Draycote Weekly Fishing Report w/eSunday 9th August 2015
Telephone Number 01788 812018
Some tremendous action has been experienced by many anglers this week, during which period we have seen a continuation of excellent surface sport. Some very fit fish in the 3-5lbs bracket have been encountered. More & more anglers are taking to dry fly tactics with many fish coming blind to teams of flies presented delicately over the front of a drifting boat. Patterns such as Bob’s Bits, Shipman’s Buzzers, Hoppers & Daddies have all been producing – mainly in reds, oranges & claret. There has also been some more falls of flying ants, which although spasmodic, have caused some frantic action for those lucky enough to find themselves amongst it. One such angler did especially well during one of the ant falls using a Bibio, but black coloured Bob’s Bits have been effective too.
Whilst many rods have again got into double figure catches, others have struggled. Key to success at this time of year is clearly well balanced tackle and with additional attention paid to presentation.
Monday started really well with a rod average of 5.4 for the day. Sean Hanlon excelled with a 15 fish tally on a mix of dries & washing line tactics using small Diawl Bachs. Newcomer to the world of fly fishing, Peter Biernacki also did well to tempt 6 to his daddies fished from the bank.
Tuesday & Wednesday were both harder days for boat & bank alike. However, Sean Hanlon was back on the water & put ten fish into the net on both days. His boat partner, Jamie Nairn also landed nine on Wednesday – all on dries. Despite more challenging conditions it also came as no surprise to see regular Dennis Jones also record a ten fish total from the bank with his fish coming to small diawl bachs. The Mead/Tearle pairing also showed the way with another 30 plus weekly tally to dry fly tactics over the front of their drifting boat. Thursday & Friday saw many anglers practising for the Lexus & we were pleased to play hosts to them for the final heats of this season’s series on both Saturday & Sunday.
The dry fly theme continued with Neil Cohen being rewarded for his long traffic ridden drive up from London. His eight fish bag included four rainbows over 4lbs. Season ticket holder John Dickens also enjoyed fine sport netting fifteen on dries followed by Clive Wilkins who boated eleven to a red sugar cube dry fly. Many of his fish were also in excess of 4lbs. On the bank Tony Broadway found feeding fish in Biggin Bay & managed a grand total of 17 to a team of straight lined buzzers. He also caught a beautiful roach of about a pound & a half. Don Roper enjoyed the whole of Lin Croft to himself on the bank during his Friday visit & was rewarded with four rainbows which were also all over 4lbs. Open water drifts were the order of the day for Graham Pearson & Rob Sosbe whose combined catch to Red Bits totalled twenty four.
Although virtually all the anglers were afloat on Saturday, some terrific sport was being enjoyed from the bank in Toft shallows by Henk Van Der Eshoff. He netted a total of 17 rainbows with many in the 3-4lbs bracket & all coming to small black buzzer. Meanwhile, in the first of the weekend Lexus heats, Craig Barr led the way with a 23 fish total. Tom Bird followed him into second place catching 19 with Lee Henfrey in third with 18. The events were fished to a four fish bag followed by catch & release. At the conclusion of an eventful competition 30 anglers had netted 228 fish for a rod average of 7.6.
The Sunday heat was a floating line only competition from which Ronnie Gent came out victorious with 16 to his net. Peter Edge, (who had travelled down from Scotland for four days with us), took second spot with a 12 fish tally. He was followed into third spot by Ryan Feber with11. Our own season rod Tony Parker landed the largest fish of the two days with a rainbow of 6lbs 9oz. Twenty seven anglers on day two caught 135 representing a rod average of 5. Congratulations to John Horsey on such a well organised & administered event together with all those who qualified through to the final.
Sunday also saw the capture of the week’s largest fish. Mr Tim Burn netted a fabulous rainbow of 8lbs 3oz as part of his 12 fish tally. Tim presented a size 12 Claret Hopper in slicks & his bag also included another at 4lbs 2oz.
Best Bank areas; Rainbow Corner, Biggin Bay, Lin Croft and Toft.
Best Flies: Bobs Bits, Shipman’s, Hoppers & Daddies. Small buzzers &Diawl Bachs (especially as a washing line)
Weekly Boat Draw.
This week’s free boat draw has been won by Mr Viv Davies from Carmarthen.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 346 Number Trout Taken: 608 Number Trout Released: 700
Total Catch: 1308 Weekly Rod Average: 3.78
Current Fishing Time:
Bank: 07:30 until 20:45
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 20:45
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 14:30 PM 14:30 until 20:45
Last 4 Hours from: 16:45 until 20:45
All Anglers to be off site by: 21:15
Boat anglers are reminded that there is no anchoring within 150yards of the aerators or the pontoons.
Boat Angler Safety Issue: Please all note that the requirement to wear a life jacket at all times whilst on the pontoon & in boats is for your own safety. Please do not under any circumstances tamper with the buoyancy aids supplied. This week an angler tampered with his life jacket removing the gas cylinder from within. It was later found discarded in the boat & appeared to have been extracted for makeshift use as a priest! Thanks to our regime of daily safety checks the jacket was quickly brought back into safe service.
Records: In order to maintain the accuracy of our records could all anglers please ensure that they fill in the catch return sheet before departure. If not in the lodge it will be found on the counter in the gutting room next door.
And finally! You’ll all enjoy this little video produced by Fishing TV featuring Steve Cullen on Draycote at the height of the buzzer back in April. It will be free to view for about another six weeks:
http://www.onlinefishing.tv/channel/game/preview/buzzers-on-big-waters
Tight lines,
Kevin
Follow Us on
facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore
twitter www.twitter.com/FlyFishStore