Draycote Water weekly report week ending 10th March 2019
Telephone Number 01788 812018
A week plagued by high winds, saw the boats cancelled 4 days this week. Although while the boats may not have been able to get out on the water the bank anglers have been enjoying some good sport with good catches from several spots across the reservoir.
A tricky start to the week with strong south westerly winds that saw he occasional strong straight westly gust meant that the boat anglers really struggled to fish in the areas that had been so prolific over the opening weekend. The issue then being that once some fish had been located the strong winds meant it was a very difficult task to control the flies and the boat in order to boat any great catches. On the bank Rainbow Corner proved to be the best sport with season ticket holder Michael Ravenscroft landing 3 in just a couple of hours before the winds blew him off. Michaels successful tactic was to use a floating line and a small black and green. The same windy conditions caused issue once more on Tuesday with the high winds the previous day causing the natural bank to colour up meaning that the bank anglers found it a struggle to tempt some willing trout to the net. However, out in the boat Steve Styles fished Rainbow corner for the last hour and half. While he only boated one, he missed 10 other takes using an intermediate line and a black booby.
Blustery, wet & wild would be 3 good words to describe Wednesday, these conditions meant that all apart from one angler opted to stay indoors and take shelter from the weather. However, Mick Cronin was rewarded for braving the elements landing 7. With 5 coming from the overflow and 2 from the Swan’s nest in Toft, Mick found this fish wanting a hot head damsel fished on an intermediate the key to landing fish on a challenging day.
No Boats out Thursday due to the strong south westerly winds with gusts at over 30mph coming through at times. Despite the conditions the lake fished to a 7 fish per man rod average with all in attendance catching. John Dickens found some shelter in Dunn’s making the most of it to land 9. John found the fish wanted a black and green gold head with black buzzers on a floater. Also, out on the water Peter Elliot & Lee Patten landed 13 & 20 fish each. The pair moved around the lake taking fish at the old pipe in Biggin Bay, Dunn’s and Rainbow Corner. Using a mix of tactics from black and green tadpoles and midge tips and floaters to washing lined buzzers.
Friday saw the best day of the week with a slight break in the weather with 14-16mph south west winds. As a result a number of great catches where recorded from both the bank and also the boats. On the bank Mr G Tomkinson fished near the old pipe in Biggin & Dunn’s to land an impressive 22 using a floating line and cat whisker patterns. Fishing the corner of Dunn’s Ifor Bullock landed 13 once again on a Cat’s Whisker. All water season ticket holder Ed Douglas fished at the Swan’s Nest in the morning before moving up to Rainbow Corner in the afternoon to take 9 on washing lines buzzers on a floating line. Fellow all water season ticket holder Dave Kennell enjoyed good sport using a midge tip line with a black and green goldhead to take 16, with Paul Mitchell using the same tactic to land 10. On the boats Andy Birkett & Brent Vinall enjoyed great sport from Toft, Biggin Bay, Dunn’s and Rainbow Corner landing an impressive 32. The pair found the key to success was to use a Di 5 or Di 3 sinking line with olive normads and cormorants, with he best fish for the pair being a fantastic 4lb rainbow. Mr J French & N Ellis who boat 23 from all over the lake with the best flies being green, black and orange fritz. However, the best catch of the day must go to the boat of Geoff Preston who amongst his 9 fish haul was a fin perfect 9lb 8oz brown taken on a Damsel on a Di 5 sinking line in Biggin Bay. The picture of fish can be found on www.facebook.com/flyfishstore.
Unfortunately, the strong winds returned for the weekend meaning the boats could not take to the water either Saturday or Sunday. Once again, the bank offered some great sport for the anglers who still wanted to wet a line on a very windy Saturday. Derby Fly Fishers hosted a bank match with some great catches coming, Mike Weaven landed 12 fish on an orange size 12 lure from Biggin Bay. Clive Wilkins used buzzers on either a floater or an intermediate to land 15. Between the 7 of the club fishing they caught 43 fish for a rod average of 6.1. Clive commented that Biggin was the place to be with he fish 3-5ft down with buzzers or lure taking them all day. Stan Hillman & Mark Parsley also fished in Biggin Bay using Damsels, although they did find fish in Rainbow Corner later in the day finishing the day with 11 & 9 fish.
The winds for Sunday were teamed with heavy rains in the morning and proved to stronger than the day before as a result only a handful of angler braved such conditions. As the saying goes fortune favours the brave, and this was certainly the case for season ticket holder Mike Garner. Who found some shelter at the bottom end of the Cornfield, on the strong north west wind. Mike landed 12 hard fighting rainbows with 9 coming to the cormorant on the point and the other 3 on a nemo cruncher fished on the dropper. Great sport on such a wild day! Fishing just up the Cornfield from Mike was James Gilles who landed 10 fish. James found the wind a challenge to get a good line up so set up using an indicator with a wossit fly underneath to take all his fish. Season ticket holder Martyn Price decided to brave the weather and fished Biggin Bay near the old pipe using tadpoles to land half a dozen fish but commented his must have lost about 10 with them just coming short. Peter Bierancki fished for the last four hours again over in Biggin Bay and Dunn’s to finish with just under double figures again on tadpoles and cats whisker.
Online Shop
For all you anglers who might not be aware www.flyfishstore.co.uk is the online store for Draycote and the whole of Fishery Management (UK) Ltd. During the 2019 season we will be looking at doing weekly specials offers on the website. After the success for the first special offer of the season this week, we have another amazing deal. We have reduced the 2017 Redington Path by 50% making it £64.99 this popular rod is sure to sell fast so make sure you visit https://www.flyfishstore.co.uk/offers/ to see the latest deals for the week.
RIO & Sage Day
On Sunday 14th April Draycote is hosting its popular RIO & Sage with Jim Fearn (Sage) and Simon Gawesworth (RIO) in attendance. They will be able to talk you through the latest kit and be on hand to provide casting sessions. The guiding & tuition team will be running the 1 ½ hour guided sessions, taking you out on the water to test the kit. Helping the tuition team will be Brown Bowl winner and RIO & Sage sponsored angler David Hoppe. To book a session on the boats call the lodge on 01788 812018.
Weekly Boat draw
Congratulations to Mr John Hoskins from Bromsgrove, the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 118 Number Trout Taken: 100 Number Trout Released: 390
Total Catch: 490 Weekly Rod Average: 4.15
Current Fishing Times:
Bank: 07:30 until 18:00
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 18:00
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 13:00 PM 13:00 until 18:00
Last 4 Hours from: 14:00 until 18:00 (Ticket sales available from 13.45)
Gutting Room Closes –17.30
All Anglers to be off site by: 18.15
Tight lines,
The Draycote Team
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