Category: DAA News

Help required

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.

 

New Year bank clearing

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.

2018 season catch returns

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.

 

Summer Fishing Report

 

Low water and steaming temperatures kept fishing to a minimum throughout the summer with very few salmon seen or caught: those reported included fish for Bush and Rob Dart junior.

A couple of spates brought a few more anglers out with early autumn success for Andy Myall and Robin Thorne –  clean grilse of 4/5lbs – and another of 6lbs for Rob Dart senior. One or two other fish have been caught further up the river but unless things change fairly radically September seems unlikely to bring significant change.

Sea trout fishing was dire in the hot weather with many rods simply not bothering. Bits and pieces of rain in late July and August have at least provided some sport with school peal.

Totnes Weir Pool report

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.

Fishing update

4/05/18

Almost continuous high water has curtailed fishing effort but in between times the first fish have been caught.

Phil Prowse got things underway last week with a 2.5 lb seatrout at Fogden’s    and Bush managed a 4lb seatrout from Hembury woods as well as a 12 lb  salmon   . This clean fish (the first of the season) took a Flying C,  and was evidently in fine condition.

To date no fish have been reported from TWP.

Duchy fishing (updated)

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”.