A Year of Fishing Memories: Reflecting on 2023

Reflecting upon the past twelve months proves to be far more challenging than expected with many casts into varied waters. Many memories made and shared with friends at the waters edge.

As a New Year begins it seems appropriate to look back at 2023. It always seems inspiring to reflect upon fishing sessions and memories gathered throughout the year. A good friend commented to me that we go fishing for memories and this is perhaps a good way to look upon an angling life. It has been said that anglers go through different stages in life. Starting off is the desire to simply catch fish. This often develops into catching bigger specimen fish or competing against fellow anglers. I have perhaps reached that final stage; when it is simply enough to go fishing.

January

*A Pleasing pike from the local reservoir*

A trip to Cheddar Reservoir in Somerset proved unsuccessful but the calm frosty morning is a memory I savour.

Slapton Sands in South Devon is the venue for the Wyvern Shore Championship. I fished the event and actedas a steward. I didn’t get a bite and only witnessed a few small whiting for fellow competitors. At the weigh in it is as always surprising how many fish have been caught. From the other end of the beach of course!

February

Wimbleball Reservoir high on Exmoor provides exciting sport with hard fighting rainbow trout. The vast expanse of water has the essence of wildness.

*My good friend Matt Kingdon about to net a good rainbow*

A few decades ago we thought of grey mullet as a species to target during the warmer months not sure if this is linked to climate but these grey ghosts are now worth targeting for twelve months of the year with the best fishing often in the depths of winter.

*Grey mullet now targeted throughout the year*

Grayling are a fish that give a great excuse to visit rivers during the winter months. The silver lady of the stream were the target for my good friend Martin and I on a day ticket fishery on the River Exe near Tiverton. Trotting with red maggot was our chosen tactic.

*Trotting for silver ladies of the stream*

The rugged North Devon coast has a wealth of opportunities to target a wide range of species. We fish a wild and isolated beach savouring the fading day and moonlit night sky.

*A bull huss tempted from the dark waters*

On the eve of a new salmon and river trout season its always good to gather at the Roadford Fly Fair and meet up with fellow fluff chucker's.

*Rodney Wevill demonstrates the art of tying a pike fly*

*Legends of the fly fishing world - Charles Jardine and Peter Cockwill*

March

A trip to the River Frome in Dorset in search of grayling coincides with heavy snow. My good friend Bruce Elston and I drift our crimson topped floats down through the slightly murky water.

*A cold misty morning on the Dorset Frome*

A new salmon season starts and members of the club meet on the river bank greeting a new season.

*Resilient optimism at the start of a new season*

*Its good to be back beside the river once again after the Winter absence*

*Meeting up at the River with members of South Molton Angling Club a chance to check the club water for fallen trees. A bit of sympathetic clearing ensures that the best pools are fishable*

*The season may have started but the River may not be fishable*

APRIL

I always associate April with trout fishing and head to the local reservoirs in search. It’s a great time to be at the water’s edge as warmer days bring fresh green growth and more activity in rivers and lakes.

*Early season on the banks of the local reservoir*

A few trips to Chew Valley Lake fly- fishing for pike are always etched with expectation. A vast water where dreams can come true yet; big pike are often the fish of a thousand or more casts.

The salmon season is well underway yet catches are poor, I pause for a while to savour the ever-flowing waters of the River Torridge.

*A time to pause at the end of the session.*

May

Its warming up and it seems a good idea to spend a session at a local carp lake. It's great be at the water’s edge to watch the waterside world for 24 hours. I blank but that seems to be the way for me as a carp angler.

A few sessions on small still-waters targeting trout are a delight.

*I join Snowbee Ambassador Jeff Pearce at Anglers Paradise*

*Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor on a late Spring Day*

June

In early June we enjoy a few days in Hampshire exploring the Test Valley. There is no fishing but plenty of imaginary casts to rising trout.

The seas are warming and tope offer some superb boat sport off Ilfracombe.

Combe Martin SAC’s annual Open competition at Putsborough Beach.

*Putsborough beach - Plenty of ray and smoothound are registered at the end of competition meet up.*

I enjoy a weekend fishing for catfish at the Anglers Paradise Complex. Several hard fighting cats are banked to over thirty pounds. The company is good and the summer weather is perfect. I hear a nightjar as I drift off to sleep in my Bivvy.

*A relaxing type of fishing - Long spells of inactivity punctuated by moments of high drama as the bite alarm screams.*

Summer evenings are spent chasing mackerel and bass from the rocky North Devon shoreline.

*An angler spins from a rocky shoreline*

July

River-fly Monitoring contributes to our understanding of water quality and the health of life within the river. I have helped Volunteers with the National Trust to assist with this vital work.

Warm summer evenings at my local reservoir where rudd provide an interesting diversion with the warm water proving poor for trout fishing.

August

The local rivers are rejuvenated by spells of rain providing the opportunity to target wild brown and even salmon.

*A River Torridge salmon; the only one from the beat I fish in 2023*

September

The annual Combe Martin SAC Fun Fish on Ilfracombe Pier is once again successful and its good to see young anglers excited as they catch a multitude of species.

*The CMSAC FUN Fish supported by the Angling Trust*

We are due to head out of Ilfracombe to the shark grounds off the North Cornish Coast but a strong Westerly leads to yet another aborted trip. We are fortunate to jump onto another charter boat and boat a couple of trigger fish.

*My good friend Bruce Elston with a trigger fish*

Roadford Reservoir has a large head of unwanted carp and South West Lakes Trust are offering tickets to fish the lake for a limited fish removal project. It’s always exciting to fish a venue with unknown potential.

*A fine golden flanked common carp from Roadford Lake*

At Hawkridge Reservoir near Bridgewater members of the local Fly Fishing Club meet with South West Fishing For Life members and I am fortunate to catch a good bag.

*A five fish limit from Wessex Waters Hawkridge*

The River Test in Hampshire England’s finest Chalk stream? I am privileged to enjoy a day fishing its clear waters.

I started a life of fishing adventures in Looe on the South Cornish coast. It’s good to return to my roots each year. I catch a goby from a pool and tempt a rare comber from Dan Margetts boat; Sowenna. As always these days it’s a dodge the storm game.

October

I join my good friend and Snowbee ambassador Jeff Pearce to target bass out of Axemouth. We enjoy sport with bass and pollock along with a spectacular thunderstorm.

October is a time of change as the leaves change we relish a very wet day on Exmoor’s Wimbleball Lake.

*Autumn leaves herald the changing season*

*A hard fighting rainbow leaps on a tight line*

November

A trip to Cornwall with our son James sees us enjoy two contrasting days. The fun of species fishing in the Fowey estuary and a days chasing mighty bluefin tuna.

*The highlight of a fishing year- - James and his tuna estimated at 350lb. Released to swim strongly away after a short rest beside the boat.*

On cold stormy winter nights Michelle Werrett’s enchanting read ‘ Song of the Streams’ brings thoughts of warmer spring days.

Estuary flounder are proving scarce this year. We fish our annual flounder competition on a dank dark November day.

*Flounder fishing in a dank dark day of urban grey*

December

On dark winter nights I am drawn to the dark waters of the Bristol Channel.

*A squid tempted on a jig is a pleasing first for me*

*A plump codling is a traditional winter catch. But their numbers are now scarce.*

*A good sized bull huss; a fish that is flourishing throughout the year*

Small Stillwater Trout fisheries provide a great location for a social fish. The trout relish the cold water of winter.

*Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Club members enjoy their Christmas Competition at Bulldog Fly Fishery*

Grey Mullet were once thought of as summer fish we now catch them all year. . My last fish of 2023 is a hard fighting thick lipped grey mullet.

*My last fish on the last cast of 2023 - December 30th*

Looking back over the past twelve months proved to be a far larger task than Imagined highlighting how varied and challenging the fishing has been. There are few climate change deniers within the fishing fraternity and I feel sure that this will play an ever greater part in anglings future. I am looking forward to more adventures on natures stage over the coming months and years.