![]() That said, there is also still a market for quality trout as food – and among the less obvious clients include England’s orthodox Jews, who make big orders of fresh trout as they mark Passover each year. Next time you get those heart-stopping fireworks from a hooked fish, spare a thought for the hard work of Mark and his staff. Other details were equally interesting, such as the use of an enclosed stream area where fish get a sort of gym workout by dealing with steady flows for a while, prior to release in venues like Kennick, Rutland and of course Wimbleball. Of course, it’s always great to see trout up close and personal in different sizes, not to mention the dramatics of feeding time. The accountants don’t always agree with the genuine fishery managers on this score, it must be said! However, this is why Mark and his team’s stocking densities are anything up to an astonishing ten times lighter than those of other commercial fish farms (and the less said about salmon farms the better). This is in total contrast to farming purely for maximum yield at all costs, not least of all because anglers want fit, fully-finned trout and not the equivalent of battery hens with fins. ![]() Indeed, part of the continual challenge for an operation like Rainbow Valley is turning out fish that are beautifully marked and full-finned. Nor is quality just PR talk in this case- because the fish here are truly in mint condition! Fish farmer, angler and current fishing boss at Wimbleball Mark Underhill (above) was on hand to give us a fascinating little window into the world of producing quality trout for various fisheries. ![]() Also joining us for a fish and a quick tour was Jeff Pearce, who is another mad keen fly fisher and Wimbleball regular.īefore we tackled up, however, there was an unusual opportunity to explore the fishery and its famous rainbows from a different angle. It was there I met the trip’s instigator Wayne Thomas, who runs the must-read North Devon Angling website and is very much an all-rounder after my own heart. But eventually I hit Rainbow Valley Fish Farm. It had been an unseasonably cool morning on the journey up to Exmoor, complete with road closures and random diversions down the back roads. ![]() And if that wasn’t appealing enough, I would also have a long-awaited chance to catch up with friends, not to mention a behind-the-scenes look at how and where the trout of this much-loved Exmoor venue come from. With friends giving the place rave reviews, I couldn’t wait to return. For obvious reasons, the first stillwater fly fishing trip of spring 2o21 has been as hotly anticipated as any in recent memory! It feels like a small age since I tackled up on any large reservoir, let alone a venue as special as Wimbleball Lake. ![]()
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