Draycote Water: Weekly report ending Sunday 16th November 2016.
Telephone Number 01788 812018
Report
A very changeable week, with some lovely late Autumnal days with overnight frosts, mixed with very wintery conditions of strong winds and heavy rain. It’s these windy and rainy days that have slightly knocked the fishing this week, as it meant the anglers could not fish their flies effectively. This being said 164 anglers did catch a total of 513 fish giving a weekly rod average of 3.1.
The week started with warm overcast conditions, with a Westerly wind. Out on the boats Adam Larbalestier and Ben Bayliss made the drive down from Cumbria to enjoy a day’s fishing. The pair landed 20 fish to the boat, the tactic being Minkies and minky boobies drifting down the Farnborough dam and then into toft. On the bank season ticket holder Kevin Rees landed 11 fish washing lining shrimps with a small FAB on the point. Kevin found the fish by the pipe in Dunn’s bay. Just up the bank from Kevin was Ray Cramp who landed 9 fish again using a washing line with small boobies Ray’s 8 fish went 24lb.
Tuesday saw a warm day with the bank busy with anglers enjoying back end sport. At times the wind dropped giving near flat calm conditions in Biggin Bay. On the bank Jude Tuffs had 11 fish taking 7 fish by 11am. Jude fished with Minkies, shrimps and small black booby to catch her fish in Biggin Bay. Fishing alongside Jude and not to be out done Tony Broadway landed 11 fish as well using a washing line with shrimp patterns and then moving onto a Minkie booby and a blob on a slow intermediate line. Also on the bank where Brian Warwick and Jim Hall who landed 10 fish apiece. The pair opted to fish the swans nest in toft using Minkies on the point and a small black spider on the dropper. Another bank angler doing well was season ticket holder Ed Douglas who landed 12 fish using a washing line with small buzzers. Out on the boats Mike cox and Howard smith did well landing 14 fish to the boat the pair used Minkies and red arsed green peter to land the fish, casting close to the shore in Biggin Bay and down in Toft.
A breezy day Wednesday meant it felt cold on the hands for the angles who braved the blustery conditions, with showers mixed in with the windy conditions it wasn’t the most enjoyable day to be on the water. This said a number of angles found the fish willing to pull back. One such angler was Tony Broadway who landed 16 fish. Tony started out in Biggin Bay fishing by the pipe, landing 9 fish there, before the wind go too strong. Tony then took a move to the outlet and Rainbow corner and continued to catch. The best tactic on the day for him was to use Minkies on either a floater or a neutral density line. Another angler doing well from bank was Mr Baggott who landed 7 fish all of which fell to Humungus fish at the Swans nest. Out on the boats Pete Fisher had a great days sport fishing down in Toft to land 15 fish Pete used caddis patterns and dries, with his best fish being just short of 4lb.
Thursday started off with sun and a light wind, however this soon changed with very heavy rain and very high winds pushing though at about 1pm, it was this wind and rain that forced a lot of anglers off the water early, however before and early departure there where fish caught. Brian Warwick landed 8 fish using a floating line with a Minkie on the point and a small black spider on the dropper. Also on the bank Lea Tones landed 7 fish including 2 fish of 4lb, Lea found that the fish wanted pink and white Minkies fished on a floating line in either toft or rainbow corner.
A very cold start to Friday with overnight frosts, which made the pontoon and the boats very icy, the cold wind also make fishing conditions a little uncomfortable at times. On the bank Mr C.J Day landed 6 fish taking 4 on shrimp patterns in Biggin Bay and the other 2 falling to Minkies fished in Lincroft point. Ed Douglas also landed 5 fish from the cornfield. Out on the boats Dave Smith landed 6 fish using black and green boobies near croft shoal and Lincroft point.
Another hard overnight frost meant a very cold start Saturday; a steady breeze picked up, however clear skies made the fishing enjoyable if not a little fresh at times. On the water the Bristol Reservoir Fly Fishing Association had travelled up from Somerset to enjoy some late season action. Good catches where recorded across all 12 anglers. Tony Baldwin enjoyed good sport landing 9 fish, tony used shrimp patterns and a Minkie on the point on a 15ft sink tip. Tony found the fish along the top Dam wall, Biggin Bay and then did a drift through the deeper water of the Hensborough bank and picked fish up in the middle. Mark Miles also landed 9 fish using Minkies on an intermediate line in similar areas to Tony. Also out on the boats Jim Smith caught 7 fish using Minkies, Jim found the fish along the flat stones and seemed keen to take a pulled fly. Season ticket holder Tony Plummer also fished Minkies on an intermediate at the flat stones to land 5 fish, Tony commented that the fish where straight on the fly as soon as it hit the water but you had to let it sink and then pull to convert the action. Richard Dayman and boat partner J kirk caught well boating 19 fish using a Di 3 sweep with damsel and damsel boobies anchored in Rainbow corner. From the bank season ticket holder Peter Elliot had a good day on the tower bank landing 16 fish. Also on the tower bank near the treatment works overflow was Mr K Okomoto who landed 8 fish on a short 4 hour session using Minkie boobies on a fast intermediate line.
A very windy cold start to Sunday with a strong north westerly blowing straight into the corner of the pontoon, at the start of the day it looked like the boats may have to be cancelled, however the winds soon dropped meaning the boats could get out on the water. The boat anglers headed over to the fair side of the lake in Biggin Bay and the top dam wall in order find comfortable fishing conditions. Mr Clawson and Mr Bray enjoyed good sport fishing the tower bank from a boat landing 8 fish. Jim Smith also retunred in the afternoon once the wind had calmed down a little and landed 4 fish in 3 hours again using Minkie fishing along the Draycote Dam wall and into Biggin Bay. On the bank Mick Hanlon took 4 fish over on the Tower Bank using Minkies on a floating line.
Looking ahead to next week the colder nights and hard frosts that have been seen through this week should keep the fished attention on the fry and they should start really herding them up in packs. The weather also looks good for our end of season Fur and Feather match on Sunday 27th, there is still limited places available for this. So if you fancy a go call the lodge on 01788 812018 to book your place.
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: 164 Number Trout Taken: 203 Number Trout Released: 310
Total Catch: 513 Weekly Rod Average: 3.1
Current Fishing Time:
Bank: 07:30 until 16:00
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 16:00
First 4 Hours: 08:30 until 12:00
Last 4 Hours from: 12:00 until 16:00 (Tickets on sale from 11.45)
All Anglers to be off site by: 16:30
No gutting of fish after 15:15
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 Adam Larbalestier from Cumbria 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 second paring will receive a bottle of spirit each and third will receive bottles of wine.The prize of the largest fish will win be a bottle of port. 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 RUDDERS. Fishing times will be 9am-3pm.
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 15:15
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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