April proved to be an unseasonably dry month, with reservoir levels already down to about 80% capacity at some waters, and while water and air temperatures are still fairly low, there have been some good buzzer hatches on warmer days. At this stage in the season anglers need to be particularly adaptable in their approach, and prepared to change tactics, line types, and fly patterns according to the conditions.

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Kennick

Anglers have enjoyed some great sport, averaging 5.9 fish per rod, with fish well spread out around the lake, and both bank and boat anglers catching well. Successful depths fished varied from day to day, on warmer days there would be a good rise, mainly to hatching buzzers (with fish taking dry patterns including Elk Hair Caddis) – otherwise a variety of methods and tactics all produced good results. Some excellent bags of fish were caught, including sixteen rainbows to 3lb 8oz caught by Eddy Carter (from Starcross) using a Montana Nymph, while Peter Gilpin and Phillip Rumsey (from Newton Abbot) caught nineteen fish to 3lb 8oz between them using a drifting slow retrieve. The best fish of the month was a 5lb rainbow caught by Val Froggat, one of ten fish caught while fishing with Graham Roberts (from Totnes). Young Daniel (aged 10), accompanied by his mother Emma and Andy McGahan (from Exeter) caught four rainbows on his first ever fishing trip (altogether catching eight fish between them).

 

Burrator

Longstone, Sheepstor, and the East Bank proved to be the best locations to fish, with a variety of tactics and methods all working well, depending on the weather conditions, with some fish showing on the surface to feed on buzzers when the temperatures rose. Damsels, Buzzers, Montanas, and Diawl Bachs on floating lines all caught well, while earlier in the month Boobies and Blobs on sinking lines caught the fish lying in the deeper water. Tom Bellingham (from Plymouth) caught ten rainbows to 3lb 12oz using a Montana Nymph. Mark Sinclair (from Horrabridge) landed six rainbows to 3lb, using a buzzer, as well as his first fish taken on the surface using a Hopper. Denis Bolton (from Plymouth) caught three rainbows to 3lb using Damsels on a floating line, varying the retrieve from figure-of-eight to fast retrieve to static.

 

Siblyback

Some excellent fishing was enjoyed here over the month, with anglers averaging 5.8 fish per rod, with the fishing improving as the month progressed. Two Meadows, Stocky Bay, Crylla Bay, and the North Bank all produced some great sport. Again, a variety of methods and depths fished all worked well, with swarms of Hawthorns and hatching buzzers bring fish to the surface during warmer spells. Leighton Carhart (from Bodmin) caught the best fish of the month – a 5lb rainbow (as part of a bag of seven fish) on a floating line. Marcus Shelton (from Newquay) caught twenty rainbows to 3lb 10oz from a boat, while George Hext (from Liskeard) caught twelve fish to 3lb, using either static flies on the hang (2-3ft down), or washing line method with a static on the drop. The Snowbee ‘team of 4’ bank competition was held on 10 April, and was won by The Kennick ‘A’ team, with a combined bag of 39lb 3oz.

 

Stithians

The fishing improved as the month progressed, with most fish being caught within 4ft of the surface, either on floating or sink-tip lines, and plenty of activity during buzzer hatches and hawthorn swarms. Fish were well spread out, and caught in most locations (with Hollis Bank, Mossopps, and Sluice Bank featuring strongly). Successful patterns included Damsel Nymphs, Montanas, Cormorants, Tadpoles, Black and Peacock Spider, as well as Parachute Adams and foam beetles fished on the surface. Good bags included one of seven rainbows to 2lb 8oz caught by Simon Peters (from Frogpool) using a floating line, droppers, and a slow retrieve, as well as another ten fish caught in an earlier session using a floating line and washing-line tactics. John Henderson (from Falmouth) caught five rainbows to 2lb 8oz using a Black Cormorant and a Black and Green Lure.

 

Fernworthy

Temperatures have remained fairly low on this high Dartmoor Lake, but in spite of this fish have been feeding at the surface, often early in the mornings, with most anglers using a variety of patterns on floating or intermediate lines. Christopher Ackland (from Exeter) caught three fish on dry Hawthorns, but most fish have been caught either just under the surface on emerger patterns, or on a selection of nymphs and wet patterns (particularly Peasant Tails, Diawl Bachs, Buzzers, Montanas, and Tadpoles). Again fish are well spread out around the lake (with the permit hut bank proving popular).

 

Colliford

No fish of any significant size were caught, but a number of anglers caught good bags of fish (averaging 4.3 browns per rod), with short spells of surface activity during buzzer hatches. Fish are well distributed around the lake. A good number of fish have been taken on dry patterns (foam beetles, Black Hoppers, and Hawthorns) as well as a variety of sub-surface patterns (including Tadpoles, Zulus, Soldier Palmers, and Hoglouse). Mick Dodkins (from St Germans) landed eight brownies pulling a team of traditional wets on a floating line, Dean Boucher (from Gunnislake) landed six browns using a white-tailed zulu, while Nick Odle (from Looe) caught eight.

 

Roadford

Fish are now starting to feed nearer the surface, although there have not yet been many significant rises in spite of some buzzer hatches. Floating lines with long leaders and slow retrieves have been responsible for most catches, with fish taking Damsels, Tadpoles, Zulus, Black Pennels, Muddlers, and Scruffy Tigers. Anglers have averaged 3.1 browns per rod, with most fish being caught at Grinnacombe and South Wortha. None of the larger browns have yet been caught, with most averaging around the 1lb mark – Bruce Elston (from Beaworthy) caught the best bag (of ten fish) fishing from a boat.

Chris Hall (May 2022)