Camel

Monday 17th

A quick phone call to Toby Russell of the West Country Angling passport saw me making my way to the Tressaret beat on the Camel for an after work session. Despite Toby’s warning that everywhere was fishing hard owing to the low water and chilly northern winds I tackled up with the keening enthusiasm that normally courses through one’s being on approaching new water. I fished the upper section above the bridge to start with and after taking a couple of 6” wild brown trout was delighted to target and take a lovely little fish of about 10” on a self tied balloon caddis from a very shallow lie close to the right bank. This was pretty much the first fish of the season to be taken by targeting a fish rather than searching using a duo set up. The top of the beat was quite moor like in character with rapid runs and pocket water linking some deep pools. Rather than target these pools with some heavy nymphs and short lines I decided to give in to the urge to explore and tramped to the bottom end of the beat.

Once again I found myself negotiating some overly inquisitive and quite aggressive bullocks by wading straight down the river. The bottom of the beat is characterised by some beautiful deep pools which one could see would be good salmon water with better water levels. I managed to retrieve an expensive looking little Rapala in trout parr markings from its tree branch snag. With more water one could easily see how this water would warrant its 5 token tax. Perhaps I’ll be back if rain and work conspire suitably?! Despite the water looking beautiful, particularly at the bottom of the beat where the wooded valley sides tightened, I was not to see or hook more that the odd fish towards the bottom of the beat.