Category: DAA News

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?

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 has been cancelled this week (Sun 9th Feb) due to forecast high winds.

Revised programme to follow.

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.

Additional menu and booking form

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 It is particularly disappointing when emails are sent out and back come a clutch of non-delivery notices, due to out of date or incorrect email addresses.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?

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 12^th Jan – Abbots Mead to Quarry Pool (CC) – RV Abbots Mead

Further sessions:

Sunday 19^th Jan- Kilbury Weir (above) to Austin’s Bridge –  RV Kilbury Weir layby

Sunday 26^th Jan- Austin’s Bridge to Caddaford (CC) – RV Caddaford layby on A384

Sunday 2^nd Feb- Fogdens + Nursery (SWW) – RV Fogden’s, Caddaford Pool

Sunday 9^th Feb- Hembury – RV Hembury lower carpark/ layby CANCELLED

Sunday 16^th Feb- Quarry Pool to Davey’s Pit (CC) – RV Stretchford layby on corner of A384CANCELLED

Sunday 23^th Feb- Hangman’s Pool to Park Stickle (CC) – RV Outside Staverton Church

Sunday 1^st Mar- Horse Hill – RV Layby/ pull-in at Horse Hill

Bank clearing time is here once more and again under the supervision of Robin Thorn. Please come along and help with this essential work if you can. Newer members are particularly welcome and may find the sessions useful in getting to know the river and fellow members.

Dates and places are as follows. All sessions commence at 0930 and are subject to river height and weather conditions.

Sunday 5^th Jan- Caddaford to Abbots Mead (CC)

Sunday 12^th Jan- Abbots Mead to Quarry Pool (CC)

Sunday 19^th Jan- Kilbury Weir (above) to Austin’s Bridge  

Sunday 26^th Jan- Austin’s Bridge to Caddaford (CC)

Sunday 2^nd Feb- Fogdens + Nursery (SWW) 

Sunday 9^th Feb- Hembury CANCELLED

Sunday 16^th Feb- Quarry Pool to Davey’s Pit (CC)CANCELLED

Sunday 23^th Feb- Hangman’s Pool to Park Stickle (CC)

Sunday 1^st Mar- Horse Hill

Lest we get carried away with the idea that the Dart is all about Sea Trout, here is a reminder that there are some really good Brown Trout in our river.

The DFA is part of the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative ( ARMI ). This initiative involves anglers like us in monitoring the biological health of their home river by sampling the numbers of selected invertebrates present at intervals throughout the year. Importantly, these data can give early warning of pollution incidents and lowering of water quality.

At the moment the Association has only one team of two volunteers, both from the DAA, who cover four locations on the Dart. They were out recently at Fogdens, where a healthy count of olive, caddis, stonefly and Heptageniidae larvae was made.

We could do with at least one more team of volunteers to give more coverage to the river. It is possible to operate as a team of one, but two is ideal. Volunteers  attend an official one-day Riverfly Partnership workshop, run by an accredited Riverfly Partnership Tutor. The workshop includes presentations and practical demonstrations. Subsequently they would choose a site or number of sites, which, when approved, they would proceed to monitor.

If you feel you would like to become involved in this interesting work please contact the River Dart Coordinator Luke, at riverfly@dartaa.org.uk

More information on ARMI can be had on the Riverfly Partnership website

We are still awaiting the updated report on last years results from the fish counter but according to what we know now about 2000 fish were counted, 500 of which were greater than 50cm in length. However, major problems with heat and low water during the summer affected the counters accuracy, particularly its ability to detect small sea trout so figures are likely to be a significant under-estimate.

The counter has now been upgraded with new cameras, electrodes and polypropylene panels (the white panels seen in the photographs below). It started working again in early April this year and now appears to be working well.

The count so far suggests 180+ fish through in April and 80+ fish so far in May so the outlook is not as gloomy as we might have thought.

Below are some photos from the re-vamped counter. Unsure what the electrode spacing is now but if, as before, they are 45cm apart it will give you an idea of the size of fish.