Slim pickings but still a great day out

[johnesmithson]

First serious crack at the East Dart for me this season; evening session above Postbridge and then all day below Bellever. I thought the conditions looked pretty good and there were reasonable hatches of fly but not a lot of surface activity. I stuck with fishing dry (because I soon get in a tangled rage when I use a duo rig) and managed to entice a total of three modest little brownies. Compensation for the lack of numbers came in the form of close encounters with a pair of very young fox cubs, a deer and a green hairstreak butterfly (the first I've knowingly seen). My new Ikon Gummi Sprinter boots are great for walking but almost lethal on slippy underwater rock and I took more than one tumble even with my wading staff in constant use. I must find out if they can take studs. Anyone else been up on the Moor recently?

Johnny

[halfstoned]

Had a good evening on the West Okement ( see post in other rivers section) but I also took an early bath, felt soles for me next time.

[terry]

Glad you had a good trip Johnny. I fish the East and West dart regularly and always find whatever boots I have ( I do prefer vibram type soles with tungsten studs though ) its still like walking on iced cannon balls. I've had a few ducklings over the years. At 68 now I wade a tad more gingerly.
I have found slightly fewer fish this season than normal but many that I've been lucky enough to catch have been above normal size. Best to date 14in.
Might bump into you one day up there. I'll be the one sitting on a rock undoing a massive birds nest.
Terry.

[terry]

Bloody spell check. Duckings not desperate quite yet for food.

[johnesmithson]

That's the great thing about ducklings Terry, they float much better than we do! Sounds like you have winkled out some lovely fish this season. What tactics were you using? On reflection it struck me that I should have given wet fly/spiders/nymphs a go this weekend, rather than sticking to the dry fly when there was so little surface activity. I remember Brian Easterbrook used to fish wet to great effect for trout on the moorland rivers. He was also pretty handy with the migratory fish, and guided me to some lovely seatrout and the odd salmon from the West Dart and Holne Chase (admittedly more than a few years ago...).

[terry]

Brian was a one off, you be hard pushed to find anyone who knew the moor better. I do tend to fish much in the way that he did although with a shorter lighter rod. I still can't predict how the fish react to dries, somedays that will come to the fly all day with hardly any rises showing and other days they won't look at them. On those days Brian's small wet flies are often the best bet. A size 14 Pheasent tail with a full hackle or my go to wet fly is the pilks favourite, created by David Pilkington at the Arundell Arms.
How ever the day turns out there's not too many other places I'd rather be.
Terry