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Post by seanooo on Apr 17, 2006 4:49:22 GMT -5
i want to start saltwater fly fishing this year. i don't live that close to the sea (near bristol) but will be able to get to the south coast- south devon/cornwall/north devon in the summer.
after doing a bit of research i think that i should start in an estuary. i know you guys don't give away marks on the Internet, so i have a few questions to ask on how to find a good estuary for fly fishing.
1. which area do you think is best- south Devon/Cornwall/north Devon?
2. if bait fishermen are catching will it mean that it is a good fly water?
3. does size matter? some of the estuaries i have seen are quite large and deep and seem unfishable without a boat. is this true?
also a few questions about fishing them which weren't answered in the articles i have read.
1. do you take into account the current when fishing
2. how far up the estuary can you fish
3. can you fish at all stages of the tide
4. are spring tides better than others
thanks alot and sorry about all the Q's
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MJB
Full Member
Posts: 174
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Post by MJB on Apr 17, 2006 7:15:36 GMT -5
I don't think there's a lot to choose between the 3 areas you mention, although if you are planning on fishing an estuary then S. Devon probably gives you more options. I'm not convinced estuaries are good starting points for trying SWFF. Whilst they probably hold good numbers of very small Bass they can be lethal to the unwary. Soft mud, fast moving tides and the ever present risk of getting cut off by the tide all pose a risk, so always seek good local information before fishing.
If bait fishermen are catching it doesn't necessarily mean it will make a good fly venue. Try looking for tell-tale signs that give away the presence of fish. Baitfish busting the surface and sea-birds working baitfish means there are likely to be predatory fish working them below. Have a recce at low tide. A quick scoot amongst the rocks and weed will reveal small fish, crabs, shrimp etc or in Bass terms, lunch!
I wouldn't worry too much about the size of the estuary. The fish will be were the food and features are that attract them. You will catch Bass in inches of water. Wading waist deep I have had fish swim past my legs and have often targetted fish feeding between me and the beach. Current is important. Bigger Bass are lazy feeders and will often take up station in the lee of a rock of sand bar and wait for food to be washed to them. My favourite method of presenting a fly is to cast it up tide and allow it to drift/swing over the feature that I suspect will hold fish. Bass will tolerate quite brackish water, so you can expect to catch them quite high up an estuary. I'm not sure where the need for a rod licence comes in, and it's very grey area when the river is noted for it's Sea-Trout and Salmon.
Regarding tides, each mark will fish differently. Some fish on the flood, others on the ebb. Very few marks will fish for a whole tide, indeed some marks I fish have a period of less than an hour when the fish are there. If you are not there at the right time you wont catch.
I'm intrigued why you have decided to try an estuary first. From Bristol, not only are the rough ground marks of Devon and Cornwall within reach, but so is the Gower peninsula. There's a good introduction to the type of ground you are looking for in this months TFF magazine. Whilst not definitive, it gives a reasonable idea of what to look for.
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