The Dart Fisheries Association AGM which was to take place on 1st May is now postponed until later in the year, due to Covid-19 fears.
Author: DoubleDart
Annual Dinner Raffle
The Dart Angling Association would like to offer grateful thanks to the donors of the following prizes for our annual raffle, which was drawn at last night’s annual dinner. £447 was raised for Association funds.
Please support with your custom the businesses that have donated prizes.
“Alan Ridell” 10 ft 6/7 weight 4 piece fly rod – Andy Myall
2 tickets to the Albert Hall – John Sanderson
£25 voucher – The Old Library Restaurant, Ashburton
Mid-week carvery for two – Dartmoor Lodge Hotel, Ashburton
£15 voucher – The Fish Deli, Ashburton
7 wt sink tip fly line – Snowbee (UK) Ltd, Plympton
A fine picture – Dr Peter Edwards
£10 voucher – McCabe the butcher – Totnes
Voucher for one hour’s air rifle shooting – The Gun Room, Ivybridge
Book on fly tying – Louise Burnell
Bottle of champagne – Robin Thorn
Bottle of rum – Ian Schofield
Wading staff – Derek Mayhill
Large brownie falls to young angler
8 year old Ruben, son of member Luke Chester-Master was out with his dad doing some early season salmon fishing when he hooked this beautiful monster brownie.
It must be said that this fish was not caught on Association water but obviously, being a Dart fish will be of interest to members. Having caught this one, Ruben, unsurprisingly, is keen to become a DAA junior member.
It was caught using a flying C with a single barbless hook and of course being out of season for Brown trout it was released after its photo-call, as no doubt it would have been anyway.
It is possible that this is a ‘retired’ sea trout that has taken up residence in the river or perhaps it has always lived there.
The extraordinary thing about this fish, other than its size is that it appears to be the same fish caught a while back by Andy Myall in more or less the same place. according to the identical pattern of spots on the operculum.
Well done Ruben! Now catch it again on fly!
Bank clearing off again
Looks like the weather is going to beat us again this weekend. Owing to the poor forecast we have had to cancel Sunday’s planned bank maintenance session. Better luck next week?
Patagonian rainbow
Member Clem Booth has recently returned from Patagonia, where he caught this stunning wild rainbow trout. These fish migrate between Lake (Lago Strobel) and river and as can be seen from the photo are similar to steelhead in appearance.
This one weighed 19lbs and measured 34 inches. Not quite Clem’s best however. In 2018 he had a 20 pounder.
Bank clearing cancelled
Bank clearing has been cancelled this week (Sun 9th Feb) due to forecast high winds.
Revised programme to follow.
Start of season dinner
Last year it was decided not to have the annual dinner on the same night as the AGM as usual but possibly to have the dinner some time in the new year. This has now been arranged and it will take place on Friday March 6th, 7.30 pm, at the Dartmoor Lodge Hotel by way of a pre-season dinner and get-together. Members and their guests are cordially invited. As in former years, riparian owners, DAA members and other local association members will also be present at the invitation of the Association.
Menus and booking forms have been sent out to members. If attending, please return your completed booking form with choice of meals and a cheque for £25 pp to the Hon Sec. ASAP.
Members contact details
Previous attempts have been made with varying success to keep members up to date by email, being quicker and cheaper than by post. However this can only work if members keep their contact details updated with the Hon Sec. It is particularly disappointing when emails are sent out and back come a clutch of non-delivery notices, due to out of date or incorrect email addresses. Please could members not in frequent email contact with Hon Sec please check with him that he has your up-to-date contact info?
Bank maintenance
Unfortunately, the turnout for Sunday’s bank clearing session was extremely underwhelming. This work is essential and lack of it will impact on members fishing. Having said that, these sessions tend to be quite social and people have even been known to have fun while getting a bit of post Christmas exercise. Please come along if you can.
The next session is this Sunday 12th Jan – Abbots Mead to Quarry Pool (CC) – RV Abbots Mead
Further sessions:
Sunday 19th Jan- Kilbury Weir (above) to Austin’s Bridge – RV Kilbury Weir layby
Sunday 26th Jan- Austin’s Bridge to Caddaford (CC) – RV Caddaford layby on A384
Sunday 2nd Feb- Fogdens + Nursery (SWW) – RV Fogden’s, Caddaford Pool
Sunday 9th Feb- Hembury – RV Hembury lower carpark/ layby CANCELLED
Sunday 16th Feb- Quarry Pool to Davey’s Pit (CC) – RV Stretchford layby on corner of A384CANCELLED
Sunday 23th Feb- Hangman’s Pool to Park Stickle (CC) – RV Outside Staverton Church
Sunday 1st Mar- Horse Hill – RV Layby/ pull-in at Horse Hill
Moray Firth smolt tracking project
“Somewhere on their journey, wild salmon numbers are being decimated. For every 100 salmon that leave our rivers for the sea, less than five return – a decline of nearly 70% in just 25 years.” – AST
We have known for some time that salmon are facing big problems at sea and indeed they could become an endangered species in our lifetime. In order to quantify these impacts on the salmon population the Atlantic Salmon Trust have a project underway to tack smolts from rivers that open to the Moray Firth. 20% of salmon leaving UK rivers do so by this route. The insights gained should be transferable to other salmon populations around the UK.
If you wish to learn more and follow the progress of project there is more information on the Atlantic Salmon Trust’s website and in the project booklet.