Outside Days » Avon

Spring Has Sprung, The Grass Has Riz…

Howard — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 05:02:45 +0000

I wonder where the water is?!

It’s only April and after a statistically dry winter (okay, there were days in the shooting season when it didn’t seem that way), and some unseasonable hot spells, water levels are looking low. Hardly suprising given we’ve had 2mm so far in April, and a miniscule 8mm in March – 10mm that’s a tenth of the average rainfall for this time of year.

The rivers are starting to fine off, with the silt dropping out and summer-style clarity dominating. The weed is getting a jump on the swans and growing at a good rate. As a result, there is plenty of invert life around the riverbank. With granom on the Avon and hawthorne on the Test, I’ll be popping out to flick the fluff before packing my rods for Bosnia, Spain and Argentina.

If you fancy reducing your stress and blood pressure without contorting yourself into a pretzel doing yoga, why not join us on a riverbank or a small stillwater pond? Or get in touch for coaching to improve your rivercraft or casting.

Playing in the Avon

Howard — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:12 +0000

Living in close proximity to the director of the British Deer Society has its disadvantages: when they have an auction, he bamboozles me with flattery (as only he can do), and I find myself guiding on the River Avon. Secretly, of course, I am more than happy to support the BDS and its aims, and to share a stretch of river I love. For me, it is the river of my childhood dreams, a real Mr. Crabtree water (giving my age away), packed with coarse fish as well as trout, sea trout, and even the occasional salmon.

Fortunately, the successful bidder and his friend share my views, and could both fish (a necessary skill for having success on this water, packed as it is with wading challenges, trees, barbed wire and uncut weed…never mind wily fish). We were on the river by 11, having trekked downstream in waders that were doing their utmost to resemble portable saunas.

The first fish of the day weighed in at an impressive 3oz…an escapee brownie from a nearby fish farm. As host, you always worry that the first fish is a harbinger of things to come. Fortunately, in this case it was only an easy introduction to day filled with trout from the 3 oz to the monster 3lb that was the biggest the river keeper had seen caught on fly. As dusk began to loom, we had accounted for a wide selection of trout and the odd coarse fish, all of which were returned to fight another day.

Summer Lovin’

Howard — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:44:57 +0000

Ascot week has been patchy to say the least, and not just when it comes to the horses I backed. Traditionally the week when wild partridge hatch, the weather for Ascot was considered to be an indicator of the success of the rearing season and therefore the shooting season. Better than the two previous years, Ascot 2009 produced downpours in some areas, the kind of heavy rain that chills and kills chicks. The use of Ascot weather as a harbinger of the season ahead is fading into memory as few people are relying on wild birds for their season’s sport.

And the heavy summer rains were welcomed by the salmon and sea trout fishermen, who would probably like to see a bit more as our lovely sunny spring has left the spate rivers on the bones of their arses. I can report that the first few salmon have been caught on the Itchen and Test, and even I’ve managed a sea trout off the Avon. We have a few spots on sea trout evenings on Itchen remaining, and are considering concocting another excursion to Devon if the guinea pigs are successful in July.

The roe rut will be in full swing by Game Fair week, with the fallow season following on its heels. My wife encourages you all to get in touch and come stalking to reduce the deer who are grazing on her peonies.