The weather continues to be pants up here with a constant wind, though for now it’s turned westerly which is better than the easterly of a week or so ago, but it’s blustery and changeable and difficult to fish.
Fed up, I decided to take a wander down the Devon on Thursday night – to a stretch I have been to before but venturing further, and also yesterday to a stretch of the lower river, with a view to exploring a bit and casting a line if the opportunity arose. I was travelling light- waders, a couple of fly boxes in the pocket and my Streamflex XF2 and LRH reel.
Thursday night
It was very dull and the light was poor even at quarter to eight in the evening, for the time of year, but the wind dropped and it warmed up a little. As I wandered I was walking downstream but if the opportunity arose I was fishing back upstream from low positions on likely lies.
I fished a few fishy looking spots but nothing was doing. The water still looks very low- surprising as it’s not been totally dry of late.
Some slower stretches have some deep holes
I spotted one fish rising repetitively but it was in a very difficult spot, the fish was evidently right under the branches of a willow that was physically lying on the surface and the fish was no more than 6 inches from this on the downstream side of the overhanging tree. So you were casting in the hope that you could put the fly on the fish and get a response instantly.
I decided to have a go- nothing ventured and all that, but the downstream breeze was not aiding accuracy and I had to throw a fairly firm cast to get near it. My 4th or 5th go was near, then next cast my fly would have been on the money but unluckily hooked on an overhanging branch. I waded over to recover it, disturbing the fish in the process, it was taking the zillions of midges in the lee of the tree. I was quiet in my approach and it was no more than three metres away the last time I saw it rise- but never seen the size of it- I suspect small.
I continued to explore downstream and after about an hour and by now the wind was fairly brisk again I fished a few sections if deeper water, without seeing a fish.
There be fish in these dark holes….
I found a promising looking hole right in a corner and second cast a fish rose to my fly. It was so dark here though and gloomy with the ambient light that I have to be honest and say I was way too slow and missed the rise. It never rose again and after a few more goes from different angles I moved on back upstream towards the car.
I fished a few sections but the wind was a real problem and it was very dark for the time of night, so all I had any real chance of getting was one of the bats flying around my head.
Nice to be out if nothing else though and some valuable info gleaned.
Saturday Afternoon
Saturday started nice and deteriorated. Even when I thought it was as bad as it might get, it got worse! I ventured out for a few hours on the lower stretch of the Devon near Alva. This section is very different in character to up near Muckhart, which is stony, this section is quite muddy, slow and deep. I was out for a walk as much as anything but had my waders and rod. I had a wee cast with a big bushy Klinkhammer and a PTN underneath in this deeper water but there were no takers. Wading is not really an option- way too muddy and the banks are very high relative to the water so hard to pick line off or keep in touch with the fly. About halfway along I seen a fish move- but it was very small, and it wasn’t interested in anything I was offering- especially once I lodged it in some reeds on the far bank.
It was totally tipping down by now so I decided to give up on fishing and explore in the rain. I was interested to see a fly come off the water – a huge green thing- it looked like a Mayfly to me with long tails and big wings- a Green Drake- I dunno? Nothing ate it anyway.
Tipping it down on the Devon- a fish did show here a few times.
Further up I met some guys bait fishing, one was landing a fish as I arrived, his fourth of the day a nice Brownie of over a Pound I would guess. We had a blether as I moved up further. I explored about half a mile further then turned back- I was wet enough. I noticed I snagged a tree with my rod tip but after freeing I carried on, back past the anglers and stopping to see a fish rise in a narrow channel. I thought I might have a cast- and went to set up my line- where’s my rod tip!!!!! It fell off! It had to be way back when I caught the tree, so a way back upstream and yes that’s where it was! Phew. A bit of a wasted day in terms of fishing but think I have a better understanding of this stretch of the river and will give it a go when it’s nicer.
