The Sea Trout Inn, at Staverton, where our visitors tickets have been sold for some years, is closed presently. The position as of 15th April 2019 is that tickets should be on sale within the next few days at Dartmoor Lodge Hotel , Ashburton. We will post confirmation of this as soon as things are up and running, which should be before Easter.
Update: Up and running!
Most members will have received this season’s membership cards by now. Due to an administrative error at our busy nerve centre, a small number of the new cards have been issued with last years date. If you have received one of these you may contact the Hon Sec to obtain a re-issued card. Alternatively, the data protection statement you should also have received can be used this season in combination with your 2018 dated card as proof of membership.
Here’s wishing all our members a pleasant and successful 2019 season.
The Wild Trout Trust annual online auction is still live until Sunday (16th March), when items will close throughout the evening.
There are many fabulous lots, catering for pretty much every purse and every taste in trout fishing, other fishing opportunities, tackle, tuition, art, literature and shooting.
The money raised will be spent to benefit our rivers and their trout and sea trout.
If you have not yet had a look at the auction there is still time.
Details of the lots on offer are available on the Wild Trout Trust’s website, with a link to the auction hosted by eBay or go straight to the auction listing here.
Just a reminder that Graeme Harris is coming to speak to us tomorrow evening. Graeme has been consulted by the Association regarding possible improvements to be made to TWP to bring it back to its former glory by managing flows etc. Obviously, members views on this would be useful so please come if you can.
As he is a renowned authority on sea trout, no evening with Graeme would be complete without a few words about them and this will be the subject of the second half of his talk.
There will also be a free buffet.
The meeting is at 1930 tomorrow – Friday 8th March – at the Dartmoor lodge Hotel, Ashburton, TQ13 7JW.
Bank clearing is underway, with Robin leading the team. There is much work to be done, so we need plenty of volunteers. We meet on each Sunday morning for the first few weeks of the year and the work can be more or less physical, depending on the individual. In any case it is a good way of working off some of that Christmas pudding, good fun and, particularly for newer members, a good way of getting to know the river and an perhaps an opportunity to discuss tactics with other members.
The photo below was taken last week when the team removed a tree from Kilbury.
Anyone with a couple of hours to spare on any Sunday morning in the near future would be particularly welcome as attendance has been a little low this year.
You will find the list of dates and venues here.
This work has to be done for the benefit of all so please come if you can.
Members, if you have some time to spare on the following dates your presence at one or more of these sessions would be very much appreciated to help with river bank maintenance. For newer members this is a good opportunity to get to know your fellow members and the river better.
All bank clearing commencing at 0930 on the following Sundays:
6th Jan – Kilbury
13th Jan- (CC) Kilbury/ Austins Bridge to Nursery Pool
20th Jan- (CC) Nursery- Rookery to Caddiford Turn
27th Jan- (CC) Colston Stickle to Quarry Pool
3rd Feb- (CC) Quarry-Wortley – Eales Folley
10th Feb- (CC) Davies Pit to Lower Stile
17th Feb- Hood Weir (tree removal subject to water height) or alternative above Riverford Bridge/ Stretchford ( right bank)
24th Feb- Fogdens – Caddaford to Old Man’s Run-Abbots Mead
3rd Mar- Fogdens- (tree removal subject to water height) head of Abbots Mead.
Catch returns for the 2018 season are as follows:
SALMON
First fish – P Hetherington 12lbs Hembury 2/5/18
Highest total – No member caught more than one fish
Best fish – P Hetherington 12lbs Hembury 2/5/18
Seven members and two day ticket anglers reported catching a salmon. All fish were returned alive. (100% C&R)
Where taken: Church Commissioners water 4, Fogdens 2, Kilbury 2, Hembury 1. TOTAL 9
Previous totals: 2017 – 9, 2016 – 21, 2015 – nil, 2014 – 8, 2013 – 13
SEA TROUT
First Fish – P Prowse 2lbs 8oz Caddaford Turn 23/4/18
Highest total – P. Prowse 24
Best fish – P Prowse 10lbs (est) TWP 21/5/18
Where taken: TWP 26, Dartington 2, Church Commissioners 52, Fogdens 19, SW Water 14, Kilbury 7, Hembury 2, TOTAL 122
98 fish returned alive (81% C&R)
Previous totals: 2017 – 165, 2016 – 112, 2015 – 107, 2014 – 203, 2013 – 503
BROWN TROUT
Best fish – P Heatherington 3lbs
93 total for DAA waters.
DUCHY WATER
Salmon – nil
Sea Trout – nil
Brown Trout – 157
Where taken: West Dart 96, East Dart 48, Tribs 13 (Cherrybrook / Swincombe)
Combined DAA/Duchy brown trout total – 250 (Likely all returned alive)
Wishing all our members and friends a very merry Christmas and a fishy New Year.
Sea Trout fishing in TWP picked up in May as water levels started to drop and about 30 were caught with fish up to 10lbs. In mid May reasonable numbers went through the fish counter with 450 for the month, slightly down on last year. Also as levels started to drop some fish in the weirpool started to show the first signs of fungal disease and fish which had been free taking in early May became more reluctant to take a fly.
Readers may be interested in this interesting and heartfelt editorial concerning the state of salmon stocks on the Tweed that aims to put in context efforts to improve the situation and has relevance to all salmon rivers.
Great news!
Members should now have received a newsletter informing them that we now have access to the Duchy of Cornwall fishing on Dartmoor included in our subscription.
The new arrangement will permit all Association members to fish for all categories of fish on the Moor.
This will be on a trial basis for two years but the committee hopes it may lead to a permanent lease for us. The arrangement will require careful monitoring and may be subject to some changes in regulation as time goes by. We will be asking members to keep careful records of their number of visits and catches and we will be feeding all information back to the Duchy when catch returns are due in the autumn.
The committee are very pleased about the new fishing and our thanks must go to Tom Stratton, the Duchy Land Steward, who is also very keen for the link up to be a success.
Please ensure when fishing the moor that your membership card is carried at all times.
Members guest tickets will not be available but of course visitors may obtain a day ticket at a modest price from Duchy ticket agents.
Details of the fishery and a list of ticket agents can be found in the page menu under “Duchy fishing on Dartmoor”.