Ever thought about visiting a fishery you haven't in a long time? Paul hadn't fished Tavistock trout fishery since he moved away 6 years ago. He's now back in Devon and thought it was about time he revisited and I tagged along for the ride.
The pot bellied pig looked me up and down as I stepped out of the car and then went about its business.
It is one of the more unusual welcomes I have received at a trout fishery but one that made me smile.
I was at Tavistock Trout Fishery on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. It is famous in these parts for both the quality of fish and the size of them too.
With five lakes to choose from there is variety to suit anglers of all abilities in a tranquil setting.
If you ever look up the word entrepreneur you’ll probably see the owner, Abigail Underhill, in the listing. As well as the trout fishery there are six holiday cottages, a rare breed paddock, a pamper room for beauty treatments and of course pot-bellied pigs. Alongside this Abigail is now also renovating the Trout N Tipple pub that is at the end of the drive of the fishery so if you are heading down to Devon you’d never need to leave the fishery site. It has just about everything you’ll need!
I was here for the fishing though and my partner for the day was Paul Lee. Paul has just moved back to Devon from Hampshire and Tavistock Trout Fishery had previously been the location of many of his still water trout fishing successes.
It had been six years since he’d cast a line here but in that time he has built up an impressive fly fishing CV which includes representing England in both river and Loch Style disciplines and also being an active team member of the Soldier Palmers, the fly fishing arm of the Army Angling Federation.
After meeting Paul he went about setting up his gear. I took a glance into his tackle box and I was already suffering from a nasty case of fly line envy. He has just about every, if not all, line density covered allowing him to fish his flies in a variety of ways.
He decided on a sweep line and a DI 5 sinker as it was a cold start to the day and the wind made it feel even cooler. He rigged up two rods with the lines and took a couple of boxes of flies.
We’d been talking about the approach to small stillwaters and we’d both agreed that it is often more about the depth and speed the fly is fished more than the pattern. How many times have you walked around a fishery and you have been told by anglers the successful pattern? It isn’t often, if ever, they have all caught fish on exactly the same one.
We walked over to the aerator on Big Osprey Lake and Paul put some casts around it and just beyond it. He worked the water methodically and varied retrieves and the time he allowed his fly to sink.
After fan casting the area we moved. I say moved, we pretty much turned around and Paul made some casts into Kingfisher Lake. The water was clear and there was little doubt we’d be able to spot fish but we couldn’t. If nothing else it told us the fly line selection was
right. The fish must be down deep.
We watched a rainbow follow a fly in twice but not eat it. Paul quickly changed the fly but the fish had moved on.
The sun was just above the trees and we’d noticed it was now shining on Osprey Lake just a very short distance away. I really liked that we were able to keep mobile and fish different water. Paul again had a pluck from a fish but nothing more. We looked across to Big Osprey Lake that was also starting to get the benefit of some warmth and saw a fish rise just a short distance away from where Paul had started fish.
A few casts more and we moved to cover the fish in Big Osprey. Paul tied on a black bead head woolly bugger, cast it out, let it sink, gave it just the gentlest of pulls and hooked the fish.
The cold, oxygenated water meant the fish pulled hard and after a great fight Paul had the first fish of the day, a 3lb rainbow, in the net.
A couple of casts more and we watched the bow wave of what looked like a bigger fish charge down the fly. Instead of stopping the retrieve Paul kept it going and the fish couldn’t resist it. This time it was a 5lb rainbow.
We’d noticed the wind had completely stopped for a short time. Perhaps this combined with some sun was what had got the trout a little more alert. It seemed like it as Paul was into fish number three.
It was time for a celebratory cup of tea. There is a well-stocked tackle shop at the fishery and next to it is an equally impressive club house, the walls of which are covered with photos of happy anglers. There is also complimentary tea and coffee for those fishing, along with biscuits. I made the tea while Paul carried on fishing.
Things had quietened on Big Osprey and so Paul had headed back to Osprey. My timing was perfect as I carried back the tea he lifted into a fish.
I’d made the decision I wasn’t going to fish as I am starting to learn that when doing articles you have to decide to either fish or take photos. I’d got some photos and so thought I should have a couple of casts. It seemed like a good idea but from the moment I’d picked up Paul's spare rod we didn’t touch a fish. Had I Jonahed things?
We fished on together side by side with not much happening. It was getting on for 3 o’clock and we were through the best of the heat of the day. We fished Heron Lake and then Lower Heron where Paul had found the trout again. I pulled in my line so that I could take a photo and felt a sharp tug but nothing more.
Paul landed his fish and gallantly handed me his rod. I cast out and mimicked the retrieve I’d seen him making, a brisk figure of eight, and after a couple more casts I too was playing a rainbow. I offered the rod back but Paul was having none of it and so I caught another.
I think this is a great strength of Tavistock, the ability, with the right fishing permit, to fish all of the lakes. It gives you great flexibility and if one lake feels a bit out of sorts you can move on for a bit and come back. I liked this.
It was getting later now and I had to head back. I noticed Paul didn’t break the rods down when we got back to the car. I suspect he fished on some more and I wouldn’t be surprised if the gap between his next visit is a lot shorter than six years!
For more details of Tavistock Trout Fishery visit their website HERE
More details of The Soldier Palmers HERE