Catchbook - Social Fishing Network

The River Avon, Devon

The little river Avon in Devon is a gem of a river which is no more than a big stream in parts but can provide excellent trout fishing and truely impressive Sea Trout fishing.

Brown trout fishing starts in March and you can catch nice fish from the opening day particularly in the middle and upper sections of the river. A few large early Sea Trout are caught but the reliable runs start in May and  continue till September. Salmon also run the Avon and, although, not in large numbers the river remains open into November and offers a truely different small river salmon fishing experience.

The river is fly only until the end of the Sea Trout fishing season when spinning can take place.

Tackle wise you do not need your big river rods here and with the wooded nature of muck of the river a smaller rod is adequate even when salmon fishing. For  Sea Trout at night when the river is at summer level I use a Hardy's 8ft 5 weight which can make the landing of some of the larger sea trout and ocassional summer salmon very interesting. In higher flows and during the autumn months I then use a slightly bigger rod using a 9ft Sage 7 weight. Line wise i normally use a floater, adding a sinking poly tip in heavier flows. 

The Avon fishing association controls large sections of the river and allows week tickets which can be purchased from Loddiswell post office for around £60-70.

Gara Bridge Cottages provide accomodation and have the bonus of 300 yards of the Avon for fly fishing.