Tamar & Tributaries Reports 2010

[arundell_arms]

Trout fishing at the Arundell Arms started slowly in April, with overnight frosts and easterly winds keeping water temperatures low and the trout lethargic. Despite this, the hotel recorded 258 brown trout for the month, with the majority caught in the last week or so when a bout of warmer weather arrived. This figure is a little down on last year’s 306 for April, though up on the average for the month. Even when temperatures climbed a little, few fish were seen rising and the upstream nymph and downstream wet fly produced the lion’s share of the trout. Among the successful anglers were local rod Ben Garnett who landed 18 fish on the Thrushel - all on nymphs - and regular guest Tony Bostock, who landed 30 to 10 inches in his two afternoons’ fishing on the Wolf, again, mainly on nymphs. During April hotel instructors David Pilkington and Tim Smith started the salmon and sea trout catches rolling on the Tamar, with David landing the first sea trout of the season on the 13th – a sea-liced fish of just under 3lb – and Tim the first salmon – an eight-pounder sporting long-tailed lice – on the 14th. Both fish took size four single sea trout flies and were caught on a private beat on the lower river. With a bit of luck, warmer weather will prevail in May, interspersed with a few good spates to enliven the rivers that are currently starting to look a little low. A promising sign is that the Tamar and all of its tributaries are full of healthy sea trout smolts, which will hopefully provide us with another bumper run of school sea trout in the summer months.

At the time of writing, we have heard of a handful of sea trout caught on the lower river by keen fly fishers and one or two more salmon from private beats. A sea trout was also spotted on the lower Lyd by AA hotel guests.
As it stands, we could do with the winds shifting to a southwesterly and bringing some much-needed rain. In the meantime, the trout are rising very well to black gnat, hawthorn and olives.

 

[arundell_arms]

17th May

Last year regular Arundell Arms guest, James Graham, not only caught the night sea trout bug, but landed an his first ever salmon - a six-pounder on a spinner in October. This year the challenge put to him was to catch his first salmon on a fly. He did it on the first day!
Fishing with hotel instructor Tim Smith, James was on the lower end of the Tamar trying for an elusive early sea trout. However, the large silver shape that rose to take the fly - a size 8 WMD was no sea trout...
After a nerve-wracking 15-minute battle on his 7wt outfit, James finally managed to guide the fish to the net. Quickly measured at 31.5 inches and conservatively estimated at 11lb, the bright silver springer was returned to the river.
What a superb day - CONGRATULATIONS James!

James Graham with his first fly-caught salmon - a lovely Tamar 11-pounder.

Just to update the conditions... trout are rising freely though warmer air and water will improve catches further. We shouldn't be too far from the onset of mayfly season. We could do with a good flood and warmer air to perk up salmon and sea trout catches, although some of the latter are being caught in the lower reaches.

 

[Editor]

What a cracking fish! and presumably low water too? Top catch.

Weight ? Use these salmon-weight calculators to see!

 

[arundell_arms]

Report - June 1st 2010

The week of warm weather made water temperatures rise rapidly and the gentle rain which brought water levels up an inch or two was just enough to make the sea trout run and move the odd salmon up river.
Endsleigh finally got off to a good start with local rod Mr Gerald Spiers catching two salmon - one of 13lb and one of 8lb - just above Dunterue Weir. They were caught on a size 12 Cascade and sink-tip line. Both salmon were of course returned safely back to the river.
Mr Jeffrey Wehner caught a 1 1/2lb sea trout at Gravel Pool on a size 10 Bobby Dazzler. A second fish was caught at Gravel, estimated at 3lb, on a 1/4in Stoat's Tail tube. Another two sea trout of 1lb and 2lb were also caught at Endsleigh Ham.
Interestingly several very early school peal have been caught and seen throughout the Endseigh.
At The Arundell Arms the first sea trout of the season (estimated at 2 1/2 to 3lb) was caught on Monday 31st May by a trout fisher using a Grey Wulff; regular visitor, Chris Barber, had a bit of a shock when fishing Snipe Pool on the Tamar! A number of sea trout have been seen and heard on the Lyd, but despite several rods out night fishing, none have yet been landed. With a bit of luck, today's rain should freshen things up a bit.
Trout fishing with dry mayflies has been superb with numbers of fish over 10 inches caught, including a Tamar fish of over a pound for Alex Field from London, and several 12 inchers for Alex and his party of three friends on the Ottery beats. Talking of big trout, local rod Graham Bray thought he'd landed his first Lyd sea trout on Friday night... it turned out to be a huge wild brown of 2 1/2lb. Taken on a size 4 WMD sea trout fly, this is the largest trout landed on Arundell Arms beats since a 3-pounder in 1969! Graham returned the giant to the River Lyd.

Graham Bray from Lanjeth with the largest Arundell Arms brownie for over 40 years!

The mayfly are finally here and providing superb sport.

 

[Arundell Arms]

June Report

June proved a fantastic month for trout fishers at The Arundell Arms Hotel, with 929 wild brown trout landed on the rivers. With a five-year average of 425 trout for June, most fishers enjoyed bumper days with the majority of fish caught on dry flies. The rivers were low due to a distinct lack of rain yet the trout rose well all month. A brief but significant mayfly hatch over the first week was followed by prolific black gnat fishing during mid-June and superb sedge activity in the latter part of the month. Regular Arundell rod, Mike Kent, had four evening sessions on the rivers Lyd and Wolf, releasing 121 trout with six fish of 12 inches, mostly to a Grey Klinkhamer. Mr Tony Bostock fished to his usual top form, releasing 92 trout in three short evening sessions on a Coachman and Sparkle Dun.
Only one salmon was caught in June, a rather skinny fish of 24 inches, estimated at five pounds. The fish was caught by Barry Unwin in Mar Lodge Pool on the Lyd on a Goldhead Black Tadpole.
Sea trout fishing was patchy due to the very low water holding fish back a little and what seems to be a slightly later run of fish this season. Despite this, 32 sea trout were caught in June, just down on last June’s 34. Local rod Alexander Jones had a superb night on the Lyd’s beat 3, landing four fish of 1lb, 2lb, 4lb and the best of the month, estimated by Alexander at 6lb. All of the fish were landed on a one-inch Black Bear tube. As this is written in early July, more sea trout are arriving each day with catches increasing dramatically. All bodes well for the rest of the month!

 

[Arundell Arms]

July Report

Salmon fishing at Lifton in July was a non-starter, due to a total absence of water. River levels were low and became lower as ever hotter weather prevailed for most of the month. Alexander Jones caught and released a rather coloured fish of 12/13 lb in the tail of Quarry pool on the Tamar, prior to night sea trout fishing. In the last week of July one very welcome but short-lived spate put the river up by almost two feet, but with the ground so dry the water was gone in a day. A very good run of salmon, and particularly grilse, came off the tide at the start of August, they just need a significant flood to spread them out over the whole river system

The low water did not deter the sea trout, and our Sea Trout Festival which ran from 1st. to 5th. July was a great success. Despite a briefly coloured river on the first evening, which kept night fly fishers in the bar. 22 sea trout were landed, many of them being their first fish for the lucky captors. Snowbeee awarded a prize rod to the captor of the largest fish measured and released, won by J.Weitz with a fish of 22 ½ inches from Big Round Pool on beat 3 of the river Lyd. The overwhelming success and popularity of our first Sea Trout Festival has already resulted in advance bookings for the same event next year, when two separate weeks will be scheduled.

A total of 128 sea trout came from the hotel beats during July, a goodly mixture of school peal, some very fresh, and larger fish, topped by one of 23 inches, released by Dave Chapman from Silver Doctor pool on the Lyd. The Tamar beats also produced some sea trout, and one was taken by a trout fisher on beat 6A. Some very big fish were seen during daytime reconnaissance, and also heard jumping at night. In spite of low water sea trout were still seen running at night in the first few days of August.

Brown trout fishing continued to remain good in early July, with fish steadily becoming more selective as the rivers dropped lower. Dry fly produced some bags of up to 25 trout, with the nymph steadily producing fish more fish during the day as the heatwave grew. A total of 258 wild brown trout came from our rivers, along with 10 grayling. Several trout reached 11 or 12 inches, while the best grayling was cracker of 16 inches for Professor Hawkins from Home beat on the Lyd. September sees the trout fishing wake up from the doldrums of high summer, and can be a very good month for salmon, given the right water. Sea trout often go rather quiet in the final month of the season, but there will always be a few more fresh ones running in, and the cooler nights can give an exciting finale.

David Pilkington

 

[Arundell Arms]

August Report

Trout fishing in August was typically tough with very low water levels for most of the month and little fly on the water. On the few days that trout were seen rising, anglers did well with small stonefly imitations and the usual favourites, the Klinkhamer and Parachute Adams. Most fish however were taken on goldhead nymphs in sizes 14 to 16 or on wet flies fished in the streamy runs and riffles. The month total was 263 wild brown trout. Most of the trout landed were in the six to eight inch size, with a dozen or so fish of 10 to 12 inches. James Palmer had a great day on the Lyd, landing 22 small brownies at the start of the month and several other anglers had double-figure days.
64 sea trout were landed in August, nearly all at night. While reports of large numbers of peal entering the system provided optimism, there were no shoals of fish seen at Lifton. Instead, small pockets of fresh school peal were scattered on the Lyd and anglers worked hard to locate them. Unsettled conditions meant that night fishers tried varying tactics and several fish were caught on two-inch lures fished deep, as well as the usual size 8 to 10 wet flies commonly used in August. The best fish was one of 3lb caught and released by Peter Radford on beat 3 on a 2 1/2inch WMD Stinger. As we write, sea trout fishing has picked up despite the cold weather, with Alex Prentice catching his first two night sea trout within 10 minutes of starting. Well done Alex!
Only two salmon were caught at the Arundell Arms in August – a reflection of very low water levels and therefore low fishing pressure. Mr Impey landed a bright silver fish of 5lb 12oz on a Rapala at Lydfoot on the Tamar, and at the end of the month, Ben Garnett returned a grilse estimated at 3 1/2lb and lost a larger fish at the net, both on a size four Mepps. Ben’s fish came as the river fell and cleared after the first decent spate of the summer. As we write this, the river is once again low and little rain is on the cards. Sea trout fishermen will brave cooler nights and venture out throughout September, although the vast majority of fish will be returned.

 

[Arundell Arms]

Four salmon have been landed and released on the Arundell Arms water this week, following a rise of a few inches last weekend. Dennis Mitchell landed his first two ever salmon - a 10-pounder on fly at Lydfoot on Monday, followed by a 9lb fish on spinner in Railway Hut Pool on Tuesday. David Pilkington landed a grilse of around 4lb and lost a much bigger fish in Silver Doctor on the Lyd on Wednesday on a Sunray Shadow. Yesterday evening, young Freddie Wordie landed a fish of around 6lb on a Sunray Shadow in Tunnel Pool on beat 7B. Several fish have been showing, but a little rise in water would bring more to the beats and give more favourable conditions in which to catch them. At present, the Tamar and Lyd are both running relatively low.
Trout fishing is good with fish freely rising to black gnats, small, dark sedges and stoneflies. Some good trout of 10in + have been caught, mainly on dry flies and small goldhead nymphs. Sea trout fishing has petered out rather, with low night time temperatures providing difficult conditions in which to catch fish.
Overall a little rain should provide a good back end to the salmon season.

 

[Arundell Arms]

Eight salmon were reported caught from the Arundell Arms water in September, with a handful more by hotel rods fishing other beats on the Tamar. All fish were released. The total was a little disappointing and was largely due to consistent coloured water with little height – a knock-on effect of a low water summer. Three anglers celebrated their first fish: young Seb Perry a five-pounder in Quarry Pool, Mike Haines a 10-pounder in Lydfoot, and Dennis Mitchell, also with a 10-pounder in Lydfoot. All three were caught and released on fly – well done all! A decentish spate on the 7th September made a big difference, with salmon reported moving on most beats soon afterwards.

Cold nights and thinly-spread pods of fish gave an average total of 20 sea trout at the hotel for September with the best fish at 3lb for ‘fish magnet’ Gerald Spiers. The fish took a WMD fly on beat 3 of the Lyd. Trout fishing finished well, with 217 wild brown trout recorded and several large grayling. Despite periods of persistent northerly winds slowing what could have been a superb climax to the season, most anglers enjoyed some good sport to the dry fly with some lovely fit trout gracing the record book. Mr Foster landed a trout of 1lb on the Ottery on a Klinkhamer and Gerald Spiers one of 1lb 4oz while salmon fishing on the Lyd. Several other trout of over 10 inches were landed. As we write this report the Tamar is high and rising rapidly due to very heavy rain. With a little luck this should set us up nicely for a salmon bonanza in October!

Total number of peal for 2010 at the Arundell Arms was 252. Only one down on last year, but with many more fishable nights over the summer. Certainly not the superb run of fish that we saw in 2009. Best fish estimated at 6lb by Alexander Jones in June on the Lyd.

Total number of wild brown trout was 2553 - that's nearly double the five-year average. May and June were heaven for the small-river dry fly fisher with 1600 trout recorded.

Salmon total so far is 12 off AA beats - got some serious catching up to do in the final two weeks of the season!

 

[Arundell Arms]

2010: End of Season Report

The October salmon fishing at the Arundell Arms broke all existing records. After a summer dogged by consistent low flows, occasionally broken by small, short lived and very coloured spates, heavy rain in the first few days of October gave a 4 foot flood, followed shortly by a 7 foot flood. As this water fell and cleared, the Tamar system simply filled up with salmon, to give excellent sport here at Lifton, sadly only for the very last few days of the season. Some fish were coloured, and had obviously been holding on the lower beats, but others were still silver. The October catch of 42 salmon is a record for the 14 days in which we can fish, 27 of which came in a week, also a record. The other records which tumbled were the most fish taken in one day, 11 fish, plus another from one of our rods on the lower Tamar, and the record for the most fish to one rod in a day, 6 salmon for the now tediously fish-magnetic Gerald Spiers.

Individual catches are too numerous to mention, but ‘first fish’ were taken by Jacqueline Cork ( 10 lbs, Bottom Beat, River Lyd), David Rail (6 lbs, Beat 8A, River Tamar), 9-year–old Dan Barnard (6 lbs, Beat 7B, River Tamar), Mike Haines (10 lbs, Beat 7A, River Tamar), Dennis Mitchell (10 lbs, Beat 7A, River Tamar), Julia Tweedie (5 lbs, Beat 7B, River Tamar), and J. Crockett (5 lbs, Beat 8B, River Tamar). Spinning was the order of the day in the initially very high and coloured water, but as levels settled many fish also fell to the fly, topped by the best fish of the season, a fine 13 lb hen fish for David Pilkington in Ash Tree Pool on Tamar Beat 7A, which took a small orange bottle tube fished on a floating line. This fish has gone to Endsleigh hatchery for broodstock. Of the 42 October salmon, only 2 were kept, making the season salmon total for the Arundell Arms 54 fish, with only 3 killed for the year. In addition, our rods also caught 6 fish on our Endsleigh beat, and another 6 on the lower Tamar.

The trout and sea trout fishing, which all finished at the end of September, were also pretty good. The sea trout total of 252 is only one fish less than last year, and well above average. Best sea trout was estimated at 6 lbs, by Alexander Jones, and came on fly at night from the weir pool on Beat 3 of the River Lyd. Sea trout catches would have been better still if we had enjoyed some higher water at some time in the peak season, as very heavy runs of sea trout were entering the lower river, but became stuck in dead low flows. Figures from the fish counter at Gunnislake weir for both salmon and sea trout this season are well above average.

Brown trout fishing was good, particularly in May and June, becoming harder work in the very low water of high summer. Some of the June catches were impressive, with almost a thousand fish for the month. Many rods landed up to 30 trout in a day, some of these fish being 12 inches in length. A monster brown trout was caught and released by Graham Bray while night sea trout fishing above Hartley weir on Beat 3 of the Lyd. This fish, a hen in superb condition, was estimated at 3 pounds, our biggest river brownie since 1969. The 2010 trout total of 2,553 is one of our best catches for many years, and an encouraging indication of the healthy state of the wild fish stocks.

60 grayling were also caught during this year, several of the best fish being one and a half pounds in weight, and some much bigger grayling seen during daylight sea trout reconnaissance on the Lyd beats.