Draycote Water weekly report week ending 2nd September 2018
Telephone Number 01788 812018
Report
The water temperature has held at a steady 18°C with a cool start to the week followed by some lovely later summer sunny days for Friday and the weekend. Overall a good week’s sport was had by the 201 anglers that visited the fishery. A total of 740 trout were landed which represents a rod average of 3.68 for the period. Good numbers of fish have been caught using dry fly tactics over the week with some big numbers falling to the deadly method. However, some of the sport has been coming late in the day due to massive sedge falls that we have experienced during the evening.
A gusty start to the week with winds in the south west, teamed with some sun made for a tricky day for the majority. However, some anglers found a method to land good numbers. Colin Granger landed a very credible 3 fish from the bank fishing the Overflow in Rainbow Corner. Mike Garner also landed 3 on the Tower Bank using black hares’ ears. Out on the boats Ed Douglas stuck to dries all day to land 19 fish, fishing along the Flat Stones with big reds and hoppers. Kevin Rees also stuck to dry flies all day and landed 13 on bobs bits and hoppers. Kevin did comment that most of his sport came in the last 2 hours of the day. Season ticket holders Richard & John Hanlon landed 10 between them in an afternoon session fishing in the middle on drifts from P- X Buoy. Jim Doyle and Ian Wilson enjoyed a good day on the first of their 3 days from Scotland to netting 13 with Midas being one of the top patterns. Also worthy of a mention Monday was Adrian Gibbard who landed a fantastic 9lb 5oz brown on a deer hair sedge from the Flat Stones. To view a picture of the fish please visit www.facebook.com/flyfishstore
Conditions looked perfect for Tuesday with a light southerly wind and overcast conditions. However, for some reason the fish didn’t really want to play ball. Perhaps it was the overnight swing in the wind direction that knocked them off the feed a little. Tony Broadway & Gordon Slack shared a boat & landed 9 rainbows. Gordon used a small cats whisker while Tony used dry fly tactics to land his fish. Jude Tuffs and Dave East were also on the water & boated 10 from over the aerators but commented on how many they lost in play. The boat of Jim Doyle & Ian Wilson once again accounted for 13 on dries fishing in various spots over the deep water.
Another wind direction for the anglers Wednesday with the wind swinging into the north west. It started at around 9mph before strengthening as the day wore on, with sun in the morning before clouding up as the wind increased. Peter Fisher landed 9 fish on solider palmers fished dry before switching to small spiders on the upwind of the boils. Kieron Barnes fished over the boils with Declan Whelan to land 9 fish on dries and washing line tactics. Finishing up their 3 day break in fine form landing 22 fish, again on dries, was Jim Doyle and Ian Wilson.
A flat calm start with bright sun didn’t have most anglers rushing to the water on Thursday morning. However, the sunny start didn’t appear to have forced fish too deep in the water column as the two boats of John Dickens and Kevin Rees were into fish straight away. The both fished dries around B buoy and the Flat Stones. This action continued all day with steady sport coming in the bright conditions. Once the cloud arrived in the afternoon the dry fly sport kicked up a gear and the pair fished a terrific day with 22 and 25 respectively. Tom Johnson and Dave Ward boated 16 fish all on an olive snake in the afternoon back drifting around B buoy. Dave Kennell & Eddie Mitchell used washing line tactics to land some fantastic fish around 3lb in the open water with their final tally for the day of 17 to the net. Guiding & Tuition Manger Tom Bird enjoyed a day off fishing and landed 12. He found fish around B buoy in the morning using a washing line technique with a booby on the point in conjunction with two nymphs and a claret hopper on the top dropper. In the afternoon it was action with some fry feeding fish over Middle Shoal using the same tactics other than a swap to a sparkler booby on the point.
A warm and sunny Friday culminated in a prolific algae bloom which meant much of the angler pressure was concentrated on the Aerators. However, this did not lead to a reduction in the numbers of fish caught. Ed Upton fished with his wife Jayne using orange foam daddies in the boils to land 14 fish and commented that he had never seen so many fish up and feeding over aerators. John Dews and Tony Broadway landed 10 on a mix of washing line and dries. Ian Pugh and Tim James landed 15 over the boils also using dries. Season ticket holder Ian Reeve enjoyed great sport too, using a small olive snake to land 17 rainbows in a 5 hour afternoon session.
More bright sun to start off September on Saturday morning although cloud developed shortly after lunch. Nick Mead & Ian Teale enjoyed fine sport using diawl bachs on drifts just off the side of the boils towards Dunn’s. They netted a total of 14. Chris Discombe & Jim Brennan landed 7 on small white boobies drifting through the aerators. Tom Bird guided husband & wife team, Pete and Beth Wood, out on the water following an introductory casting session to experience fly fishing for the first time. They had a red letter day landing 12 rainbows on their first experience of the sport. Drifting over the boils with daddies on a floater for Pete and an olive snake on a sink 3 line for Beth proved to be the recipe for success. To book a session with Tom call the lodge on 01788 812018.
Sunday rounded off the period with a continuation of warm and bright conditions. Great sport was enjoyed by many anglers though with the rod average for the day rising to 4.7. George Leaton’s early morning drive up from London was rewarded with a 13 fish tally by lunchtime. All his fish came to pink snakes fished high in the water column. Dave Adams paired with Andy Ross for a morning session too & fished washing line tactics, with a sparkler booby on the point, on drifts through B buoy. Fry feeding fish were quick to attack the sparkler & they ended the session having landed ten between them. Dixie Baxter & Gareth Davies enjoyed similar sport throughout the day to end on a collective 14. Brendan Thomas was unquestionably top rod for the day fishing a combo of FABs & blobs drifting through the Aerators. His action was fast & furious & his day ended with him having landed a total of 24 rainbows.
With water temperatures now falling & the likes of daddies, sedge & fry on the menu, we look forward to the prospects ahead for even more improvement in our sport.
Weekly Boat draw
Congratulations to Ted Mills from Tenbury Wells. the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 201 Number Trout Taken: 179 Number Trout Released: 561
Total Catch: 740 Weekly Rod Average: 3.68
Current Fishing Times:
Bank: 07:30 until 20:00
Boat All Day: 07:30 until 20:00
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 14:30 PM 14:30 until 20:00
Last 4 Hours from: 16:00 until 20:00 (Ticket sales available from 15:45)
Gutting Room Closes – 19:30
All Anglers to be off site by: 20:30
Guiding & Tuition.
New for the 2018 season the Guiding & Tuition team will running a blog. The idea of this blog is to provide hints and tips from your guides to help keep you catching depending on the conditions, tackle reviews and write up of guiding sessions. To have a look at the blog please visit http://www.flyfishtuition.co.uk/latest-report/
Dates for the Diary
Trout Masters
Draycote has joined the Troutmasters Competition. Entry forms can be found next to the booking out sheets. You will need a member of staff to countersign your entry. Good luck!
Troutmasters Final – Monday 8th October – See Fishery staff. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FISHERY WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY FOR THIS BOAT & BANK EVENT
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
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