Draycote Water weekly report week ending 18th March 2018

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote Water weekly report week ending 18th March 2018

Telephone Number 01788 812018

Report

A great week from Monday to Friday until ‘The Beast from the East 2’ hit Draycote once more with a 17°C temperature change. The 16°C of Friday afternoon gave way to -1°C on Saturday. This cold snap did upset things slightly as the high winds forced many anglers to change their plans. This was a great shame as the fishing had been improving all week with rod averages on Thursday and Friday reading 17.7 and 11.6 respectively. However, despite this dip in the weather a total of 149 hardy anglers visited the fishery during the period & were rewarded with a total catch of 1514 trout. This represents a10.16 rod average for the period.

Monday saw the heavens open but despite continuous rain all day this didn’t dampen the catches from both bank or boat. M Glover and G Goodwin fished the Swan’s Nest using black and green tinheads to land 11 fish between them. Over the Cornfield new season ticket holder M Ravenscroft had a great mornings sport on blobs. Another season ticket holder enjoying plenty of action was Steve Robinson who also landed 11 with a black and green lure on the point and a black and red buzzer on the dropper. Out on the boats I Jones and S Loges landed 16 rainbows between them on a variety of lures.

A much-improved weather day on Tuesday with a flat calm start building to a lovely 5mph south westerly wind. On the bank. Alan Bettles enjoyed good sport on the Cornfield fishing with a black and green tinhead on a floater to land 22. Tony Ward also caught 16 from the Cornfield. Fishing higher up the Cornfield Mr Foulds used a combination of snakes and diawl bachs to land 18. Over at the Swan’s Nest side of Toft season ticket holder Peter Elliot enjoyed fantastic sport too. He used a floating line teamed with shrimps and a FAB to land over thirty. Out on the boats once more, I Jones and S Lodges also had over 30 fish to the boat fishing over Croft Shoal with dabblers and black and green lures fished on floating lines. Also, boat fishing but down in Toft, Mr Mason & Mr Ray netted 18 between them on orange lures. Another boat pairing catching well in Toft was that of Yousef Dar and Rick Ruff who landed 37 fish between them fishing with sinking lines and boobies.

A cold south easterly wind chilled things off again going into Wednesday. This meant that the best shelter was at the far end of Toft and at the bottom end the Cornfield towards Greys Barn. On the bank Mike Oliver had a fantastic day sport landing a total of 32 fish, Mike always opts for the natural approach and took all his fish on pheasant tail nymphs and buzzers. Mr R Ravenhill enjoyed good sport in Toft landing 16 fish on a variety of lures. Geoff Preston boat fished fish for a short morning session netting 14 fish on a Wet Cel 2 & floating line with gold head damsel patterns. He described the fishing in Toft and the willows at the end of the Cornfield as ‘like shelling peas!”. Season ticket holder Richard Walker took to the boat with L Merrett and between them landed over 40 fish down in Toft using floating lines in combination with weighted flies.

Lighter winds on Thursday and air temperatures of 12°C really got the fish going and even increased the water temperature to 5°C. As a result, the fishing went crazy with both boat and bank anglers all making the most of the conditions. The days rod average came out at an impressive 17.7!  On the bank in the lower section of the Cornfield, just after the large copse of willows in Toft, was Peter Elliott fishing with Lee Patten. The pair used a midge tip line with a black snake on the point and an orange blob on the dropper to land over 30 fish apiece. Fishing slightly higher up the Cornfield was season rod John Dickens who landed 25 fish on a 3 inch per second sinking line and a black and green taddy. Out on the boats Adam Greenhalgh and Dave Haseltine experienced frantic action with 74 rainbows to the boat from the north shore side of Toft. They too used black and green lures plus cats whiskers fished on floating lines. In another boat was Mark Evans who used the same tactics to land 30. Making the most of a day off was Guiding & Tuition Manager Tom Bird and Fishery Management (UK) guide Lee Henfrey. Fishing around the willows in Toft, and further to the right-hand side towards the north shore, they had a “cricket score” day with over 100 fish to the boat. They used 3 inches per second sinking lines with boobies in the morning before opting for some buzzers on a floater in the afternoon. They also found fish off Lincroft Point & at Croft Shoal as well as further round in Biggin Bay. To book a guided session on Draycote with either Lee or Tom visit www.flyfishtuition.co.uk or call the lodge to speak to Tom on 01788 812018. Fishing around Croft Shoal and Middle Shoal in search of overwintered fish were season rods Ed Douglas and Jim Smith. They fished 7 inches per second sinking lines and boobies and brought 37 fish to the boat including several overwintered specimens.

Friday saw the conditions improve even further with the temperatures in the afternoon hitting 16°C. Out on the boats fishing around the willows in Toft, Shaun Higgins and Ian Bradfield landed 68 trout between them fishing sinking lines and boobies. Howard Rutter and his wife Marion also enjoyed a great day’s sport from Toft landing 31 using a floating line with a Montana on the point but took over half the fish on buzzers on the droppers. Ian Pugh and boat partner Tim Jones fished cat’s whiskers in Toft to land 27 fish. On the bank season ticket holder Paul Walker had great sport, also landing 27. All of Pauls fish came to buzzers and nymphs. Also enjoying fantastic sport for the last four hours from the bank was Gary Turner and J Cousins who landed 15 fish each on lures from the Swan’s Nest in Toft.

Saturday saw a massive deterioration in the weather as the forecast ‘Beast from the East MK2’ returned with a vengeance. Strong east north easterly winds exceeded our safety limits for boat angling and temperatures dived 17°C from the previous day to -1°C. As a result, only 7 hardy anglers braved it from the bank. They were, nevertheless, rewarded with some good catches. Mark Hunt chilled his way through a short 4-hour session landing 7 rainbows from the Swan’s Nest on a viva. The Hollingshead’s landed 10 between them on Montanas from the same area. The best catch of the day though came from the opposite bank at Toft where Stephen Peart landed 20 using a midge tip with a hot head cat on the point in conjunction with cormorant and diawl bach droppers.

An even colder day followed on Sunday with overnight snow and ice making it a slow start for the brave anglers who fished in the artic conditions. The huge chill factor together with a fierce ENE wind led all  anglers to opt for the bank in Toft. Jason Sly’s hardy efforts were rewarded with a dozen lovely trout. All taken from the bottom end of Toft near the nature reserve buoys on a floating line with size 12 black buzzers on the droppers and a goldhead keeping things steady on the point. Kieron Barnes took 4 on buzzers too whilst Steve Cullen winkled out another four to a hot head cat presented on a midge tip.

Following our exceptionally cold & wintry weekend current forecasts suggest that it will become drier, calmer & certainly less cold. Remember however, that we are still in March when even the comparatively good days can change rapidly. Therefore, whilst the prospects of a continuation of tremendous sport are high, be mindful of the elements & pay extra attention to clothing choices & layer up appropriately.

 

Weekly Boat draw

Congratulations to Mick King of Tenbury Wells who is the winner of this week’s free boat draw.

Weekly Stats:

Number Rods:  149  Number Trout Taken: 177    Number Trout Released:   1337

Total Catch: 1514     Weekly Rod Average:  10.16

Current Fishing Times:

Bank:  07:30 until : 18:00

Boat All Day: 08:30  until  18:00

Boat Part Day: AM  08:30  until  13:00   PM  13:00   until  18:00

Last 4 Hours from:  14:00       until     18:00 (Ticket sales available from 13:45)

Gutting Room Closes – 17:30

All Anglers to be off site by: 18:15

 

 

 

Fishery News

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!

Dates for your diary:-

Competition                                                                         Contact

Loch Style Team Championships- 30th June/1st July- Angling Trust-  www.anglingtrustevents.net

Scierra Pairs- 29th July- Phil Dixon-   www.scierrapairs.co.uk

10th/11th August- Anglers World Holidays- www.anglersworld.flyfishingchampionships.uk

Troutmasters FinalMonday 8th October – See Fishery staff. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FISHERY WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY FOR THIS BOAT & BANK EVENT

Boat Cleanliness:

Our hard-pressed team strive to maintain the boats to a high standard of cleanliness. Anglers are kindly requested to respect their endeavours by keeping their vessels shipshape & litter free. Particular attention should be paid to avoiding the unnecessary practise of pulling muddy anchors on board. These should be shaken clean before being lifted into the boat. Your assistance in this matter will be most appreciated.

Guiding & Tuition:

Why not take your own fishing further with a day out on the water with England Internationals and fishery staff Lee Henfrey or Tom Bird? Whether you wish to get to know the water better, or hone a particular skill, our guides can help to improve your catch rates.  Visit the website www.flyfishguiding.co.uk for more information or book a slot by calling the lodge on 01788 812018.

Keep up to date with the latest catches and fishing posts from our in-house fishery ranger and guide Tom Bird, by following him on Facebook. Tom has been catching some great fish this season and posting pictures of the fish as well as a light write up on how he has been catching them.

Early Morning Anglers

Due to a number of complaints from the residents of the houses by the main  Draycote gate, could all anglers arriving early in the morning please keep noise to a minimum level. If waiting for any more than a few minutes, please switch off your engines. The main gate is open from 7.30am

Tight lines,

The Draycote Team

Follow Us on

facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore

 

 

 

 

 

Draycote Report W/E 11th March 2018

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote Water weekly report week ending 11th March 2018

Telephone Number 01788 812018

Report

A very different week, from the previous with the artic like temperatures giving way too much milder wet conditions typical of March. As a result, this has seen the fishing improve across the lake with the fish much more active. With the milder temperatures making it more pleasant for the anglers to spend a day fishing for them. Overall this week a total of 209 anglers visited catching a total of 1315 fish for a weekly rod average of 6.3.

After the cold weekend the 11°C temperatures of Monday felt positively tropical. Several anglers took to the water making the most of the sudden increase of temperature hoping it would liven the fish up. With the water temperature only being 3°C the hotspot was Toft shallows as it warmed up quickly in the edges. On the bank R Smith landed 14 from the Swans nest on a black and green fritz. Season ticket holder Mike Ravenscroft also fished in Toft to land 7 fish. Paul Lloyd fish slightly further down towards the buoys in Toft to land 9 fish on an intermediate and a black booby. Out on the boats Brent Vinall and Andy Birkett enjoyed a great day’s sport landing 33 fish on cormorants on a di 3 sinking line in Toft including a lovely 3lb 8oz blue trout.  Richard Reeve enjoyed great sport landing 23 trout from the bottom end of Toft near the nature reserve buoys on a cat’s whisker on a floating line.

Light south westerly winds and a mild start to the day Tuesday. On the bank Brian Warwick fished down towards the bottom end of Toft to land 9 fish on a black fritz in only a short 3-hour session. Ken Key and Steve Robinson enjoyed good sport on the cornfield landing 21 fish between them. Season ticket holder Lee Patten and Pete Elliot landed over 20 fish each fishing from the swan’s nest on midge tips with a FAB on the point then cormorants on the droppers. Out on the boats Rob Jones and Tim Ham landed 23 trout on viva’s and boobys on a slow sinking line from Toft. Brent Vinall and Andy Birkett enjoyed good sport again landing 31 fish on small cormorants and cats whiskers again from Toft and down the Cornfield.

A sudden drop in temperatures Tuesday night left a cold start Wednesday morning with the temperatures below freezing. This meant that both boats and pontoon frozen as well as ice floating around the boats and against the dams. As a result, this meant a slower fishing day that the previous two as the water temperature remained low. Things did improve as the day went on around 12pm the fish did start to move onto the shallows and could be caught. On the boat Geoff Preston found the fish in the shallow waters in Toft on a wet cell 2 and a damsel, but it was 10am before Geoff hit his first fish but had soon landed another 7 before 2pm. Brent Vinall and Andy Birkett landed 19 fish on their last day but this time found the fish holding 40 yards off the cornfield in the deeper water. Nick Ellis and John French enjoyed good sport from the boats landing 20 fish anchored up down in Toft on lures on intermediate lines.

A blustery westerly wind kept some anglers off the water, however a few hardy souls did venture out to battle the wind and were rewarded with good catches. Pete Elliot fished up in rainbow corner to land 15 fish on black snakes and FABs on a midge tip. Fishing along side Peter was Steve Own and Chris Howkins who landed 11 fish between them on black and green fritz and cats whiskers.

Another cold start Friday with ice on the lake and in the boats after the negative effect these conditions had Wednesday we didn’t expect good catches however the anglers proved us wrong with some great catches. Fishing on a di 7-sinking line Ian Conyers landed 12 fish from Toft and Biggin Bay. On the boats Dave Parkes and John Pendleton landed 28 from Toft on various lures on intermediate and sinking lines. Season ticket holder Ian Richardson landed 15 fish from Rainbow Corner on buzzer, blobs and a small black snake on a floater. Also catching well from the bank was P Harris who landed 19 fish from the cornfield. Dave Atkins enjoyed good sport on a green and orange lure landed 15 fish taking 8 from Rainbow corner in the morning before moving to the Cornfield for the last 2 hours. Paul Davison and Tony Baldwin enjoyed good sport landing over 25 to the boat fishing with a team of mini lures and Fabs on either a floating line or midge tip. The pair found the best sport was either at the swans nest or in Alberts Bottom in Biggin Bay.

A wet day Saturday with a south easterly wind, however, despite the wet conditions several fish where caught. Out on the bank Tony and Ruth Kirk landed 15 fish between them on woolly buggers and cats whiskers. Tony Burn enjoyed good sport from the bank in Toft landing 14 fish on snakes. Also employing the tactics of snakes in Toft, but this time from the boats was Chris Aubrey and Ian Reeve who landed 32 fish to the boat anchored up along the buoy line. Richard Reeve took great advantage of the last four-hour ticket to land 19 fish from Toft on a cats whisker on a floating line. The England youth team took to the water for the first of this season training weekends ahead of the international held in late July. The team landed 94 fish between the 16 lads. They found the fish were sitting deep in both Toft and Biggin Bay and that either a di 5/7 sinking line with boobies was the best tactic.

A brighter day Sunday with again winds coming from the east. Season ticket holder Dennis Tidmarsh had a red-letter day fishing on the bottom end of the Cornfield with various lures on a floating line to land 30 fish. Also, on the bank but fishing from the Swans nest was James Cavanagh who landed 10 fish all on black buzzers. Season ticker holder Paul Walley fished on the Cornfield to landed 22 fish using boobies and fabs on an intermediate line. On the boats Ian Reeve returned this time with Paul Mariot in his boat to landed 35 fish on snakes, cats whisker and orange blobs on intermediate lines fishing the right-hand side of Toft. Opting to stay away from the crowd in Toft and go looking for some overwintered fish were season ticket holders Jim Smith and Ed Douglas. The pair opted to fish on di 7 sinking lines with cat boobies and black boobies over middle shoal. They both soon found what they were looking for in the way of several overwinter fish up to 4lb. They then moved on to croft shoal landing great numbers here again on the same tactics. At the end of the day they finished with 40 fish to the boat including come fantastic overwinter specimens. The England youth team again took to the water to land around 80 fish for the squad. They found the fish slightly higher on the Sunday with di 3 sinking lines with boobies/blobs and cormorants working with toft and the cornfield being the hotspots.

Looking ahead to next week more mild weather looks set to continue which will start to see the start of the buzzers.

Weekly Boat draw

Congratulations to Mr E Douglas of Banbury who is the winner of this week’s free boat draw.

Weekly Stats:

Number Rods:  209 Number Trout Taken: 182    Number Trout Released:   1133

Total Catch: 1315     Weekly Rod Average:  6.3

Current Fishing Times:

Bank:  07:30 until : 17:45

Boat All Day: 08:30  until  17:45

Boat Part Day: AM  08:30  until  13:00   PM  13:00   until  17:45

Last 4 Hours from:  13:45       until     17:45      (Ticket sales available from 13:30)

Gutting Room Closes – 17:30

All Anglers to be off site by: 18:15

Fishery News

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!

Dates for your diary:-

Competition                                                                         Contact

Loch Style Team Championships- 30th June/1st July- Angling Trust- Anglingtrustevents.net

Sceirra Pairs- 29th July- Phil Dixon- scieirrapairs.com

10th/11th August- Anglers World Holidays- anglerworldholidayschampionship.com

Troutmasters FinalMonday 8th October – See Fishery staff. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FISHERY WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY FOR THIS BOAT & BANK EVENT

Boat Cleanliness:

Our hard pressed team strive to maintain the boats to a high standard of cleanliness. Anglers are kindly requested to respect their endeavours by keeping their vessels shipshape & litter free. Particular attention should be paid to avoiding the unnecessary practise of pulling muddy anchors on board. These should be shaken clean before being lifted into the boat. Your assistance in this matter will be most appreciated.

Guiding & Tuition:

Why not take your own fishing further with a day out on the water with England Internationals and fishery staff Lee Henfrey or Tom Bird? Whether you wish to get to know the water better, or hone a particular skill, our guides can help to improve your catch rates.  Visit the website www.flyfishguiding.co.uk for more information or book a slot by calling the lodge on 01788 812018.

Keep up to date with the latest catches and fishing posts from our in-house fishery ranger and guide Tom Bird, by following him on Facebook. Tom has been catching some great fish this season and posting pictures of the fish as well as a light write up on how he has been catching them.

Early Morning Anglers

Due to a number of complaints from the residents of the houses by the main  Draycote gate,could all anglers arriving early in the morning please keep noise to a minimum level, and if waiting for any more than a few minutes, please switch off your engines. The main gate is open from 7.30am

Tight lines,

The Draycote Team

Follow Us on

facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore

Draycote weekly report 4th March

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote Water weekly report week ending 4th March 2018

Telephone Number 01788 812018

Report

A very rocky start to the season with the beast from the east putting paid to any boat fishing for the first two days here at Draycote water. Strong winds and sometimes blizzard conditions on Friday made fishing from the bank difficult at times. However, 3 hardy souls braved the weather, Mr Day was rewarded for his long drive from Worcester with the first fish of the 2018 season taken from the Swans Nest on a black and green fritz. Due to the heavy snow overnight Friday, Saturday the sight was closed by Severn Trent due to the hazardous driving conditions around the perimeter road.

After some sterling work by the fishery staff on the Saturday clearing ice from both the pontoon and boats, anglers were finally able to go afloat on Sunday morning. A misty start and calm conditions combined with an air temperature of about 3 degrees made it feel positively tropical after the previous days especially when the sun finally broke through about midday. Due to the previous days cold snap it was a slow start to the day with the odd fish getting caught from the bank on the usual black and green fritz. However, after a few hours the day warmed and improved the fishing. The real hotspot for the day was the Swan’s Nest in Toft, due to the shallow water it warmed up quickly which seemed to draw the fish in. M Watts landed 7 fish from the first fishable section of Toft after the Dam wall using orange blobs and lures on an intermediate. Paul Walley fished just up the back to land 5 on combination of blobs and boobies. Out on the boats Tim and Alan Joyce landed 11 fish from the far side of Toft fishing on various lures. Mike Weever fished the swans nest using a booby minkie. David Hoppe also fished the Swans Nest in the afternoon to land 5 fish on cormorants. Away from the swans nest several fish were caught along the cornfield and the tower bank and various lures and boobies. Out on the boats Gareth Jones took to the water with Draycote’s Tom Bird with the pair landing just short of 20 fish to the boat on sinking lines with boobies and lures. They found the fish 30 yards off the cornfield in the morning in mid water then later in the afternoon found the fish very keen in Toft.

Looking ahead to next week the weather is due to be settled with mild temperatures which will get he fish on the feed and moving onto the shallows.

LOYALTY CARD Our day permit loyalty card system will continue into 2018, with the change to our upper permit limits being reduced from a 8 Fish Limit to a 6 Fish Limit in future all 8 fish loyalty stamps you have will be when eligible be exchanged for a 6 fish permit

 

Weekly Boat draw

Congratulations to Mr B Stubbs of Atherstone. who is the winner of this week’s free boat draw.

Weekly Stats:

Number Rods: 26 Number Trout Taken: 21  Number Trout Released:   62

Total Catch:      83       Weekly Rod Average:  2.8

Current Fishing Times:

Bank: 07:30 until : 17:30

Boat All Day: 08:30 until 17:30

Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 13:00   PM 13:00   until 17:30

Last 4 Hours from: 13:30     until    17:30     (Ticket sales available from 13:15)

Gutting Room Closes – 17:15

All Anglers to be off site by: 18:00

Fishery News

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!

Dates for your diary:-

Competition                                                                         Contact

Loch Style Team Championships- 30th June/1st July- Angling Trust- Anglingtrustevents.net

Sceirra Pairs- 29th July- Phil Dixon- scieirrapairs.com

10th/11th August- Anglers World Holidays- anglerworldholidayschampionship.com

Troutmasters FinalMonday 8th October – See Fishery staff. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FISHERY WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY FOR THIS BOAT & BANK EVENT

 Boat Cleanliness:

Our hard pressed team strive to maintain the boats to a high standard of cleanliness. Anglers are kindly requested to respect their endeavours by keeping their vessels shipshape & litter free. Particular attention should be paid to avoiding the unnecessary practise of pulling muddy anchors on board. These should be shaken clean before being lifted into the boat. Your assistance in this matter will be most appreciated.

Guiding & Tuition:

Why not take your own fishing further with a day out on the water with England Internationals and fishery staff Lee Henfrey or Tom Bird? Whether you wish to get to know the water better, or hone a particular skill, our guides can help to improve your catch rates. Visit the website www.flyfishguiding.co.uk for more information or book a slot by calling the lodge on 01788 812018.

Keep up to date with the latest catches and fishing posts from our in-house fishery ranger and guide Tom Bird, by following him on Facebook. Tom has been catching some great fish this season and posting pictures of the fish as well as a light write up on how he has been catching them.

Early Morning Anglers

Due to a number of complaints from the residents of the houses by the main Draycote gate,could all anglers arriving early in the morning please keep noise to a minimum level, and if waiting for any more than a few minutes, please switch off your engines. The main gate is open from 7.30am

Tight lines,

The Draycote Team

Follow Us on

facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore

Draycote Opens 2 March

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote opens 2nd March

Draycote staff a busy getting everything ready for the start. We are in a current weather system of snow, ice & wind, we recommend therefore you follow our updates on here & our facebook page www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Boats are fully booked for opening Day Friday 2nd March, Saturday 3rd March & Sunday 4th March

All bank car passes are booked for the opening day with limited availability for the 3rd & 4th, call the lodge to pre book your bank fishing car pass to avoid disappointment

Call 01788 812018

 

Dates for your diary

We will also be taking bookings for our popular RIO SAGE day hosted at Draycote on May 6th with Simon Gawesworth of Rio & Jim Fearn of SAGE on hand to take you through the full range of Trout, Salmon & Saltwater rods & lines pre- booking essential details on www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk RIO & SAGE DAY PAGE, limited availability

 

Draycote opens 2nd March

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote opens 2nd March

Boats are fully booked for opening Day Friday 2nd March, Saturday 3rd March & Sunday 4th March

All bank car passes are booked for the opening day with limited availability for the 3rd & 4th, call the lodge to pre book your bank fishing car pass to avoid disappointment

Please note for 2018 season our upper 8 fish limit has been reduced to a 6 fish limit, the day permit rate has been adjusted down accordingly.

Any angler with stamps on their loyalty card for 8fish will be eligible when their card is full for a FREE 6 Fish permit.

Call 01788 812018

Draycote hosts a number of competitions during the 2018 season, for dates & booking details visit www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/competitions/

 Dates for your diary

 We will also be taking bookings for our popular RIO SAGE day hosted at Draycote on May 6th with Simon Gawesworth of Rio & Jim Fearn of SAGE on hand to take you through the full range of Trout, Salmon & Saltwater rods & lines pre- booking essential details on www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk RIO & SAGE DAY PAGE.

 

Draycote Update 2018

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote opens 2nd March

Boats are fully booked for opening Day Friday 2nd March, Saturday 3rd March & Sunday 4th March

All bank car passes are booked for the opening day with limited availability for the 3rd & 4th, call the lodge to pre book your bank fishing car pass to avoid disappointment

Call 01788 812018

 

RIO SAGE Day 6th May

Our free guiding sessions using a SAGE rod & RIO line of your choice has only 3 spaces available

We still have spots available for your half hour one to one session with Simon Gawesworth or Jim Fearn were you can have the best opportunity to get those niggles in your Trout, Saltwater or Double Handed Rod casting sorted.

December 2017

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote 2018 season opens 2nd March

Details on available membership which starts from £435.00 EMAIL lodge@flyfishdraycote.co.uk or call 01788 812018 for latest availability

Taking bookings call 01788 812018 please leave a message on the answer machine including a contact number or email lodge@flyfishdraycote.co.uk

Group & competition discounts available contact the lodge for details

Looking for that last minute Christmas present we have gift voucher & tuition days available to purchase online at www.flyfishstore.co.uk they make the ideal Christmas gift

With Christmas less than a fortnight away we would like to take this opportunity of wishing all our customer a Very Happy Christmas & New Year

 

Draycote Report W/E 30th November 2017

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote Fishing Report w/e Thursday 30th November 2017
A very cold week at Draycote with frosty starts and frozen boats nearly every day. A 18mph south westly winds with single figures on the temperature gauge made for a very cold day. Although the overcast conditions did help the bank anglers to tempt some fish.  Kevin Rees fished in Dunn’s Bay with a floating line 2 shrimp patterns and a small size 12 FAB to land 7 fish. Later in the day Ray Cramp joined Kevin to land 6 fish with a lure on the point and shrimp pattern 6 foot away on a dropper. Out on the boats George Leaton landed 4 fish from down in Toft on a sinking line and a minkie.
A frosty start Tuesday with an overcast start, the sun soon broke through and warmed the temperatures slightly to around 5°C so certainly not warm. The winds had dropped slightly leaving 12mph winds making quite an enjoyable fishing day if not a little cold. On the bank Tony Broadway made his final visit of the season landing 6 fish from the far side of toft washing lining nymphs. Fishing along side Tony was Jude Tuffs and John Dews who landed 4 and 3 on the same tactics. Out on the boats Ed Douglas enjoyed great sport landing 12 fish. Ed fished anchored off Farnborough spit with a Di 7 line and boobies to start but found that in the middle of the day the fish had come up in the water and a di 5 was the best line. Mr D Grierson also enjoyed good sport on the boats fishing a di 5 sinking line and a black snake to land 8 fish fishing at various points along the Farnborough Dam wall.
Freezing conditions Wednesday with the return of the 18mph winds and temperatures that didn’t increase about 3°C. Meant it was a real day for the hardcore anglers, among these hardcore select. Season ticket holder Dave Kennel fished the bank landing 4 fish on shrimps and Fabs from Dunn’s Bay. On the boats season ticket holder Paul Liversidge landing 7 fish fishing down the Farnborough Dam wall on sinking lines and boobies. Mr Gardner enjoyed a great days sport in the cold conditions landing 10 fish anchored half way down the Farnborough Dam wall fishing a booby on a sinking line. Another boat fishing sinking line and boobies to great success was that of Ed Douglas and Jim Smith who boated 14 fish between them on a di 7 and di 5 sinking lines with boobies.
The final day of the 2017 season saw another freezing cold day with 3°C 18mph north-westerly winds. Again, making it not very warm and a day for plenty of layers, although the fish did reward the anglers brave enough to venture out with the 13 rods catching a total of 62 fish for a last day rod average of 4.7. On the bank season ticket holder Brian Allwood landed 5 fish from Biggin Bay and Dunn’s. John Dickens also fished Dunns’ and Biggin to land 4 fish on FAB’s and shrimps. Out on the boats Adam Larbalester and Ben Bayliss landed 10 fish on tubes fished on a Di 7 sinking line across various points across the lake including a fantastic 4lb rainbow. Ian Reeve, Richard Reeve and Steve Hibberd enjoyed great sport with Ian and Steve landing 16 fish on snake boobies and humongous, with Ian’s son Richard landing 6 fish. Finally out on the boats Ian Shobbrook landed 6 fish once again fishing boobies on a sinking line.
With the fishery now closed all the Draycote staff would like to thank all the anglers who visited the water and made such a fantastic season. A total of 11,779 anglers visited the water catching a total of 53,552 fish for a season rod average of 4.54. Over the course of the season 14,988 trout where taken and 38,554 trout returned. We close the season with 11,779 trout swimming around, so its hoped that number will over winter and provide some great silver fish for next year. The fishery opens again on Friday 2nd March and we are taking bookings for the 2018 season.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 64 Number Trout Taken: 68  Number Trout Released: 102
Total Catch:  170   Weekly Rod Average: 2.6
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
Follow Us on
facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore
twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore

Draycote Report W/E 26th November 2017

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote Fishing Report w/e Sunday 26th November 2017
A mixed week regarding the weather with strong winds Wednesday and Thursday which meant no boats out Wednesday. After the strong winds frosts and cold weather came making life challenging especially for the bank angles as the fish opted for the more stable temperatures of deeper water. Although, Once the fish had been in the deeper water a good day could be had and a good bag could be put together. This week 160 anglers visited the fishery catching 353 fish for a rod average of 2.2.
Monday kicked off with a breezy day with winds coming from the South West blowing between 15-18mph. This did drop in the afternoon to around 12mph making the fishing more comfortable at Farnborough Spit and down in Toft. Although the drop-in wind speeds, did mean the rain got a chance to take hold making for a damp and chilly afternoon. On the bank season ticker holder Dave Adkins landed 6 fish from Toft Shallows on the bank all on a Cat’s Whisker. Another season ticket holder doing well from the bank was Kevin Rees who landed 7 cracking rainbows, fishing from Dunn’s Bay up to the tower fishing with shrimps on a washing line. Ray Cramp also fished with Kevin to land 7 fish, but Ray opted for a lure and a shrimp. Out the boats the fishery hosted the annual “Staff Fishing Day” which sees the sailing club, rangers and staff from the restaurant all joining the fishery in a boat for a end of season fishing day. A great day was had by all with every boat catching fish. Taking the top honours for the best boat was in house guide Lee Henfrey and Mark from the Sailing Club who anchored near Farnborough spit to land 9 fish as well as countless dropped fish on a di 7-sinking line and two humongous boobies. Draycote Manger Kevin Hart enjoyed a good day with Kay from the Restaurant and Nina from the Ranger team landing 5 fish with both Nina and Kay landing there first ever fish. Kev anchored their boat along the Farnborough Dam and used a di 5-sinking line and white snake boobies to great effect. A great day was had by all and the fishery would like to thank the members of staff from the sailing club, the rangers and the restaurant for the help and support throughout the 2017 at Draycote.
A damp start to Tuesday with light drizzle and 12-14 mph south westerly winds, the winds did increase slightly around lunch making anchoring difficult off Farnborough spit. Out on the banks Jude Tuffs and season ticket holder Tony Broadway enjoyed good sport at the overflow. The pair found the fish willing to take nymphs fished on a washing line and nymphs fished in conjunction with a minkie on the point. Jude also landed a lovely brown. Out on the boats season ticket holder Colin England and Tony Plummer enjoyed fantastic sport boating 19 between them. The pair opted to fish a mix of minkies and boobies on sinking lines around J buoy and the Farnborough Dam wall. Mr Harrison also took to the boats landing a fantastic 8lb brown from Rainbow Corner on a di 4 sinking line.
Wednesday saw the first stormy day of the autumn which resulted in the boats being cancelled and bank fishing becoming very tricky as the 30mph constant winds hammered the hardy anglers. The only place fishable from the bank was Rainbow corner and the bank anglers where reward with a couple of fish.
The winds had dropped over night leaving a 18mph south westerly, which did increase for a short period in the middle of the day. A bright autumnal sky teamed with these winds certainly looked like it might be a challenging day on the water. However, the earlier weeks forecast of the day meant that all the boats booked for the day had changed to the Friday resulting in no boats venturing out on the water.
The best weather day of the week meant it was a busy day on both the boats and the bank. A frosty start with the pontoon being frozen resulting in the boats being slightly delayed in going out. However, once the sun did come up it left a cold but clear day. The day started flat calm but a Westerly wind of 9-10mph did arrive about 10am which then swung into the South west. These bright clear conditions did make the fishing tricky. Out on the boats Draycote’s own Tom Bird took to the water with Jim Smith the pair fished all around the lake picking the odd fish up at every spot but found a concentration of fish on Farnborough spit. The pair finished the day just over double figures with the best tactic being a di 7 sinking line and 2 humongous boobies. Another boat finding the fish near the spit was that of Michael Hanlon and Dave Atkins who landed 8 fish to the boat again fishing with a di 7 sinking line and boobies, but this time minkie boobies being their top pattern. Due to the bright conditions and clear water it was a struggle for the many of the bank anglers. Although, Kevin Rees landed 6 fish from Dunns Bay on shrimp patterns fished on the washing line, also doing well from the bank. Was season ticket holder John Dickens who fished at the old pipe in Biggin Bay to land 4 fish all of which took a FAB.
Another cold start to Saturday with the Pontoon being completely frozen solid, which again resulted in a delayed start for the boats. The conditions started much the same as the day previous, with light winds and a cool start. After 12 this did change with the wind swinging to the North West and increasing slightly leaving for a very cold day. Neil Heath landed 3 fish from the boats fishing down the Farnborough Dam wall to start then moving into Biggin Bay.  All on Neil’s fish taking a black lure fished on a fast-intermediate line. Mr A Campbell had a great day on the boat landing 10 fish from Toft, Middle Shoal and Biggin Bay. All of the fish took a di 5-sinking line with a mixture of cormorants and cats whiskers. On the bank Jared Burton enjoyed good sport on a last 4-hour permit landing 4 fish on black streamers from Dunn’s Bay.
Sunday saw the annual Fur and Feather match held at Draycote with 22 pairs fishing for fantastic Christmas hamper. The weather looked set for a cold one with the early weeks forecast giving snow for the day, this did change but it was certainly a cold day. A frozen pontoon greeted the anglers, although it was safe enough to get the anglers on for a 9am start. The winds were from the west south west blowing at 12-14mph with clear skies. At the start of the match a lot of anglers headed for the spit with some motoring over towards Biggin leaving a few to split towards Toft and the Draycote Dam. The anglers who headed down the Farnborough Dam wall and the spit where rewarded with early fish which continued to pull for the rest of the day. At the end of the day it was Draycote in house guide Tom Bird and his partner Jim Smith who won with 16 fish 34lb 11oz. The pair took these anchored of the spit fishing into the deeper was on a di 7-sinking line with 2 humongous boobies. One spaces 4ft from the end of the fly line with the next one 10ft behind that and a slow figure of eight along the bottom. However, as Tom in a member of staff it was decided before the match that the pair would not fish for the prizes just for an enjoyable day on the water. This left the top 3 prizes up for Grabs so winning the hampers was the father and son pairing of Sean and John Hanlon. Who landed 14 fish for 30lb 11oz the pair also fished Farnborough spit on a di 7-sinking line with Sean on a humongous booby which john fished a tube. In second place was David Hoppe and Gareth Jones who landed 11 fish for 23lb 6oz. They found the fish down at the Swan’s nest in toft again on a di 7 sinking line this time teamed with snakes. David & Gareth also landed the biggest fish of the match with a 3lb 13oz rainbow. In third was another member of staff Graham Henfrey who works across several our sites, fishing with Adam Gumby the pair landed 9 fish for 20lb 1oz back drifting near the spit on sinking lines and snakes. An impressive result as Graham has only been fishing for 4 months. Although like Tom, Graham wasn’t fishing for the prizes. Meaning that the 2 bottles of wine each for 3 went to Michael Hanlon and Will Hunt they fished just back from Farnborough spit on di 7 sinking lines to land 8 fish for 17lb 12oz.
With only 4 days left of the season and some light winds coming from the North forecast lets hope that we can finish the 2017 season with a bang and plenty of fish caught.
Weekly Boat Draw
Congratulations to Mr Chris Aubrey of Rugby who is the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 160  Number Trout Taken: 212  Number Trout Released: 140
Total Catch:  353    Weekly Rod Average: 3.08
Current Fishing Times:
Bank:  07:30 until 1600
Boat All Day:  08:30 until 16:00
Last 4 Hours: 12:00 until 16:00 (Ticket sales available from 11:45)
Gutting Room Closes: 15:30
All Anglers to be off site by: 16:30
Fishery News
Season Permits
There is currently a lengthy list of anglers interested in Draycote Water season permits.  Nevertheless, we advise anyone who has an interest to contact us in the lodge to have their name added to it. Telephone 01788 812018
Boat Cleanliness:
Our hard-pressed team strive to maintain the boats to a high standard of cleanliness. Anglers are kindly requested to respect their endeavours by keeping their vessels shipshape & litter free. Particular attention should be paid to avoiding the unnecessary practise of pulling muddy anchors on board. These should be shaken clean before being lifted into the boat. Your assistance in this matter will be most appreciated.
Guiding & Tuition:
Why not take your own fishing further with a day out on the water with England Internationals and fishery staff Lee Henfrey or Tom Bird. Whether you wish to get to know the water better, or hone a particular skill, our guides can help to improve your catch rates.  Visit the website www.flyfishguiding.co.uk for more information or book a slot by calling the lodge on 01788 812018.
More up to date information
Keep up to date with the latest catches and fishing posts from our in-house fishery ranger and guide Tom Bird, by following him on Facebook. Tom has been catching some great fish this season and posting pictures of the fish as well as a light write up on how he has been catching them.
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!
Early Morning Anglers
Due to a number of complaints from the residents of the houses by the main  Draycote gate, could all anglers arriving early in the morning please keep noise to a minimum level, and if waiting for any more than a few minutes, please switch off your engines. The main gate is open from 7.30am
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
Follow Us on
facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore
twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore

Draycote fishing report w/e Sunday 19th November 2017

Posted by & filed under Reports.

Draycote Fishing Report w/e Sunday 19th November 2017

A week of changing weather and sometimes colder conditions combined to form a good weeks fishing here at Draycote. There were lots of good catches for both boat and bank anglers alike, and from many areas around the reservoir. Lincroft point, the Cornfield and the Swans nest were about the best areas for bank anglers, while Farborough spit, Croft shoal and the area around the valve tower seemed to fish best for the boat anglers.

Monday started bright and sunny with a light north westerly breeze, clouding over by lunchtime. Bank anglers were doing well from Lin croft point and the swans nest. Kevin Rees had 8 fish from the bank, mainly on shrimp patterns, whilst Brian Warwick caught 5 fish on black and white minkies. George Leaton netted 13 fish from a boat whilst the boat paring of Mr G Hogg and Mr P Winterbottom had 11 fish to the boat between them.

Tuesday started overcast with a light breeze. Many of the regulars turned up for bank fishing and whilst the swans nest and Lincroft point proved their worth again, fish were also caught in Biggin bay and from the overflow. Tony Broadway caught 6 fish from the bank, and netted “a nice blue trout” from the overflow. Brian Allwood also did very well from the bank, netting 6 fish on Diawl bachs. John Dickens caught 8 fish from the bank on FAB’s and shrimp patterns from Lin croft point. Peter Elliott reported “good sport” from the bank, catching 9 fish. Mr John Bresnihan remarked on “a tough days fishing”, but managed 7 fish from Lin croft point.

Wednesday was supposed to have light breezes but remained generally flat calm. Fishery Ranger and Draycote guide Tom Bird ventured out in a boat with Jim Smith to net 18 fish. They caught mainly on sinking lines and snakes/minkies, with a very slow retrieve. They fished off Farborough spit, with Jim did taking one fish on a dry fly. Jon Hall caught 11 fish from the bank on Lincroft point, whilst Mr Terry Tappenden caught 9 fish from the bank on Diawl bachs. Ian Richardson caught 4 fish from the bank on a FAB and shrimp patterns. Season permit holder Ed Douglas caught 18 fish on a variety of patterns from the swans nest.

Thursday was a foggy start and flat calm conditions but there was more of a nip in the air. Mike Oliver caught 12 fish from the bank on PTN ‘s, from Toft shallows and Rainbow corner. Draycote regular Mr Dave Smith ventured out in a boat and netted 5 fish from Farborough spit on black and white lures. Dave Adkins caught 4 fish from the bank whilst Jim Hall caught 5. Dave Kennell commented on “a good day” catching 3 fish on a variety of patterns, with his accomplice, Eddie Mitchell catching 11. Mr C J Day caught 7 fish from the bank on blobs and boobies.

Friday was a very frosty morning which caused us to hold the boats back until 9 o’clock. When they eventually got out, Farborough spit seemed to fish well for boat partners David Davis and Ian Bradfield, who caught 15 fish between them on floating lines, shrimp patterns and hares ears. Peter Elliott and Lee Patten also did really well from a boat, catching 19 fish between them, one of which was a brown, estimated to be 7 lbs. The bank anglers also had success with John Clifford netting 6 fish, and Tony Broadway netting 4 near the overflow.

Saturday started overcast with a light drizzle of rain and a south westerly breeze. Mr D Murphy and Mr R Cotterill caught 13 fish from a boat on midge tip lines and homemade perch fry patterns. Mr G Jackson, also fishing from a boat, managed 6 fish on a cats whisker. His bag also included a 4lb brown. Mike garner went fishing in the margins from the bank and had all his success on a black cormorant in biggin bay.

On Sunday George Leaton ventured out in a boat and managed 3 rainbows and a brown estimated to be 4lbs.  Mr Martin Randle and Mr Alan Bennett ventured out in the typically autumnal conditions to boat 10 fish between them. Mr Iain Barr and his boat partner managed to catch 30 fish between them along the Farborough dam. Season permit holder John Falconbridge caught 6 fish from the bank. And certainly one of the best of the week was Mr Paul Taylor, who boated a brown near the valve tower, estimated to be about 10lbs in weight, The fish was returned to fight another day.

With only a couple of weeks left of this season, weather forecasts continue to predict a variety of conditions. With stock levels high at 18,000 fish, & some good feeding ongoing, those of you fortunate enough to be able to “pick your moments” will benefit from the best of the remaining action.

Weekly Boat Draw

Congratulations to Mr Jim Brennan of Coventry who is the winner of this week’s free boat draw.Â

Weekly Stats:

Number Rods: 159  Number Trout Taken: 165   Number Trout Released: 325

Total Catch:  490    Weekly Rod Average: 3.08

Current Fishing Times:

Bank:  07:30 until 1600

Boat All Day:  08:30 until 16:00

Last 4 Hours: 12:00 until 16:00 (Ticket sales available from 11:45)

Gutting Room Closes: 15:30

All Anglers to be off site by: 16:30

Fishery News

Season Permits

There is currently a lengthy list of anglers interested in Draycote Water season permits.  Nevertheless, we advise anyone who has an interest to contact us in the lodge to have their name added to it. Telephone 01788 812018

The Fur and Feather match.

There are just a few places left for this year’s “Fur and Feather” match will take place on Sunday 26th November 2017. The match is a pairs event (fishing with your own boat partner) which, as usual, will be fished to reservoir rules (but rudders will NOT be allowed). The event will be fished to an eight-fish limit (normal permit prices apply) together with a special discount boat price of £15 per boat (reduced from the normal £24.50). Fishing hours will be 9-4pm due to the reduced daylight. This will equate to a cost per angler of £36.50. The winning pair will win a Christmas Hamper each. Second & third prizes will be wines & spirits with port for the largest fish. Boats can be booked in the normal way at the lodge or by phone on 01788 812018.

Boat Cleanliness:

Our hard-pressed team strive to maintain the boats to a high standard of cleanliness. Anglers are kindly requested to respect their endeavours by keeping their vessels shipshape & litter free. Particular attention should be paid to avoiding the unnecessary practise of pulling muddy anchors on board. These should be shaken clean before being lifted into the boat. Your assistance in this matter will be most appreciated.

Guiding & Tuition:

Why not take your own fishing further with a day out on the water with England Internationals and fishery staff Lee Henfrey or Tom Bird. Whether you wish to get to know the water better, or hone a particular skill, our guides can help to improve your catch rates.  Visit the website www.flyfishguiding.co.uk for more information or book a slot by calling the lodge on 01788 812018.

More up to date information

Keep up to date with the latest catches and fishing posts from our in-house fishery ranger and guide Tom Bird, by following him on Facebook. Tom has been catching some great fish this season and posting pictures of the fish as well as a light write up on how he has been catching them.

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!

Early Morning Anglers

Due to a number of complaints from the residents of the houses by the main  Draycote gate, could all anglers arriving early in the morning please keep noise to a minimum level, and if waiting for any more than a few minutes, please switch off your engines. The main gate is open from 7.30am

Tight lines,

The Draycote Team

Follow Us on

facebookwww.facebook.com/FlyFishStore twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore