewhere , thats the wonder of the South West .

 

[ghammersley]

One for me from Dart AA water on Tuesday night. Intermediate sink tip with 2 inch silver and black tube. Nice shiny fish. There are fish there but they don't seem to want to come out. GOK when it will rain. River is very very low.

 

[tandem]

Have been sneaking a few out , small tube as the light goes then over to the surface lure . Come rain , come .

 

[luap]

The Teign is producing quite well now and although there has been a run of quite small peal there are better fish around too. Lately I have had more fish on size 6 Teal Blue & Silvers than on my usual 1¼" tubes. Not many anglers out but the weather has brought out the litter pigs in force at Preston and other places with public access.
Rain at the end of next week?

 

[ghammersley]

Good on you tandem and leap. I cannot remember Dart ever being so low. And my garden is taking a hammering too!

 

[tandem]

Garden is suffering badly . Having to water it . Spending money on the garden is deeply troubling to me .
Luap , have to admit any success has been on the Teign .
Litter pigs .... try Spitchwick . Horrible .

 

[luap]

I have just got back from a couple of weeks in Wales. I fished the Wnion and the Mawddach and had one decent fish. The rain came a bit too late and I hadn’t been prepared for some very high tides which came at the wrong time of day.
Back in Devon we had had an inch of rain while we were away but it doesn’t show now on the EA river levels site. More forecast for tomorrow night though, so prospects ought to be getting better. Would like to get a few salmon this year after losing two last year and ending up blank.
No one posting on the South Devon thread while I was away. Does that mean nothing happening, or too hot to publicise!

 

[richardjmiller]

Just back from 10 days camping in the area (legally). Had a few nights on the Dart and the Teign. Dart was tough to begin with and a couple of favourite pools failed to produce, (although that may just be me being a dunce - Ed (Tandem) had a couple of fish on one of these nights) so then fished the lower Teign and found some fish in another favourite pool and took a nice fresh 2 pounder. Then went back to the Dart following a slight rise in water levels and a pool that had proved a stubborn nut to crack earlier in the break (and also in earlier trips in May and June) suddenly came alive and I had a bigger fish on the bank, also had a couple of strong pulls.

I agree absolutely with the comment in the rivers reports in the latest Trout & Salmon that fish were in the Duchy beat, jumping but would not take - that was certainly my experience earlier in the season.

Impression now is good numbers of fish coming into the Dart and Teign and they are in a taking mood. As luap says above, Teal Blue and Silver is very effective but don't be afraid to try something much larger. I have had some good sport on a self created thing that is vaguely similar to an Alexandra but is tied on a Waddington with plenty of red and silver streamer added in as well as the ubiquitous peacock herl. Surface lure doesn't seem to score but I have to admit I haven't used it much this year and then only as a last resort.

May have one last trip before the season ends - looks like good water has arrived overnight which is welcome. Will probably renew my season ticket on the Duchy next year.

 

[dazko]

Schoolies everywhere. Fresh as paint. All returned. 4 yesterday as the water rose. Be gentle on them, they need returning please.

Saw loads the other day at TWP. Rain will no doubt push them up river.

Anyone spot any grilse on the Dart?

 

[dazko]

Grilse & 2 schoolies this evening. Nice water.

Lost countless numbers of of peal.

At last light an otter swam into the pool. Ive had worse days.

 

[dazko]

Another 3 schoolies. Like the previous evening all returned.

Without even targeting the schoolies i have had nearly a dozen this year.

 

[tandem]

Little fishes everywhere , Dart , Teign , bodes well for the future . Friend and I had several in an evening , all returned needless to say . Try a Mallard & Claret ( i put a flouro red butt on mine , doubt it makes any difference ) about a six or eight .

 

[billy fish]

Had a good end to the season with a dozen or so caught plus 2 salmon one morning. This was on the river Otter plus one sea trout from the little river Sid which runs past my door, closer in a flood.
Colin.

 

[billy fish]

One of the salmon I landed and returned.
Colin.

 

[billy fish]

Here is a proper salmon.