This morning I went up ta get a paper and quite honestly it was definitely Autumn! Heavy dew and chilly.
It's a few weeks since my last blog and since then I had a week down in Somerset/Devon where I managed to get a couple of trips in.
First I had a half day on the Barle on the old Carnarvon Arms stretch I think, this was through Lance Nicholson in Dulverton and was the strecth above the weir which is in the field below the old hotel. I was a bit disappointed by the stretch as it was difficult to get into the river, access was limited. The day was fine and warm however flylife was absent and after struggling with various dries and nymphs I noticed a small rise but could not make out to what. I reverted to a small black parachute and eventually winkled out a half pound brown. I made my way upstream and picked up 2 more very small browns before heading back to the car where Mrs Baslowfisher was.
The following day on Bank Holiday Monday we visited Lynton and Lynmouth and bought a ticket for the Watersmeet stretch of the Lyn river, a true bargain at £3 even for salmon it was only £10 or £15 for the day. It developed into an awful day absolutely chucking it down. We parked at the car park at Watersmeet and made our way down to the river. I was advised by a guide out of the Exmoor White Horse Inn to go downstream for about 300-400 yds and fish back. This is all pocket water and I had on a duo of grey-olive klink and a small ptn. After a few half hearted rises to the dry I decided to take off the ptn as casting in close quarters was difficult. I managed to land 4 small browns as I stumbled and struggled up the valley. I called it day after a couple of hours but I think the stretch has potential.
Last weekend I went fishing down to Beeley, home turf again. It was a warm and sunny day but hatching flies were absent! I went right down to the bottom limit of the Chatsworth beat and fished up. As nothing much was happening up top I had on a small black para to try and get something to come up. At the bottom you can usually guarantee some grayling and sure enough I landed a nice one after a few long range releases. I slowly worked my way upstream but only managed to land a brown before I had to retreat to the bank due to a rather deep hole beneath a willow. I continued in Max's bench pool where I landed another brown followed finally by a rainbow. Derek was in the pool above this and he had been struggling all afternoon too so I was pleased by my 4 fish. We went back to the hut for a cuppa but by the time we had had a chat and finished our tea the temperature had dropped so we called it a day and it was only 1730. Evening sessions are finished now I think?
