River Report - 28/3/12

The trout season is off to a good start, although the current tropical weather is dropping water levels at a rate of knots. This doesn't yet seem to be worrying the trout as most rods out fishing have been managing catches of well into double figures. Here's a report from regular rod Ben Garnett...
"I went out to Beat 2, had a lovely start to the season - sun shining, wood anemones out everywhere, birds singing, frogs croaking and the otter had made a sandcastle to poo on :) Caught 23 fish including 3 grayling (one beautiful male of 1lb 8oz in his spawning colours - slipped him back carefully!), and at least 5 pretty big salmon parr (these were scattered widely up and down the beat. Although seem to be quite a few in the first pool by the bridge?). Managed one trout to a Para Adams, the rest came to the nymph. There were grannom and LDOs around, also a fair number of daddy long-legs."

We still have availability for some of the season's best wild trout fishing over the next couple of months, so pleaqse don't hesitate to call us on 01566 784666 if you fancy wetting a line!

River Report

The salmon season opened on March 1^st, with the trout season following on the 15^th. As per usual at this time of year, very few anglers were seen on the rivers as, realistically, the chance of a March Tamar salmon is a very slim one. However, the first salmon of the season - a ten-pounder - was reported from the tidal waters in the middle of the month, so the season is now officially underway. We can offer rods on the tidal water for £30 per day; availability is very limited, so please phone for details. The first Arundell Arms trout of the season – albeit a tiddler of around six inches - was landed by regular rod Alexander Jones, on a goldhead nymph on beat 7a of the Tamar. The trout fishing has been typically slow with rods having to cover plenty of water to find the odd feeding fish. Nymphs have been the choice for most but, on the milder days, brief rises have been taken advantage of with fish feeding sporadically on small hatches of olives. During the winter months, several of the more lightly-fished trout beats have been subject to serious bank clearance by the Arundell river keepers, bringing hotel fishers even more accessible water to enjoy. Let’s hope for some rain this year, as last year’s dry summer hampered chances of the quality salmon and sea trout fishing that the Tamar system can produce. A date for the diary is the long weekend of 26^th – 30^th July when the hotel will be hosting the third annual Westcountry Sea Trout Festival. This sociable event has proven particularly popular with those taking their first steps in to night sea trout fishing.

A New Season Opens

March the first sees salmon fishing opening on the Tamar system, with sea trout on the third and trout on the fifteenth of the month. Dog's Mercury, Purple Toothwort and Kingcups are already flowering on the river banks. Herons and egrets are fishing the weir at Polson, along with a pair of kingfishers, and for the first time ever an oyster-catcher was on Tinhay Lake.
Grannom were hatching on the Tamar yesterday, Large Dark Olives any day now. Fresh otter tracks everywhere along the margins - I am sure he will leave a few fish for us. Plenty of water in our rivers, but low enough for some nice grayling to be caught on nymphs.