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.
The 3-arch stone bridge over the lake at Shobrooke Park.
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.
Now, this is a river that loves a flood and the water often flows with a tinge of colour, 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.
The River Creedy in high June colours.
Bookings will be available online later this month 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 and send one rod ahead to the half way mark, and swap 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.
Those of you that have followed my meandering ramblings for a short while will been poised at the telephone at 9.55am on Monday morning, coiled and ready for when the clock struck ten.
As I write this on Tuesday afternoon, I look back on a happy and hectic 36 hours. What was intended to be a gentle “let us just ease into it” launch of the new fly fishing at Mottisfont Abbey, turned into a rather Glastonbury-esque rush for the prime dates, testing my booking system to the extreme. Within just 1 hour we had sold over two thirds of all available fishing days this season and now, a day later, there are just 9 fishing days remaining spread across April, August, and September.
So, all that remains for me to say is thank you! The lovely people at the Wessex Rivers Trust and I hope you will have tremendous fun on the river this season, and I am looking forward to hearing all about your trip to the all new Mottisfont Abbey.
Halfords hut needs no introduction. Arrive here for teas, coffees and a chat before exploring the river.
Its not too late to book a fishing guide for your trip. If you would like to take one along for the day, we have assembled our team of Mottisfont-approved guides who can supply all the tackle, equipment and flies required, plus hotel pick up if you are planning to stay locally.
Don’t forget there are just 9 days remaining all season, with 4 prime dates in April available to book now on our website. Why not start the season as you mean to go on?
Why not give the gift of fly fishing this Mother’s day with our bespoke-made, uber high quality gift vouchers complete with gold foil inlays, a string and washer envelope, and a beautifully illustrated map of the famous River Test and Itchen.
Our Chalkstream Explorer vouchers are redeemable against all fly fishing and guiding experiences.
They are redeemable against all the fishing and guiding experiences offered by Wilde Trout so be it a private tuition, or a day on the river with the family, this is a gift voucher that can do it all.
You can purchase one online, or give me a call in the office on 01264 554884 and I would be delighted to chat through some options.
As many of you know, I have spent the last few months carefully curating all the best places to eat and stay within close proximity to the best fly fishing locations. Think of it as the ‘Good Food Guide’ for the discerning fly fisher.
The Mayfly Inn, Fullerton, joins the Fork and Feather Guide.
With panoramic views of the River Test and large trout slurping up triple cooked chips under your feet, you cannot make a good food guide for fly fishing and not include the Mayfly!
If ever I am guiding on the main river between Longparish and Stockbridge, this is a must-visit for my guests. It gives me great pleasure to welcome the Mayfly aboard.
I’m off to review The Mutton in Hazeley Heath this afternoon, the perfect stop for lunch if you happen to be travelling to us from London. I’ll keep you posted!
That’s all from me this week. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions about the fishing at Mottisfont, fishing guides, tuitions and courses, gift vouchers, or just a jolly good excuse to talk fishing!
Catch you next time,
Jamie Hayes-Pankhurst
Founder & Managing Director
01264 554884 | info@wildetrout.co.uk | www.wildetrout.co.uk
Wilde Trout | The Old Post Office | Hurstbourne Tarrant | Hampshire | SP11 0AG
Dreaming of a burbling chalkstream brimming with frenzied brown trout slurping in the gunsmoke of an electric fly hatch? Your next adventure starts here!
