|
Post by johnesmithson on Jul 2, 2016 17:08:30 GMT
After filling in my online return for last weekend's outing on the East Dart I discovered that two other anglers (perhaps members of this forum) had had a fairly spectacular time on the same stretch a few days earlier. They landed 5 times as many as I managed, and some of the fish were really big (12 in plus) compared to what I thought was the standard. Which made me think. I have fly fished for many years, but admittedly have come quite late in my angling career to the wild brownies of the moor. I use an 8ft 3wt rod with 4wt DP line (to load for short distance casting) and have stuck to dries (typically Klinks and EHCs size 14-18) on a 9ft tapered leader with 6x tippet treated with leader sink. I try to wade quietly and use all the cover I can. Does this set-up sound about right to those of you who know this game? All tips, tricks and hints gratefully received!
|
|
|
Post by BarleBlanker on Jul 2, 2016 18:08:35 GMT
Your set up sounds spot on to me. Nothing wrong with the fly sizes either. Maybe the bigger fish were simply not "on" when you fished it. Maybe some anglers have shorter inches... it is very very common!
Andy
|
|
|
Post by boisker on Jul 3, 2016 10:01:36 GMT
They may have been fishing with a nymph or duo set up as well which would increase their catch rate substantially.... But like you I'd probably settle for less fish on dry only...
|
|
|
Post by terry on Jul 3, 2016 11:40:57 GMT
John,
Your approach seems spot on to me. I've fished both the East & Weat dart for many years and I'm always amazed how one day differs massively from the next. One thing I have noticed is some people's "work rate" could account for more fish but maybe less enjoyment. A few seasons back I actually witnessed an angler eating a sandwich whilst actually casting. He did not even notice the inquisitive stoat that was a few yards from him. I tend to think that a day up on the moor is an overall experience and THE most important think is to enjoy the day after all all the fish you don't catch will be there tomorrow.
Terry
|
|
|
Post by johnesmithson on Jul 3, 2016 21:23:16 GMT
Thanks very much for your advice and encouragement guys. If you are fishing the Duo technique, how long should the dropper be to the nymph, and do you tie it to the bend of the dry fly hook? I've tried this before and either tangled fairly quickly or got caught up on the bottom of shallow runs. Terry, I completely agree about enjoying the whole experience, although I do like to catch the odd trout too! I took waterproof binoculars and camera with me last weekend and got some nice insect photos which I've put up on an accompanying thread about the East Dart. It's the first time I've fished this part of the river and it was stunning.
|
|
grhe
Alevin
Posts: 51
|
Post by grhe on Jul 6, 2016 2:54:57 GMT
After filling in my online return for last weekend's outing on the East Dart I discovered that two other anglers (perhaps members of this forum) had had a fairly spectacular time on the same stretch a few days earlier. They landed 5 times as many as I managed, and some of the fish were really big (12 in plus) compared to what I thought was the standard. Which made me think. I have fly fished for many years, but admittedly have come quite late in my angling career to the wild brownies of the moor. I use an 8ft 3wt rod with 4wt DP line (to load for short distance casting) and have stuck to dries (typically Klinks and EHCs size 14-18) on a 9ft tapered leader with 6x tippet treated with leader sink. I try to wade quietly and use all the cover I can. Does this set-up sound about right to those of you who know this game? All tips, tricks and hints gratefully received! It can be quite depressing reading other people's catch returns. I was out on a WUF wild stream beat last Sunday, had about six takes but none to hand. A bloke who fished it just AFTER me had 15 to hand and was only there for half the time I was.
|
|
|
Post by boisker on Jul 6, 2016 6:48:14 GMT
Well, you always have to remember... 1 Some people just have an innate ability at catching fish 2 He may have just caught the river right 3 He could be a born liar
|
|
|
Post by halfstoned on Jul 6, 2016 20:41:16 GMT
I used to fish the NZ method by tying to the bend of the hook but found that too many fish came off on the dry. For what its worth I've found the short dropper ( three turn water knot) to be more effective with anything between 18" and 3' to the nymph depending on how high the river is. You still get tangles ( especially when you catch on the dry and the fish spins) I'm currently trying the dropper snood ala sea fishing to see if I get better results. One thing to add short dropper means short e.g 2" which means you can't change your dropper fly all that easily so pick one that floats well. I also agree with barle blanker some people over estimate their fish, but they're only fooling themselves.
|
|
|
Post by Pete Tyjas on Jul 7, 2016 16:00:58 GMT
Thanks very much for your advice and encouragement guys. If you are fishing the Duo technique, how long should the dropper be to the nymph, and do you tie it to the bend of the dry fly hook? I've tried this before and either tangled fairly quickly or got caught up on the bottom of shallow runs. Terry, I completely agree about enjoying the whole experience, although I do like to catch the odd trout too! I took waterproof binoculars and camera with me last weekend and got some nice insect photos which I've put up on an accompanying thread about the East Dart. It's the first time I've fished this part of the river and it was stunning. I think Terry has summed up Dartmoor perfectly and personally speaking it is about more than the numbers of fish but everything else that goes with it. When it comes to duo I can only think of a few occasions where I have used it up there but adjust both the length of the distance between dry and nymph dependent on depth of water I'm fishing. This might change over the day and I apply this on lowland rivers too. halfstoned advice of a short, 2 inch dropper is spot on and saves tangles. It might not be quite as sensitive as a NZ set up but I'm not sure by how much. It is also easier to cast a heavier nymph this way too. I prefer to fish just the dry and again change my fly according to what is going on or isn't going on. I think I posted a picture of a trout I caught on May Bank Holiday that I caught when the river was raging but used a large Mega May to bring up a fish. If there isn't much going on I tend to fish a bigger fly to make it worth the trouts while to come take a look. I don't know if you have found the same Terry, or anyone else, but the fishing up there has been either really good or pretty quiet this year.
|
|
|
Post by terry on Jul 8, 2016 9:41:25 GMT
Totally agree Pete, this year the West Dart in particular is either on or very much off and is does not seem to be weather affected. I've been out twice this week with a trip to the lower cherry brook in very bright sun and low water with fish coming to the dry nearly all day but a visit around Dunnabridge yesterday in what I thought near perfect conditions was a slow old day with only 3 fish, all on the nymph. Probably nothing to do with the fishing but there seems to be loads more cattle about with quite serious bank erosion in some places. Two herds of at least 40 each at Dunnabridge yesterday. Excuse number 23 too many cattle about.
Terry
|
|
|
Post by jezney on Jul 8, 2016 16:22:49 GMT
When I fish duo on the moors I usually have the dropper about 600mm (or just over half a meter).
I don't tend to shorten this length but change the weight of my point fly instead,sometimes using no weight at all.
The fish in the summer sometimes get right down under the rocks on a bright day in low conditions and can be tough to entice.
The slightest plop from a nymph can send them running and If I fish dries,I find that staying low,moving very slowly,and fishing short and lifting all the line off the water for a truly delicate presentation can really pay off.
I have noticed quite often that the fish can switch off in an instant when a cloud goes over the sun for a bit,and then come back on.
It's definitely more about the scenery up there for me.I have had some really hard days up there,probably more so than any other river,but I just sit on a rock for a bit and take it all in.
|
|
|
Post by Andrew Pieterse on Jul 13, 2016 18:59:49 GMT
After filling in my online return for last weekend's outing on the East Dart I discovered that two other anglers (perhaps members of this forum) had had a fairly spectacular time on the same stretch a few days earlier. They landed 5 times as many as I managed, and some of the fish were really big (12 in plus) compared to what I thought was the standard. Which made me think. I have fly fished for many years, but admittedly have come quite late in my angling career to the wild brownies of the moor. I use an 8ft 3wt rod with 4wt DP line (to load for short distance casting) and have stuck to dries (typically Klinks and EHCs size 14-18) on a 9ft tapered leader with 6x tippet treated with leader sink. I try to wade quietly and use all the cover I can. Does this set-up sound about right to those of you who know this game? All tips, tricks and hints gratefully received! "Any fish will bite if the fish are biting." Anonymous quote from "Death, Taxes and Leaky Waders" by John Gierach.
|
|
|
Post by Pete Tyjas on Jul 14, 2016 6:37:16 GMT
Great quote Andrew, I was listening to Joan Wulff talking the other day. What a fine lady she is and nearly 90 still on great form.
She was asked what her favourite species to fish for was. He reply was "whatever I am fishing for that day"
|
|
|
Post by Pete Tyjas on Jul 16, 2016 6:32:31 GMT
I worked up on Dartmoor yesterday and Cherry Brook fished really well but West Dart not so good.
|
|
|
Post by boisker on Aug 13, 2016 8:02:59 GMT
You tempted me back onto the moor for the first time in 2 years. I had I intended to fish up the west dart and cherry brook, but started fishing immediately upstream from two bridges, first time I'd fished this stretch. Fish were very willing to rise to a dry, had twenty odd fish in about 2 hrs, all beautifully marked, largest only about 6", most around 4". Tricky casting in a very blustery wind and tight confines... About a mile upstream the stream gets even narrower, so with a cross wind that was picking up casting became very tricky so I headed back to the car and popped down to the cherry brook for an hour, the fish seemed less willing to rise to the dry there, but had a few... Largest of the day came to hand a nearly black 8" fish, spooked what would have been the largest fish I'd have caught that high up on the Dart system- 12-13".... It followed the fly right back towards me and suddenly spotted me.... Shot off like a rocket. I had to leave early, but will try to get an evening up there before the end of the season.
|
|
|
Post by pusser on Aug 13, 2016 16:29:06 GMT
Ooh, looks fantastic. I may have to get onto the Westcountry Passport page
|
|
|
Post by terry on Aug 14, 2016 11:04:28 GMT
Great stuff Boisker, well done. I love the stretch above two bridges, it's what Pete calls the high country. The terrain is getting a bit tough for my old knees though these days. Did you fish the cherry above the road or from the west dart? Terry
|
|
|
Post by boisker on Aug 14, 2016 16:31:52 GMT
On the cherry just a quick hour fishing back up mid point from the west Dart and the road from two bridges to Dartmeet.... It's funny I used to drive over from east Devon and fish the Dart stream regularly but some how your habits can change without noticing... Stunning place to fish
|
|
|
Post by Pete Tyjas on Aug 14, 2016 17:32:22 GMT
Great stuff Boisker, well done. I love the stretch above two bridges, it's what Pete calls the high country. The terrain is getting a bit tough for my old knees though these days. Did you fish the cherry above the road or from the west dart? Terry One of my favourite places in the world.
|
|