Fly Fishing a Tiny Devon Stream

[@laurieharper1526]

Lovely little stream. According to the Beeb weather site, next week will see several days of rain and some westerlies. Hopefully, that will liven things up. Fingers crossed.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Yes fingers crossed Laurie, we could certainly use some proper rain here to.

[@Tjk186]

You have a lovely selection of fishing and rivers in your local area Chris...such beautiful countryside for your adventures..very enjoyable to watch...thanks for sharing... well-earned fish !

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Many thanks, it's one of the best things about the Crediton club, such variety of water, you can usually find somewhere to fish in most conditions. Ofcourse were lucky that trout live in all the best places.

[@NijimasuHeaven]

This is a technically demanding river. Congratulations on a nice brown at 25:55

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

It was a lovely way to finish, sometimes that last cast does pay off.

[@brianreed1451]

It's always,a treat watching you fish It would be all swear words tackling that jungle. I fished the Wylye yesterday. Lots of Mayfly. Trout were taking them but could I catch one. Had an OOS Grayling topping 2lb Keep them coming

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Cheers Brian, always nice to get an encouraging comment. Duffers fortnight isn't always apt as trout can be maddeningly difficult on the Mayfly sometimes.

[@CornishChrisTheFish]

You did really well in very challenging conditions Chris! Nice one!

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Cheers Chris, we trout anglers are hoping fir a bit of rain but I bet your rain dancing aswell if not more so.

[@soultrader57fishingandmusi25]

Very skilled angling on a virtually "impossible" stream! This reminds me of the tiny upper branch of my own river, which I'll have to spend a morning working on 1st if I want to try it this summer! I think we need a competition on how small a stream we can extract a trout from😂

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

I think that's about as small a stream that I know of, maybe very high up the Moor I could find somewhere? This stream definitely needs some work for next season.

[@matthewrodwell3959]

Great Chris, so many last casts..I’m exactly the same, and the way you made that fish grow. Incredible!

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

🤣🤣🤣 I don't normally bother too much about an accurate measurement but this year has been so tough I thought fu#k it! Most things look bigger if you get rid of the drooping 🤔

[@matthewrodwell3959]

@@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724 😂..There’s a couple of beats on the fish pass like that one down here in Cornwall.. Whenever I visit them I can’t help wondering about the monster trout that must live in those super deep bends usually under a tree. (how to fish them)?🤷‍♂️

[@paulackland3383]

Chris, looks like you were in the middle of the Amazon jungle. You're right i think the Culvery needs some attention next winter bank clearing time. It always pays to have that last cast, then the next last cast and so on. Cracking trout at the end. Cheers Paul

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Yes Paul, in the words of Monty Python I think it might be time for haveacut to get out his chisel, or in this case ,chainsaw 😀

[@fieldsman3307]

hi Chris, well done on the stream you worked hard for those and made for a good video, my rivers are so low now that fishing has ceased for me as other than the odd dace nothing is seen and the sun is getting too much for me as well , I await the next Dartmoor video.ATB Mike

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Cheers Mike, heading to the Moor this evening as it happens, might film some scenery but I think the fishing will be cr#p. Hope you get some rain soon. Chris

[@peterlaidler3895]

Hi Chris, never ceases to amaze me what some of these tiny streams hold. We could definitely use some rain. I'm off to a private lake in the North Yorkshire dales this evening as mu usual waters are very low and being open and exposed, the bright, hot sun doesn't really encourage the fish to play. Nice video

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Everywhere is suffering Peter, I'm heading to the Moor where hopefully the water will be a little cooler, the mosquitoes might be an issue though.

[@peterlaidler3895]

@@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724 Hi Chris. went fishing on the lake last evening 4.30 to 9.30pm. Admittedly, it is not particularly deep [25ft at the dam - 8ft it at the shallowest point]. Even in the deep water it was tepid up to about 3ft down. The lake holds a natural head of brown trout and some stocked rainbows. very little moving. Nothing could be tempted and we tried everything. Don't go in for lures, eggs or whatever else the diehards like to use, just traditional wet and dry flies and nymphs. The scenery was beautiful and we decided to leave once the midges came out to plague us. Tough fishing indeed. Good luck on the moor.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Hopefully the weather is going to break on Monday and conditions will improve. I took a friend from work fishing on the Moor with me, he used to fish large reservoirs with 8 and 9 weights so it was quite a culture shock. Pleased to report he caught a few fish including a nice 8" beautifully coloured trout so he was very happy. I think he might want another go pretty soon.

[@thetattooedangler]

I have had plans to fish a very similar wee burn just outside of Glasgow for a while now, but with the sun scorching everything i don't expect to have any luck. I'm going to try and get out there next weekend as part of a 2-3 day camping and fishing trip, but, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I really need it to rain first.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Rain needed everywhere looking at the comments on the fishing forums, all that water we had in April and now drought!

[@wildfisher]

Tough fishing Chris but that last one was a cracker. These small streams are overgrown and neglected country wide, by mid summer most are unfishable. Your club certainly has its work cut out there.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Last time we did any work there Fred was 3 years ago, amazing how quickly nature reclaims things. By all accounts it was a popular venue during August when heat and low water made our other rivers a waste of time during the day. Good luck to anyone attempting that this season. My rain dances have proved themselves utterly useless again!

[@devonben7019]

Nice one, Chris. The last time I fished there I waded up through the undergrowth and pretty much headbutted a Tawny Owl that was roosting in there, Nearly died of a heart attack!

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

You or the owl Ben? 😄

[@nebraska39]

You would think that with all the rain we have had since last year there would be a better flow, major bank work needed or this little stream will just become jungle. Not sure about the demo graph of your club but if anything like mine, mainly comprising of gents in their 50's 80's. Sorry I have just noticed this video is 11 months old, things may have changed :)

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

I'm looking forward to seeing the result of all the flooding on this stream. Apparently, the beat does extend above the bridge, which must be virtually impenetrable. I might have a look there too🤔

[@teignghost]

Nice, we always have 3 more casts don't we?!

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Yes Richard, you can be the best caster, fly tier etc.. you want but what you really need is blind optimism 😀 just one more cast and maybe....

[@martincorcoran8263]

Hi Chris, I think you done well to get anything of that small stream. Could you please tell me what kind of furled leader you use.TIA

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Hi Martin, I use a 5' thread furled leader made from 12/0 or 10/0 fly tying thread. I make my own on a jig at home or there are plenty available online (I'd. recommended the Luke Bannister, Stuart Crofts collection ones). Hope this helps.

[@mylesreilly5912]

Very nice Chris

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Cheers Myles, hopefully not overloading people with videos, thb I've gotten a bit behind with the editing and ended up with a mammoth session to finish them all together.

[@Gdogagain73ok]

Was that a Maxcatch rod and reel you were using? I have a V-Light 7' #3 and Avid reel for small streams.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Well spotted👍 it is indeed a v-light (6'6" 2 weight), but I've overlined it with a 3 weight as I'm casting such short distances. I also have an ultra lite, but I think the v-light casts better.

[@JayStapley]

I fish a similarly challenging stream near me and this is very instructive. I use a bow-and-arrow cast mostly as it's so overgrown.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Ours isn't quite as overgrown as yours by the sound of it, but a bow and arrow cast does come in useful occasionally. I think these small overgrown streams are the most fun, and any fish caught are truly earned.

[@JayStapley]

@@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724 indeed.

[@driftstone]

Making a tough little stream like that look easy!

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Thanks Eric, it can be quite productive on this little stream if you hut it right I'm told. It does need a little bit of a tidy though. Amazing what you can do with a bit of careful editing 👍

[@DaviekFlyFishing]

Super stuff Chris, well deserved cracking 2 fish after "the last cast!" Been meaning to ask, is your camera at chest or head height?

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

It's on a chest mount Davie, I tried the head mount but on these streams your constantly checking your backcast and the footage made me dizzy. You also get far better audio with the camera close to your voice. Just be aware that it picks up every ruffle from your jacket, I've put velcro on mine this season.

[@DaviekFlyFishing]

Cheers Chris, will put it to the test soon, looking forward to your next outing.

[@carlhughes9584]

Is that a maxcatch rod n reel?

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

It is indeed Carl, cheap and cheerful but it does the job and I don't have to worry about damaging it.

[@stuartwelford7562]

Hard to believe it's aclub water. Definitely needs a bit of TLC.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

I'll let the chairman know Stuart😃 but seriously, we are a small club with an ageing demographic. We try to get around to all our beats, but with seven rivers to keep up with, it ain't easy. This year was a disaster with all the flooding ruining our efforts. Apparently their is another field above the bridge where you can fish, which isn't even on the club maps. I expect it's virtually impenetrable!

[@ianphilp7423]

I like that bit of water yes it dose need alot of work on it but still I like it

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Hopefully we can give it a little tidy up this close season. I don't want it to tidy though.

[@carlhughes9584]

Nice. But God, KZbin adverts are getting a real pain.....

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

Bloody right Carl and it pisses me off! Seven hundred subs just past, once I hit 1000 I'm turning the middle adverts off, I don't see why they should be allowed so many ads on small channels that make no money.

[@carlhughes9584]

@@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724 twice there were adverts just as you caught a fish! To be honest, I was nearly going to switch off. It's gone too much with KZbin now.......greedy gits.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

I have to be honest Carl, sometimes when I'm watching other KZbin stuff on the 2nd set of adverts it's bye bye. I reckon another season and I'll be there subscriber's wise👍

[@carlhughes9584]

I notice how you and many others, have to really emphasize you wetting your hands before you handle the fish, to prevent on line attacks. Now I've noticed trend on social media lately, where people are just photographing fish in net and in one club I'm in, Chairman has commented on pic that the fish is better off just kept in the net. Don't know what your views are, but I think it's getting a bit over the top now. I'm all for treating fish with respect and as living things and not toys, but if I get a good fish I want to hold it and by showing my hands it's shows the size of the fish. The way it's going, people will soon be fishing only for the take and snipping the actual hook point off 🙄

[@mikehudson9083]

Just follow what Chris does and you won't go far wrong!

[@carlhughes9584]

@@mikehudson9083 I agree and like the way he will only take fish out of water for short time. There's this obsession with not touching the fish, but don't think it matters how many times you touch them so long as you wet your hands and never have them out of water long. They not like a higher vertebrate like a mammal, that's getting mentally stressed as you hold them ( in my opinion )

[@mikehudson9083]

@@carlhughes9584 I wouldn't worry too much about mental stress either. However, it's the stress caused by the build up of lactic acid in a fish that's just been caught that encourages me to get it back in the water asap - made quicker by not handling it if possible.

[@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724]

I think it must have been my father that instilled it into my brother and I to always handle the fish with wet hands or you would "burn their skin". It becomes a habit pretty quickly when your a kid. I still want to have a quick look at the fish though before releasing it. It was part of the reason I wanted to catch it in the first place.

[@carlhughes9584]

@@chrismatthewsflyfishing7724 Exactly. Holding the fish and having a look at it is what it's all about......whether that's boyish curiosity or ego or whatever you call it, I'm holding the fish if I catch it. You get some sanctimonious types, that I wonder how can they even fish. I mean let's not forget that we putting a hook in a mouth and exhausting it, for fun, no matter how you dress it up!