6th February
Please remember we are looking for kelts/dead salmon. At this time of year the fish will have finished cutting and be drfiting back downstream. All of the males will die and a very small proportion of the hens, just a couple of percent, may make it to the sea and return again next year as second spawners. This is a hen, grilse kelt that was kindly reported to me today. How this one died I am unable to say, other than the throat and stomach were bitten out in an otter like fashion. However and it may well have been just simple exhaustion, it is now safely in the freezer to be picked up by the Uni at the end of the year.
Two pools that you can actually fish in welly-boots. A rare thing in these days! Lake Run and Cabbage Garden both fish beautifully if you just have an hour or two to spare.
Hazel catkins looking well in today's sunshine.
3rd February
I fished through Ellingham Bridge Pool at lunchtime today as the depth of water on the bank wasn't too daunting. The top half of the pool, down to just above the seat on the opposite bank, remains very difficult with large eddies and upwellings. From the opposite seat, down to the tail 50m downstream of the gate opposite, fished really well. The fly was swinging steadily around and over the gravel shallows on the inside of the bend. The visibility continues to amaze, eight to ten feet, when the sun allowed me to look in on the clean gravel on the bed. The photo shows a trout that grabbed the black and yellow conehead, once more clearly illustrating the benefit of the swing set-up. The trout, along with yesterday's chub, allows me confidence that the fly is fishing well. That confidence is perhaps the most important part of angling. You just have to believe if a fish were there it would have taken the fly. Its just a matter of putting in the hours until a salmon crosses my path.
2nd February
Ibsley Pool is very "fishable". Even if it remains difficult to reach across the flooded meadows. The tail of the un-named pool, below the old gate, also fished well down to the gate where the valley path turns off to Harbridge.
Provost's is churning through, making presentation hard work. Middle Cabbage fished well through the entire length of the pool. Lower Cabbage, pushing hard but fishable at a pinch. I was out for three hours in this morning's sunshine. Whilst perhaps not the best conditions to catch a salmon it was a lovely morning to be out in the valley. In the middle shot you can see that I use a wading staff. Personal choice but I would strongly recommend the use of a staff whilst the fields remain flooded. At least the water in the meadows is gin clear, enabling you to see where you are placing your feet. If you are concentrating on your feet and not the river!
The Harbridge Bend breakthrough doesn't seem to have had much impact on the flow as yet. I would think the two lies upstream of the fence are unaltered, they remain smooth and deep. Downstream of the fence, opposite the breakthrough, needs more time to see whether the lies will change. The water visibility is in the order of six or seven feet, just perfect for the fly. All we need now are one or two fish in the system.
Just after I took the photo of the pool I had a good take right in the lie above the fence. It didn't take long to realise the culprit wasn't the first Springer of the year but a lunker of a chub. Had I been fishing for them I would have weighed this one. The net its laying on is a Macleans, conservation net that is 26" wide, giving a guide to the size of this fish. Further proof of the advantages of the barbless swing set up is that the hook dropped out of that chub in the net. Its so satisfying to see the fish ready for release without having to handle it any further. Perhaps next time a Springer will be the occupant of the lie!
1st February
Well we're off! Despite the water, one or two brave souls headed out to look for an opening day salmon. That's Danny in the photo, as he fished his way down Pile Pool. The water remains very high, although the visibility is good. If you can get a fly near a fish it won't have any trouble seeing it. Good luck to those that venture out and lets hope its not too long before some one is rewarded for their effort.
29th January
We had two pairs of Great Crested Grebe sitting during January. One certainly succumbed to the recent storms the other pair faired better hatching two juveniles. They've been about for over a week and look well, fingers crossed they will now survive. Not the finest photo but it does record the early success.
28th January
"BRASSED OFF", doesn't seem to cover it! The previous four seasons have all started with the water out in the fields. With the new salmon season starting at the weekend, I was going to lecture the salmon rods about the need to fish regularly, to ensure we see a decent return. I'm afraid I have to agree that turning out to fish the river in this lot is asking a little much. I would estimate that last season we had a rod effort off less than twenty percent of what I would have wished to have seen. It's no good waiting to hear reports of fish if no one is out on the bank catching them.
This also, of course, threatens the end of the river coarse season that historically often provided the best of the river fishing. The beginning of March occasionally saw the freezing weather of January and February relent and provide a mild week or two just to round off the season perfectly. I always used to save a weeks leave in the hope of the weather gods smiling on us. Through the early years of my fishing if I enjoyed perhaps one in three mild breaks I considered myself lucky. Any attempt at predicting weather patterns these days is a pretty hopeless task. We no longer see the autumn floods arrive in late September or October, before relenting at the turn of the year to be replaced by the cold of January and February. The autumn flush scoured the dying weed and accumulated debris of the summer from the river, in readiness for the gravel spawning species to reach the headwaters and find cleaned gravel beds awaiting them. The cold water of the new year triggered the many temperature related natural events that depend on conditions that have evolved over millennium.
I guess we are seeing the consequences of climate change. When viewed on a world wide contect it might seem small change when compared to the the many millions that will be on the move around the world in the coming years as rivers dry and seas rise. That may be so but it sure as hell pisses me off!
25th January
As I'm sure regular readers will know, I seldom put fish on a net photos up. This isn't so much a fish on a net as a fish in a net. Its also one of our new stock, weighing in at 20+ that Barry caught Friday night. Its an unusual photo, perfectly balanced as she rests in the net before release.
23rd January
Pollarding the willows.
I was going to suggest it was our beavers that had been at the willows. Unfortunately the sight of a beaver up a willow tree, with a chainsaw, might seem a little unlikely!
21st January
What ever you may think, or in my case don't think, of Trump and his cohort you have to hand it to him, he gets on with the job. I find trying to get things done in this country akin to wading through treacle. Decision makers hide behind consultants, health and safty and the determining legislation. Each layer involved drag out the work for as long as possible, for obviously reasons. I'm afraid at my age it is simply no longer worth getting involved with the regulators. Certainly with the expectation of achieving anything in a reasonable time scale and cost.
Just what level and in what form should regulation of the agricultural community take? Can the farming community and their agri-chemical companies be trusted to safeguard the environment? I certainly wouldn't like to answer that second question! I do believe many farms are responsible enought to be allowed to manage the environment under their control. If that were so, how is any such management agreement to be rewarded, monitored and what are the consequences for failing to act responsibly and honestly? Key questions in urgent need of answers from Defra. Unfortunately, I believe there's more chance of an ice-age than Defra having the imagination and resolve to bring about the radical change needed.
20th January
A further glimpse of some of the pools, that remain high but very fishable. The middle shot is of Lake Run. With the turmoil of the new breakthrough just upstream this section may well prove productive as fish wait to assess what lies ahead. The third shot is one for the coarse rods, showing the big slack in Lower Cabbage. I have cleared the brambles behind, to provide a little more dry ground to sit on. I have also cleared the weedbed below the old disabled platform to make it easier to fish the eddy. I will pollard the willows that can be seen in the background when the water levels drop a little more.
I thought long and hard about putting this shot up as it has the potential to be misinterpreted. The decision was made easier by the ludicrous policy change emanating from No 10, regarding beaver release licensing. If we are to believe the Guardian, No 10 has gone back on the licensing of beaver releases as they consider it a Tory legacy. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! How to upset the environmental lobby in one easy lesson, never let it be said the views of the riverine community stand in the way of politics. It would seem those behind the decision are totally ignorant of what is actually happening across the entire country with regard to the status of beavers. They are showing up on rivers from one side of the country to the other. However they attempt to justify the petty political jiggery-pokery, it doesn't alter the fact they appear out of touch and reinforcing the view this government are no better than the previous bunch living in the rarefied air of the Westminster bubble.
The photo actually shows the beaver activity in one of the over-stood stands of willow beside the river. This activity has proved quite thought provoking when considering the natural state of the river valley. It is the nature of beavers to coppice willow to produce fresh new growth, which is their preferred diet. If there were a natural population density of beavers in the valley, the habitat would look considerably different. The ancient white willows and the multitude of hybridised willow growth would not exist. There would be dense clumps of willow stools with an over story of alders where they could establish. We have not had resident beavers long enough to know what their impact on grey willow, sallow. They do seem to eat a little of the fresher growth and fell larger trees in a similar way as Grey willow but nothing like to the same extent as with white/crack willow. Time will tell how dramatic a change they will bring about. I have to admit to being delighted about their arrival and despite the efforts of No 10 it looks as if they are here to stay.
19th January
Its that ruddy duck again. Actually its a Ruddy Shelduck, the one that thinks its an Egyptian Goose. Its turned up again in the company of a pair of Egyptian's, as it has for the previous three or four years. There are one or two odd looking Egyptian geese about but I can't see any traits of this bird showing, so I guess he just likes the company!
15th January
Pile Pool looking smart and ready for the off on 1st February for the new salmon season.
13th January
A dramatic sunrise this morning, highlighting the gulls yet to leave the roost out on the floods.
Up and downstream of the bridge looking equally as dramatic. Red sky in the morning and all that, I wonder what lies in store for us!
12th January
WeBS day today and with the valley for the most part still underwater, a tricky count. The shot above included a mixed flock of Tits, Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs feeding in the reedbed at the base of the willow. There was also a large dog otter in the reeds upsetting the coot flock that was sheltering in there. As for the count, nothing of particular note other perhaps than the large number of Lapwing, over 600 loafing out in the water meadows, where the water was shallow enough.
One record I was quite surprised to see today is that the Great crested grebe is still sitting. With all the recent rain and cold I thought they would have abandoned their early first attempt.
One record that was missing was the Lesser Scaup that has been on the Estate for a week or two. I can't say I am too unhappy to see the back of it as it seems to attract some of the less desireable box-tickers of the bird world.
Still with us.
Still busy looking for an extension to the lodge.
As many of you will be aware, I have been away for a couple of days. I'm back in harness now and normal service has resumed. That's not me on the see-saw by the way!
6th January
For anyone thinking of visiting the Avon Valley in the next day or two, beware! The first shot is looking northeast from Fools Corner, along the Avon Valley Path toward Ibsley. The middle shot looking south from the lakes at Blashford. The third, north from the lakes, with the House in the distance across the flood. To add insult to injury, we are forecast heavy rain Wednesday and Friday. If we are within the banks by 1st February, at the start of the salmon season, it will be a bloody miracle! Any rods making plans for the new season ensure you have plenty of T18 leaders!
3rd January
A frosty start along the fishing road, on my way to work this morning.
Ibsley Pool with the frost on the meadows beyond. Fingers crossed the pool remains at the current level for another month. A great height to present a fly over the lie at the tail of the pool. The weirpool is still running high with more heavy rain forecast for Sunday. We really are in the the lap of the gods when it comes to what will await us on 1st February.
1st January
I predict 2025 will be the year of the beaver on the Hampshire Avon.
Busy setting up home.
Just how they got here I wouldn't like to speculate but they are certainly here now and I hope, here to stay.
28th December
As many of you will know I am a great believer in circle hooks for certain methods of fishing. In sea fishing they have several advantages for such species as bream, conger and shark. More and more these days I have been trying them on the lakes and rivers. I have long fished my dead-baits for pike on single circles fished on what is in fact a hair-rig, with the hook an inch or two clear of the bait. This allows the hook to articulate and move freely ensuring it comes into contact with the scissors or side of the mouth as it is ejected or tightened as the fish takes. I have found that deep hooked fish are very rare indeed and tooth and gill rake damage is similarly reduced. If a fish is missed on lifting into the resistance, no striking with circles, simply let the bait drop back down and usually the fish will follow and soon pick up the bait again. My salmon fishing is also done with straight eyed circles, fished on swing flies that also have the advantage of no strike being necessary, simply tighten into the fish. Most of the fish caught on the fly at Somerley are now caught on similarly presented flies.
In light of my preference for circles, I decided to do a little experimenting with lures. I have recently been changing some of my lures from trebles, which I dislike intently, to single barbless circles fished as assist hooks. The theory is the long assist mounts will allow the hook to articulate clear of the lure body once the fish has taken. I have changed the assist cord mounts to plastic coated wire, in the hope the rigidity of the wire will keep the hooks clear of the body. The jury is still out as to the effectiveness of my approach but early signs are definitely encouraging. Today I ended up moving over a dozen jacks between four and twelve pounds. Most came short, probably due to the clarity of the water, two hit and didn't connect and I landed two. The shot above shows the adapted lure.
Showing the perfect hook position of the single circle.
A fine pair of drakes, part of the dozen or so Goosander that can usually be found on either Meadow or Kings-Vincents. A shot Paul Lloyd took on his last visit out on Sibley's Point.
It looks as if the position of this trail camera may be blown! I have them set all over the place looking for various creatures about the Estate.
Clarification of the above.
It makes it clearer just what the fella above thought of the camera.