Devon School of Fly Fishing Team blog

A few things have happened over the last few months that have made me look at things a little differently. Life is short and it is good to enjoy as much of it as possible.

Taw trout for James

I have been promising for years now that I will do some more fishing and so far this year I have stuck to it and have had some amazing times on the water, sometimes with only me for company but also with friends. I am going to make sure this continues and do some more fishing with my contemporaries too. I do a fair bit of this already but it is a good way to bounce ideas, have a good gossip and catch a few fish too.

Another old phrase that comes easily to the lips is “I want to give something back…..” Well, I want to do this to fly fishing too. It gives me such pleasure on pretty much a daily basis and so it feels only right to try and repay that.

Taw trout for me from Monday

Eat, Sleep, Fish has allowed me to do this. As we often say, there is no hidden agenda with it. I don’t make a penny from it or ever want to. I just think the internet is a great tool for sharing information and ESF is our little way of doing so. I have been so pleased that so many people are enjoying it and something I thought might get 100 readers has amazed us to find that the readership is now well into five figures. To be honest if it were 100 people and they liked it I’d still be as happy.

James fishes the Little Dart on Monday

So the plan is – to continue to love fly fishing, do more of it, spread the fly fishing word and enjoy the company of family and friends. Looking at that last sentance you could pretty much replace fly fishing with anything else and it might still be a good plan!

Fly Fishing Instrucor and Guide Pete Tyjas

I seem to have a really bad case of the fly fishing bug right now. I wake up just as it is getting light and start thinking about the day ahead on the river.

I was due to meet my pal Toby to fish a small stream at 10am. The reason for this was that up until a few days ago it had still been a little chilly early on and getting on the water early didn’t make a lot of sense. Like I say, that was until we had some sun and warm temps too.

I’d been up and at my computer getting the last bits of Eat, Sleep, Fish ready since 6.30am and decided I’d wait until 8ish before I called. It turned out to be 7.45 or 7.47 to be exact. I got his voicemail and left a message. A few minutes later my phone ran and I was soon in my car.

Toby was there just a few minutes before me and we were soon putting our waders on. He said he thought we should just fish dries and I was happy to follow suit.

We walked to the first pool and he gallantly let me have first crack. The water was clear and we both watched the first trout of the day take a look at my fly and eat it.

Tobys ‘glass rod was bent soon after as he had hooked a good fish.

We strolled up the river taking it in turns to have a go at either rising fish or working likely looking water.

We were briefly joined by a pal of Tobys, Mike, who knows the river well. I had met him once before and while we chatted we watched Toby pull out 3 or maybe 4 fish from a run.

The rises were all confident ones that meant some of those early season mistimed strikes were not going to happen. Seeing the fish in crystal clear water helped too.

I’ve no idea how many fish we caught but I think we caught our fair share.

As we got into our cars to leave I have a feeling he may well of headed off to try somewhere else. I hope he did.

Fly Fishing in Devon – Fly Fishing Tuition, Guiding and Fly Fishing Lessons

The waders only have a small leak and I have some new ones on order. I have checked the fishing vest and I have everything I need. There is a new leader on my fly line and I have tied to motherlode of flies over winter. Looks like I am ready to go and hit the river. Friday I shall be doing just that in the company of some like minded people I am lucky enough to call friends.

What more do I need? Not a lot really. The weather might suck but I don’t really care. I am just looking forward to fishing the river I love so much and if I am lucky enough I might even catch a fish.

We gather bright and early, have a coffee, swap stories and do some fishing. It is more of a social event more than anything else but I really enjoy it and we all have a few drinks afterwards as well.

If you are out I hope you have a great one and enjoy the day!

Fly Fishing in Devon – Pete Tyjas Fly Fishing Guide

Eat, Sleep, Fish

It has been nice to get out and wet a line. The weather imposed embargo on fishing has lifted for a bit and I’ve been lucky enough to catch a few grayling and cast in a few salmon pools too.

The river bank is the perfect place to witness nature yawn a little, have a stretch and slowly get things in motion.  Wild garlic, daffodils and snowdrops are about and I have seen the odd large dark olive and witnessed today a really big hatch of midges. There are lots of other things too but for some reason at this time of the year I always keep a note of these little events. I guess it coincides with the start of the trout season.

On Wednesday I was armed with nymphs and caught a majority of grayling that way but later on I came across a little pool with a few rising fish. I was fishing my nymph leader and despite the fact I tied on a dry, an F fly, (with a shuck) and caught a couple. That was enough for me and again another milestone in waving goodbye to winter.

Issue 15 of Eat, Sleep, Fish is now out. I hope you enjoy it.

Devon School of Fly Fishing – Fly Fishing in Devon

I have needed to get outside for a variety of reasons of late to shake off some cobwebs, clear the head and just to get out there.

Nice hat Graham!

The river was almost where I hoped it would be. Just the wrong side of OK but I wasn’t going to complain. I had almost bullied my friend Graham into coming along as I wanted some company. He dropped his plans after my call and we were soon chatting in the car on our way to the river.

The plan was to share a rod, fish, talk and to see what happened and thatt was exactly what we did. The river was still a little out of sorts and the grayling weren’t as obliging as they can often be.

Fish on!

It didn’t really matter. It was just good to go fishing.

The Devon School of Fly Fishing – Fly Fishing in Devon

Eat, Sleep, Fish A not-for-profit fly fishing ezine sharing our love of fly fishing

A blog is an interesting thing. Once you commit to it you either do it religiously, make a post now and again or start one and leave it at that after a couple of posts. Either way it doesn’t really matter. They are fun things to do and a great way of keeping people up to date with what you are doing and the added bonus of pictures helps portray what you are trying to get across.

Blogs are sort of like those Japanese toys that kids played with a while back – The Tamagotchi. OK, I had to look that one up but I remember the hysteria they caused and the helplines they had to set up for distraught owners who had failed to keep these electronic devices alive.

If I don’t keep my blog up to date then it feels like I am in danger of it curling up and dying in a similar fashion so I make sure I keep it ticking over helped a gentle nudge here and there by a few of the readers, notably you Paul!

Fishing has again taken a back seat although I headed up to the most excellent Burton Springs for some stillwater trouting only to find it 3/4 frozen. I had a great day though and you’ll be able to read about it in next month’s Eat, Sleep, Fish which should be out in the next few days.

Devon School of Fly Fishing – Fly Fishing in Devon

We have been working hard on Issue 14 of Eat, Sleep, Fish. Latest news below!

Eat, Sleep, Fish

One of the main reasons (there are others!) I live in Devon is because of the huge variety of fly fishing on offer. Rivers are mainly my thing and when we were house hunting I busily looked at maps and settled on Mid Devon so that we sat between Dartmoor and Exmoor. It meant there were plenty of rivers on my doorstep, so where we live isn’t just a lucky coincidence.

The Taw is where I work and love to fish and I don’t think I would have it any other way. The river is interesting, not easy and so it makes fishing a challenge, that once you crack, will have you hooked forever.

There are also lots of little undiscovered, and perhaps unfished, streams. I have been lucky enough to fish a few too. There is one that is probably just about a 7 minute walk away from my doorstep that despite a few tentative, offers I haven’t got to fish in the  10 years I’ve been here. I’ve fished it about a mile upstream but not this bit.

We had some sun this morning and Emma and I went for a stroll that took us on a higher route along this stretch and although I couldn’t get a really good shot of the river from there it is one that I will do my best to tick off the list this year.

If you don’t see a blog about it remind me and I’ll do my best to wet a line!

Issue 13 of Eat, Sleep, Fish is now out and if you haven’t read it yet I hope you enjoy it.

Devon Fly Fishing with the Devon School of Fly Fishing – Lessons, Tuition and Guiding

Today, to clear the head a little, Emma and I decided a walk along my beloved Taw was in order. It was a perfect idea and a nice walk.

I love to see the river at times when I can’t fish it and as I walk along it I wonder how some of the features may be just a little different to the previous season. Spots where I know there will be a fish or at least hope there will be a fish may have just changed.

Where we walked is a spot I love to guide but also to fish myself. There is a nice little mix of water that lends itself well to both dry fly and nymph fishing and there are a couple of pools that are good holding spots for both salmon and sea trout too.

As we walked along the beat there was some wind, there always is there, but it would have been on the anglers back. I could imagine a nice little hatch of Large Darks trickling off.

It will be good to get out on the Taw again; I will have to wait a bit though, I don’t mind.

Fly Fishing in Devon – The Devon School of Fly Fishing – Fly fishing tuition, lessons and guiding

I just wanted to wish every one out there in fishing land and beyond and very, very Happy Christmas and all the very best for 2013.

We look forward to seeing you next season!