Dever Springs with Steve and Ross

I had given Steve a days fishing on Dever Springs for a 60th birthday present. It was difficult organising a day to link up as we both lost parents close to each other and I guess we were both busy.

I arranged a date in March as normally there are still a few large brown trout in spring lake. Well that was what I had hoped for.

I also invited Ross along for the session as he too enjoys fly fishing. Both Steve and Ross are very very good fly casters, me well I can throw a line out but nothing like the 2 masters. Ross has fly fished around the world, whereas Steve normally fishes the local Chew and Blagdon lakes plus smaller rivers on the moors and the upper part of the Bristol Avon.

I knew that Dever Springs could produce some bigger fish and that it’s mainly around stalking which gives me a little help as long casting is not necessary.

Steve and I arrived on a cold frosty morning and soon we were fishing in Spring lake. Rods and lines were matched as 6 weight. The line being floro 6lbs.

Steve started on the point while I went to the far end of the lake. I was frozen as I was fishing in the shadow of the trees. The water was only about 5ft deep here and I could see the bottom. Now here I will say that about 18 months ago I invested in a pair of smiths polarised glasses for spotting barbel and chub on the H.Avon. These are the dog doda’s and brilliant at reducing the glare off the water.

I peered into the water before casting out. I could see the odd pike passing through the spot and some even spawning in the weed to the right of me. Then I saw this huge brown trout big enough to put a saddle on it. It must have been around 15lbs. It was motionless so I cast the fly out and drew it right across the trout nose, it gave a flick of it’s tail and slowly moved off. Then a couple of trout came through the spot and ignored the fly I was using. So it was time for a change of fly. Off came the green damsel fly and on went a blob fly, well that’s what Steve called it.

Soon the trout returned and I pulled the fly pass the trout and bingo it turned returned and engulfed the fly. I could see the take and the white mouth open and close. I quickly pulled everything tight and had a lovely trout tugging back on the line. It wasn’t a spectacular fight but exciting.

That was it no blanking and the first trout from Spring lake from the 5 or so anglers fishing there. The lake was flat calm at the moment however as the day wore on it was going to be cloudy and windy. So my thought was to stalk trout in the morning and then see how the afternoon panned out.

Ross arrived and we had a chat and decided that he was going to fish the other lake.

The huge brown trout came and went by a few times but ignored all the flies I tried. It was time to move. So after walking around the lake a couple of times I saw a good few trout patrolling the margins. A chap in the corner hooked and lost a huge brown trout.

So with the sun getting higher the visibility improved and I could see a good few trout passing me. I pulled the hook out of one trout’s mouth. The white lips moved took it in and then I pulled it out.

I moved again and found several trout right under my feet. Out went the line again all 12ft of it. I would let it settle on the bottom and lift it up just as the trout passed by. Bingo one of them took the blob fly and another fight ensued. It was a good fight and I just let it chug around until it was ready for netting.

Steve was having a quiet time of it. His casting was putting mine to shame, however my stalking approach seemed to be scoring. I got him to come around to my side of the lake to see whether he could get a trout. They were staying deep for sure and I think the stalking approach was needed.

We stayed for a while but nothing much came through. I spotted about 7 pike spawning in some weed nothing large about the biggest being about 8lbs or so.

We decided to have a bite to eat and refresh ourselves for the afternoon. It was so pleasant we sat on one of the outside benches and had lunch.

I returned to Spring lake again as the wind had picked up and I couldn’t spot anything in the big lake. Some of the anglers had caught their limit and had moved off home. So Spring lake was very quiet and I kept walking around until I found some trout patrolling a route. One was very light in colour and it just didn’t like the blob fly. I even tried a white thing that sank slowly but again it showed some interest but would not take the thing.

Then I saw a sight that will remain for me for a very long time. Two small 4lb jack pike were bossing a huge brown trout. I suspect that they thought it was a big female pike. This happened about 4 or 5 times in about 2 hrs. I was hoping that the brown trout would return alone however it didn’t. Trying to fool it with a fly wasn’t going to work. I had a little interest from another large brown trout by it wasn’t going to be fooled.

I decided to change fly again to a orange damsel fly.

I cast out and let it settle on the lake bed and waited until the light coloured trout came into view. I lifted the rod and the fly started to rise towards the trout and no stopping it as it chased the fly and those white lips opened and closed right under my feet and a sharp pull on the rod had the fish on. A great fight mostly on the surface was something else. It would role and then dart off pulling line from the reel. It was exhilarating playing the trout and by now Ross was opposite me. He had a trout from the other lake.

The fight went well for me and slowly the light coloured trout came to the net. Not a huge fish but about 6lbs.

Steve was still struggling to get a bite. He was doing everything right but just unlucky. He went off to the bigger lake hoping to get one.

Again I was alone on Spring lake and looking into a now rippled surface from the wind. These Smith glasses are really good. I spotted a few trout moving close by and of course the big brown trout was still being chased by the male pike. Just think if they did breed what a mutant that would be.

Steve came back to Spring lake and all too soon I had a take from a trout that kept very low in the water and I was hoping it was one of the big brown trout. I hadn’t seen the take as other trout were close and I had just lifted the fly a little. The fight was spectacular and it took me perhaps 5 or 6 minutes to get it within netting range. Steve did the honours with net and it looked a good fish but not the brown trout I had wished for. It was beautiful never the less.

That was it for me a nice 6lbs 10oz bar of silver. I walked around to have a chat with Ross and helped him land his 3rd rainbow of the visit. It was getting towards closing time of the fishery. I just couldn’t believe how Steve was blanking. He is 10 times better the trout angler than me. I was flabbergasted and so upset that it was supposed to be his day. I’m unsure what went wrong. Sometimes the fishing gods desert you and I guess this was one of Steve’s days. He would totally out fish me on Chew or Blagdon plus the rivers.

That’s fishing for you and as Steve says it’s fishing not catching. I hope he enjoyed his day.