We loaded the truck with camera and rods and headed up the M5 to take a look at one of Somerset's nicest small waters.
The line gently tightens and 10 year old Ryan is into another rainbow. That is his third already and a slow retrieve and a diawl bach seem to be the winning combination.
There is something nice about a group of friends getting together and it is even nicer when you throw fly fishing and Christmas into the mix too.
Alan has been organising Christmas socials at Burton Springs Trout Fishery in Somerset for a number of years now. It all came about via the Complete Fisher Forum and has just continued to grow from there.
Most of the guys have made the trip down from the Bristol area and are hard core reservoir anglers who spend a lot of their time fishing Chew, Blagdon and the Barrows but also enjoy coming to Burton Springs as a nice alternative to those big waters.
Experienced anglers like these make their choices of fishery carefully and will often vote with their feet. Due to the facilities, friendly nature of the owners and, importantly, the quality of the fish then you can see why they come in good numbers. Adam, one of the owners makes sure all the boxes are well ticked.
The timing for us was perfect as Adam has just introduced Tiger Trout into the fishery. This compliments the rainbow, blue and brown trout already in the lake that has you always wondering what might be on the end of your line when you strike.
For those that have yet to see or be lucky enough to catch a Tiger Trout they are a cross between brown trout and brook trout. The result is a beautiful fish with tiger like markings and a fight to match.
The day started with coffee and mince pies and some good natured banter. This is the great thing about forums, it puts you in touch with like-minded people who get to meet up a few times a year, sometimes for the first time or, as seems to happen here.
I didn’t unpack the rod as it was just nice to walk round with my daughter Charlie, speak to the anglers and take a few photos. I had checked that it was OK to take a few pics of the guys as they fished and despite warning them about the bad luck that can often be associated with catching for the camera it seemed that it was having the opposite effect as pretty much each angler we spoke to struck into a fish as we approached.
Most of the guys were fishing floating lines and we saw them all employ a slow, steady, figure of eight retrieve. I would suspect that all of them, being reservoir anglers, kept an eye on what their neighbour was doing just in case there was a subtle change in tactics that brought success!
Despite buying the fish in at Burton Springs Adam and his family have strived to provide the very best in quality. This is against a background of the increasing costs of stock fish where it could be easy to try and cut corners and go for cheaper options but there was no evidence of this.
I asked Adam about what they hope to do with the fishery since taking it on a few years ago and it is pretty straight forward. Make a place that is good to fish, nice to visit and make sure the angler comes first. Silly things like free tea and coffee do make that sort of difference as well as the availability of refreshments and some basic tackle too.
The weather had taken a turn for the worst as rain came in from the coast just a short distance away but we still saw a few fish rise just on the edge of the rippled water. Some of the less brave headed into one of the lodges to take shelter and eat the sausage rolls and mince pies Adam had provided while those who braved it were rewarded with fish. The day wasn’t just about fish though it was about meeting friends, catching up and of course talking fishing!
There are also two coarse lakes on the complex that, with permission, are available to fly anglers to catch carp which has proved a big success especially during the dog days of summer.
I left feeling Burton Springs is a fishery that offers variety, from the species you can catch to the very flexible and affordable ticket prices that allow catch and release too. I guess this is why it is a great place for the novice to catch their first fish to the more experienced angler looking for a great day out. I know I’ll be back in search of a tiger!
Find out more about Burton Springs: Website
Fly Fishing Tuition available from Neil Keep