Draycote Water: Weekly report ending Sunday 6th November 2016.
Telephone Number 01788 812018
Report
The week started well with Monday being warm and sunny, but then got progressively colder as the days went by. It appears that whilst the boats are fishing reasonably well, the bank anglers are faring that little bit better. Again we see that anglers were catching on a wide variety of patterns and from all areas of the reservoir, with Toft shallows and Biggin Bay being the most predominant spots It didn’t take long for some of the regulars to work out what the trout really wanted and by midweek, reading the catch return was a bit of a walk back in time. Such patterns as Black and Peacock Spiders, Black Pennels and Bibios, or patterns similar to these, started to appear on the catch return from about midweek onwards. Shrimp patterns have also been working extremely well, particularly in Biggin Bay around the old pipe. Again, not a great number of fish have been caught on fry patterns, with flies such as Minkies, only being used as the point fly on a washing line and producing the odd fish.I would describe the water quality as reasonably good, with the weekly rod average coming in at 3.7.
The week started with a warm sunny day, with light winds. Out on the boats Eugene Hughes was up again via the train from London. Eugene landed 12 fish fishing through the middle of the lake on dries and hopper hoppers. On the bank season ticket holder Kevin Rees used shrimp patterns by the old land drain pipe in Biggin to land 9 fish. Another angler having good success on the bank was Ray Cramp who landed 9 fish from the cornfield using a small Minkie. Ray’s catch included a lovely 6lb 5oz brown.
A cold day greeted anglers on Tuesday with a good north breeze. Eugene Hughes was here on his second day on his two day break. Eugene opted to fish with sinking lines around the Draycote Dam wall and H buoy. This tactic boated 17 fish with his best patterns being Minkies and Humungus. On the bank John Hall has a good day landing 12 fish from the Cornfield using a cat’s whisker or just a standard white lure. Also on the bank the Jude Tuffs, Gordon Slack, Tony Broadway and Brian Warwick enjoyed good sport with them all getting over 5 fish. The group of regulars fished in Biggin Bay and Duns using nymphs and small Minkies. Tony Broadway and Gordon also landed lovely fish of over 3lb.
Wednesday saw the bank fishing really come to the fore over the boats. Tony Broadway returned for another day, fishing the north shore from the cornfield around to Duns Bay. Tony landed 20 fish using a floating line with a Minkie on the point and then a small black spider above it. Included in Tony’s catch was a fantastic rainbow of 5lb 7oz. Also on the bank Rodger Davies landed 6 fish all on Minkies from the North shore. Mr Tappenden landed 10 fish from the bank fishing nymphs on a floating line with Diawl Bachs and Crunchers being his best nymphs.
Thursday saw the wind turn 180° to a south westerly; this caused the temperatures to warm slightly from the previous day due to the reduced wind chill factor, out on the boats Steve McGregor and his father Robert where out on the water down from Scotland. The pair landed 9 fish to the boat, with Steve landing 7 of them. Their tactic was to fish a suspender Minkie on the point teamed with a small Minkie on the dropper. Both of them commented on the amount of follows and takes they had as well which they came a little shore. The best area for the pair was Draycote Dam. Also out on the boats Dave Heseltine landed 9 fish using black and green Minkies and a small black and silver nymph, Dave fished around Toft, Biggin Bay and Tower bank to catch his fish. Out on the banks Brian Warwick landed 15 fish all on a small size 14 black spider from the Swans Nest. Also out on the bank at the swans nest were Chris Heyburn and Julie Chandler who landed 6 and 8 fish. The best tactis for Chris was Hares Ear, Snatcher and black pennel. Julie used white Minkies and black and grey buzzers. Jim Hall also fished the swans nest landing 12 fish but Jim commented that he had no one particular fly that stood out he cause on “all sort”.
Friday saw the wind remain in the west but drop in strength. On the bank season ticket holder Peter Elliot fished the cornfield to land 19 fish including loads of pulls and lost fish. Peter’s tactic for the day was to fish a Minkie on the point with buzzers and Diawl bachs above. Brian Warwick again fished the Swans nest in toft with small spider patterns to land 17 fish. Over on the Cornfield another season ticket holder getting into the action was Colin Granger who landed 12 fish on a suspender Minkie and a small black and silver cruncher type pattern. Mr C.J Day also enjoyed good sport from the bank landing 12 fish using a washing line with shrimp patterns. On the boats Steve and Robert McGregor enjoyed good sport again on the Minkies to land 17 fish to the boats. The pair found the fish again on the Draycote Dam wall and coming across through Biggin and of J buoy near the pontoon.
Saturday saw the wind swing back to the North which again caused a drop in the temperature. Out on the boats Richard Dayman and J Kirk enjoyed good sport using 3 inch per second sinking lines and boobies to land 17 fish to the boat fishing over in Biggin Bay. On the boats Chris Discombe and Jim Brennan fished over Croft Shoal with white Minkies to land 5 fish to the boat. On the bank Ian Weston landed 7 fish on Minkies from the cornfield including two cracking fish of 3lb 8oz and 4lb 6oz.
A bitterly cold strong northerly wind meant only a few braved fished in the cold conditions, which then later gave way to went windy cold conditions. Fishing the cornfield Kieron Barnes landed 9 fish using Minkies on floating lines fished very slowly. Out on the boats regular Jim Smith enjoyed good sport as landing 17 fish on Minkies fished tight into the shore line with a slowly figure of eight retrieve
Finally, we are sad to announce the untimely and sudden death last Thursday of Draycote regular Steve Pearson. His presence at the venue will be missed and our warmest thoughts are with his family and angling friends
Closing Date
The closing date for our fishing season this year is 30th November 2016.
Season Permits
2017 Season Permits, We currently have a waiting list, however if you’re interested in receiving information on availability of season permits at Draycote we recommend your details are added to the list to avoid any future disappointment.
Catch Returns
Could all anglers please fill in the catch return sheet before departing. The sheets will either be located in the gutting room or in the lodge depending on time. It is very important to us for both the fishing report and stock levels.
Selling of Fish
Anglers are not allowed to sell or distribute fish to members of the public on site.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 170 Number Trout Taken: 192 Number Trout Released: 438
Total Catch: 630 Weekly Rod Average: 3.7
Current Fishing Time:
Bank: 07:30 until 16:30
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 16:30
First 4 Hours: 08:30 until 12:30
Last 4 Hours from: 12:30 until 16:30 (Tickets on sale from 12.15)
All Anglers to be off site by: 17:00
No gutting of fish after 15:45
Please note that because of the shorter days we have now split the day into the first 4, and last 4 hour permits, priced accordingly. A full day boat will still be priced as normal as will the 4 and 8 fish permits.
Weekly Free Boat Draw
Congratulations to Mr Jim Hall from Hinckley who is the winner of this week’s Free Boat Draw.
Demo Tackle
New SAGE X rods in stock including a SAGE X 10ft 7wt Demo rod for you to take out and try. We now have a considerable amount of Sage & RIO demo tackle available to try at Draycote. The following link will take you to the website where you can check out the available items: We have added a 10ft 7wt SAGE ACCEL to our demo rods. The Sage One is currently in the process of being phased out. Very limited stock left. Contact the Lodge for details of special offers.
http://www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/demo-tackle-3/
Forthcoming events:
The annual Fur and Feather match will be held this year on Sunday 27th November, and will be fished as a pair’s competition. The winning pair will receive a Christmas hamper each with second, third and largest fish will win a selection of seasonal drinks. Please note there will be no raffle this year, no need to bring along a prize. Competition rate for this will be £68 per boat for a 16 fish limit to the boat (£34 per angler). Competition will be fished to fishery rules, NO RUDERS. Please call the lodge on 01788 812018 to book your place.
Disabled Parking Bays
Anglers need to ensure that whilst obtaining a fishing permit, they do not park in the disabled parking bays adjacent to the main car park, unless they are the holder of a duly displayed “blue badge”.
Gutting Room
Please be aware that the Gutting Room refurbishment has now been completed. We ask that you respect the facility and leave it in the same way in which you would wish to find it. Please also note that no fish are to be gutted after 15:45
Anchoring
Boat anglers are politely reminded of the ruling that there is no anchoring within 100 yards of any pontoon, aerators or the Tower. This is especially relevant to the harbour pontoon as its own mooring chains & anchors extend out a considerable distance from the end of the harbour & are easily fouled.
Bank Anglers
Car passes should be booked prior to coming fishing, as we only have a limited number available.
Rudder Hire
Boat anglers may wish to note that we now have a rudder for hire at the daily rate of £7. It can be pre booked at the time you make your boat booking.
Tight lines
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