I arrived at Longstone around 10am and was a little surprised to find that both the air and the water temperature were the same at 8C. Positively chilly after a long spell of unseasonal double figure temperatures.
At Burrator there is not a lot of winter fly life and when the water is cold I usually go to a sinking line with a lure. I have several bankers - Nomad, Kennick Killer, Cat's Whisker or a Booby. I tied an orange Booby to a two foot leader on the end of an old Wet Cel Hi Speed Hi D fast sinking shooting head. The water was well over the dam so a wade out from the shore was needed. Even so the overhanging branches soon showed up any poorly directed backcasts! A 'tide' mark of leaves and branches indicated that the water had been a foot farther up during the recent torrential rains.
The method with the Booby is to cast well out and let the line sink to the bottom. Then slowly, very slowly, retrieve in a series of small jerks and stops. Rainbows often take when the fly is briefly static and my first fish - one of two pounds - did just that not long after I arrived. I had another of 1lb 12oz, and therefore my limit, after lunch.
A lot of clearing work has been done around Longstone and I met two local volunteers who were chain sawing piles of timber. Some big spaces have been created around the shoreline towards the Point. One of them told me that a stocking of trout had taken place in the corner at Longstone before I arrived.
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| The water was pouring over the dam |
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| The'high tide mark' was well up the bank |
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| A gentle breeze for most of the day |
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| A welcome brew! |
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| Spot on two pounds |
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