News & Catches

EARLY MARCH 2010

After an enjoyable and successful season last year, anglers are looking forward to 2010 with great optimism.Last seasons catches from the Half Moon Fishery of 39 salmon, 106 sea trout and over 300 brown trout maintained the improvement of recent years.

The South West missed the heavy rain that swept northwards over Eastern England during the weekend and the river was only slightly too high but rather coloured for the opening day of the salmon season on Monday.

Fresh fish were showing in the pool below Beam Weir.
The river is now coming into perfect order and anglers must have a great chance of catching a fresh run springer over the next few days.

The Sea Trout and Brown Trout season opens on March 15th The forecast is for settled weather for at least another week,with a chilly easterly breeze.

Water temperature is 6c,so you will need to wrap up warm!

last update — 4 March 2010

Update from July 2009

If we thought 2008 was a wet summer, 2009 so far has been even worse, after a long hot and dry June with the river down to summer level, Devon has been deluged with rain throughout July with almost 10 inches falling on the Torridge catchment during the month. Twice the river has been in flood with the road at Sheepwash being impassable.

On the few occasions that the river has been low and clear enough to fish, anglers have enjoyed a great success and it is quite obvious that there are plenty of salmon and sea trout in the system.

All the fish caught have come from the middle and upper river as the lower beats have remained unfishable, and nearly all have been successfully released.

Successful anglers include...Roger Powell 6lb salmon and 7lb sea trout, Dr Colin Goh 8lb salmon, Charles Inniss and Tim Birkbeck both caught double figure salmon. Paddy Gillies 9lb salmon and 8lb sea trout, Andre Jacowski 7lb sea trout.

Numerous sea trout in the 2lb/3lb range have also been caught.

With out doubt, when the weather settles down and the river drops and clears, there will be some outstanding fishing. The land is so wet, any rain will keep the river topped up and the prospects for the remainder of the season are excellent.

The Torridge Fishery Association will again be asking for an extension to the salmon season to October 14th. During the extension fortnight, barbless hooks must be used with compulsory catch and release.

last update — 5 August 2009

Update from May 2009

Despite the low water,salmon anglers enjoyed considerable success during the first fortnight of May. Paul Carter,Ron Burton, Steve Phelps and John Boodle all caught and released very fresh fish on the lower and middle reaches, the largest being approximately 13lb.

Martin Weeks and his party spent a couple of nights (8th and 9th) fishing for sea trout and were rewarded with four fish up to 4lbs.

The brown trout fishing has picked up with several good rises mostly to hatches of black gnat.

From the 14th to the 20th May the river has been unfishable, coloured and in spate, but settled just in time for the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.

Graham Henderson has caught two salmon,and Bob Whittaker one salmon. All the salmon came from the middle river, and all were between 8lb and 10lbs
Conditions at present are excellent

last update — 28 May 2009

Fishing Report March 2009

On the first day of the fishing season Bob Whittaker caught an 8lb salmon at Madeira.

There was a bank high spate on the 5th March, and when the river settles, salmon fishing prospects should be excellent.

last update — 10 March 2009

Fishing Report October 2008

The annual dinner of the Torridge Fishery Association was held at The Half Moon Inn on Saturday 18th October, 48 members and their partners enjoyed an excellent evening with the draw for over 30 superb prizes taking place in the bar after the meal. Altogether over £1,400 was raised for the hatchery project and other habitat work on the Torridge
Several anglers took the opportunity to fish for salmon during the first fortnight of October. After a spate during the first week the river settled, and about ten salmon were caught and released during the last few days, mostly from the middle river beats. Interestingly, several of these fish were very fresh.

So the curtain comes down on what has been another most encouraging season. Although there have been only limited opportunities to fish for brown trout, there is without a doubt a healthy and increasing stock.

Similarly with the sea trout, although night fishing was often difficult, there has been a much improved run this year. The high water throughout the summer has encouraged salmon to move into the river from the estuary. Salmon anglers have enjoyed their best season for over a decade and there will be, without a doubt, plenty of fish to spawn this autumn.

CATCHES FOR THE SEASON.....

Over 400 brown trout
165 sea trout
47 salmon.

The Half Moon Fishery is now almost entirely catch and release, with anglers only keeping a small number of fish.
If all goes well about 50,000 salmon fry will be reared on again at the Association hatchery this Autumn. During the summer several small grilse were caught (3/4 lb) and maybe these are the first returns from the Associations Hatchery project.

last update — 10 March 2009

Update for September 2008

The weather finally settled down in the middle of September, and as river levels dropped anglers returned to the river with eager anticipation.....and they were not to be disappointed.

Although most of the sea trout had moved up to the headwaters ready for spawning next month, it quickly became obvious that there were more salmon in the system than we have seen for over fifteen years with fish being caught on beats the whole length of the river.

The highlight at the Half Moon was a salmon of approximately 21lbs caught by Martin weeks on the Brightlea water....one of four fish he caught over his weekend visit.
Other successful anglers have been Graham Roberts (two of 11 & 10 lbs), Colin Buckingham (two of 8 & 6 lbs), Peter Stemp (10lb), Bob Whittaker (8lb) and John Graham (8lb).

With the extension to the salmon season until 14th October, there should be some more good fishing over the next three weeks.

last update — 24 September 2008

Fishing Report August - September 2008

A brief spell of settled weather in the middle of July ended abruptly when heavy rain and gales returned at the end of the month and has continued unabated throughout August and into the first week of September. For the first three weeks of the month fishing had only been possible on two days due to high coloured water.

At long last the river settled during the last week and anglers enjoyed some excellent salmon and sea trout fishing, the highlight being a salmon of approximately 14lb caught by Peter Stemp on the Madeira beat. During the month 9 salmon and 34 sea trout were caught. The river was too high for any notable brown trout fishing. One of the most encouraging features of this season has been the much improved run of sea trout.

The experimental extension to the fishing season until 14th October is being continued this year with the following provisions:
1. Catch and release using barbless hooks
2. Fishing will be for Salmon only (not sea trout or brown trout).
3. Anglers must be in possession of a permit, which can be obtained at The Half Moon Inn or from Charles Inniss, Beeches, Sheepwash, Beaworthy, Devon. Tel.01409 231237

When the river settles there will without doubt be some outstanding Autumn fishing.

last update — 24 September 2008

Fishing Report July 2008

A huge summer flood in the first week of July was followed by a fortnight of dry weather with the river dropping back to an ideal level for salmon fishing, and more recently for sea trout and brown trout fishing.

Six salmon and more than 50 sea trout have been caught during the month, mostly from the middle and upper beats of the Half Moon water.

The weather has now become more unsettled with heavy thundery rain,and with the river again in spate,the prospects for August are very encouraging.

last update — 4 August 2008

Fishing Report June 2008

After the recent rains, river levels are holding up well, Reg Lawton's party caught 2 salmon from the Madeira beat and Martin Weeke's group of keen night anglers caught 16 sea-trout (largest six and a half lbs) in two nights.

There certainly seems to be a much better run of sea-trout this year. The brown trout continues to provide excellent sport, with several fish in the 2 lb range being taken.

Although rises have been spasmodic, most of the fish are being caught on a dry fly.

Prospects for the next few weeks are most encouraging.

last update — 24 June 2008

Fishing Report May 2008

The month of May has been characterised by East winds – never good for fishing – but river levels have held up and are still well above summer level.There are an encouraging number of spring salmon now spread throughout the system and over 20 have been caught and released . . .

The highlight of the season so far has been the number of large Sea Trout. Fishing the 'Half Moon' water Keith Knight landed and safely released a fresh run fish of 7lb, while Paul Carter, the water baliff, caught a 10lb Sea Trout on the Lower Torridge. In the last few days Sea Trout in the 2/3lb range have been running the weir at Beam.

The Brown Trout fishing has been good, although trout rises have been spasmodic, and only short lived, over 100 have been caught including one of almost 3lb.

If the weather settles down over the next few weeks, with the East wind giving way to warmer South Westerlies, we can all look forward to some good fishing.

last update — 29 May 2008

Fishing Report April 2008

Seven salmon (largest 14lb).

Several Sea Trout (to 4lb).

Despite the cold weather the Brown Trout fishing has been surprisingly good. Highlight of the season so far has been 3 salmon all caught by regular visitor Jonathon Sykes, on Saturday 19th April below Beam Weir.

At long last with warm South West winds, prospects are most encouraging.

last update — 29 April 2008

Fishing Report February 2008

Just like the rest of the country, it has rained incessantly for the last three weeks,and the Torridge is in full spate.

It has also been incredibly mild with the river water temperature rarely dropping below 45F, so any early spring salmon will have ample opportunity to move into the middle or even the upper beats by the time the season starts on March 1st.

As well as the water at Sheepwash The Half Moon has retained all the beats on the middle and lower river, so expect the first salmon of the year to come from Beam or Madeira.

After a dry fortnight in December it was possible to conduct some redd counting and from all those who ventured out there was a very positive feedback.

In early December several hen salmon were stripped and over 50,000 eggs are now being cared for in our own Torridge hatchery. Having now 'eyed up' with only minimal losses, these eggs will be hatching within the next three weeks, and the young fry will be released into the headwaters in late spring.

last update — 14 February 2008

News from July 2007

Having had 61/2 inches of rain for May the fishing was rather hit and miss. However my father had the best fish of the month, a fresh salmon of 12lb caught at Beam weir pool.

Towards the end of the month we started seeing a good number of sea-trout. Regularly fish were caught at the 5lb mark, the best was a sea-trout of 7lb caught at Brightlea.

The river rarely dropped below 4 ft during June, however Ron Burton landed a Sea-trout of 9lb on the 8th June. Many school peel were caught on the few fishable days through the month.

Having recieved 12 1/2 inches of rain from 15th June to 14th July watch the space as the conditions should settle to be perfect.

Update 31-7-07

The river is now at 1 ft 10 inches clear and dropping, for you fisherman that know the Torridge if the good weather stays with us then August well be flyfishermans paradise at the Halfmoon. We look forward to seeing you booking in.

last update — 31 July 2007

April 2007

From the 1st to the 5th April we saw a cold east wind but then the weather turned warm and sunny. The river was 1ft and in excellent condition. Bob whittaker took a 12lb salmon from the weir pool at Beam, his second of the season. the 9th April saw a 9lb salmon caught also at the weir pool by Brian Lovering. The river then fell away to just 6" on the board resulting from a 22 day drought. 2 sea-trout were hooked and lost on the 15th at Beam.

Brown trout fishing has been excellent on the home beats with regular wild brownies of upto 1 1/4 lb now being taken on a dry fly.

last update — 1 May 2007

March 2007

For the first week of march the river oscillated between 3'6" and 6'6" with 3 inches of rain recorded for the week. It was very mild with river temperature 48 - 49F. The river was fishable by march 2nd. The river then fell to 1'6" by the 16th, with our first salmon caught the following day at Brightlea, a fish of approx 13lb. The 18th march brought another salmon of 9lb from Beam weir pool, well done to Reg Lawton. The following 2 days gave us a bitterly cold north gale bringing with it snow showers. By the 21st the river was down to 1'2" and looking perfect, producing an 8lb salmon at Madeira caught by Bob Whittaker. The river rose to 1'8" by the 25th march producing an 8lb salmon from sunken tree at Beam. On the 28th Mr Stemp took a 12lb salmon from Madeira. A cooler northwest wind brought showery weather to see out the month, however weather forecasts look good for easter. For upto date weather see related links.

last update — 4 April 2007