Rod gets into fish before the season closes!

Weather was crap today, blustery and horizontal drizzle at times and nearly decided to pack up before I even started!! However, I went down the car park first about 8.30 and felt confident I was going to get a fish any moment, but didn't. Water was gin clear and had dropped about 3-4 ins from yesterday. Then went down to the Cattle Drink and got soaked in the corn field in the process, but fortunately had my waterproof on. Really enjoyed the Cattle Drink as was sheltered from the wind and was able to cast okay with a floating line, but not a touch. So went on down to Crewil and surprised not quite as windy but a lot of intermittent drizzle. Went down a couple of times from the shed and saw nothing, but watched a dipper in front of the shed while I had a coffee break. It was just in the water off the shingle bank and was so funny to see it ducking and diving for about 15 mins. However, I upset him as wanted to get back in. Went upstream a bit and worked my way down and was opposite the shed when a huge salmon, well into double figures, jumped right out of the water about 10 ft to the left of me. Must have only been about 2ft deep where it jumped so I walked back and had a go but it wasn't interested. Later on I decided to go further upstream near the ditch on the opposite bank and slowly made way back casting floating line across into the fast flow and fly coming round great. Managed to get into a salmon about 12.30 which took by the corrugated sheet opposite the shed. Had it on for about 5 mins and could see it clearly in the gin clear water as I got it closer to me and just getting ready to beach it when the fly pulled out - not best pleased and reckon it was about 7lb. I was unaware of another angler watching all this commotion from the opposite bank. We exchanged pleasantries - not seen him before - and he continued over heart attack hill to go down the bottom with his spinning rod. I saw a couple of sewin jump almost opposite the shed, but weather started to turn and got very windy and impossible to cast and leaves falling. Started walking back and even too windy in the Cattle drink as well. Managed a go down the car park but weather got even worse so called it a day about 3 o'clock. So despite today's crap weather all in all a good couple of very enjoyable days with a 4lb sewin (returned) and nearly a 7lb salmon, which I suppose could be catch and release!!. That's my Towy for this season (two trips) so now try for sea bass, hopefully with better luck. Cheers Rod

My first and second Towy slamon!

Yes - 2 salmon inside 2 hours? The first was 10 lb from the tail of Crewel and the second came from the Car Park Pool - a lovely 5lb Grilse! Both were caught on a fly that I bought from Charles at the HMI in Devon for use on the Torridge. A great couple of hours fishing between 8.00 am and 10.00 before the sun burnt through! Brilliant!