Weekly Fishing Report: Draycote, Eyebrook, Thornton
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Draycote Fishery Weekly Report – 01788 812018
Email: draycote@flyfishstore.co.uk
Can we remind members & day rods of our pre payment policy for 2022. Details are on our website www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/
Stocking Policy Details of our stocking policy for Draycote is explained on our website www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/stocking-policy/
2022 Prices & details on our pre-payment visit our website www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/
Week Ending: Sunday 7th August 2022 Rod Av: 3.8 Water Temperature: 20 °C
A cloud start to the week, however, the cloud soon burnt off leaving a bright hot day. Dave Adams fished from a boat over the Aerators to land 6 fish on the morning. Dave used a floating line with an orange daddy with Diawl Bach’s on the droppers. Draycote members Ian Richardson & Bob Barfoot landed 7 fish to the boat, using a washing line set up. The duo used a Midge tip line with a booby on the point and cormorants on the droppers to land their fish with Rainbow Corner being their best area. John Dickens opted to fish dries even in the bright weather and was rewarded with 5 fish falling to Bob’s Bits and daddies. Mark & Liz Dermot over from Ireland landed 10 fish on the first of a 4 day break. The pair fishing washing line set ups and dries taking ling drifts over the open water. All water member Andy Lillie fished with Graham England boating 18 fish between them. They found the fish drifting from the Hensborough Bank toward M Buoy, with a washing line being the best tactics with a sparkler booby on the point, as the fish were “full of sticklebacks”.
A blustery day Tuesday with 17mph winds coming from the Southwest, however, it was a very humid day with high air temperatures. Once again, the water fished well with the anglers producing a 6.3 rod average. Draycote member Peter Elliott & Lee Patten landed 34 to the boat with Peter sticking to dries all day with Bob’s Bit being his top pattern, while Lee opted to washing line. Due to the wind the best area for the duo was to fish off the Draycote Dam wall drifting towards A & B Buoy. Rob Middleton enjoyed a day on the water landing 15 fish, using a washing line with a Daddy & FAB with nymphs on the middle. Like the rest of the boats Rob caught around A Buoy and drifting the Hensborough Bank towards M Buoy. Mark & Liz Dermot on their second day of a 4 day package boated 17 fish all on daddies. Another boat taking advantage of our package breaks was Nigel Evans & Bill Surtees, who landed over 25 fish on Big Orange (A Big red variant).
The gusty wind remained Wednesday with overcast skies to start with however, the cloud did clear leaving a bright afternoon. Despite the conditions Draycote produced a rod average of 7.5 for the day. The fish seem to be holding in the top few feet of the water and are well spread throughout the reservoir. The vast majority of the fish fell to dries, with some caught on buzzers on a washing line and some on lures. Jim Dempsey used the wind and the rudder to net 17 fish on long drifts across open water. Liz and Mark Dermott had 16 fish to the boat using a mixture of dries and nymph patterns. Mr Evans and his boat partner used the big red to good effect boating 25 fish on the drift. In house guide Andy Miller took George Turlas out for a guided session to net 14 fish from Rainbow Corner to M buoy, using foam daddies and snakes.
High cloud and fairly calm conditions greeted us at Draycote Water on Thursday morning. Once again Draycote produced, with a good rod average (5.1) coming from a wide variety of areas on the reservoir. Fish were falling to many different patterns and techniques, and seem to be constantly on the move, foraging for food, but keeping to the top few feet of the water. Season permit holder Tony Broadway had a good day out on a mixture of dries and nymphs, catching a dozen fish during a morning session. Another season permit holder with a dozen fish to the boat was Colin Grainger. Colin used a floating line with pheasant tail nymphs and diawl bachs. Colins boat partner Ian Reeve, who has been catching some good quality fish lately, had 6 fish to the boat on PTN’s. Lee Tones had 15 fish to the boat on hares ears and crunchers with an orange fritz booby on the point. Lee used both a floating and midge tip line and was drifting by the Valve Tower. Liz and Mark Dermott, on the final day of their trip with us here at Draycote boated 15 fish between them. Liz and Mark used a combination of dries and buzzers fished from a drifting boat.
Friday morning was bright, sunny and calm. The conditions did not bode well for a good days fishing but nevertheless, Draycote was once again on good form, producing a daily average of 4.6. Season permit holder Ian Reeve has been putting the hard work in lately and it has been paying off. Ian and his boat partner had yet another good day out, netting over 20 fish on a mixture of olive and white snakes drifting near the Valve Tower. Mr A Scott also caught over 20 fish using FAB’s, diawl bachs and daddies. The father and son pairing of Frazer Duffy senior and junior, netted 18 fish drifting in Duns Bay, Biggin Bay and Alberts Bottom. Season permit holder Ray Rawlings netted 5 fish using a mixture of dries and nymphs fished on a washing line. Ray caught his fish drifting around D buoy in Duns Bay, as well as Toft Shallows.
Cambridgeshire’s Invicta’s FFC held their Carr Cup competition on Saturday. Simon Peck won the competition with 10 fish on a floating line with FABs on the point and a winning bag weight.
28 anglers competed in the competition with a rod average of 5 and most anglers chose rainbow corner or the Valve Tower to C buoy.
Saturday had very light, high cloud with light breezes, and these conditions stayed with us for most of the day. Despite this, the reservoir seems to be holding up quite well. The fish can now be caught right throughout the water column, with fish being taken on anything from dries on a floater and nymphs on a midge tip, to snakes on a DI7. The deeper parts of the reservoir are best through the warmer parts of the day, whilst some fish are being caught in shallower water during the mornings and evenings. Peter Elliott and Lee Patten had over 30 fish to the boat using a washing line and nymphs, from various areas around the reservoir. Season permit holder Mark Braun used white snakes and boobies fished on DI7’s and DI3’s to net 22 fish. Mark kept on the move, drifting around B and Y buoy. Lester Booth and Martin Greatbatch used both wet and dry flies on floating lines to net 11 fish between them from a drifting boat. Draycote regular Ed Douglas caught 7 fish on a mixture of lures and dries drifting in the deeper water at the western end of the reservoir.
Bright conditions prevail at Draycote Water, and it looks like they are set in for the next few days. Sunday fished well, all things considered, with once again fish being caught throughout the water column. Dries weren’t working as well as they have done this past week, with most returns being made with midge tip or sinking lines, using nymphs or lure patterns. John Crowley netted 9 fish during a morning session on FAB’s, diawl bachs and a hot head damsel. John fished down in Toft Shallows as well as taking long drifts over K buoy. Richard Walker fished through the early part of the day to net half a dozen fish around B buoy using sinking lines and snakes. Mr Eatough and his son had a brace on diawl bachs whilst fishing along the bank in Toft Shallows.
Thornton Fishery Weekly Report – 01530 230807
Email: thornton@flyfishstore.co.uk
Stocking Policy Details of our stocking policy for Eyebrook is explained on our website www.flyfishthornton.co.uk/about-us-2/stocking-policy/
Can we remind members & day rods of our pre payment policy for 2022 details are on our website www.flyfishthornton.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/
Week Ending: 7th August Rod Av: 3.2 Water Temperature: 20c+
Monday & the first day of August. Water clarity is good with increasing numbers of a light coloured buzzer size #12 hatching during the day & daphnia showing in the water. Floating line or the various midge tip & longer 6ft & 12ft tip lines are working best with small hoppers, daddies, cdc, diawl bach, cruncher & damsel patterns working best. Main dam, in front of the main public car park & green bay most productive areas. Pete Hunt caught 7 on diawl bachs, R Keeber with grandson Tom caught 5 with Carl Bond catching 4 during the late evening session on a red buzzer, black buzzer & diawl bach
Tuesday, refreshing light rain & a brisk south westerly in the forecast. Pete Cox headed for the area in front of the public car park & dam area, found fish moving off & on, fishing with a midge tip small yellow fab on the point & a diawl on the dropper he caught 11 for his mornings visit. P Cross & S Windram caught 6 for their mornings visit on an orange daddy with Andrew Wilson catching his 4 on diawl bach & buzzer
Wednesday anglers reported fish moving off & on in front of the main public car, dam & stones. Nev Welsh fished with his grandson Jacob who was visiting from New Zealand catching 4 on a diawl bach for their mornings visit. Pete Hunt & John Thomson fished a morning session fishing a washing line they boated 6 on a diawl bach.
Thursday surprisingly cool northerly helped to keep the trout high in the water with the area in front of the main public car park, orange buoy, dam, green bay & stones still producing best to floating or midge tip lines with small fab, diawl bach, orange daddies best. P Mee caught 9 for his mornings visit fishing diawl bachs, Scotty Wilson fished orange daddy to catch his 12 with Jamie Scott & P Wrigley catching 8 each. Jamie Scott success these past few tips is to fish a 12ft slow tip with diawls & fabs.
Friday & similar conditions to yesterday. The morning to teatime session is fishing best with a diawl bach #12 #14 a must have nymph on the leader. Small Fulling Mill Mini Fab Sunburst, damsel, orange daddy & diawls were the flies that caught best with a midge tip or floating line best. All Water member P Walker caught 19 on diawl bach, fab, damsel, Chris Sayer caught 10 for his mornings visit on a diawl bach, Bob Jones caught 8 fishing a washing line with diawls, Olive buzzer while John Bebbington caught 5 on pheasant tail orange thorax, Diawl & Fab.
Saturday same northerly breeze but a brighter day. Anglers opted for the same approach as the day previous with fish at times to be seen feeding on the surface. Jan Webber decided to take a look down the Markfield arm towards the farm bank & caught 4 trout on a blue flash damsel. Green Bay continues to produce with Brian & Alison catching 5 for their mornings visit with M Clay catching 7 on buzzers from the same area. Mark Hunt caught 9 from various spots around the reservoir with a big red been his most successful pattern.
With the brighter Sunday weather the morning session fished best with the green bay area fishing best. Pete Hunt & John Thomson boated 8 for their mornings session fishing the washing line with a Bejesus booby, buzzer and diawl bach.
With the weather forecast for the coming week looking warm the morning session will fish best, we will endeavour to have the boats ready & out before 8.30am
Eyebrook Fishery Weekly Report – 01536 770264
Email: eyebrook@flyfishstore.co.uk
Stocking Policy Details of our stocking policy for Eyebrook is explained on our website: www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/stocking-policy/
Can we remind members & day rods of our pre-payment policy. The 2022 details are on our website: http://www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/
Week Ending: Sunday 7th August 22 Rod Av: 3.6 Water Temperature: 19 – 20°C
A cloudy start to the week, however, the cloud soon burnt off resulting in a hot muggy day, with a cooling westerly breeze. This seemed to be to the fish’s liking as they continued to enjoy the harvest provided by the abundant fly life here at the Eyebrook. Eyebrook regular Ed Douglas was afloat and enjoyed a fine day’s sport fishing his favoured dries. Ed netted & returned 15 trout, whilst all water member Lorenzo Serrano netted over 20, again fishing dries on the drift. There were 2 other boats that recorded double figure hauls & all other anglers caught from the boats. The most successful methods were fishing dries across the main basin & in amongst the weed beds along the Leicestershire bank or fishing a washing lined floater with diawl bachs and FABs. Successful Dry Fly patterns were again, Dry Damsels, Foam daddies & Yellow Owls.
The reservoir continued to fish well on Tuesday with many anglers catching well into double figures. The successful methods were yet again either Dries Or Washing Lined Floaters with Diawl Bachs up the line & FAB’s on the point. All water member Mr Walker had a very successful day catching a high number of fish on either the Dries or Diawl bachs on the Washing Line. Mr Walker found that by chopping & changing between his CDC Dries & the Washing Line he was able to continue to catch throughout the day. It serves as a gentle reminder that just how important it to ring the changes even if we are still catching to keep the fish coming to the net consistently. In addition to CDC’s, other successful Dry Fly patterns included Foam Daddies & Yellow Owls. The Daddies have taken a lot of fish of late in a whole host of colours; Tan, Olive & Orange being the most successful.
Wednesday saw us host the England Disabled Fly Fishers (EDFF) Presidents Cup. 13 anglers were met with a strong south westerly wind & overcast conditions which made things challenging. Despite the conditions, the 13 anglers caught 52 fish between them for a rod average of 4 which is excellent. Congratulations to Dave Porter who was top rod on the day with 10 fish. Most of the fish caught were all caught in the upper layers of water with dries proving to be the most productive method. External to the competition, regular angler Ed Douglas returned for a second visit of the week & had a very successful day, landing well over 20 fish on dries. Whereas Ian Jobe & Clive Moore ventured out for their regular Wednesday session & had well into double figures between them fishing high up in the water column. The most productive area remans the Main Basin, from the Island to Robbo’s all the way into the Dam wall.
The English Fly-Fishing Association (EFFA) held a Summers Members Day on Thursday where Eyebrook’s excellent form continued. 28 anglers caught 146 fish for an overall length of 6053cm between them which gave them a rod average of 5.2. Congratulations goes to Mike Carr who had an overall length of 343cm which saw Mike pip Jeff Hickson by 2cm, very fine margins indeed. For the second consecutive day, the reservoir has yielded an excellent competition rod average which is testament to the success of our current stocking policy. Elsewhere on the reservoir, Chris Bobby & Mark Macleod had a great day on the Dries & Washing Line landing a high number of fish to the boat & Mr Scott landed 9 fish on a Foam Daddy. The Main Basin fished well yet again & the most successful patterns were Foam Daddies, CDC’s, Yellow Owls, Diawl Bachs & FAB’s.
As a potential result of the recent strong northerly winds carrying warmer from the north of the reservoir down to cooler water of the south, Friday brought with it an Algal bloom which made the fishing somewhat challenging. Fish were still caught however, but not in the previous numbers that they were. Those targeting the Damsel feeders around the margins seemed to fair better than those sat over the deeper water of the Main Basin. Those fishing around the weed might well have found the weed acting as a filter to the particles of Algae, therefore providing clear water in & behind the weed. An Algal bloom is a seasonal hazard of fishing large reservoirs during the warmer months, however there are ways to successfully counteract it & still be successful. One of the most obvious ways is to simply avoid it by fishing up wind where the water would be clearer or by searching for clear areas where the Algae isn’t as prevalent. Another way is to fish underneath it. Algae tends to move across the water in a dense band, by varying your approach you can sometimes find clear water underneath the Algae. If we cannot find clear water, it sometimes pays to fish dark flies, as these standouts more in coloured water, very slow to give the fish more chance to see them, There is no doubt that an Algae bloom makes fishing more challenging but by thinking laterally about what we are trying to achieve we can still catch.
Saturday started with a very gentle South-westerly breeze which over the course of the day, swung round to a strong northerly. The moving Algae again made fishing challenging but there was still plenty of fish course on a whole variety of methods. As previously mentioned, finding pockets of clear water seemed to be the key. As the wind swung round the Algae was simply getting pushed around the reservoir so there were no obvious clear locations. There was, however, intermittent patches of clear water amongst the blooms, so by utilizing long drifts anglers were able to come across clear areas. Season Ticket holder Bob Margery had a very productive morning landing 7 fish, 4 of which came in the same drift from The Bell over to Harrisons Corner. Bob fished a washing lined floater with Diawl Bachs on the droppers. Practising for the forthcoming England Ladies Mixed Pairs, Leanne Frost & Chris Bobby had 10 fish to the boat, targeting fish in the upper layers. To amplify the importance of water clarity, when they came across clear patches, the interest from the fish came thick & fast with Leanne landing 3 fish in quick succession. Other methods that seemed to work were Dries on occasions & also FAB’s fished static on a Fast Glass. To illicit a response from the fish, changing methods frequently also seemed to work, with Daniel Tranter landing 6 fish, using 3 different methods.
It was a bright clear start to Sunday. The wind was initially a light South Westerly that developed into a moderate North Westerly by the end of the day. The Algal bloom remained from the previous day & thickened throughout the day as the air temperature increased, making the fishing extremely challenging. 18 Anglers took to the water for the England Ladies Mixed Pairs competition & they caught 25 fish between them which produced a rod average of 1.4 which given the conditions was a great effort. Congratulations goes to Leanne Frost & Chris Bobby, who followed on from the previous day’s success by landing 5 fish between them & taking top pair for the day. Well done to everyone involved on what can only be described as a challenging day, It was great to see you all. Later in the day it became apparent the Algae had begun to clear up in the northern lee areas of the reservoir as the constant wind had begun to push the Algae down towards the harbour. A few days of a consistent wind direction will increase the prospects of finding clear water.