After catching a couple of Rainbows knew this was something different when the fish hit the fly and raced off to the deep water stripping the line down to the backing.
Took a quick photograph then safely returned to the water to fight another day.

Fly fishing from the West Side of Burrator

A rainy Sunday with strong southerly wind but decided to try the west bank after speaking to Alan one of the bailifs. He had recenetly fished there and caught a nice sized Brown along with a few Rainbows. Never had any luck that side before but it would be worth trying as now stocking from that side.
Normally fish the Peninsula but with all the chaos from the logging going on it made sense to give it a try. Very little thought appears to be given to the fly fishing along the Peninsula as the middle section is almost completely flattened and trees are still remaining along the waters edge with no extra bays created to allow for a backcast.
After a two hour session on the western side caught three hard fighting fish on an intermediate line and went home happy.

Sunday 30 March 2014

I went to Burrator on Sunday 30th March for my first fishing trip of 2014.  Although beautifully warm in the sun there was a cold, gusty

south easterly blowing which seemed to affect every shore except the very tip of Longstone Point.  Unfortunately, it being a Sunday, the area in front of the granite bench was occupied all day by picnic-ers.  The water level was up over the sills on the dam and even wading out a little way, the backcasting was quite testing as my depleted fly box reveals!  

The tree-fellers were not working but I would like to have asked them to take down more of the trees along the waters edge while they were virtually clear felling the rest of Longstone including lots of beech.  I did have one rainbow on a black & yellow Montana fished deep but otherwise saw nothing moving at all. Two other anglers I spoke to blanked.

10% Discounts on Day Permits for Burrator Club Members

We are pleased to announce that, following discussions with SWLT, Burrator Fly Fishers' members who are not season ticket holders can obtain day permits at a discounted rate. These will be available only from Peter Macconnell, Club Chairman, and the prices will be:

Full Day      - Five Fish - £16.20 (normally £18.00)
Concession - Five Fish - £14.00 (normally £15.50)
Child          - Two Fish   - £4.50 (normally £5.00)
Evening      - Two Fish - £12.60 (normally £14.00)
Catch & Release          - £12.60 (normally £14.00)

These will be available on a strictly members and their children only basis.

To purchase a ticket please contact the Chairman by telephone on 01752 560538 or 07738 378227 or email to the usual address.

A slow start to the 2014 season

Peter, among the fallen trees, with two fish for 3lb 9oz

The Burrator trout fishing season officially opened on Saturday 15th March, though season ticket holders had a 'preview' day on the Friday. Burrator Fly Fishers'  usual opening day competition was was poorly attended by both anglers and fish. In the end returning member Paul Lee won with a five fish bag for 11lb 9oz  and a best fish of 3lb 3oz. Unfortunately he didn't take a photo, though his fish were witnessed by fellow member Jon Perry who had the trout of the day, sadly, his only fish, a rainbow of 3lb 11oz. The final results were that only nine members turned out, on what admittedly was quite a cold and blustery day, and even fewer caught fish:
1st - Paul Lee, five fish for 11:09
2nd - Jon Perry, one fish for 3:11
3rd - Peter Macconnell, 2 fish for 3:09
4th - Pat Power, 2 fish for 3:00

The two most striking features of the day were, firstly, how few fish were caught from the Longstone Peninsula and, secondly what a chaotic mess the peninsula is in. We knew from our pre-season meeting with Ben and Neil from South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) that there was to be much logging going on to remove virtually all the conifers in that area and that they were intending to stock the water from the eastern side slipway as well as the traditional spot at Longstone. We were assured that the logging would be finished before the trout season started and a clean up of the area done; burning remaining brush and so on, in preparation for reseeding with traditional deciduous trees in the long term. The fact is that the logging was still ongoing and the area is still, even now (Wednesday 26th March), a real mess, though less of a hazard than it was on opening day. How they are going get vehicular access to stock from there is hard to imagine. Below are a couple of photographs showing the current state of affairs.

By the gate

Ready for burning, presumably

How far the disturbance of these activities has affected the fishing it is hard to say. Anecdotal reports are very mixed. Alan Lawson, one of the honorary bailiffs, told me that on the Sunday after opening day a few fish were caught, and Burrator member Roy Kane had a five fish limit on the next day, Monday. By contrast five of our members fished on Wednesday 26th and all had dry nets on a bitterly cold day. It seems likely that things will improve next week when we get our first spell of warmer weather and perhaps the Trust will be able to do some stocking on the Eastern side of the reservoir. 

February Competition at Newhouse

'Tarpon Tony' poses with the best fish of the day - 4lb 7oz

New member Kelvin Nikulin plays a lively rainbow

A small but select group of members turned out -
Mike Duckett, Mark Clark, Tony Vallack, Peter Macconnell and Kelvin Nikulin

Tony's winning bag - three rainbows for exactly 9lbs

Peter with an unusual catch (and release) - a carp of about 2 lbs caught on a Kate McLaren

Tony plays his fish in cold and windy conditions

Peter keeps warm in the fishing hut

The weather forecast for Thursday 20th February predicted a bright sunny day, with brisk winds and occasional showers. Mercifully the showers were few and far between. Nevertheless it was still a day for wrapping up warm. Surprisingly only five members turned out for what proved to be an excellent and enjoyable day's fly fishing at what must now rank as one of the best small trout fisheries in the area. Despite much rain in previous days, and the consequent agricultural run-off, the water was quite clear and fish could be seen moving near the surface. We fished short 'office hours' 10.00am to 4.00pm, and all of us caught our three fish limits as well as having many other takes from  fish that threw the fly. All the fish were caught on floating lines or slow intermediates. Additionally Peter had a fourth fish which was returned alive; a carp of about two pounds fairly taken on a traditional wet fly. 

The competition results were:

Tony Vallack - three fish for 9lb 0oz.

Mark Clark - three fish for 6lb 8oz.

Kelvin Nikulin - three fish for 5lb 13oz.

Mike Duckett - three fish for 5lb 7oz.

Peter Macconnell - three fish for 4lb 12oz. (carp not counted).

February Fly Tying Evening

As far as we know a fly tying evening is an innovation for the club. It was suggested, somewhat indirectly, by new member George Whortelhock, at the AGM, when he asked if anyone could help him start to tie his own flies. This brought an immediate and enthusiastic response from several members, so it was agreed that our February meeting would be a 'fly tying special'. 

It must be said that none of our members claim to be experts at the vice; but mere amateurs who add a little extra to their fly fishing experiences by catching fish using home tied flies. In  the event the evening was very enjoyable as can be seen from the following pictures taken by Tony Vallack. Let's hope we can do it again.

George at the vice - It was his idea

Del, Peter and Mark - A picture of concentration

Jack and Mike sorting out materials

Peter gives it a go,  while Linda get tips from Mark

Pat shows John how to tie his version the Damsel Fly