The mayfly are here...

Mayfly on the River Tamar, yesterday!


Better late than never, they have finally arrived. The mayfly bring with them the season's best trout fishing. We have some of the West Country's finest wild trout beats available this June, at just £26 per day for up to a mile of water to yourself!

Biggest brown trout for 40 years!

As in most West Country rivers, River Lyd brown trout average 6-8 inches in size. A big one is anything over 10 inches. A pounder is a monster and the best of the season is usually a touch larger.

In 1940 a fish of 3lb 4oz was caught.
In 1969 a fish of 3lb 1oz was caught.
On 28th May 2010 a fish estimated at 2 1/2lb + was caught...

Fishing for sea trout at night, local angler Graham Bray thought he had hooked the first sea trout of the season... it turned out to be this colossal brownie. The fish took a size 4 WMD sea trout fly and was carefully returned - after a couple of snaps - to fight another day.
Well done Graham for catching what is truly a once in a lifetime fish!

The Sea Trout Are Here!

Sea trout are now present on our Tamar and Lyd beats. They're not here in numbers as yet, but some very large fish have been spotted during this current spell of scorching weather. David, Tim and regular fisher Gerald were all out last night, but despite a few fish being heard jumping, none were caught. A bright moon, clear, cold skies and a family of young otters learning to hunt probably didn't help... but then, every angler needs an excuse!

If you fancy a crack at what looks to be the onset of a real sea trout fisher's summer, book now. If you've never tried it before, but have a little fly fishing experience then don't worry as guided night fishing for sea trout is a speciality at The Arundell Arms.

BBC 2 - filming on the Lyd

Following on from the successful BBC 2 programme The Victorian Farm, the forthcoming series of The Edwardian Farm features Arundell Arms instructor David Pilkington - in full period costume! - teaching fly fishing on the River Lyd. The film crew descended on the river last week to shoot a sequence where one of the team is taught to fish. David was filmed tying flies using traditional materials and also teaching casting and fishing methods with Edwardian-era tackle.
Watch this space for news on Mr Pilkington's prime time appearance!!

First on the fly for James!

We've been following the fishing career of regular guest, James Graham, in the blog for a while now. Last year James not only caught the night sea trout bug, but landed an his first ever salmon - a six-pounder on a spinner in October. This year the challenge put to him was to catch his first salmon on a fly. He did it on the first day!
Fishing with hotel instructor Tim, James was on the lower end of the Tamar, trying for an elusive early sea trout. However, the large silver shape that rose to take the fly - a size 8 WMD was no sea trout!
After a nerve-wracking 15-minute battle on his 7wt outfit, James finally managed to guide the fish to the net. Quickly measured at 31.5 inches and conservatively estimated at 11lb, the bright silver springer was returned to the river.
What a superb day - CONGRATULATIONS James!


Arundell Arms guest James Graham with an 11lb spring Tamar salmon - his first on a fly.

Devon trout fishing - the cream of the season starts here

The fish are up and rising - seriously fun fishing starts here!

After a real washout over the bank holiday weekend, and despite persistent cold easterly winds, trout fishing at the Arundell arms is now moving rapidly into top gear. Ben Garnett had a good day on the Lyd, releasing 38 trout, several between 9 and 11 inches, and three grayling up to 14 inches.
David and Tim have been on the Tamar tidying up some recently fallen trees and improving access into a couple of pools for night sea trout fishing. The river has suddenly come to life, with some nice trout rising steadily to a mixture of hawthorns, black gnats and olives. A small rise in water level a few days ago has at last given the smolts the impetus they needed to head rapidly down to sea, leaving the resident brownies to get on with devouring the rich harvest of insects which the longer days are now producing.
Tim saw a mayfly yesterday, and David saw the first swifts, so summer is well and truly summoned to Devon, and dry fly will be the weapon of choice from now on. Sea trout are also starting to trickle into the river in increasing numbers and we should see our first ones here at Lifton in the next week or two.


Hawthorns are currently appearing in droves - the trout think this is marvellous!


Failing light on the Tamar - view of the sea trout fisher.

Modern technology...

What did we ever do before blogs, Facebook and Twitter? Here's a great email we received from regular Arundell Arms fisher, Mike Haines, who's been skipping school work to go fishing...

Hi folks,

I'm just dropping you a line to let you know that I was lying in bed this morning and had decided that I had too much school work to do and couldn't afford to spend time fishing. No sooner had I decided that and sat up to get out of bed than your Twitter came through about the 10 brownies on the dry fly. Well, that was that... stuff marking english books and up I came!

And, for once, everything went perfectly - my casting was light and accurate - as was my wading. Some way downstream of me I could see a fish taking from the surface, from the ripples he made I could tell he was a fair-sized fish. With cast after cast I slowly made my way downstream - and I watched him all the time taking at exactly the same spot. And then...and then...I made the cast that would cover him and he took. What a feeling!! When I landed him I estimated him to be 9 inches, but I noted the spot on my shirt where his tail came up to - I've just measured it now I'm at home and the fish was 11 inches. I don't know if that counts as a large fish for the Tamar, but I'm pretty sure it's my personal best. I got 9 fish in the first 90 mins or so, then it suddenly went dead. As I was foolish enough to forget my fleece, and the northerly wind was bl**dy freezing, I decided to call it a day after another hour or so and face this mountain of english books. But I just wanted you to know that your using Twitter has given me a great Bank Holiday.

Cheers,

Mike

The trout are about!

The perfect result - a first fish for Australian journalist Penny Mote.

Despite the return of a cold north-easterly wind, trout fishing is picking up with some good catches reported on dries, nymphs and wet flies. Tony Bostock fished the Wolf for two evenings, landing 30 trout to 10 inches on nymphs and an Olive Quill. Local rod Ben Garnett used nymphs to great success on the Thrushel's beat 5, with a catch of 18 fish. Regular Mike Haines thoroughly enjoyed his day on the Tamar with 9 fish - including a personal best 11-incher - on wet flies. Among our recent pupils it's also been great to introduce some beginners from abroad to the joys of West Country fishing. Penny Mote - journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald - enjoyed a crash course in river fly fishing, losing several trout on the Lyd before finally landing a lovely eight-incher. Also visiting from afar was Toshiyuki from Japan, who made a trip all the way over to Devon on a recommendation in a Japanese book on fly fishing. Toshiyuki took to the upstream dry fly like a duck to water, landing 11 trout to nine inches and a decent grayling, in very windy, cold conditions - a very fast learner indeed!
With a little luck, this cold wind will turn tail and a little warmth will further improve the fishing. Plus, sea trout season is getting closer...!