Friday 14th July 2006 - Latest Report

Arrived on the river by 9.30 pm. Weather was perfect, warm with just a little breeze. The water is low but still very fishable. At dusk I saw a good fish of about 3 Ib jump opposite the log where we sit, in fact it was jumping quite regularly about 5 metres above the bush. I was encouraged! Then I saw other fish move in various places but most were shoalies of between 1 Ib and 2 Ib. Interestingly there seemed to be a lot of action further upstream so I went up to have a look. A couple of fish were jumping opposite the log with big roots, the log is about 25 metres back from the water and about half way between the ditch and the tin hut. It wasn't quite dark but I thought I would have a go at these two candidates! 3rd cast I hooked and landed a 1.5 Ib fish on a black and silver waddington. It was quite silver so it couldn't have been in the river very long.

Fished through the night all over the place. Just after midnight I heard a big fish around the bend somewhere but I couldn't be sure where. Had a few pulls on sunken lures but absolutely nothing on the mouse but that may have been something to do with the fact that it was very nearly a full moon with no cloud! I enjoyed the company of an adult otter and its cub, the cub swam up to me within about 3 or 4 metres. Brilliant!

At 3.30 am I thought I would go back up stream to where I had caught the shoalie. I put on a Rodders Special, 4th cast another shoalie, again quite silver and a good fighter despite its size. Both fish when weighed together came to 3.50 Ib. I enjoyed the night, had a bit of sport and I am sure that these fish will be good to eat. I would have liked some bigger fish but beggars can't be choosers!

So 2 fish brings my seatrout tally to 4 fish on the Towy up to 2 Ib, and 3 on the Torridge of a similar size but no sizable fish yet! Rod is fishing all next week so I hope he has some good look. I hope to be down on Friday if the wife will let me!

Just word of warning Rod, Chris and John. There was a herd of bullocks in the field and they were very frisky, in fact one nearly kicked me with its hind legs, bit scary! For any of you going down I have left some rocks near the gate but make sure you replace them please!

Tight lines!