I spent 4 hours in glorious Dartmoor weather, fishing the higher runs of the West Dart River where she is but a trickle. Two things were on my mind:
1) Try this reel that I had just bought.
2) Give some newly tied Devon Half Stone's a go.. They looked a tad bright.
I entered at Crockern Cottage which is upstream of Two Bridges; Crocken Tor was once the meeting place of the stannary parliament for Dartmoor, all trace of which now long since gone with nothing but wild windswept moorland and ponies for company. The river here struggles to reach more than 5 or 6 ft wide in parts but retains it's Dartmoor dignity with boulders of granite and peat stained water. I have walked, paddled, and traversed every inch of the River Dart from it's trickling source through to Dartmouth, I guess there aren't too many locals who can say that 'round these here parts. Every section of this river tells a different story, all unique and all with variation depending on the observer and the season, this section is unique in every way. Soon you approach Wistman's wood, which although small, is very special as it is made up of twisted and gnarly stunted oak which is one of only three remaining of it's kind on the moor (they are the last true remains of the forested landscape that once covered the moor).
I guess from a fishing perspective the day was relatively uneventful. My dogs played in the river, and believe me it's tough to catch a fish when your Rottweiler thinks that the river is her's and her's alone to swim in... The sun was warm and pleasant, and I didnt meet another soul in the 4 hours that I was out. I returned via the top end of Wistmans Wood 'fishless' but happy. Why happy?
Well.....
1) The reel was a delight to operate, smooth with a nice drag that seemed to work where I wanted it too and not where IT wanted to.)
2) The Snowbee XS 4wt line had absolutely no memory and was a pleasure to cast.
3) My tapered leader seemed to work as a dream today.
4) The Half STone? Well it worked.... I was anxious that the yellow floss I had used on my 'Devon Half Stone' was a tad too bright. To be honest, it looks almost dayglow. Within a hundred feet of river I had 5 offers from little brownies, all went at it hard, all of which I failed to strike. I couldnt see them coming (they are very small and spooked so easily high on the moor). I managed to hook one small fish which I promptly lost. I felt that the size 14 was just way too big for these guys, I shall try an 18 or 20 next time.
A well earned cup of tea.
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