April arrived, the sun came out and the fishing had a bit of everything. I reflect on some months and apparently can’t fit in much fishing at all. Then I look back at other months and wonder when I was actually at home! This April was the latter, so much fishing, tons of variety and a bit of success.
The month started with the first fishing lesson of the year. It was a gorgeous afternoon that rolled into the evening in perfect sunshine. It was a lovely mix of new faces and returning anglers. It’s great to see people retaining their skills and developing their fishing so they are confident to fish without me, save for the odd bit of help with a disgorger. With each and every cast made, hook baited, strike made, fish landed, disgorger used and fish returned, you became a more experienced angler. It’s a pleasure to watch.
As the good weather continued but was accompanied but an east wind, I fancied something different and something active. I’ve enjoyed some fly fishing through the winter months but I wanted to try somewhere different. Colliford Reservoir would be ideal in the light winds. Maybe not perfect fishing conditions, but I could go and cast confidently and would be ideal for a walk about. Colliford is a big reservoir, close to a thousand acres in size. You can see it from the A30 as you head west on the moors. I’ve fished it once before years and years ago. I remember it was a tricky but enjoyable day. I saw more carp than I did trout but I think from memory I got one in the end.
I got in touch with a mate who is an excellent fly angler and is always generous with his tips. Cast and walk was the message. You need to go and find them. A Soldier’s Palmer fly would be a good starting place and anything scruffy and black. I Googled Soldier’s Palmer, found one in my box and set off with confidence. Given how calm the conditions were and knowing the Colliford trout happily swim in the shallow margins I took a light 4/5 weight rod. Whilst there are some monster brown trout in there, the likelihood would be small fish which a small rod would handle and in the calm winds I should be able to manage a cast that would reach the fish.
There was a breeze pushing into one area that needed a twenty five minute walk. It looked ideal so off I stomped in my waders. On with the Soldier’s Palmer and away I went. Second cast I had a pull which is always hugely encouraging. I was in the right area at least. As the evening drew on, the wind dropped completely and the water glassed off, from bank to bank. You don’t see Colliford do that too often. It was absolutely gorgeous. The fishing was pretty good too. That little fly and my casting pulled a few fish to the net. Nothing huge but all of them really exciting and the markings were stunning, especially in the evening light. As the light got dimpsy, a few fish started to rise. I couldn’t see much fly life on the water but flicked out a dry fly (no idea what it was) in the hope of a surface caught fish. I had one fish refuse the fly at the last second but otherwise I was chasing them, never in front of them. It didn’t matter though, it was great fun and a good learning curve. A brilliant evening.
I went back a couple of weeks later and conditions that were probably better for fishing but would be much harder, for my casting at least. The wind direction was similar so I headed for the same area. I fished through there quickly without a touch so continued on around the lake. I do love the solitude up there. I didn’t see another person, let alone another angler. I did eventually see a fish move very close to where I was wading and on the very same cast I had a great take. It wasn’t clear initially what size the fish was. It was on a short line very quickly but then, it wouldn’t come off the bottom. It just dug in under the tip. The knees started to knock and I started saying the old, “please don’t come off” in my head. Alas, after a big old head shake the fish was gone. I smiled and laughed, but was gutted. Such an exciting moment. I fished on and had another hit not long after but that too came off very quickly. The dark clouds behind me grew and soon it would be dark. Time to stomp home and got hot and sweaty in the waders. Another great experience. I’ll be back for “duffers’ fortnight” to try them on the dry flies again.
I tried a few mornings of fishing for Tench in one of the lakes I joined this year. I’ll never grow tired of those early mornings, although the 4am alarm clock can be hard some mornings. As soon as I’m out of the house, that’s it, I’m up and excited. A 4am start in April can be cold, really cold and it does not feel like Tench conditions. But, you’ve got to start somewhere and get back into the mornings so cold starts it is. On the first trip out I got plenty of bites, lots of bream and at the death, a small but very welcome Tench came to the net. I tried again the following week in much warmer conditions. I’d been pre-baiting and increased what I was putting in. I also changed but hook to one of Guru’s QM1 patterns. It’s an odd looking hook, pretty much a circle hook and when tied, as they recommend, with a knotless knot, it’s such a closed loop. With a little 6mm wafter bait on a hair, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t very confident but, from what I’d read online, the QM1 hook was the hook to use with a method feeder. I needn’t have worried. The bites were instant and the fish were perfectly hooked. It’s amazing how quickly your confidence can grow in something. I settled into a rhythm which is important when feeder fishing. Everything was easy to hand and the fish kept coming. Bream after crusty bream. All good fun but not the hoped for Tench until eventually a different fight and a fish the same size as the previous session came to the net. Again, very welcome but like all anglers, I’d love to catch a bigger one. Soon after the rod tip pulled round and kept on going. I had to wrestle the line out of the clip (used for casting accuracy) and then it was a case of hang one and see if everything would hold as a big old carp went charging off. Everything held, including my new favourite hook and a decent fish was shuffled into the net. Packing up minutes later I was in work on time for the 7:30 start. Happy days!
Around the middle of the month we ventured out on the boat. We’d had a load of great weather but the wind was easterly, no good for the south coast where even a light wind makes things uncomfortable. When the wind switched to a northerly we got everything ready and went for a gentle afternoon on the Fal. We launched in what was the first rain for about two weeks. My family was not happy and I was regretting getting the boat out already. But, after the bad start we got settled at anchor and the boys caught a few fish on their Christmas present boat rods. First up was the expected Dog Fish. For a seasoned angler, these are not an exciting catch but for six year olds that have never seen one before it’s the most exciting thing in the world! Then with a bait switch to worms and we found some wrasse, ang again, if you’ve never caught one before, these hard fighting fish are most welcome. I added a couple of Bull Huss to the list and the afternoon that started off in a squall of wind and rain, ended in smiles and sunshine, thank goodness. Getting out on the bank with your kids can feel like hard work. Going out on a boat is in another league. Fortunately it became memorable for the right reasons and they would like to go out on the boat again.
The month ended with a second lesson which was a bit of a soggy affair but having cancelled the previous week because of torrential rain (there was a weather warning issued!) we went for it. The fishing on a well-stocked lake is never going to be a problem, it’s just the conditions and how comfortable anglers are. In truth, we could get bites all year round. Yes it would be slower in winter and anglers would to be prepared to wait for the bites but they would come. The hard bit is waiting in the cold, or trying to learn to cast and then control a float in the wind, or simply being out in heavy rain. It just makes everything a bit harder and a bit less fun hence I try and do my lessons in half decent weather so the experience is about the fishing and not the weather. The rain on this occasion wasn’t much fun but everyone stuck with it and caught plenty of fish. I was really pleased for Danny who joined the session. He wanted to introduce his young kids to fishing but wanted to have a lesson first so he could be confident taking them himself. Danny took in all the information, fished really well and was rewarded for his efforts and patience with a number of roach and rudd and then eventually, after a titanic battle on a 4m whip, a fine common Carp. A couple of days later he messaged telling he’d been to the shop and bought the kit and was ready to go! That’s the best news I can receive after taking someone fishing.
And that drew April to a close. Soon after, the weather improved again and the sunshine has continued into May. Spring is a brilliant time to be on the bank. Enjoy the sunshine and the early mornings. Good luck!
