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Post by paul on Sept 2, 2010 7:01:37 GMT
Interested to see Jon Beer's article on the freee fishing on the lower stretch of the Otter near Budleigh Salterton. I've seen it and walked along it but not fished it. Has anyone had a go?
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Post by chrism on Sept 2, 2010 13:04:00 GMT
Yes I fished it a lot around 2 years ago. It can be very good with brownies of similar size to the Creedy. It also has a sea trout run (some quite big with a lot of small ones late April early May) and Salmon are supposed to be making a comeback, but the chap who owns Otter Sports at Honiton tells me they don't run until November.
I have fished it a couple of times this year earlier in the season, with reasonable results, but the second time I fished it it was very low and clear but there were still fish around if you managed to sneak up to them. I should mention that there are two main drawbacks to fishing this strech of the river. Dogs! don't be to surprised to find yourself sharing the river with dogs retreving sticks! This can be avoided by fishing early or late. The main problem is with the mullet. These populate the river as the weather warms up and it can be black with them. The problem is that however good you are at not spooking trout. The mullet will always spook, and hence spook all the trout as well.
I should also point out that the river is affected by the tides at this point and can at times be very low and shallow or the opposite depending on the state of the tide.
The river also tends to clear and become fishable very quickly after a flood. I use this river as a marker as I live near Honiton and driving to the CFFC waters on the Taw or Creedy to find they are not fishable is a bit of a bind to say the least. Usually if the otter is fishable the CFFC waters are OK to!
If you want more info let me know.
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Post by paul on Sept 2, 2010 14:35:43 GMT
Chris, Thanks a lot- well worth a try sometime methinks!
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Post by BarleBlanker on Sept 5, 2010 11:59:22 GMT
It also has a sea trout run (some quite big with a lot of small ones late April early May) Good to hear from someone who has actually fished it! Did you ever see any bass on high tides? The lots of small sea trout in late April early May will have been sea trout smolts on their way out to sea  Andy Ps. Paul don't forget that the sea trout (and salmon) season on the Otter goes on until the end of October so you could have an extra month of free fishing  |
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Post by billyfish on Sept 5, 2010 16:28:20 GMT
I caught a salmon of about 8lb while sea trout fishing.This was the season before last and I heard of one being caught last season.We (river otter association) have been stocking the river with either donated fry from the exe or our own from an egg box for a number of years.The fish I had was believed to be the first of our returnees.The sea trout fishing has been patchy this year because of the lack of rain but there are now some in the system.I'm out tonight to try for a fish.
The sea trout runs are similar to the axe with early bigger fish up to 10lb giving way to smaller fish as the season goes on.there is usually a good sprinkling of 4/5lb fish in sept/oct.
Billy
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Post by chrism on Sept 6, 2010 16:53:09 GMT
After seeing all the mullet I thought I would try for one and settled down one September morning with a quiver tip and bread flake on a link ledger. After about half an hour and seeing plenty of mullet the tip went over and I connected with what I thought would be a decent river mullet. After being run all over the river I managed to net not a mullet but a 3 1/2 lb bass. Never did catch that mullet!
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Post by paul on Sept 11, 2010 16:02:58 GMT
Following Chris' info, decided to have a go.
I went at low tide- I'm a nervous wader and I thought that this would avoid the worst of the mullet
The most delightful blank day! It was great to be in a river where one could see the bottom so clearly and also see the fish. It was absolutely packed with them. All mullet bar one 12" trout! Great- packs of 5-15 fish from 1/2lb to perhaps 1 1/2 and a few lone whoppers- I'd guess one was somewhere around the four/five pound mark.
I went prepared with a few bread flies and a couple of weed imitations but had no more than a sniff. Time after time I would put the fly in front of the fish only to have it ignored or inspected and a turn away.
The bottom stretch is a bit open and straight with high banks. After the first stile it gets really beautiful and lush with odd patches of streamer weed- very pretty but a bit open on the right bank and too easy access- kids, dogs and walkers walking tall the other way right on the edge of the bank!
Great fun, however, and very good for casting practice. If mullet ate like bonefish it would be a really prized quarry. I'll be back, both to try the trout and with a harpoon gun for the mullet!
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Post by billyfish on Sept 14, 2010 19:42:32 GMT
Fish for the mullet with a small mepps style spinner and put a small piece of ragworm on the treble or replace treble with a single strong an inch or so from the spinner.You can use small garden worms which have also caught me bass.This will, with persistance , catch the thin lipped grey mullet and any stray bass or sea trout.On the Exe a few weeks ago I caught 9 mullet and 6 bass using this method.I have also done well on the otter and the Axe.
The sea trout don't hold so much on the lower beats since they put in the pass at Otterton.They do still run the lower river and hold up in low water.Persist and you will catch as they have to move through that stretch.
Tight lines ,Colin.
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Post by mojo on Mar 24, 2011 18:32:05 GMT
Walked from White Bridge up to Otterton on Sunday - the mullet are already in in small shoals, saw 1 seatrout about 20" - just the start of a 8 mile walk. Mo
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Post by billyfish on Apr 9, 2011 12:15:52 GMT
Been out + about a few times this week with mixed results. There have been some good hatches of various types but not many rising fish.I managed half a dozen brownies and a sea trout smolt on a stretch just below Honiton.Yesterday I fished at Tipton St John and caught 4 plus a salmon smolt,very encouraging.I had packed up when I noticed a few rising just below the bridge in the near twilight.You can view these on the webcam, which I did when I returned home.
Colin.
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Post by billyfish on Apr 19, 2011 16:47:59 GMT
The weather has certainly got things moving.The fish are rising well into the twilight despite the colder temperatures then.I'm still catching salmon and sea trout smolts which is a good sign.The trout are getting bigger ,I had one over 12" the other night.Lots of small ones about to hone the casting and hooking skills on.
Lets hope it continues to improve but we could do with some rain to flush out the river and encourage the first of the sea trout.
Colin.
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Post by billyfish on Jun 9, 2011 22:52:55 GMT
The river is fishing as well as I have ever known.Lots of fish everywhere.Bwo's present in numbers making the fish selective until the sedges appear just before dark.Had a sea trout about 6lb a week ago .Lets hope for some rain to encourage a few more to run.
Colin.
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Post by billyfish on Jul 25, 2011 16:11:31 GMT
Went out last night and had plenty of brownies including 3 over the lb.The growth of Himalayan Balsam over the last 3 weeks has been amazing.In some places it stretches right across the river.
Made brief contact with a nice sea trout and had a chat with a couple of otters.We are so lucky to have this on our doorstep at a time when the world seems to be going mad or getting madder.
Colin.
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mcg
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by mcg on Jul 27, 2011 10:11:27 GMT
Hi, I'm new to the forum, but have been fishing the free stretch of the Otter now for a couple of years as its a short walk from my front door to the Whitebridge. I couldn't agree more with Billyfish that were lucky to have this on our doorstep.
Fishing wise I've struggled this year (unlike last year) with the sea trout, having only hooked one (lost at net) on the 5 trips I've managed. However have been doing well with the Mullet (including one of 41/2) and Bass, all on fly at night. Hopefully tonight - if I can escape - I'll break my duck with the sea trout.
B
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Post by billyfish on Jul 27, 2011 16:50:09 GMT
There are sea trout in the river but they are proving hard to catch.We need some rain to perk the riverup.
Colin.
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Post by billyfish on Sept 6, 2011 19:51:46 GMT
Had plenty of browns lately and a few sea trout on the surface lure.The river needs a good flush out to make the rest of the season good.
Whats happened to the mullet down at the tidal stretch? Rumour has it that they have been netted.
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Post by billyfish on Sept 25, 2011 14:00:49 GMT
Fishing a surface lure for sea trout the other night and landed a fish I expected to be a good sea trout.It turned out to be a brown trout well over 3lb.One of its pectorals was stunted so it could have been a grown on stock fish from up river.Still went like a train.
Colin.
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Post by billyfish on Oct 28, 2011 19:27:43 GMT
Lovely lot of fish going over the fish pass above Tipton St John .Put my camera in movie mode and got some good shots.There was a mixture of browns and sea trout with the occasional salmon.Good news for the future.
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Post by yeoman on Oct 29, 2011 17:48:06 GMT
That's great to see.
Have you uploaded your film anywhere?
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Post by billyfish on Oct 30, 2011 13:32:38 GMT
busy at the moment,but will do so given time and technology.
Colin
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