Some decent rain hit the Tamar catchment recently, and salmon fishing has at last become a reality after two months of stagnation. A very Autumnal video, the plops in the water are not rising trout, but falling acorns.
David Pilkington tries a cast at the neck of Snipe Pool on Beat 8A
The fish nears the net
....and is safely netted
Flecks of red and gold on the gill covers show that this grilse had already been in the river for a few weeks
Apologies to our regular blog readers for lack of material recently. This has been due in part to a busy period teaching beginners, often in less than favourable water, and to lack of material! The past seven weeks have been rainless and rather devoid of great excitement. The closing days of the trout and sea trout season are now looking very unsettled, and we look forward to some back-end sport with the salmon.
Waiting for the 'green to go out of the grass' before starting sea trout fishing up on Beat 3 of the River Lyd
Full moon and mist in the Lyd valley
How to ruin your night vision ( by not using a red light when changing flies).
A typical September 'harvest peal'.
Would you like to play a little game of skill? How many sea trout can you count in this photo? Bear in mind that they are well known as the 'grey ghosts'.
Did you get all 21? If so, well done!
This video shows a shoal of sea trout on the Lyd, doing what sea trout do best in the day, which is not much at all. Note the fish in the top left corner rubbing its side as it scootles around the pool (new word for the English language) showing its silver flanks. Sometimes this flashing is the first thing one sees when scanning the pools to find a shoal of peal. Watch fullscreen in HD for the best viewing.
Hartley weir, River Lyd, dead low water, Friday 23rd. September
Just over one inch of rain overnight. Sunday 25th. September. Not actually very high, at this level trout fishing would be fine if the water was less coloured. No salmon or sea trout were seen running at the weir, but more rain predicted soon will certainly get them on the move. This first rise of water after almost two months of no rain is too little and too soon for the fish to respond in any numbers - watch this space!
Wimbledon is not the only place in the country where it has been raining. Lifton has recorded just one dry day in the last 23. Salmon and sea trout are now entering the Tamar system in increasing numbers, encouraged by the good flow of water. Some smaller fresh school peal are also running, and have been caught as far up the Lyd as the Weir Pool on Beat 3.
A selection of night caught sea trout.
A ten-and-a-half pounder from the Tamar. If salmon could swim backwards, this one might have escaped from Alexander's net.
The Oxford Pictorial Dictionary's choice for the definition of smugness.
Devon seems to have missed the rains which fell elsewhere in the country. Rivers are now very low, trout well fed and proving challenging in the tranquil flows. Despite the low water, a few good sea trout have made it to the main beats of the river Lyd.
A huge brown trout from Tinhay lake. Having been seen feeding on the newly stocked rainbows, we thought this one was better out of the water. 28 inches, nine and a half pounds - one big brownie!
A small olive spinner. Trapped and dying in the surface film, these flies are easy meat for the trout. The fish can become preoccupied with them and become very fussy about both pattern and presentation.
In the net at 0200hours.
Four and a half pounds of fighting Devon sea trout, taken by Alexander Jones from the tail of Donkey pool on a Gurgler. The first of many for the season ahead, and a good fish to beat.
A small spate last weekend moved a few salmon, our first fish of the season is now on the books. Fly hatches are really improving. Mayflies, Black Gnats, Yellow Sallies and a variety of olives are hatching by day, with the first of the evening Caddis hatches now under way. The very best time to be trout fishing is at last upon us.
David putting a line across the tail of Quarry Pool in search of a salmon.
A long-winged salmon tube fly.
The tail of Oak Tree Pool.
Success! A very fresh 30-inch ten-pounder. The single-hooked Black Pennell (visible in the fish's jaw) came out very easily. Measured in the net, this fish never left the water.
Olive and Mayfly spinner dancing beside Quarry in the evening light.
