Draycote Water weekly report week ending 4th June 2017
Telephone Number 01788 812018
Another warm week, with temperatures into the mid 20’s for most of the week. However, there were some great overcast muggy days, teamed with these hot days, that made for great sport in the top couple of feet of the water with a lot of fish moving out into the middle. However, on the bright warm days fish could still be caught on straight lined buzzer and nymph techniques. The week ended with a total catch of 2033 trout recorded to 453 anglers equating to a weekly rod average of 4·48.
Monday started with light winds coming from the east, a warm muggy day saw a lot of fishing moving on the top, with light showers off and on all day. Season ticket holder Ed Douglas was out on the water using small CDC shuttlecock buzzers to tempt 17 fish. Ed found the fish very willing in the morning around X, P and Y buoy. However, as the day progressed the fish became more preoccupied with small shucks and could be seen swimming around in circles with their mouths open. Mr G Davies and Mr B Lloyd enjoyed good sport boating 26 fish using buzzers and nymphs fished on a floating line, with a small booby on the point. The pair found their fish over the School Slips just past the sailing club. Mr Grant Spiller enjoyed good sport landing 24 fish to the boat using a mixture of dries and nymphs fishing along the Cornfield.
Tuesday saw another warm muggy day, however the wind had done a complete 180° change and came from the West. Mr Bettles fished the bank from Dun’s Bay to land 5 fish. He used a small white and green lure fished on a floating line. On the bank Ian Richardson landed 7 cracking fish from the Outlet. Ian used a washing line with a small snail pattern on the point and then diawl bach and buzzers up the line to land 6 rainbows and 1 brown. Fishing the Swan’s Nest in Toft, Richard Timothy landed 10 fish using small black buzzers. Out on the boats season ticket holder Tony Plummer landed 9 fish, from in front of the Inlet using buzzers and nymphs on a floating line. Tony also landed a terrific brown which he returned to the water – estimated at around 6lb. John Furlong was out Tuesday for a 4 hour guide with in-house guide Tom Bird, John fished dries through the middle in the morning with Tom to tempt 5. He then went back out in the afternoon to land another 5 fishing nymphs along the School Slips. Jamie Scott enjoyed good sport on the boat landing 7 fish, 2 of them falling to big reds with the other coming to white and black bunny leeches fished on a di 5. Mr Gwenallt Ifan & Elis Ifan enjoyed good sport from Toft fishing a washing line with small buzzers and crunchers.
A fantastic fishing day Wednesday with light winds from the east in the morning, which swung round to the south later in the day. Mr T Evans & Mr J Billinski landed 27 fish to the boat using lures and nymphs along the School Slips and out along the Hensborough Bank. On the bank season ticket holder Mike Garner fished barbless nymphs in Toft on the opposite side to the lodge to land 9 fish. Another season ticket holder getting into the trout was Brian Allwood who landed 10 fish again from Toft using buzzers. On the boats In-house guide Tom Bird took newcomer to Draycote John O’Hara out. John landed 12 fish, with his 8 fish bag going 23lb. John fished dries under Tom’s watchful eye around X buoy, Y and P buoy. Another boat utilising dries to catch well was that of Nick Dunn and Paul Angell who netted 20. They used crippled midge patterns, CDC shuttlecocks and Shipman’s Buzzers to tempt the fish. Like Tom and John, they found the fish at X & P buoy but also around OL and J buoy in the afternoon. Mr Foster & Mr Webb enjoyed good sport fishing dries and nymphs on a washing line to land 28 fish to the boat. The pair found the fish around the middle, in the same areas as previously mentioned, but also around Toft and the School Slips. Mr Adams & Mr Brooks landed over 20 fish to the boat over in Biggin Bay using straight line buzzer and nymphs techniques.
A very warm sunny day greeted the anglers on Thursday with temperatures over 25°C recorded. Consequently the dry fly fishing was difficult for those that wanted to stick to the top of the water sport. However, this being said, season ticket holder and dry fly lover Kevin Rees did manage 7 fish all on dries through the middle. Kevin used small bits and crippled midge patterns. On the bank Mr Day landed 6 fish all on buzzers from various marks on the lake, but commented the hot weather was just keeping them from the edges. Into Friday & some great conditions saw some serious action for boat & bank anglers alike. Regular angler Jude Tuffs struggled for a take for the first three hours of her session but then found herself amongst buzzer feeding fish in Rainbow Corner. Using size 12 & 14 black buzzer 2’ & 4’ under an indicator she proceeded to net a fine 8 fish limit bag with another 9 rainbows released. Sport was that hectic that she even rang the lodge to cancel an afternoon boat booking! Ian Richardson was also back for more & described his bank sport at the Overflow as “excellent” following a 16 fish session to snail patterns & small diawl bachs. Meanwhile, out in the boat, but also in the vicinity of Rainbow Corner, Peter Elliott stuck to dries & netted some thirty rainbows up to the 5lbs bracket. Norman Perkins also did particularly well with a very respectable 8 fish limit, plus a further dozen caught & released to a mix of buzzer & diawl bach.
Very few anglers on the bank on Saturday, although Mick Cronin ventured out & enjoyed a six fish session. It was a very good day for the boat anglers generally with a rod average of 6·6 for the 61 rods on the water. There were times however, when substantial gusts made things uncomfortable for many out on the water. Interestingly, lots of anglers were reporting how difficult it was to induce takes during the main part of the day, despite seeing many fish right across the venue. However, come late afternoon someone flicked the magic switch & action was fast & furious. Andy Ross & Bob Eaton were a classic case. They had only netted one fish each until four o’clock but came off the water at five having increased that number to 19! Up near the Inlet, one was on buzzers under a bung, the other fishing lures on a Di5 Sweep?! Rainbow Corner, Biggin Bay & the Cornfield all featured well in the Saturday returns. Things continued in similar fashion during Sunday, which ended on a rod average of 6·16. Only two anglers on the bank but Mr Charnley commented on the “great fishing” experienced on his morning session with a five fish tally. We welcomed eight anglers from the Leicester Disabled Fly Fishers who netted a total of 51 between them with Mark Goodge taking a four pound rainbow on a buzzer from Biggin Bay. Sunday was also the last day of a three day break for a Royal Navy group organised by Ian Foxley. They ended their memorable annual visit in competition. Eleven of their seventeen strong group landed the eight fish limit with a final tally of 118 fish taken representing a rod average of 6·94. Their tactics were completely varied with some pulling small lures & blobs & others sticking to nymphing & dries. Ronnie Gent also boat fished down in Toft where he located grown on fish to his diawl bachs & buzzer teams. He ended his session with a fine 8 fish limit bag & a further 9 released.
In conclusion, a very good week all round, with best results by far for those deploying a more imitative approach with nymph or dry fly tactics. We go into next week with the arrival of some deep Atlantic lows, forecast to be bringing some very wet & windy conditions. Best advice therefore is to take good account of up to date weather reports & dress appropriately. More fine sport is nevertheless anticipated…..
Weekly Boat draw:
Congratulations to Mr Peter Giles of Ludlow who is the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 453 Number Trout Taken: 575 Number Trout Released: 1458
Total Catch: 2033 Weekly Rod Average: 4.48
Current Fishing Times:
Bank: 07:30 until : 21:30
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 21:30
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 15:00 PM 15:00 until 21:30
Last 4 Hours from: 17:30 until 21:30 (Ticket sales available from 17:15)
Gutting Room Closes: 21:00
All Anglers to be off site by: 22:00
Fishery News
Tuition Days- Beginners Courses
Saturday 10th June Hosted by Jim Williams of Vision Tackle. Now fully booked.
Sunday 11th June Hosted by Jim Williams of Vision Tackle. Currently four places available
Saturday 8th July Hosted by Kevin Hart and Tom Bird. Currently four places available
Saturday 14th October Hosted by Kevin Hart and Tom Bird. Currently five places available
Call the lodge on 01788 812018 to book or for further information
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
Scierra Pairs Match – 25th June – Visit website.
Alex Booth Memorial – 29th June – Roy Lewin – 07762 746825
Angling World Holiday Heat 5th and 6th August – Visit website
TEFF Fundraiser. Dry Fly Championship 16th September – Ian Colclough – 01543 689117
Angling World Holiday Final – 23rd and 24th September
Troutmasters Final – 9th October. – See Fishery staff.
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 regard 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. Contact the visit the website www.flyfishguiding.co.uk for more information or book a slot call 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.
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
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