This is an exciting opportunity to fish on a private and exclusive beat of the River Creedy in Devon.
Nestled in the Creedy valley, at the foot of Shobrooke Park Estate, is just over 1.5km of wild trout fishing as the river meanders through the meadows and tours quintessential Devon countryside toward Exeter.
Shobrooke Park itself is gloriously old-English. There is a string of beautifully sculpted estate lakes that date back to the 1700 and 1800s, the largest of which is guarded by rows of archaic oak trees and straddled by a 3-arch stone bridge. Once a trout pond before the war, it is fished today by a local coarse syndicate in between the village faits and festival productions that are hosted in the amphitheatre. During summer months, the heady smells of cut grass and stinging nettles almost drown out the roar from the thatched cricket pavilion when the bails topple from the stumps.
When the river calls, it is only a short walk across the sheep-grazed meadows where you will be greeted with dense undergrowth and overhanging shrubbery that make the fishing a wild but far from impossible challenge. There is a good mix of shallow riffles and deep pools that hold some lovely wild brownies and also small shoals of grayling, dace and chub.
The Creedy is a river that loves a flood and the water often flows with a tea-tinted colour as it slips over gravel and stone, so don’t expect the gin clear clarity of our Hampshire chalk rivers. But that colour does tend to hide some surprisingly deep pools and within them some surprisingly large trout. In the high season of May and June the river runs remarkably clear and spotting fish is possible from the vantage of a high bank.
Fly life is sparse, so a fly box with both dry fly and nymph is often required, but if you strike lucky and hit a hatch of Mayflies or black gnats you can expect some very productive fishing for rising trout. When the going looks bleak, a klink and dink with a bushy klinkhammer and a weighted nymph will often work well.
Bookings are available for 1 or 2 rods with private and exclusive use of this extensive beat for the day. It can be fished from the bottom up as a pair, or you can split the beat in two, the Park beat and the Meadows, and send one rod ahead to the half way mark, swapping after lunch if you wish.
It must be fished from the waders and there are only a handful of places to climb in and out along its course, so we would suggest taking a small rucksack with you for tea breaks along the way. If the weather is nice, you might decide to return to the park for a picnic with a view.
We will send you a full booking confirmation by email, along with any maps, directions, travel arrangements, and arrival instructions required, plus the contact information for your Guide.
Our guides will come equipped with all the tackle, equipment and flies required at no extra cost.
We suggest bringing a picnic or if you prefer, we can take you to the local pub. For something special, our delightful range of riverside hampers are also available to preorder.
The million dollar question! Of course it depends on the season, but generally we suggest a good mix of dry flies and nymphs in the S14 – S16 range. Your fishing guide will come with all the flies required for your day, but if you would like to bring your own, our boxes will always feature a generous pinch of Blue Winged Olives, Parachute Adams’, Sawyers Pheasant Tail Nymphs, and Peeping Caddis.
Your fishing guide will come fully equipped with all the tackle and equipment required, but if you have your heart set on using your own, we suggest a rod in the 3 to 5 weight range, paired with an arbor reel, and a floating fly line. It is also wise to carry a pouch of tapered leaders in the 9ft to 12ft / 4x to 6x range to cover all basis.
Gratuity is not obligatory, but always very much appreciated. As a guideline, 10% to 15% of your guide fee is a good starting point.
Sadly, we cannot cancel or postpone your booking under any circumstances. However, if you are unable to attend your day, please let us know at your earliest convenience and we will endeavour to resell the booking for you. If we are successful, you will be eligible for a credit to the full value of your booking, valid for 24 months, or a refund minus a 25% admin fee.
