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FEATURED ARTICLES A Matter of Trust Providing superb wilderness fishing as well as vital conservation work, the Westcountry Rivers Trust’s Angling 2000 scheme offers visitors and locals alike a taste of paradise for a pittance. Dominic Garnett met up with the Trust’s own Toby Russell for a day on some of the regions prettiest rivers, where anyone can catch stunning wild fish. Photography by Simon Steer.
Is there anywhere more beautiful than a Westcountry stream in all its summer glory? I have my doubts. On a day like this “idyllic” doesn’t come close. Thanks to the Westcountry Rivers Trust there is every chance these unspoiled places will stay beautiful too and we can support this aim simply by going fishing on the Angling 2000 scheme. It is the ultimate win-win situation. The angler gets great value sport, whilst the Trust’s riparian supporters get the funding and incentive to preserve these fragile habitats. It is a world away from the clichéd elitism of fly fishing; the rivers are open to all, the trout are free rising and for the price of a couple of beers anyone can enjoy catching wild fish in exquisite surroundings. Simply Beautiful Beat eleven at South Yeo is typically sublime. On our arrival the scene was set by wild flowers, light dappled water and dancing duns. The North Lew here, a tributary of the River Torridge, is perfect mixed habitat, a sequence of smooth glides, craggy corners and inviting pools. The price of a day in this little paradise? Five quid. Arriving at the waterside, Toby Russell and I are mesmerised for a few moments. Like two kids looking into a sweetshop, we can’t wait to tackle up, but first decide to search the stream bed a little for further inspiration. The stones here are absolutely crawling with life and we find caddis larvae, one or two huge may and stonefly nymphs, plus scores of olive nymphs. Nearby we also spot a close-knit gang of minnows and two juvenile salmon. As well as informing our fly choice, Toby also points out that turning a few stones is an excellent “health check” for the river, which is clearly thriving here. He remarks that we can see this “not just from the diversity, but the quality of the invertebrates. Those we’re finding are very pollution intolerant”. Naturally, a rich stream bed also means a good head of trout. The olive nymphs are especially numerous and we even locate one or two in mid-metamorphosis, wings emerging. It is readily apparent why we favour smallish patterns here, in sizes 16-20. My size 18 PTN is a passable match for one of these tiny nymphs, whilst similar sized “emerger” patterns are also bankers. Beat it A day on a Westcountry stream should never be over-complicated. I set up an eight foot, four weight rod, Toby uses a slightly longer blank also with a four weight floating line. This sort of set up will work on virtually any water on the scheme. Both of us start with a small Klinkhammer, which should provide a good general mimic of some of the emerging insects we’ve already found. Whilst Toby starts with just a dry fly, I opt to fish New Zealand style, which for those too shy to ask simply means attaching a nymph on a short dropper directly to the bend of my dry fly. None of this is rocket science and Toby points out “you don’t need to spend vast sums of money. You just need a basic rod, reel, line, a few flies and away you go”. Stealth and simplicity are the key here, not fancy tackle. It doesn’t take long to find signs of the pretty, wild trout that live here. Already we can see odd rises on the surface of the sparkling water. The beauty of these streams is that there are just so many fishy looking spots to explore and if an area is spooked or doesn’t produce, it is simply a case of moving on to the next, working slowly upstream. Toby’s philosophy on stream fishing is one of caution and common sense, “it is important not to go charging in” he advises, “go steadily and watch the river carefully for signs of fish.” As a fellow six footer, I am in total agreement and we both endeavour to keep a low profile and move slowly to avoid spooking these wild brownies. My first trout comes just off a little “bottle neck” in the flow, an ideal position for a trout to grab passing morsels. This one hammers my little nymph, plucking the dry fly clean under and bringing my little trout rod bucking into life. He races back towards the flow, before flipping clean out of the water. For a trout of just eight or nine inches it is a spirited fight. The next take is on the dry, but I’m caught daydreaming this time, trying to spot a kingfisher seen moments earlier. Toby’s concentration is better as he hooks into his first dry fly fish of the day, a similar sized brownie that comes from a steady, shallow run and carries out a series of outrageous jumps, further illustrating the superb fitness of these wild fighters. A Helping Hand Although anglers sometimes forget, thriving wild habitats and healthy trout stocks are no accident. Perhaps the trouble is that we tend to just enjoy the end product and miss the hard work. But can simply buying fishing tickets on the scheme really help restore and conserve our rivers? “Absolutely” says Toby. “The money that’s generated by anglers using the scheme goes back to the fishery owners who are managing the environment, so that they then have an economic incentive to maintain and improve the fishery.” Moving Upstream After a rewarding mornings sport, we move towards Angling 2000’s heartland at Launceston. Anglers are spoilt for choice here, with more beats than a drum machine. Beat sixteen at Ham Mill offers fishing on both the Tamar and Ottery. Today our efforts are focussed on the Ottery, another smallish river with healthy stocks of trout and the added bonus of grayling. Keen as we are to continue, here in the Westcountry there is no rush and we enjoy a leisurely game of fish spotting from vantage point of the bridge. Back in the water, a little brownie taken yards from the access point makes an encouraging start, before the afternoon doldrums set in. Rises seem more sporadic and inevitably the fish are less active in the hot, bright conditions. Time to experiment a little. Nymphs seem the way to go, and as the river here is a little deeper and has a tinge of colour, we change to gold head bugs, picking out larger patterns to try to grab some attention. Our dries are refused in the bright light and it seems that most takes are now occurring in the shade in shallow, steady paced water. There are some lovely, craggy corners here, which look inviting if a little cramped. Such spots require side casting and we catch odd trees as well as trout. Although the fishing might be slower in the midday lull, it is impossible to feel deflated in such a gorgeous place. Sharing the beat is a sociable way to proceed and we take it in turns to cast our way upstream, comparing notes as we go. It also allows time to watch the water and gives me the chance to find out some more about the scheme from Toby. Angling 2000 really has opened public access to our wild rivers and countryside in a huge way and I’m impressed with the way it aims to make fly fishing affordable and accessible, helping to break some of the old stereotypes. “With fifty kilometres of water there really is great variety and something for everyone” says Toby. “The brilliant thing about the scheme is that people can get to those beautiful areas of countryside they’ve never visited before. You can access those bits of water you always see when you drive over a bridge and day dream about casting a line- and that benefits visitors and locals alike.” A real rivers enthusiast, Toby simply loves immersing himself in wild places and admits “I never take a watch when I go fishing” although this doesn’t always endear him to his wife. His most magic days fishing was on the Inny, when a mad spell produced a grayling of a pound and a half, a brownie of similar size and a peal of around two pounds all from the same pool. Usually it is all about the experience, however, rather than weights and figures on these lovely waters. Preserving Paradise Having enjoyed an idyllic day on the rivers, it seems almost unfeasible that today’s fishing adventure has cost the grand total of twelve pounds fifty for two beats. The journey back to Exeter’s building developments and road works reminds me exactly why it is so important for us to fight to preserve our wild rivers. So apart from buying Angling 2000 tickets, what can anglers do? One simple answer is to join the Westcountry Rivers Trust. “Our membership is vital” says Toby “signing up will be directly helping to improve rivers through our projects” and he adds “when we go fishing it’s very easy to forget all the lobbying and hidden work involved behind the scenes”. The statistics speak for themselves and amongst other achievements the Trust has restored over 250km of damaged river bank. Twenty four pounds a year seems a small price to pay to preserve these unique, wild habitats. Indeed, as I set off back to the city I can quite happily imagine a world with no offices, tower blocks or rubbish tips; a world without unspoiled countryside and meandering rivers, however, would be no world worth living in. Flies for the Wild West… Klinkhammer My first choice all rounder, easily spotted by angler and trout alike. A brightly coloured post also makes this pattern the perfect foil for a nymph on the NZ dropper. Coch-y-Bonddu This classic terrestrial comes into its own in mid summer. A must have wherever you find healthy tree cover. PTN variant Another essential- a size 18 is perfect for small rivers. Realistic profile is ideal for low, clear water. Gold Bead Hare’s Ear These can be tied right down to 16’s with tiny beads for small streams and low water, whilst extra water or colour demands a bigger bug. Olive Spider Just one of many spider patterns that can prove deadly. I include plenty of smaller samples, as well as a few bigger, weighted patterns to give plenty of options.
Fact File
Six of the Best… Beat 1: Champerhayes, River Culm (3 Tokens) As well as quality trout, cracking chub to 4lb provide great summer dry fly sport here. Within easy reach of Exeter. Beat 3: Witheridge Mill Bridge, Little Dart (2 Tokens) A delightful little stretch, stuffed with pretty, pint-sized brownies and the odd surprise. Pools can produce sea trout given good water levels. Beat 18: Treburtle, Ottery (4 Tokens) Excellent mixed trout and grayling fishing, six fish a day the average catch. A whopping 3200m of water allows ample space for two. Beats 22 & 23 Sydenham, on The Lyd (5 Tokens) Two quality beats with just about everything: salmon, sea trout, some good brownies and superb grayling taken to over three pounds. Beat 35 Grogarth, Lower Fal (3 Tokens) Head way out west for some quality Cornish brownies plus sea trout, which can be targeted during daylight hours here.
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