South Penquite

South Penquite is a stretch of the De Lank river that tumbles through semi open moorland and ancient woodland. The water is clear, with the peaty stain of moorland run-off, and granite boulders break it into countless pockets, shoots and glides. The largest pools in the lower section are short, narrow and surprisingly deep, while the wider, shallower pools are found in the top 300 yards of the beat.

Trees line much of the beat, and overhanging and submerged limbs give the fish good cover but make casting tricky. The Passport recommends a 6 to 8 foot 6 rod rated 0 to 4 weight and says bow and arrow, roll, snake roll and side casts are the only ways to present a fly. A barrier downstream has been impassable for about a century, so the brown trout here have been cut off from the rest of the river and are unusual, with fish up to about 2lb caught in past seasons.

Hemlock has increased along the bank and grows to around five feet in summer, making the fishing tight and challenging, but by September it has died back and fishing and getting along the river are easier. Fly only, and all fish are returned. Brown trout season runs from 1 May to 30 September. A day costs 2 Fish Pass tokens, booked through the Westcountry Angling Passport.