Burrator Fly Fishers: BFFA Meeting at the Discovery Centre and a Brown Trout Project

Towards the end of 2018 the Wild Trout Trust carried out a survey of the area at Burrator around Weir Head, the Narrator Brook, River Meavy and Newleycombe Lake. The survey established that brown trout from the reservoir have difficulty in running up the streams in the autumn to spawn due to silt and other obstructions.

South West Lakes Trust and the Burrator Fly Fishers are keen to improve the situation and encourage trout to spawn where they had historically spawned in the past. Around 6.30pm 16 members of the BFFA met with West Devon Countryside Warden Sam LeBailly at the Discovery Centre and went around to Weir Head to establish what work was required.

Afterwards, we returned to the Discovery Centre for a BFFA meeting and a pizza supper. The excellent pizza's were cooked in the Centre's wood fired clay oven. The oven and the cooking was overseen by Don, Richard, Linda and Kevin. The oven takes a couple of hours to reach cooking temperature and had been lit earlier in the evening. It was intended that we walk along the shore to the Lawns and back to assess further winter work but by then the rain was very heavy so that was put off until a later date.

The meeting discussed the work needed around Weir Head which would involve re-instating a flow of water along a silted up stream bed. The work will include the use of a tracked digger and a powered wheelbarrow that Stuart would supply.

Our raffle organiser had become soaked through and had decide to return home which meant that there was no evening raffle.

Competition Secretary Bob Prout told the meeting that the winner of the competition held on Thursday 30th May at Fernworthy was Peter Shazell who weighed-in 4 brown trout for 3lb 5oz. He was presented with the usual bottle of wine. Stuart also donated a bottle of Plymouth Gin to the winner so Peter was very pleased! A report of the competition can be seen in the previous blog to this one.

The annual Three Fly Competition was due to be held at Burrator on the 14th or 15th of June but this will now take place on Friday 21st June at Burrator starting at 1pm with the weigh-in at 8pm at Longstone. Flies can be collected at Longstone at the start of the comp.

Richard gave us an update on the boats and introduced the club's new Boat Officer Nik Tompkins. Nik will join the committee. Richard also said that he was awaiting delivery of a quantity of flies. He then gave us the Treasurer's report.

Don produced a small container that will be used to collect fly line, leaders and spools for recycling. The container will be kept in the permit room at the Discovery Centre.

It was intended that we hold a quiz during the evening but we seem to run out of time!

The meeting closed at 9pm.