Draycote Water weekly report week ending 19th August 2018
Telephone Number 01788 812018
Report
With the water temperature having dropped to 20 degrees, and more cloudy conditions through the day, the fish now seem to be getting caught across a larger area of the venue. The assistance of the odd shower or two also seems to have improved conditions for bank anglers, with some turning their perseverance into decent numbers of fish landed, particularly so when targeting the deeper areas off the Tower bank and Dunn’s Bay. The main areas to fish remain A, B and C Buoys but fish are now showing up on the Hensborough Bank, as well as P and X Buoy over Middle Shoal.
During the period 157 anglers visited the fishery and caught 391 fish, producing a weekly rod average of 2.5
Monday was a blustery day which led to difficult conditions. However, anglers reported a combination of hooking into fish but dropping them almost immediately or experiencing very tentative takes which were never converted. Mr Malcolm Bryan faired well with 4 fish to the boat on foam daddies. Kevin Rees managed only 2 to the boat on dries and reported on “a tough day”.
Tuesday produced much the same weather conditions and no real improvement in the fishing. A number of our seasoned regulars drew blanks whilst others, through nothing but hard work and determination, managed to get some respectable numbers to the boat. David East and Jude Tuffs caught 4 and 10 fish respectively. Dave Adkins managed to boat 7 rainbows on Pheasant Tail Nymphs in the Aerators. Alan Grant, and his boat partner Mr L Morris, took four each from a boat at the western end of the reservoir.
Wednesday dawned with some cloud cover and a light westerly breeze. The rod average took a turn for the better with anything from a floating line to a Di7 showing up on the catch returns. Fellow boat partners Peter Elliott and Lee Patten caught a dozen between them and John Dickens boated 17 fish for the day, commenting that whilst he was catching on dries early on, he later progressed to a Di 7 and lures. Chris Howkins and Steve Owen boated 18 fish around C Buoy and along the Tower Bank on snakes.
Thursday saw the water temperature drop to 20.5 degrees with showers blowing in from the south west. The weather cleared by the afternoon, but it was just enough to get us all thinking that the end of these difficult conditions was in sight. S Radcliffe caught 5 fish from a boat and Mr Richard Walker and Mr N Barber had seven between them.
Friday was the first time we saw the water temperature show 20 degrees and whilst it seemed a bit chilly and windy at times throughout the day, it remained muggy & the fishing proved a little difficult for some anglers. Draycote regulars Tony Broadway and John Dews managed six from a drifting boat. Mr Peter Fisher managed 4 on soldier palmers. However, Eileen Chatwin boated a dozen and commented on “a nice day out”.
The surface water temperature remained at 20 degrees on Saturday, with winds in the south west and strong gusts at times. This teamed with patches of cloud interspersed with sunny spells made it look like it was to be a slightly challenging day for the anglers. However, several anglers proved that, despite the less than ideal conditions, good catches where still to be had. Jim Edwards had a great day drifting over the boils to boat 20 fish. Jim’s winning tactic was to fish a pink snake on an intermediate line and pull it back straight off the top with the fish taking just a couple of feet under the surface. The boat of L & D Orton enjoyed good sport too netting 21 rainbows between them. Daren Fox fished on a short 5 hour afternoon session in fine form to land eight. He found fish drifting from B Buoy down to the tower about 75 yards off the Draycote Dam wall. All his fish took a yellow FAB fished as part of a washing line on a floater.
Southerly winds to start the day on Sunday which then strengthened and swung more to the west. A cloudy start that did see some sun breakthrough in the afternoon before the cloud returned once more into the evening. Eyebrook season ticket holder Richard Watson enjoyed a good day afloat with son Duncan. They boated 12 fish using black snakes on Di 5, although the fish came just under the surface as the flies were retrieved straight off the top with a quick roly-poly retrieve. Martyn Price and Dave Hancox landed 11 fish using yellow FABS drifting over around C Buoy and down the Tower Bank. Brothers Michael & John Hanlon enjoyed a good mornings sport together using again a yellow FAB but this time on a Di 3 sinking line. They searched out fish feeding at the Flat Stones, along the Tower Bank and then around B Buoy. Alistair Beaumont & Stuart Hall took advantage of our two day breaks. Having enjoyed great sport at Eyebrook on Saturday, it was time to see if they could replicate their success here. This they did landing 19 rainbows between them using a fast intermediate with a pink snake and white minkie with a roly-poly retrieve. All their fish came on drifts from the back of the boils to P Buoy.
Looking ahead, Draycote is pleased to once again be hosting the English Youth National which will take place on Sunday 9th September. However, to help make the event as successful as possible we are looking for volunteer boatmen for the day. Their role is predominantly to ensure the young anglers have a safe & enjoyable day, fishing fairly and in a friendly spirit. Competitors will all be looking to fulfil their dream of competing for England in next year’s youth international. If you have an interest in assisting us with this event as a volunteer boatman, please contact the lodge on 01788 812018. All boatmen will receive a free boat voucher in appreciation of their assistance. These will be valid for use at any of our fisheries.
Next week’s forecasts look favourable with some cooler days on the horizon. We hope to see further drops in water temperatures, and with it a greater increase in fish activity. Considerable numbers of fish taken for the pot have been found to contain small perch fry and we have also started to see the first of the daddy-long-legs in & around the shop.
Weekly Boat draw
Congratulations to Alistair Beaumont from Lancaster – the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 157 Number Trout Taken: 130 Number Trout Released: 261
Total Catch: 391 Weekly Rod Average: 2.5
Current Fishing Times:
Bank: 07:30 until 20:30
Boat All Day: 07:30 until 20:30
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 14:30 PM 14:30 until 20:30
Last 4 Hours from: 16:30 until 20:30 (Ticket sales available from 16:15)
Gutting Room Closes – 20:00
All Anglers to be off site by: 21:00
Guiding & Tuition.
New for the 2018 season the Guiding & Tuition team will running a blog. The idea of this blog is to provide hints and tips from your guides to help keep you catching depending on the conditions, tackle reviews and write up of guiding sessions. To have a look at the blog please visit http://www.flyfishtuition.co.uk/latest-report/
Dates for the Diary
English Youth National – ! Request for Boatmen!
Draycote is pleased to once again be hosting the English Youth National which will take place on Sunday 9th September. However, to help make the event as successful as possible we are looking for volunteer boatmen for the day. Their role is predominantly to ensure the young anglers have a safe & enjoyable day, fishing fairly and in a friendly spirit. Competitors will all be looking to fulfil their dream of competing for England in next year’s youth international. If you have an interest in assisting us with this event as a volunteer boatman, please contact the lodge on 01788 812018.
All boatmen will receive a free boat voucher in appreciation of their assistance. These will be valid for use at any of our fisheries.
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!
Troutmasters Final – Monday 8th October – See Fishery staff. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FISHERY WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY FOR THIS BOAT & BANK EVENT
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
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