There is probably no better way to spend a hot sunny Sunday in July than fly fishing in the dappled shade of the River Teign.
A few days ago we spent a fascinating few hours being introduced both to fly fishing and to the ecology of the river. The morning started with a demonstration (from naturalist Nick Baker) of how to survey for fly larvae and other invertebrates living in the gravel and silt of the river bed. After a brief talk on fly fishing and a demonstration of casting by Geoff Stephens we all had a go at improving our casting technique on dry land. We then put on the waders that had been helpfully provided and ventured into the river.
One of the most interesting things I learned during the day is that Sea Trout are actually Brown Trout that have ventured into the sea in order to have a more nutritious and plentiful diet. They undergo a number of physical changes in order to be able to survive in salt water, but come back up river in order to lay their eggs. Their offspring may in turn stay as Brown Trout living in the river or may themselves make the transition to becoming a Sea Trout.
Only one Brown Trout was caught yesterday afternoon a small but beautiful fish with an olive back and black, brown and bright orange spots on its flanks. After a quick inspection the fish was immediately returned to the river unharmed. Fly fishers can get a bad press but most are acutely aware of the value of the life and health of our rivers.
The team who helped lead the workshop on Sunday - five Fly fishermen, with Nick Baker the naturalist at the back.
I was struck by being the only woman participating on Sunday – why are activities like fly-fishing so gendered? What could be more rewarding than honing your observation skills and heightening your senses so that you start to fully appreciate the natural world of the river?
The workshop on Sunday was part of the launch of a new local conservation project. The River Teign Restoration project is a four-year river conservation initiative centred around improving the river and its tributaries for migratory fish species particularly Salmon and Seatrout. Further information is available on this very informative website: https://riverteignrestorationproject.co.uk/
And there are opportunities to get involved in citizen science projects as well as doing conservation work to improve the biodiversity and health of the river.
Many thanks to Lewis Steer the ‘Dartmoor Shepherd’, who kindly let us use his field for the day, made us coffee, and encouraged us to fish on his stretch of the Upper Teign.