A nice seatrout from Totnes weirpool, caught by Kevin Hoare
Weirpool seatrout
Category: DAA News
Riverfly project – Volunteers required
The Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is a citizen science project run by the RIiverfly Partnership, that enables trained volunteers, such as anglers and conservationists, to protect river water quality by monitoring eight pollution sensitive invertebrates and complement the work carried out by statutory agency staff across the UK.
Given the frequent news reports concerning the amount of sewage and other effluent entering our rivers you will see the importance of this monitoring, which can give early warning when things are going wrong.
Luke, our local coordinator, is looking for volunteers to assist in this important work. Participants would require a days training (free) and a training day is arranged for 10am – 3pm Saturday June 25th at Prince Hall Training Centre.
Once trained, volunteers would be tasked with collecting samples of invertebrates from in-river sites on the Dart, identifying and counting the target species. Equipment is provided.
This will not take up too much of your time. After your training day you would be asked, with another volunteer, to survey a specific location (possibly more if you wish) twice a year, in June and September. Each survey would take just a morning or afternoon.
Obviously, this should be of some interest to our members but you don’t have to be a member or even an angler to take part – only to have concern for our rivers and the wildlife they support.
If you are interested and want more information please contact Luke at riverfly@dartaa.org.uk
To read more about the Riverfly Partnership’s work visit their website www.riverflies.org
Amended fishing regulations
The fishing regulations have been amended. Please have a look and see if there are any changes that affect you.
They can be found HERE.
Buckfastleigh fish pass
Wilsons Water
Members please note that Wilsons Water as shown on the map is currently not available to us, due to a change of ownership. Any change in this situation will be reported here.
Kingfisher
These shots of a Kingfisher were captured by David Marles on a recent trip to the river.
Good Brownie
A good brown trout recently caught by Giles Hammersley at Staverton.
Dartmoor Sea Trout
A reminder that our membership includes permission to fish the Dutchy water on Dartmoor. (Subject to level of membership)
This sea trout estimated at 3-3.5lbs was caught by a visiting angler staying at Two Bridges who hadn’t fished for peal for many many years.
He encountered it at the tail of Brakey Firs, first week in June. Quite fresh so must have run hard and fast on high water. Midnight. He was concerned about the disease on its snout but happy that it swam away strongly.
Some Totnes fish counter photos
These are some selected fish counter photos from May/June this year. Some of these fish are fairly large. Because these photos are from above, it is not entirely possible to distinguish between Salmon and Sea Trout but the longer ones are probably salmon. As a guide to length, the electrode strips are 45cm apart.
Stonefly on the menu down on the Dart
Here’s a good photograph sent in by Dave Johns. It shows a Demoiselle fly eating what looks like a stonefly (two tails?) beside the Dart.
