Blakewell Fishery is tucked away in the north east corner of Devon, on the
Ilfracombe road out of Barnstaple.
Motoring up from Plymouth, it was an easy drive of 94 miles almost diagonally
across the county, but such is my regard for Blakewell that it is a trip that I
make with a willing frequency through each season.
This morning had dawned as a welcome messenger of Spring, driving into
Barnstaple at a little after 9 o’clock, the hedgerows were alive with daffodils
and huge clumps of butter yellow primroses. Already the temperature gizmo
indicated an outside temperature of 15 degrees, this was going to be a
floating line and baby buzzer day….excellent!!!
Russ Weston and myself chuckled as we walked through the gateway
because there was my pal Richard Nickel involved in a mating dance with a
pair of chestwaders, it must be said that this is a fairly common sight around
fisheries and fishfarms in this neck of the woods. Sighting us he threw them to
the ground and was soon telling us about his latest trip to New England fishing
for Striped Bass. Oh yes! this is one of those fisheries where you can believe
the advice given because Richard loves his fishing as much as any of us and
not only that he is a good angler by any standard.
“Buzzers and emergers, especially Klinkhammers” was Richards advice.
Passing through a small lychgate into the fishery proper we paused for a
moment or two to absorb and appreciate just how well the Blakewell lake
blends into the valley bottom between rolling hills of the green and pleasant
Devon countryside.
Our momentary reverie was rudely interrupted when the water a yard or two
from the bank humped and swirled as a silver flank blinked a “catch me if you
can” message.
That was a fish taking buzzer from an inch or two under the surface. My
philosophy in those circumstances is very clear. If that’s what they want, then
that’s what you give’em!!
We were both tackled up with 9 foot #6 weight rods and floating lines. We had
considered taking the #5 weights, but there was a bit of wind and the #6
weights seemed to be the tool on the day. I am sometimes amused at myself
when I think back to the days when I took one rod and that was the rod I
fished with all season because it was the only one I had. Nowadays so many
of us have a tube of rods that we have almost become like a golfer choosing a
club to make an awkward shot. Hell….its all part of the fun, horses for courses
and all that!
Soon we were both laughing like kids in an ice cream factory. Wait for a fish to
show and see how close we could get to the centre of the circle with the slim
epoxy buzzer popping a little splash to mark the accuracy of the cast….wait…
wait, twitch the rod tip and watch the line slide away as another of the
magnificent overwintered Blakewell rainbows piled on the power so that the
bright orange backing line zipped up through the snakes.
The fish wanted the buzzers fished less than six inches down. So we used a
12 foot tapered leader with 3 feet of 5 pound breaking strain fluorocarbon to
the buzzer. The tapered leader was greased up so that it floated and the
fluorocarbon left to sink, pulled under by just the weight of the single buzzer.
After a minute or so just mending the line and making up any slack would lift
the buzzer almost to the surface, so that it could be left to sink under its own
weight again. Fishing a near stationary buzzer high in the water is almost as
visually exciting as fishing dry fly, because the bite indicator is the tapered
leader floating in the surface film. Just watch for the leader to straighten and
instinct takes over.
Gradually the morning warmed up and the buzzer started to hatch through the
surface film, a fact not unnoticed by the fish. Klinkhammers and CDC
shuttlecock buzzers got their first dunking of the season, three fish later and
we were both up to our limits, but then Richard came down to see how we
were getting on. Before we knew it he had the new #6 weight rod from me.
“just to have a few casts”. An hours gillie’ing later, it was time for a pint and
catch up on the winters gossip.
Blakewell is well known and appreciated by local anglers, but its reputation for
the quality of its fish is starting to attract anglers from far and wide to this quiet
corner of Devon. If you are in to salt water fly fishing, talk to Richard and he
will point you toward some of the best salt water opportunities in the country.
Brothers Richard and John Nickell started Blakewell fishery with their father
David almost as a sideline to their well known troutfarm.
Such has this Troutmaster fisheries reputation for the quality of its free rising
fish grown in the passing years, that now much more attention is being
focussed on maintaining and enhancing the Blakewell fishing experience.
This year will see the opening of a well stocked tackle shop and a comfortable
lodge, which will offer food.
Unusually the 5 acre Blakewell lake is horseshoe shaped, the incoming water
going up one leg and discharging through the other. That’s right, it is a moving
water fishery with a complex system of slow moving currents and
counterflows, especially so when the wind is brought into the equation.
Through the season Blakewell is similar to most other small Westcountry
fisheries in that small dark nymphs fished on long fine leaders will catch fish
all year round, especially during a mild Winter. What is also interesting about
Blakewell is that most of the nymphs that you would tend to think of as warm
weather flies, such as buzzers, olives, Pheasant Tails, Gold Ribbed Hares
Ear, Damsels and Stick Fly, will work right through the Winter months with
only minor modifications to their tying. They need to be darker and sizes need
to be slightly smaller. Where you might tie a PTN on a #10 hook during the
warmer months, for use in the colder months at places like Blakewell, the
same fly should be tied on a size #12 or #14.
Instead of the natural Pheasant Tail, tie PTN’s using black died or melanistic
Pheasant Tail, with maybe a fluo yellow thorax to make a micro montana.
Fish these smaller flies on long fine leaders, to a three foot length of 5 or 6lb
fluorocarbon.
It would be wrong of me not to mention that lures work as well at Blakewell as
at any other fishery, Montana, Nomad, Tadpole and Cats Whisker are local
favourites, fished on floating or intermediate lines.
During the warmer months, the fishing is something else, especially early
mornings and during the lovely balmy evenings that this part of Devon is
famous for.
These are the times when 4 or 5 weight outfits are such a joy and a pleasure
to use.
Such a lightweight outfit is ideally suited for fishing the tiny dries and nymph
fishing, but beware the clear water and dress accordingly. Avoid disturbing the
water too much, let the nymph fish on the drop all the way to the bottom, then
retrieve at half the speed your mind tells you is right.
Dry flies such as the Daddy, Hawthorn, Hopper and Klinkhammer patterns
can give some fantastic sport for those with the patience to get everything
absolutely right. It is essential in such clear water, that the deception is
perfect. The last two feet of leader must be sunk, right up to the fly,
fluorocarbon with its slightly negative buoyancy works best.
Traditional running water dries as the Grey Duster, Grey Wulf, Black Gnat and
Rough Olive in small sizes, will also work well, particularly for the Browns.
The Sedge hatch starts in April with clouds of Grannom mixing with the
Hawthorn. Through the season expect to find Black Sedge, Cinnamon Sedge,
Longhorns and Great Red Sedge. Needless to say Stick Fly, Sedge Pupa and
all the other sedgy flies are always worth a try.
Facilities Rating. ***(* with improvements soon).
What we thought.
Excellent quality, free rising fish in a scenic and peaceful environment. A top
class fishery well managed and thoroughly deserving of its Troutmaster
status.
Recommended Flies.
Green and black epoxy buzzers. Bloodworm. Olive nymphs, Pheasant Tails,
Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, Damsels and Stick Fly.
Daddy, Hawthorn, Hopper and Klinkhammer style emergers.
Black Sedge, Cinnamon Sedge, Longhorns and Great Red Sedge.
Montana, Nomad, Tadpole and Cats Whisker.
Location.
Barnstaple is not difficult to find. If you are coming down the M5, come off the
motorway at Junction 27 and take the A361 all the way into Barnstaple.
Once into Barnstaple keep going around the endless succession of mini
roundabouts, following the signs for the A39 to Lynton. Once over the bridge
you will pass a Fire station on your right, keep going till you pass the Hospital,
again on your right side. Continue onward for a short distance until you reach
a junction on your left side for the B3230 to Ilfracombe, take this turn.
Blakewell Fishery is about half a mile down the B3230 on the left.
Blakewell Fishery.
Blakewell Fishery ... a fishery for all seasons.
A visit to Blakewell is going to be on the cards as soon as the young green is
on the tree’s. I think maybe the Hawthorn that I am tying at the moment might
be the fly to do the trick... Richard and John... see you soon..
