- Fishing is by catch and release only. Any fish caught must be returned immediately to the river with minimum of injury.
- Existing method restrictions but only one single barbless or debarbed hook must be used.
- No fish are to be retained for any reason whatsoever.
- No fishing between the hours of 8pm and 4am. (outside these times - subject to Association Regulation)
- Catch return form must be completed and returned to the River Dart Fisheries Association by 31 October 2008. (Members please send to Hon Sec in time for him to pass on to DFA)
- Permit must be produced on demand to a duly authorised Environment Agency officer.
24/8/09 - A pair of polaroids has been lost somewhere in the wooded section of the Hood Barton stretch between Tylers Run and Stretchford. If anyone happens to come across them please let me know and I will arrange to return them to their owner.
8/8/09 - Sadly it seems that the Angling Trust has run into financial trouble already and has announced a 'restructuring' programme in order to reduce costs. It has been said that their membership targets were overoptimistic, however, the reality of only 1% of anglers joining up is very disappointing. There are benefits of membership, not least of which is the £5m of public liability insurance included in the subscription of less than 40p per week. Above all, whether one likes the way the Trust have set about their task or not it has to be said that with angling under pressure from many sides, a coherent national voice for angling is essential. It would be a great loss to us all if the Trust were to fail. Why not consider becoming a member and have your voice heard? See the Trust's web site for more details.
31/7/09 - Here is the list of DFA work party dates for this year. Last year's turnout was, it must be said, disappointing due not least to the weather. Please try to support this very important work on the areas where fish cut their redds. The work involves clearing weed and cleaning gravel to increase the area available to spawning fish. Why not put these dates in your diary now and join us in this enjoyable pursuit then enjoy a pint and a pasty (or similar) on us at the end of the session. Non-members are welcome to come and join in.
DFA 2009 WORKS PROGRAMME |
|
| TUES AUGUST 18TH | WALLABROOK – PIZWELL BRIDGE |
| SAT AUGUST 29TH | WALLABROOK – RUNAGE BRIDGE |
| WED SEPTEMBER 9TH | CHERRYBROOK – LOWER BRIDGE |
| SAT SEPTEMBER 19TH | CHERRYBROOK – UPPER BRIDGE |
| WED 30TH SEPTEMBER | BLACKABROOK - JUNCTION WITH W. DART (some walking involved) |
| TUES 6TH OCTOBER | W. WEBBURN – TBA |
| 9.30 am START ON ALL DAYS: MORNINGS ONLY | Map of locations |
13/7/09 - Allan Tudor has pointed out what is probably a better set of graphical tide tables for use when fishing TWP. They are to be found on the links page.
4/7/09 - Please note that he start time for Dangling Day '09 has been changed from 1000 to 1100.
The picture below shows EA man Mike Maslin trying out a new method of frightening fish. This one uses a bright yellow pole with powerful LEDs on the end, rather than the normal rod and line method most of us use. Seriously though, these are members of the EA and the DFA evaluating a new sub-surface video camera for possible use in estimating fish stocks. Unfortunately the test was inconclusive and further trials will be undertaken.
Camera test
10/6/09 - There is a new newsletter in the offing so if you would like to receive it by email, please send an e-mail to mailinglist@dartaa.org.uk with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject box and your name and postcode in the main body.Please be assured that it is the intention to keep your e-mail address private and to keep the content to material relevant to the Association. If in future you should wish to remove your name from the list then you would simply send a similar e-mail but with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject.
1/6/09 - Google placemarks relating to our fishing have been updated. You will find them on the Maps page. These are still somewhat provisional but being refined all the time. It would be appreciated if any misplaced markers could be reported and suggestions for other locations made.
The fly box mentioned below has now been found.
24/5/09 - Has anyone found the cream coloured C&F fly box with contents that was left at TWP on friday evening? Probably it would have been either on or near the bench on the Totnes side. If you have it, please let me know and I will reunite it with its owner.
20/05/09 (Revised 4/7/09)- The Association is holding its second annual Open Day ('Dangling Day') on Saturday July 11 from 1100 hrs to 1600 hrs at Staverton. It is designed in part to encourage young people and anyone else who wants to know more about fly fishing to come along and have a go.
But this year is going to be very different from last year. For a start the weather is going to be absolutely wonderful. Secondly we think it is a great idea to suggest that all Association members, friends and family come along and make it a gossipy fun day out.
There will be a barbecue on which food that visitors bring with them will be cooked and plastic beakers in which to serve their drink. Please be sure and come along with chairs, rugs tables, plates and eating irons.
We are using the fishing along the field across the railway line at Staverton by kind permission of Mike Berrow and the Watson family.
The site needs to be manned by at least ten people: - instructors, cooks, parking and railway crossing marshals and general glad-handers. We still need some more names for all or part of the day. Do please think of putting yourself forward. It is promises to be the same friendly event as last year, with more free scrumpy for the help.
Please contact Nigel Ash on 07831 408526 or email him at nash@members.shines.net.
There is a map of the Dangling Day location here or for those of you who are Google Earth savvy, here is a placemark for the location of the event: Entrance to Dangling Day
15/5/09 - New tackle review posted. The item reviewed is a tube fly vice by Gray's of Kilsyth. Looks very useful.
13/5/09 - Added to the links page under the heading 'Weather and river conditions' you will find a new link to the BBC weather site's tide tables, which give times and heights for Totnes. These can be very useful as a fairly accurate idea of when one may start and would have to finish fishing may be deduced. More details by the link.
7/4/09 - The set of placemarks for Google Earth has been updated to show, among others, a revised upper boundary to the Dartington water with tracks showing foot access from parking areas. Please note that some of the markers are still provisional and although positioned and shown in good faith, there could be inaccuracies. Please report any mistakes and or make suggestions for inclusion. The file is here: Dart placemarks 4/09 If you have the previous set already in your Google Earth 'Places' you should delete them first otherwise you will have two of each marker, which would be rather confusing.
There are reports of possible poaching of sea trout by spinning below TWP. Please keep a lookout and if anything suspicious is seen please call the police or the EA hotline (number on reverse of EA licence.)
29/3/09 - Please note that the cost of the DFA AGM buffet is now £10 and not the £13 originally announced.
24/3/09 - Notice is given that this year’s Dart Fisheries Association AGM will be held at the Royal Seven Stars Hotel, Totnes at 6.30pm on Friday April 17th. There will then be talks by Toby Russell on the work carried out for us by the Westcountry Rivers Trust in 2008 and the work the Trust intend to carry out this year and Roger Furniss on the activities of the South West Rivers Association and the recently formed Anglers Trust of which he is a Director. The election of the Association's committee and officers will also take place.
After the meeting there will be a hot buffet supper and an “Auction of Fishing”, full details of all lots at the meeting, similar to last years with fishing kindly donated by riparian owners and proceeds going towards in-river works. The price of the buffet supper will be £10 per head. Please send your cheque, payable to the Dart Fisheries Association, to Nick Holding at Court Farm, Coombe, Buckfastleigh, Devon TQ 11 0HT before April 11th. Please note guests of members and non-members are welcome to come to the meeting and stay on for supper and the auction. Full details and agenda in .pdf form here.
2/3/09 - Just a reminder of our trout/sea trout evening taking place this Friday at Staverton Courthouse (the village hall) at 7pm. Subjects covered will include the management of our trout habitat, issues concerned with stocking and possible reasons for declining numbers of sea trout. The speakers will be Andy Thomas of the Wild Trout Trust and probably the leading expert on sea trout, Dr. Graeme Harris. Subject to constraint of time there will be a chaired Q&A session following the presentations. This promises to be an interesting and lively debate which, although centred on the Dart, should be relevant to most rivers and indeed anyone with a fisheries interest is welcome to come along and join in.
1/3/09 - Under the new Environment Agency bylaws that came into force on 31st Jan, it is now illegal to sell rod caught salmon or sea trout. The carcasses of all net caught salmon and sea trout must now be individually tagged and the details of the fish caught recorded in an annual logbook. Therefore any salmon or sea trout offered for sale without a tag is illegal. The bylaw requiring the release of all salmon caught before 16th June and that only artificial fly or artificial lure be used before that date is renewed for a further 10 years.
The intention is that the new measures will make it more difficult for poachers to sell their catch and reduce the number of fish taken by a minority of licensed anglers who may have been tempted to sell theirs.
25/2/09 - This year's WTT on-line auction.
Most members will know that the Wild Trout Trust since it began almost a dozen years ago (with Mike Weaver as one of its founders), has devoted itself to the practical business of habitat restoration - fixing degraded rivers for the benefit of all fauna and flora, including brown trout and sea trout and of course salmon.
Indeed the DAA itself has benefited from a WTT advisory visit on the Woolston Stream running into the Dart by Staverton Mill. Part of the recommended work there has been done and already thanks to a second electro-fishing exercise by the EA, it is clear that the stream's spawning potential has been boosted.
In recent years, the WTT has established an on-line auction of lots great and small, which has become an important source of its funding. Here is the catalogue for this year's auction. Please have a look at it and see if there is anything you fancy. Times may be tight but this also means that you could pick up some bargain lots. The WTT is a great cause and your support will be hugely appreciated.
10/2/09 - Wednesday bank maintenance will be at Fogdens again this week. Meet 10am.
Here is a Salmon tube fly offer that might be of interest to members:
7/2/09 - Bank maintenance on Sunday will be taking place at the upper end of Fogdens. Help required please. Meet 9am.
2/2/09 - The Wednesday bank maintenance party will not now be working at Horsehill. We will be at Rookery Pool and possibly, if there is enough time / personpower, at Kilbury wear, meeting at Caddaford layby at 10am.
30/1/09 - Best wishes to all our members for the imminent Salmon season.
Bank maintenance - Robin will be back in charge of the work party on Sunday, meeting at Caddaford layby at 9 am. Numbers have been down a little so please try to make it if you can.
Paul Bright of Reel Value has informed us of the offers in the following PDF document that might be of interest to our members
Paul works locally repairing and servicing reels as well as being an agent for Okuma and others. His web site is www.reelvalue.co.uk
The WTT speaker at the Trout Seminar in March will be Andy Thomas who is one of the conservation officers from the Wild Trout Trust and will speak on brown trout conservation and good management practices
27/1/09 - Due to inclement weather forecast tomorrow and the height of the river, the Wednesday bank maintenance session is cancelled. All being well we shall meet at the same time and place next Wednesday.
24/1/09 - Bank maintenance RV's:
Sunday 9.30, Fogdens. (Rain should have stopped by then.) Luke C-M to lead.
Wednesday 10.00 Horsehill, bottom end, near Queen of the Dart. Luke to lead.
24/1/09 - The Association will be holding a seminar on Sea Trout at Staverton Court House on Friday 6th March. The speakers will be Dr. Graeme Harris, renowned expert on the species, and a representative of the Wild Trout Trust. All welcome.
20/1/09 - The mid-week bank maintenance party will RV at Fogdens tomorrow (wednesday) at 10 am.
For those of you who have not yet paid your subscriptions, please be reminded that they are due by the end of the month.
17/1/09 - By popular request, we are now able to deliver your newsletter etc. by e-mail. Please be assured that it is the intention to keep your e-mail address private and to keep the content to material relevant to the Association. If you are a member or on the official waiting list and would like to save the Association a few stamps, then please send an e-mail to mailinglist@dartaa.org.uk with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject box and your name and postcode in the main body. If in future you should wish to remove your name from the list then you would simply send a similar e-mail but with UNSUBSCRIBE as the subject.
16/1/09 - As Robin Thorn is unable to lead the bank maintenance party on Sunday (18th) Luke has kindly offered to take his place. Meet at Fogden's (right bank, opposite Caddaford) at 0900, to work in Rookery pool. If there are any problems due to the weather it will be posted here if notice is received in time.
7/1/09 - This Sunday's bank maintenance party will again meet at Caddadford lay-by at 9am. If the river remains low it is the intention to remove the fallen tree that has lodged itself just upstream of Caddaford. Boots would be helpful.
6/1/09 - The fishing return statistics for the 2008 season are as follows:
SALMON:
18 members report catching salmon.
Total catch - 64. Of these, 24 were caught on the Church Commissioners Water, 1 in Totnes Weir Pool. 60 or 94% of these fish were reported released. Those who have caught and returned Salmon are to be congratulated for attaining such a high C&R percentage. Please keep it up for 2009.
(Salmon totals history: 2007 - 43, 2006 - 39, 2005 - 41, 2004 - 83, 2003 - 29, 2002 - 21, 2001 - 40, 2000 - 53)
Best fish- Mr A Davis est 15+lb.
First fish- N. Gipson est 9lb 15/5/08.
Highest total- D. Myhill - 11.
Number caught (average weight) per month- May=3 (9.5lb), June=4 (8.5lb), July=13 (8.25lb), Aug=21 (5.7lb), Sept=17 (6.8lb), Oct=6 (10.5lb).
SEA TROUT:
40 members report catching Sea Trout
Total catch - 160. Of these, 74 were caught at Totnes Weir Pool and 33 on the Church Commissioners Water. 43 fish or 26.9% reported released. Only 4 fish over 6lb were reported, compared to 14 in 2007.
(Sea trout totals history: 2007 - 228, 2006 - 260, 2005 - 302, 2004 - 440, 2003 - 399 2002 - 616, 2000 - 451)
Best fish- D.Grove est 8lb
First fish- E. Malleson 1/4/08
Average weight- 2lb
Highest total- R. Thorn and A. Myall, both with 24 fish.
Number caught (average weight) per month- March=0 (0), April=20 (2.5lb), May=61 (3lb), June=18 (2.5lb), July=41 (1.5lb), Aug=16 (2lb), Sept=3 (1lb)
The much reduced Sea Trout total for the 2008 season was not helped by very wet conditions which were against night-time fishing and led to a much lower level of fishing effort.
BROWN TROUT:
Total catch- 138. (2007 - 71)
Highest total D.Lockett - 36
5/1/09 - First, all of the staff here at the DAA's busy IT centre would like to wish you all a very happy and successful 2009.
The mid-week bank maintenance session will be kicking off this week on wednesday. This week we meet at the Caddaford lay-by at 10.30. We are planning to continue where Sunday's work party left off. Please check this page on Mondays for further times, dates and locations.
