River was dropping pretty well but looks set to rise again with recent overnight rain which is still persisting in many areas. Difficult to say at the moment how big the rise may be but its not looking good for a coup[le of days at least on the upper river.


LATEST.

Spate looks like being at least as big as the last one!!

LATEST.  It already is -not peaked yet.
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Often there is a tale in the catching of a big fish, or any fish for that matter so perhaps you might like to hear of the events surrounding the capture by Terry Ward of the 35lb plus fish from Winforton.
Terry had been on the Whitney beat in the morning with a friend who was an instructor, they were trying out lines when his friend fitted a Rio line to Terry's 13 1/2 foot Orvis rod.  It suited the rod well and Terry agreed to buy it.  Later in the day he decided to go to Winforton where he has a Thursday rod with the tackle still set up.  Starting to fish down towards the Cow Pond Terry saw a fish show,  covered it whereupon it promptly took his cascade fly .  I was not long before he realised the fish was something special and realised he had no net.
He also didn't know how well his fly line had been attached to the backing, o the reliability of  his cast and fly knots which had been done by his friend.  He also didn't know either what breaking strain cast he had on. His car was basically behind him up the bank and with the fish on backed up to see if his net was in the car. It wasn't.   He then decided to ring Sportfish on his mobile in the hope that someone might go down and bring him a net.  No one did.  He then rang home and asked his wife to look up the number of Colonel James Forrest who lives in Winforton and has a Friday rod on the beat too.   The Colonel was contacted, arrived post haste  with a net and at the first attempt  the fish went straight in.  Those who know the beat will be aware  you cant wade this section or get in the river and in trying to get the fish out the frame promptly broke in two.  However the fish was eventually landed, measured against the rod and estimated at 35 plus.
The whole event took around an hour all told.  A good angling feat you must admit and one the angler  or netter is not likely to forget.