A Matter of Trust
(Fly Fishing & Fly Tying)
Providing superb wilderness fishing as well as vital conservation work, the Westcountry Rivers Trust’s “Westcountry Angling Passport” scheme offers visitors and locals alike a taste of paradise for a pittance. I 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.
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 Klinkhamer, 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.”
The Trust has had a great response working in cooperation with over
3000 farmers to advise and assist with habitat improvement and environmentally sound
farming practices. Today’s first beat is a good example in several ways. There is
a thriving “buffer zone” here between stream and farmland, for instance, a healthy,
fenced-off margin left wild to give the river “breathing space” from farming activity.
The river habitat itself is beautifully balanced. Coppicing (the management of tree
growth) has been carried out to let more light into the water. This promotes algal
growth, which in turn supports the abundant invertebrate life which trout depend
on. Further along, where erosion is a concern, Toby points out where wooden support
posts have been put in place to foster the growth of plants whose roots will help
stabilise the bank. In an age when farms have fewer labourers on hand to carry out
such improvements, the Trust’s work is invaluable.
To the angler, the proof is kicking
on the end of the line; a healthy river environment equals a healthy population of
trout and whilst we encounter no monsters this morning, Toby and I take a healthy
stamp of fish, with plenty of samples between eight and eleven inches, great sport
on light tackle. The highlight is a handsome half pounder that puts a cracking bend
in the brook rod, thumping its way through a little pool before launching itself
at the sun. All of our trout are released effortlessly thanks to barbless hooks and
minimal handling.
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.
Whilst no huge samples come our way today then, we still get
odd bites on the nymphs throughout the session by keeping active, which is often
the key to catching well. Perhaps the best brownie of the day, a feisty specimen,
comes from deep in the trees and well out of the bright sunlight, engulfing a big,
scruffy hares ear tripped along a slightly faster run, lined by tree roots. Once
again, the fight is surprisingly vigorous for a half pounder, another crazily-spotted,
thoroughly wild trout.
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
Hook: 16-20 Partridge Klinkhammer
Body: hares mask/ dubbing in appr. shade
Rib:
gold wire
Post: brightly coloured antron or sim.
Hackle: genetic grizzle
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
Hook: Barbless dry fly 16-20
Thread: Black
Body: peacock herl, tip of
flat gold tinsel
Hackle: Reddish Brown cock
This classic terrestrial comes into its own in mid summer. A must have wherever you find healthy tree cover.
PTN variant
Hook: Kamasan Barbless Trout 16-20
Thread: Brown
Tail/body: Pheasant tail
fibres
Rib: fine copper wire
Thorax: Brown or black “body stretch” or similar
Legs:
Hare’s mask, guard hairs
Another essential- a size 18 is perfect for small rivers. Realistic profile is ideal for low, clear water.
Gold Bead Hare’s Ear
Hook: Grub pattern, 12-16
Head: Gold bead in suitable size
Thread:
brown or black
Tail: partridge fibres, two strands of pearl crystal flash
Body: hare’s
mask fibres
Rib: oval tinsel, gold
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
Hook: Barbless 12-20
Thread: olive
Body: olive dyed pheasant tail over
flat lead wire
Rib: gold wire
Hackle: olive partridge fibres
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
The scheme is simplicity itself. Every beat has a token box; just fill out
and post your tokens and off you go. tokens cost £2.50 each. See www.westcountryanglingpassport.co.uk
