Draycote Water weekly report week ending 24th March 2019
Telephone Number 01788 812018
What a difference a week makes!? With the strong winds behind us the fishing has been amazing all week with rod averages into double figures and cricket score catches coming from both boat and bank. It’s lovely to see that with the light winds and warmer temperatures the buzzers are back in a big way. Anglers are making the most of the hatches using teams of buzzer to tempt lots of hungry trout to the net. Overall 313 anglers visited the fishery landing a staggering 3051 trout for a rod average of 9.74
On Monday on the bank Messrs Masters & Wilson enjoyed good sport landing 22 fish between them. They found feeding fish in Dunn’s & Biggin Bay and used floating lines with a mix of damsels, black buzzers and nymphs. Also fishing the bank in Biggin Bay was Jim Hall who used small black & green lures and buzzers to land 10 cracking fish. Season ticket holder Ian Richardson had a great day in Dunn’s using Damsels to land 20 rainbows, whilst out in a boat, Guiding & Tuition Manager Tom Bird, took client Malcolm out for an 8 hour guide. He aimed to get his eye in before heading out to Corrib later in the month and enjoyed a great day’s sport landing over 25 fish under Tom’s watchful eye. Starting on buzzer in Toft the fishing was challenging without a good hatch. However, after a change to a sinking line and boobies, the day was turned around. Malcom caught well in Biggin Bay and his catch included a lovely overwintered blue of around 3 pounds. Later in the day Tom suggested that it would be worth a look over Musborough Shoal. A good call and Malcolm used the same tactics of boobies on a sinking line to land around 10 of the days haul from the Shoal. For more information on booking a day with Tom or one of the guiding team call the lodge on 01788 812018. All Water season ticket holder Ed Douglas opted to fish Middle Shoal and enjoyed amazing sport all day landing a total of 34 fish. Ed used boobies on a di 7 in the morning before switching to buzzers on a midge tip once the wind had dropped in the afternoon.
The wind dropped even more Tuesday giving a lovely gentle ripple all day with nice spring temperatures of 12 degrees. On the bank Peter Elliott landed over 25 rainbows from Dunn’s using buzzers and Diawl Bach’s on a floating line. Also, on the bank fishing in Dunn’s, Alan Bettles used black and green lures on a floating line to land 14. On the boats all water season ticket holder Dave Smith landed 18 in Biggin Bay using straight line buzzers on a midge tip. Jim Marriott and Grant Cooksey had a great day landing 53 between them on a mixture of an intermediate teamed with orange lures or a floating line with buzzers and cormorants. The pair found the best areas to be Lincroft Point and from Croft Shoal drifting down to Toft. Both anglers caught fish up the 4 and 5lb range. Tony Plummer and Colin England played 40 fish to the net on buzzers in Biggin Bay. Jim Smith enjoyed a great day’s sport fishing over both middle and Musborough shoal using a midge tip and buzzers to land over 40 fish. Alan Stern and Nigel Angus landed 67 in a boat using buzzers, nymphs and orange blobs on midge tip in Biggin Bay.
Good conditions continued into Wednesday resulting in some great sport. Ed Douglas used buzzers over the Shoals on a RIO midge tip to take 40 fish which included some stunning overwintered fish. On the bank Harry Dawson had a “Super” day taking 12 fish from Dunn’s and Toft. Traveling anglers Guy Nicholson and Si Nicolls from the North East were rewarded for their long journey with a great day. They landed 56 rainbows between them using damsels and buzzers in Biggin Bay, Toft and Dunn’s. Another angler who found Damsels the key on the day was Ian Reeve who finished with 27 from Biggin Bay. John Woodcock and season ticket holder Rob Bettinson also enjoyed great sport with 44 to the boat on Pitsford Pea and Montana. Marty Lewis fished Diawl Bach’s on a floating line in Biggin Bay to land 20 fish including a fantastic 5lb plus brown which was returned to the water.
Without question, the best day of the week was Thursday. The perfect spring weather saw the fishery busy with 81 visiting anglers catching a fantastic 828 trout for a rod average of 10.22 On the bank Jude Tuff landed 16 in Dunn’s Bay whilst just up the bank Tony Broadway landed 11. However, it was the boat anglers who enjoyed the best of the sport. Jim Smith and Ed Douglas netted over 50 fish having located buzzer feeding fish on Croft Shoal in the morning – which they tempted using a midge tip and 3 buzzers with Jim even landing a triple hook up! In the afternoon they noticed that a few good fish had started to move on adult buzzers which had drifted off over open water. A change to small crippled midge and a drift out over the open water, they went looking to tempt overwintered fish. Their endeavours were rewarded as they landed 5 on the dries with the fish all being on or over the 4lbs mark and fin perfect. Ian Pugh and Tony Jones used buzzers on a floating line in Biggin Bay to land 55 – with size 12 black buzzers being their most consistent pattern. Tony Cartwright and Allen Hughes landed over 80 fish on buzzers with the pair finding fish all over the lake. Biggin Bay, Toft, Croft Shoal, Hensborough and the Old School Slips all produced well on the day. Season ticket holder Tony Parker fished with Gerallt Hughes to land 44 on size 12 Diawl Bach’s and a small eyed booby fished as a washing line on a midge tip. Draycote regulars Tony Plummer and Colin England were also back on the water on Thursday & enjoyed another 40 plus catch on the buzzers in Biggin Bay and Toft.
A slightly cooler day Friday with the wind swinging more to the west and building in strength from the previous day. This meant that the buzzer wasn’t quite as exceptional as the previous days and other tactics were required to tempt the fish. This did not stop them pulling though with the fishery recording a 9.7 fish rod average. Daniel Tranter and Dad Nigel landed 61 fish with the majority coming on a di 7 sinking line and black and green boobies. Jamie Scott landed 50 fish using a di 3 with a snake, cut throat cat and crunchers from various points across the lake with Biggin Bay being the hotspot. Neil Cohen and Alan Stern landed over 50 fish to the boat on a di 3 sinking line and a mix of tequila blobs/boobies and Damsels. James Carr & Tony Rowley landed 52 fish using Damsels in the morning in Biggin Bay before heading to the calmer area of the Hensbrough bank and the school slips to continue catching on Buzzers. Tony Parker returned this time with Paul Angell once again using small Diawl Bachs and buzzers on Croft Shoal to land 30 fish. John Hoskins also enjoyed fine sport anchored at the bottom of the Hensborough Dam. Fishing a black & green lure pattern his 27 fish total included some fine wintered specimens.
Saturday produced the best rod average of the week at 12.9. On the bank Jared Burton fished on Lincroft Point to take 22 fish on buzzers and orange hot head tadpole patterns. Also on the bank, Tony & Ruth Kirk used buzzers to land 23 rainbows between them from Biggin Bay, Dunn’s and the Tower Bank. Bob Eaton & Nick Lant shared a boat and landed over 50 by the end of their hectic session. All their fish came to buzzers from both Toft and Biggin Bay.
With the winds from the north on Sunday, combined with clear blue skies, the temperatures also dropped off and fish tended to seek sanctuary deeper in the water column. This made for harder bank fishing however, Paul Walley netted 8 rainbows in Dunn’s Bay which came to a mix of damsel patterns & buzzers. Ian Western & Dennis Tidmarsh also bank fished together & finished their sessions with six each. We hosted a visit from Leicester All Abilities Club who all enjoyed fine sport with most catching on buzzer from various locations around the venue. The eight anglers netted a total of 86 trout representing a rod average for the group of 10.75 In-House guide Lee Henfrey had some fine morning sport on his day off managing 27 rainbows on buzzer & weighted Hare’s Ear Nymph patterns. He did note how deep the fish were holding with many coming to his point fly at 10 or 11 feet down. Lee fished mainly between Lin Croft & the Cornfield. Members Dave Hancox & Martyn Price also found the fish holding at depth but chose to approach them with blobs fished on Di5 & boobies presented on a Di7. Their tactics brought a total of 17 to the net. Tim Burn & Paul Mitchell took top honours with 20 & 25 respectively to their deep buzzers drifting of the Cornfield. Despite the chillier conditions, the day ended with an overall rod average of 7.73
With an increase in temperatures forecast for us this coming week, the strength of the buzzer hatch will certainly increase. More fine sport to imitative teams is therefore anticipated.
Fishery Tackle Shop & Online Shop
Draycote has a tackle shop at the fishery stocking SAGE, RIO, VISION, REDINGTON, WYCHWOOD, GREYS, SNOWBEE, FULLING MILL, FARIO, LOON, FISHPOND and STREAMWORKS products with demo SAGE, Vision & Redington rods & RIO fly lines for you to take out and try.
We also have an online shop. For all you anglers who might not be aware www.flyfishstore.co.uk is the online store for Draycote and the whole of Fishery Management (UK) Ltd. During the 2019 season we will be looking at doing weekly specials offers on the website. This week, with such a fine start to the spring buzzer feeding, we have a limited availability offer of 10% discount on Rio Fluoroflex & Fluoroflex Plus leader material and tippets, together with free p&p. Visit the shop at https://www.flyfishstore.co.uk/offers/
RIO & Sage Day
On Sunday 14th April Draycote is hosting its popular RIO & Sage with Jim Fearn (Sage) and Simon Gawesworth (RIO) in attendance. They will be able to talk you through the latest kit and be on hand to provide casting sessions. The guiding & tuition team will be running the 1 ½ hour guided sessions, taking you out on the water to test the kit. Helping the tuition team will be Brown Bowl winner and RIO & Sage sponsored angler David Hoppe. Only a couple of boat sessions remain which can be booked by calling the lodge on 01788 812018.
Weekly Boat draw
Congratulations to Mr Nick Lant from Leicester, the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 313 Number Trout Taken: 469 Number Trout Released: 2582
Total Catch: 3051 Rod Average: 9.74
Current Fishing Times:
Bank: 07:30 until 18:30
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 18:30
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 13:30 PM 13:30 until 18:30
Last 4 Hours from: 14:30 until 18:30 (Ticket sales available from 14.15)
Gutting Room Closes – 18:00
All Anglers to be off site by: 18.45
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
Follow Us on
facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore
twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore