Monday 10 December 2012

Latest Update


River levels have remained very high for the past few weeks, although grayling fishing was just about possible on odd days, with around a dozen taken by the few brave enough to tackle the conditions. Best fish was a pound and a half, from the river Lyd, and all taken on Czech nymphs. It has been nigh on impossible to make even a guess at how the salmon spawning is progressing, with rivers running big and dirty almost without a break. The river Wolf, fed from Roadford reservoir, usually runs steady and clear with a measured amount of compensation water from the dam – this year the lake has overflowed, possibly for the first time since filling in the late 1980’s. When I have looked at the Wolf over the past few days it has been well coloured and running at a half-bank flood, with any observation of fish or redds being totally impossible.
The upper Lyd was clearer but still massive, with no chance of seeing fish in the pools. However,a pair of fish was seen cutting a redd on a favoured shallow stretch. A few days later it was impossible to distinguish the redd, despite being aware of the exact location. It is certain that fish have been spawning, with redds also seen on the river Lew, but any accurate assessment of the numbers is out of the question. Hopefully most of the fish will have completed spawning by now, and would have been pretty difficult targets for those morons who do still poach fish at this vulnerable time.
Already we are looking ahead to the new year, currently waiting for a dry spell to enable routine trimming and maintenance of the beats to take place. At present it is not possible to drive across the fields to access the water. We really would appreciate just a little less rain for 2013.

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Fly Fishing Tuition, Courses & Events 2013



We now have our 2013 calendar set for the next season. Whether you fancy taking your very first steps in the wonderful world of fly fishing, could do with a brush up on casting or perhaps try for your first sea trout, salmon or bass... there is something for everyone.

Our hugely popular seasonal events are back, with the Wild Trout Festival, the Sea Trout Weekend and the Arundell Arms Macnab. If you would like more information or to book, please call on 01566 784666. We are already taking bookings for our 2013 courses and tuition, so it's best to book soon to avoid disappointment.

For the full list of events, dates and prices, please click HERE

Hotel instructor Tim (left) with a merry gang of newcomers to river trout.

A summer course on the banks of the Lyd. Let's hope for some sun during 2013!

Once you try night fishing for sea trout... there's no looking back!


David Pilkington demonstrates during last year's Sea Trout event.



Tuesday 16 October 2012

End of the 2012 season

Rain spoiled what is usually the peak of the salmon season at The Arundell Arms. With relentless rainfall, many guests were simply not able to fish during the final week, and it was only the last two days where the Lyd dropped back to an 'almost fishable' height. October's salmon tally was therefore a disappointing four fish, with the best (estimated at around 13lb) falling to Mr Clark in Silver Doctor Pool on the Lyd on the last day of the season. The fish was caught on a Flying C and carefully returned to the river.
The final total at The Arundell Arms was 49 salmon to 15lb, with 41 returned to the rivers. A further six fish (all released) were caught by rods fishing the hotel's allocations on the Endsleigh and Lower Tamar clubs' waters.
Sea trout catches were severely hampered by the persistent high summer flows, which meant night fishing was restricted to no more than a few brief windows of opportunity. As such the sea trout catch was well down on numbers, with only 61 fish recorded for the season. 53 of these fish were returned. An additional six fish were caught and released on the hotel's allocations on the Endsleigh and Lower Tamar clubs' waters.
One notable fish was Rob Swan's monster on the Lyd - a 7lb 2oz hen fish (returned) that is the new Arundell Arms record sea trout.
Trout catches were well down - again, due to the high water and unsettled conditions - with 1451 fish landed. Slightly disappointing with the five-year average being 1901, but we can't help the weather!
The fish of the season was landed by newcomer Elisabeth Royle on beat 9A on the Tamar - 1lb 2oz on a black Copper John Nymph. Tony Bostock was, as ever!, worth a mention, with a great catch on the Carey in September which included two fish of around a pound.
With the trout and salmon seasons now closed, we hope for some low water to get out and try for a grayling or two. Days are available (though best to call at short notice because of river levels) at £20 for a private beat. Tinhay Lake is also open throughout the winter for fishing for rainbow trout at £38 for a day (bag limit of four fish, catch and release is also allowed).


Tuesday 9 October 2012

Latest Update

As of 8.30am this morning, both the Lyd and Tamar were on the limits of fishability. Both were running very high but without too much colour. This limits the beats that can be fished and spinning will be the most effective method in this height of water. It has however been raining hard for most of the morning, so only time will tell us what prospects will be like for tomorrow. There isn't much more rain forecast for the next 48 hours, so we are keeping fingers firmly crossed. The salmon season closes on Sunday, and we only have availability on this Friday, 12th October, priced at £40 per rod per day. Contact us on 01566 784666 for more details.

Saturday 6 October 2012

Spates again!

Just as the river was starting to fall... the Tamar and Lyd are both now huge (the Tamar was in the fields this morning) following nearly two inches of rain in the last 48hrs. The Lyd might just fish tomorrow, but the Tamar is likely to be out of action for a few days yet. Prospects for salmon should be excellent as soon as some of this water disappears!

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Superb for salmon

A quick update to say that salmon fishing conditions are currently superb. We had 7 fish landed over the weekend and another small rise in river levels yesterday. Conditions should stay very good, so long as the heavy rain forecast for tonight doesn't spoil things.
For a last-minute booking, phone us on 01566 784666. Day tickets are of course available for non-residents, charged at £40 per rod for a private beat.


Friday 28 September 2012

We have water!

Our last blog post was answered with style. The rivers are currently high and the Lyd is looking superb for salmon. The Tamar will need at least a couple of dry days before we can fish it with a fly.
A couple of fish were caught in the last two days; a six-pounder for Nick Brown from Bottom Beat and a four-pounder for Joe Sinclair on Beat 3. We are expecting fish today!
We still have some availability for the last couple of weeks, so don't hesitate to give us a call. Prospects are very good indeed!

Thursday 20 September 2012

River Report

We are hoping Sunday's forecast will come true as there may well be some rain on the cards. With a bit of luck this might give us an essential rise in river level for the last weeks of the salmon season.
The rivers have dropped back now to summer level and are running very clear. Salmon fishing is realistically on hold, but one or two night fishers have taken advantage of the low levels and had a cast for sea trout. The best fish in the last few days fell to Nick Oxby on beat 3 of the Lyd who used a size 4 WMD to land and release a four-pounder.
Trout fishing is tough in these colder conditions, with anglers working hard for their fish - nymphs have been the best approach. The fish of the season so far was caught by newcomer Elisabeth Royle on a black Copper John. The fish was weighed at 1lb 2oz and was caught in Flat Pool, beat 9a on the Tamar. Some superb grayling have also been showing with Mark Smith landing two big male fish on beat 3 yesterday, both approximately 1lb 8oz.
We'd really like some rain please!

Thursday 13 September 2012

River Report

A belated update on current conditions...
The salmon tally now stands at 35 fish for the season off Arundell Arms waters, with several more from our rods on Endsleigh. It seems daft writing this after the wettest summer for many years, but we could now do with some more rain to encourage fish to run to Lifton. The trout season comes to a close at the end of this month and cold water and winds are keeping fish from rising freely so nymphs are taking the lion's share. The rivers are in perfect order for trout fishing and we even have some hardy types looking to venture out after dark for sea trout... watch this space.
A bit more of the wet stuff would be much appreciated now to send this salmon season out as one to remember. We still have some availability for the last four (prime) weeks of the season priced at £40 per day for a private beat. Please give us a call on 01566 784666 for bookings and more information.

Friday 10 August 2012

Friday Update

Despite bright sun and soaring temperatures, the Tamar is still too high and coloured for fishing. With a bit of luck it will clear enough by tomorrow. The Lyd is in fine form for a salmon or daytime sea trout and the trout streams are once again fishable and the fish rising very well for August.
Charlie Yeoward managed a 5 1/2lb salmon from Hairy Mary Pool on the Lyd on Wednesday on a WMD fly. Yesterday, hotel guest Alex Martin enjoyed a real sporting day (full report and pics to come) with a brown trout, two sea trout and an 8lb salmon on the Lyd, following by a stunning roe buck in the evening with our hotel stalker Simon. Not a bad effort all round!
We still have some last-minute availability over the weekend for salmon and trout fishing; we will need a fair few more dry days before the rivers drop to night fishing height.
The salmon total now stands at 31 to 15lb so far and 33 sea trout to 7lb 2oz.

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Latest Update

While the Tamar is yet again in spate and resembling high-speed hot chocolate, the Lyd is fining down nicely and well worth a cast for a salmon or sea trout by day. While on the rivers yesterday, David Pilkington landed and returned 5 sea trout to 2 1/2lb on a Copper-head Black Tadpole on beats 2 and 3. It seems they are here in better numbers at last! We have plenty of last-minute availability for salmon and sea trout fishing this week/weekend and the forecast (for what it's worth) is for a dry, settled spell for a few days at least. It will be great to see the back of the current murky drizzle that has surrounded Lifton today.
With the rivers being rising and falling like a yo-yo this summer, several local anglers have been making full use of the 700-acre Roadford Lake (10 minutes up the road), and plenty of superb grown-on brown trout to 7lb have been landed. Well worth keeping in mind.

Typical Roadford brown trout - worth a cast when in Lifton!

Sunday 5 August 2012

July Report - Record AA Sea Trout!

Persistent rain throughout the Tamar catchment in July produced yet another month of unseasonably high water levels at the Arundell Arms. As a result, trout fishing was confined to the smaller tributaries and sea trout night fishing was pretty much a non-starter. On the upside, salmon fishing continued to be good, with a total of 15 landed (12 released) for the month of July, bringing the season total up to 29 at the time of writing. Most of the fish were fresh summer salmon of 8 to 10lb, with three grilse amongst them. One of the grilse was a first fish for Austin Weldon with a five-pounder from Oak Tree on the Tamar on a Park Shrimp tube - the fish was returned. Peter Ahluwalia caught and returned a lovely fish of just under 10lb from Lydfoot on the Tamar on a Black Ally’s Shrimp. Most of the other fish came to more locally-based rods who had the chance to fish in the short windows of opportunity between bank-high spates. July produced a very disappointing total of 17 sea trout at the hotel, a month were around 100 would be expected on a normal year - whatever that is these days. Night fishing was confined to about four nights at the end of the month when the Lyd dropped back to a level that made fishing possible. One fantastic fish made the effort all worthwhile for local rod Rob Swan however. On his fourth and final night of the Westcountry Sea Trout Festival, Rob hooked a big sea trout in a favourite lie on the Lyd’s beat 3 on a WMD Stinger sunk lure. After a tense battle in what is a narrow, snaggy piece of water, Rob landed, weighed and returned the new Arundell Arms record sea trout, a superb 26in hen fish of 7lb 2oz. Congratulations Rob!

126 brown trout were reported on the rivers during July, with most fish being caught on the smaller streams such as the Wolf and Ottery. In the high flows, wet flies and nymphs took most of the fish, although fish rose well on the few dry days during the month. Mr Puttock had a superb day on the Ottery at month end, with 25 trout caught and released to a Hare’s Ear.

With the rivers once again in spate at the time of writing, it certainly seems to be a salmon fisher’s year!

Rob Swan's magnificent 7lb 2oz sea trout: the new Arundell Arms record.

Rob Swan (left) receives his tackle prize from David Pilkington for winning the Westcountry Sea Trout Festival 2012.




Friday 20 July 2012

Latest Update

We have recorded our 27th salmon of the season this morning, a shining 4lb grilse for the boss - Mr Adam Fox-Edwards. By this time last year, we had caught 1 fish, and we have already exceeded the 2011 total by 4! The rivers are currently at perfect height for fishing for the king of fish and, with a spell of dry weather forecast, conditions should remain great for the next few days. Once the rivers drop, we should be able to venture out in the darkness to try for a sea trout or two. Keep an eye on the webcams and the river gauges, or simply phone us on 01566 784666 for an up-to-the-minute report. Even if you can't make it down to fish with us in the near future, why not have a look at our online shop, and our new stock of custom fly collections. These are all tied for us, to our instructors' specifications.
We've just taken delivery of four more superb collections of flies, including some of the finest quality salmon patterns available. We are pleased to offer 12 different collections of killer fly patterns, to cover all bases from river dry flies to high-water salmon patterns and custom-tied sea trout favourites for night and day. With prices from £9.99 for eight flies, they offer great value, being tied with the finest materials on premium quality hooks and tubes. Please visit our online shop for more details:


High Water Salmon

Stillwater

River Dry Flies

Sea Trout Tubes

River Wet Flies

Sea Trout Day

Sea Trout Singles

River

River Nymphs

Sea Trout Night

Salmon

Low Water Salmon

Friday 13 July 2012

Salmon between the storms

Water, water everywhere would perfectly sum up the Devon summer of 2012. However, it's not been all bad news as despite the lack of brown trout and sea trout fishing, we are now up to 22 salmon for the season. On Tuesday, Austin Weldon paid us a flying visit and managed his first salmon, a spanking silver grilse of 5lb on a Park Shrimp tube in Oak Tree Pool on the Tamar in huge water. On Friday, local rods Nigel Hughes and Jon Barnard also landed a fish apiece on fly; Nigel's a ten-pounder in Stump Pool (beat 8a) and Jon's a bright eight-pounder in Quarry Pool. All of the fish above were returned to the Tamar. Eddy Gray also came close yesterday, losing a bright silver fish of approximately eight pounds at the net in Lydfoot, though he made up for it by landing a sea trout of 1 1/2lb in Oak Tree. That's two salmon hooked for Eddy in two visits... can't be bad!
The rivers are once again in full spate and unfishable with 0.64in recorded in our rain gauge this morning. Given a dry day or two the salmon flies will once again be swinging through the current...
If you can grab a day at short notice, we have availability so don't hesitate to call 01566 784666 to book.

Jon Barnard releases his Tamar 8-pounder, caught on a Cascade Tube in Quarry Pool.

Monday 9 July 2012

June Fishing Report

The past month has seen rain, rain and more rain, with two full floods during which the Tamar and tributaries came close to breaking their banks. Unsurprisingly, this has been bad for trout fishing, disastrous for night sea trouting, but brilliant for salmon, in the windows of opportunity. Mrs Jo Morel showed the boys how to do it with a spanking fresh 9-pounder, released back into the tail of Quarry pool on the Tamar, on a large black and purple tube fly. Mike Haines then released another very fresh fish at Lyd Foot, estimated at 12 pounds. David Pilkington released a fresh ten-pounder in Black Doctor pool on the Lyd, taken while trying for a daytime peal, on a copper-beaded Black Pennell. Jon McQuade released two on separate days, an 8-pounder from the Lyd, spinning on very high water, then a 9-pounder from the Tamar. Geoff Gaskell, fresh from a successful afternoon of guided bass fishing with instructor Tim Smith, completed his day by releasing his first fish, a very acrobatic 8 ½ pounder from Donkey pool on the Lyd, taken on a Black Tadpole intended for sea trout. Alex Prentice then popped in for a cream tea, found a couple of hours to fish and released his first fish, a fresh 10-pounder in Lyd Foot, on an orange and black tube fly. Alexander Jones took the first grilse, a very fresh 4-pounder from Silver Doctor pool on the Lyd, and a few days later released an 11-pounder in Railway Hut pool on the Tamar. Eddie Gray released a very fresh fish of 10 ½ pounds in the tail of Quarry pool, on a Garry Dog. Charlie Yeoward fished a black and orange tube fly in Mallard pool on the Tamar and landed a fresh 9 ½ pounder, on a 5-weight trout rod. Despite 20 minutes trying to revive the fish in the water, this one was bleeding and did not survive, having swallowed the hook well down onto its tongue. Sadly the same fate befell a fresh 8-pounder taken on a flying ‘C’ by Rob Neville in huge dirty water on the Tamar at Quarry pool. Kit Ellis, having caught his first bass on fly during the afternoon with instructor David Pilkington, went on to release his first fish in Lyd Foot that evening, a spanking fresh 10-pounder taken on a Black Tadpole on a 7lb leader. Rupert Edmundson released a fresh 9-pounder in Quarry pool. Pride of place for this season goes to David Lynch, who landed his first fish in Upper Chain Bridge pool on the Tamar. David was alone and unaided, wading thigh-deep, and managed to eventually squeeze the fish into his small net. His camera was in his bag on top of the bank, so he measured the fish at twice the width of his net and released it. After much measuring of nets and estimation, this salmon must have been at least a 15-pounder! The successful fly was again the Black Tadpole.
Night sea trout fishing was impossible in the high water, but David Pilkington had a few forays for sea trout by day, landing one from the Tamar and two on the Lyd, best 19 inches, and all released. Black Bumbles and the good old Black Tadpole did the business. Dave Chapman fished the Lyd on a couple of evenings to release a brace of peal both around two pounds, taken on a large black tube fly and a Stoat’s Tail. Eddie Gray had a 2 ½ pounder on the Lyd on a tube fly, and Charlie Yeoward released a two-pounder also on the Lyd, on Pilk’s PR fly.
Only 85 wild brownies were released from our beats, a reflection of the fact that for most of the time the rivers were quite unfishable. We would normally expect several hundred trout at this time of the year. Mayflies are still hatching, with some good sedge hatches now appearing in the late afternoons, but river levels have to drop significantly to allow sensible trout fishing. Still, with 19 salmon so far for the season, it is not all bad news.

Thursday 21 June 2012

Arundell Arms Fly Collections Now Available!

Our fly tiers have been incredibly busy of late... top-quality, deadly selection packs of flies, tied to our instructors' specifications are now available. Click the link below to order or for more information:



It all started with a cream tea

The salmon fishing has been superb for this early in the season, and Alex Prentice successfully landed the tenth of the year yesterday...

"My darling wife has been rather poorly so I thought bringing her to the Arundell  Arms for a cream tea.

So, sat there with scone in hand, I said I wish I could go fishing and to my delight she said off you go then!!!

To cut a long story short I fished all the way down beat 7a losing hope of breaking my salmon virginity and then I reached lydfoot pool and thought how am I going to fish this as it just looked like a mass of swirling currents coming from all sides. I cast into the bottom of what I presume is the Lyd and let the fly swing through the pool and started to line up for the next cast and hooked into a stone, this was no stone I had ever encountered before!! As far as I'm aware, stones don't take off down stream shaking their heads and then summersault in the air!!!! Thirty minutes later and my first salmon was on the bank, I didn't really want to get it out of the water but being on my own I had to get some photographic proof....

Thank you Arundell Arms, I'm no longer a Salmon virgin! Make your own minds up about the weight but I guess ten pounds, it broke my net!"

Alex Prentice







Tuesday 19 June 2012

Arundell Arms Macnab Report, June 18th.

Catch a brown trout, sea trout and bass on a fly in one day. It was always going to be a tough challenge, and yesterday, overnight rain had ruined our chances of night fishing for the sea trout. Thankfully the wind, swell and tides were spot on for the bass. Guests Martin Plummeridge and Geoff Gaskell were joined by hotel instructors David and Tim and regular rod Alexander Jones to take up the challenge. Pictures tell the story better, but in short the bass fishing was electric with well over 50 fish landed and while the sea trout avoided us, a couple of small brownies were landed and Geoff finished his day in style, by landing his first salmon on the Lyd. As I type, Martin continues his quest for a daytime sea trout on the Lyd!

Heading out in anticipation of the flooding tide...

Perfect conditions for estuary bass fishing.

Geoff into a small yet lively school bass.

Stillwater nymphs work for bass too!

Martin hooks a schoolie under his rod tip.

Another for Geoff in just a foot or so of water.

North Devon's answer to tropical fly fishing?!

Martin with a typical estuary school bass.

The perfect silver predator.

David Pilkington sends a long cast out with his 5wt rod.

We lost count of the numbers of fish!

Back to the Lyd and Geoff cradles his first ever salmon; 8 1/2lb on a GH Black Tadpole.

Searching for a sea trout. 
Night fishing was off but the day finished with a warm evening on the Lyd.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Recent Photographs

The view from beat 3, River Lyd.

David Bolton fishes beat 3.

Nymphing for trout at Hartley Weir, River Lyd.

The beech tree at Beech Tree Pool, beat 2, River Lyd.

Mayfly spinner, River Tamar.

A lovely 11-incher for Christopher Clarke; beat 9b, River Tamar.

Carey Foot, River Tamar.

A bright little rainbow for Aiden De Cadenet, Tinhay Lake.

David Pilkington's monster 8lb brown trout from Tinhay Lake.

A happy instructor with his stunning brownie; caught on a size 12 Black Buzzer.

It's easy to see how these big brown trout will eat the small rainbows!

Three musketeers wait for darkness above Hartley Weir.

The run below PT's Pool, River Tamar.