The Upper Yealm Fishery offers fishing for wild brown trout, sea trout and salmon in peaceful surroundings near Ivybridge which is a short distance from Plymouth and popular holiday destinations in the South Hams.
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The fishery lies hidden between two bustling transport arteries that serve the West Country. To the north the Penzance to Paddington railway line skirts the southern slopes of Dartmoor. The A38 dual carriageway between Exeter and Plymouth lies to the south of the fishery. When you emerge from the top of the upper beat there are views of a Brunel bridge in the distance and behind it a rampart of white china clay waste dug from pits at Lee Moor on Dartmoor that was used to produce English porcelain in the 18th century.
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 Access to the
Upper Yealm fishery is easy. It is remarkable how quickly one can leave
the
hustle-and-bustle of everyday life behind. Don't worry about the narrow winding road; the locals are friendly and actually pause and thank you for considerate driving. If you tie your own flies you may not be able to resist the 'fur and feathers' roadkill along the way. Turn right at the 'Hump Bridge' road sign before 'Mark's Bridge', go down the track and park by the field gate. This really is parking for 'gentlefolk'. I'm more used to squeezing into the hedge; my car bears parallel scratches like a badge of honour. Go through the gate. Take a good look at it. You are unlikely to ever again see a farm gate in such fine condition in these parts. By now you should be lulled into a dreamy state like a child with a mug of Horlicks being read a bedtime story by Nanny. You are on the lower beat which I call the 'Schoolroom' because it is ideal for people who want to learn the basics of fishing for wild brown trout from scratch. The river runs along the edge of the meadow which contains a flock of noisy guinea fowl – more flytying material at your feet.  |
| Image
produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. More information about directions, parking and meeting point |
Walk
to the upstream corner of this field.
This is fishing in miniature but none the worse for that. Bring a six
to seven foot rod and think 'roll cast'. The river deepens in places
against the far bank
under a protective canopy of trees. Use a Spey cast to align the end of
the fly line with your target. Walk down the meadow and the river
opens out and slows as it is held back by a weir built in the 18th
Century to serve a mill downstream at Lee Mill – long gone
now. Yes, that dark shadow is a sea trout lying above the weir – and between May and September there may be more hidden beneath trees tight against the far bank. Walk on downstream past a succession of small but perfectly formed pools. Each hold brown and possibly sea trout, but they must be approached with extreme stealth and one's ability to cast accurately will be tested. Tie on disposable flies, you will get caught up and must be prepared to break off rather than disturbing the pool by crashing across it. You can always mark the spot and retrieve the fly later. You will catch fish. Small yes, but with occasional larger surprises and you have the possibility of a sea trout which in these conditions will be a memorable experience. When you have been lulled into a false sense of security you are ready to tackle the upper beat, or as I call it – the “Examination Room”.
Walk
up the road a few hundred yards to skirt the
gardens
of houses that back onto the Yealm and pick up the river again by the
bridge. Steps have been cut into the bank to aid your descent. Echoes
of that fine gate. Enjoy the easy entrance – you are about to
be
severely tested!. I don't need to tell you to crouch – the
overhanging limbs force you to become a human heron. The pools are even
smaller now but some are deceptively deep. Creep upstream. Forget about
overhead casts. Just remember to never allow the fly to travel above
your head and you will simply loose a small fortune's worth of flies,
rather
than face total financial meltdown !
The owners of Upper Yealm fishery - Josh and Julie Dalton - are welcoming and friendly. The Daltons rent out Oaklands Cottage which is 200 yards from the river. The fishery has an autumn run of salmon and the Yealm salmon season ends on 15th December.
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| We meet
clients in the Upper Yealm Fishery car parking area .... Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland. |
...turn right
just
before the 'Hump Bridge' road sign at 'Mark's Bridge', go down the track and park to the left of the field gate. View Larger Map |