The Devon season opened a couple of weeks ago but I was chasing rainbows in Sussex. March has been dry, Dartmoor still holds the winter rains and the rivers are a good level.

River Meavy

I took my rod for a walk from Shaugh Bridge to Goodameavy but didn’t take it out of the bag. The scenery was a distraction, the water was cold and there were no signs of trout. A few blue winged olives and Grannom were fluttering about, it won’t be long before the water warms and the trout look up.

River Tavy

I fished the River Tavy lower beat, there were plenty of upwing flies hatching from the shallows but despite the warm sunshine, the trout remained hidden. I felt sure my nymph would be grabbed but it wasn’t to be. Himalayan balsam shoots covered the sandy beaches and primroses decorated the woods.

River Walkham

I’d visited the lower River Walkham in previous seasons but my way had been barred by, fallen trees, a rock wall and wet stones covered in slippery moss. I’d turned back long before the end of the beat. A Saturday work party, armed with chain saws, cleared the lumber and I saw the best pools for the first time. I will return in a few weeks when the water has warmed up.

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