Looking like our summer holiday in July will be based in Fowey. Hoping to be able to slip out for a day/night or 2 to wet a line. Can anybody offer any advice on where to go, at what time of day/night and what flies to try?

Thanks in advance

Nick

In addition to the opportunities for a bit of very good sea trout fishing at places like Wainsford you can have a load of fun right in Fowey.

I had some great mullet fishing from the old slipway just below the current Bodinnick ferry landing towards the top of the village. The mullet come up the river with the tide and you need to get out and watch the water at the slipway and note the state of the tide when the mullet come past. The best fishing time is when this coincides with dusk. I used a bread mash to attract them with bread flake on the hook anchored on the bottom and watched for the mullet to hit it, when it disappeared I struck. I had a beauty of 6lb 3oz that took me all over the place all amongst the mooring lines and frankly I was lucky to land it. They don't hang about and will move off up the river after a few minutes so make the most of your opportunities. I used an Avon rod plus fixed spool loaded with 8lb line but any carp or spinning rod will be fine.

If you can rent a boat there are also some good bass about, including right up the estuary, and the same tackle would be OK. If you can get it, the best bait is live sand eel just fished on a light link ledger or trolled slowly behind the boat.

If you've got young kids the crab fishing is a bit of an institution in Fowey as it is in many Cornish towns. All you need is a hand line and a bucket for each child (and one for Dad). Don't be conned into using fish baits as they come off too easily, use bacon or chicken, much more durable and just as effective!

__________________
“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

Thanks Sewinbasher

we stayed in Lerryn a couple of years ago and was amazed by the number and size of mullet that had nosed their way up the river at high tide. the odd thing about these fish seems to be that they are notoriously difficult to catch on the fly, but don't seem at all phased by coming right into the bank and generally nosing around. Didin't have any gear with me last time but did make a mental note to have a go at the mullet next time...

Have heard they're partial to a white deerhair blob!

Will keep you posted.

Regards

Nick

Don't mean to be a killjoy... but 'tis a bass nursery area. No boat fishing and no sandeels.
Not that it stops many folks

You're fine fishing from the shore too.

more stuff here:
Nursery Areas


Have fun Nick - try St Winnow for a mullet or two

And Sewinbasher is spot on with Wainsford - good fly water for night fishers

Cheers

Tim

Hi Nick,

There is also some free Sea Trout fishing at Lostwithiel below the town bridge down through the park. This is a reallly interesting stretch and there are some nice fish taken here every season. Last year I managed a lovely little peal of about 1.5lbs from just below the bridge in the middle of the day on a goldhead. The are also some nice browns that will rise to a dry too.

As SB has already said the sea fishing can be excellent, there is an excellent head of pollack that can be taken on the fly, the block house at Polruan is a good spot, and if you are happy to float fish you can have some red letter days.

Best

Jon

shhhhhh!!
Lots of slippering around on the mud in the dark too

Yes, seem to remember ending up on my ar*e there a couple of times! TonyR nearly got into a very sticky situation further downstream a few years back when wading in the estuary. Proceed with caution.

My scariest moment fishing. Put my foot in what I thought was a small puddle created by the high tide overflowing the bank only to find that it was a cut away bit of bank and I was into deep water. Not funny when you are on your own a couple of miles from civilisation down an estuary at dusk!

Thanks for the advice gents. Seems Wainsford comes up in conversation regularly. Is it advisable to book a ticket well in advance or should it be OK to book on the day/day before?

You might want to keep an eye on this forum thread

Sea Trout Forum

__________________
“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary