River Reads

A great day at sea. Finally it all comes together. A great day for weather out with Jonathan, Mike and Clive. The trip started bass fishing and we caught 7 between us in an hour from 2.5 to 4.5 lbs. Then we went off to try for tope bagging 11 from 8 to 15 lbs, but also several nice pollack to the 7lbs mark and a couple of black bream over 2lbs. As the tide picked up we fished a sand bar for ray catching a 5lbs small-eyed ray and a double figure smoothhound before returning to port with a brief stop off for around 15 to 20 mackerel. So we caught exactly what we wanted, and even better, only ONE dogfish. Fantastic

Dom Garnett and I went LRF fishing from Ilfracombe harbour and caught masses of Blenny, but it was great to see Darren Bailey next to us catch this tub gurnard and spider crab on the same cast, despite the weather being sunny but with a gale blowing.

Stop Press!!!! Details of Jeremy Wade's visit to Great Torrington, Devon, book signing and screening.
Jeremy Wade in Great Torrington
book signing and more
... Jeremy Wade will be in Great Torrington, Devon, England on 4th August to sign his new book “How to Think Like a Fish” at the Plough Arts Centre. (Books will be available to purchase on the day)In addition, we will be screening one of his latest programmes Dark Waters.
Jeremy will open with a short presentation at 10.30am before the book signing begins which will be until 12.30pm in the gallery at the Plough. The screening will be from 1.30 and there will be an opportunity for any questions and answers after the film finishes.
We look forward to seeing you on the day. Tickets are available from the Plough for £5 per person to enjoy both sessions and guarantee your seat at the film. The Plough Tel No is (44) 01805 624624 Web details are www.theploughartscentre.org.uk
The event is organised by River Reads bookshop so please contact them if you require any further information, or would like to purchase a signed copy of Jeremy’s book and are unable to attend.
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Just back from the Azores. had a great holiday, especially as sandy has studied Geology. We loved the thermal springs having our dinner cooked in the ground. The fishing time wasn't great but this was definitely the spikiest

Can't believe I am sharing this with such exalted company.

Our old car has let us down, the steering rack has sprung an oil leak and is spraying it onto the brake - clouds of smoke - so haven't got out much lately but managed to go to sea from Minehead on Teddie Boy yesterday and amongst a plethora of Lesser Spotted Dogfish (an LSD overdose) I managed a few smoothound, but the best of the day went to Jonathan

After the Edw, the trout on the Wye seemed huge, but great fun dry fly fishing, even with a couple of otters around. The off to see the Chiefs V Saints on the way home and a proper Chiefs performance at last. AND I got tickets for the semifinal from the Saints site.

Jungle Fly Fishing
Not really, this is the River Edw, tributary of the Wye where my friend Keith (pictured) and I fished with #2 6' fly rods. Managed five troutlets but great fun. Only fell over once and not too much water in the waders

The best laid plans.....totally buggered up by the weather. Craig and I were meant to be fishing for Porbeagle Shark from Hayle last Saturday - but it got cancelled because of the wind. It was rearranged for Weds/Thurs so in the meantime I booked a reef trip for 4 hours on the Tuesday. This was cancelled because of the wind, and so was the Weds and the Thursday. I got up every morning to a cloudless blue sky and no fishing- how frustrating is that, but managed a short session (about 1 hr) in Mousehole where I knocked limpets off the rocks and managed a 2.5lb Ballan Wrasse on my travel rod.

Back to my other passion today. Chiefs v Harlequins. Close game, Chiefs seem to have lost some drive but still managed a win.... just!

Lee was down from Edinburgh last weekend so we decided to try fishing out of Minehaed on Teddie Boy. We started off catching lots of huss into double figures, before we were deluged by doggies, but he still managed his first ever smoothhound

Finally nice weather and my first trout of the season on a wet fly from the Torridge before I had a similar size dace on a dry fly - really pleased with that - and we saw three lamprey too

It was a choice this Sunday, fishing on a windy day or watching the Chiefs. I chose the latter and they lost. Didn't fire as normal but Wasps defence earned the win.

Finally I have written about the Costa Rica trip we went on at the end of Feb and into March. Hope you enjoy it and can appreciate the beauty of the place through the pictures. I have also attached links so if you want to plan a trip you have the contacts. There are also brief accounts about some of our experiences about what you can do with the family if your next trip might lead to divorce if you leave them behind again. https://www.riverreads.co.uk/p-27069-fish ing-and-sight-seei…

From the cold of the Kennet to the warmth of Ilfracombe out on Bluefin with friends. A glorious day, flat calm but a slow day with some great fish caught - conger over 20lb, spurdog to 15lbs and I had my best thornback of 12lbs. Great work by skipper John.