Draycote Water fishing report week ending Sunday 4th August 2019
Tel: 01788 812018
A very mixed week here at Draycote with cooler weather at the start of the week which brought much needed rain to cool the surface temperatures. However, by the end of the week the warm weather returned with a mix of sunny hot days and overcast humid weather. As a result the fish didn’t know if they were coming or going, with them moving up and down in the water column depending on the day. Overall a total of 277 anglers visited the fishery landing 676 fish, for a weekly rod average of 2.4
With the weather being so changeable the fish have come to a variety of methods. With dries, nymphs/buzzers and pulling all featuring. The dries have been one of the most consistent method with fish willing to poke there noses out even in the hot conditions. The one inconstant aspect to the dries seems to have been the size of the fly needed. At times it seems that a small fly is the only way to get action, whereas later in the week and weekend it was the larger flies with the bigger profile that produced the goods. The top areas to fish dries have been in the middle around P & X Buoy then around the Draycote Dam through B & A buoy. For the anglers who found the fish on sinking lines Di 7 and larger flies proved to be the best option. With snakes and tubes being the best flies, with regards to area’s the sinking line anglers have found the fish in the same areas as anglers who favoured the dries. Although one area that produced over the weekend on the sinking lines was D Buoy and Dunn’s Bay.
The final stand out method for the week has been either nymphs or buzzers fished a on floating line or midge tip. The key to this method has been small nymphs as the fish have seen a lot of flies either small sparse 12s or 14s. The key to fishing these small nymphs is to make sure that you are fishing them with a very slow retrieve or fish them static. See www.flyfishtuition.co.uk/latest-reports for the buzzer article on tips on how to fish these flies static from a drifting boat. The best areas on the nymphs have been around the Hensborough Dam, The Outlet, Dunn’s Bay and around J Buoy.
Season ticket holder Kevin Rees used dries to great effect Monday landing 12 fish on crippled midge. Kevin found that these small patterns the key to pulling fish up through the middle around P buoy. As well as landing good numbers Kevin landed some cracking Rainbows up to 6lb with several others over 4lb. Alex Campbell found that a sinking line with a small barred olive snake the key to landing 5 cracking fish from the Outlet and the flat stones to B Buoy. The fish on Thursday dropped slightly deeper to feed and it was either sinking lines and lures or nymphs straight lined on a floater or midge tip that featured. Steve Barby used the rudder with a Di 7 sinking line with various lures to land 14 fish around X Buoy drifting to the Farnborough Dam. Andy Birkett & Brent Vinall taking advantage of another 3 day break ticket. Catching well on all 3 days. The pair caught on dries, nymphs and sinking lines on their trip. With Andy also catching a fantastic 4lb 8oz brown caught on a small size 14 hare’s ear around P Buoy.
Over the weekend Draycote held the Anglers World Individual Championships heats for the Grand Final held on the water in 2 weeks’ time. With 2 large heats 80 anglers took to the water over the 2 days fishing in the any line then the floating line only day the Sunday. A challenging first day for the 44 anglers who caught 126 fish for a rod average of 2.86. Winning the day was Sean Porter who fished around Dunn’s Bay, A & B Buoy. Sean’s winning tactic was to fish a RIO Midge Tip Long with a red holographic booby on the point and 2 small cormorants on the droppers. Maggie Curtis, Bill McIlroy, Alex Johnstone & Vince all found success around the Hensborough bank, the Overflow and Rainbow Corner, using nymphs fished deep on a floating line or a midge tip. More overcast conditions prevailed on Sunday for the floating line only match, with some sporadic showers coming late in the afternoon. Sunday fished really well with a lot of fish sitting no more than a couple of feet down in the water. The best of the fishing again seemed to be at the western end of the reservoir with Rainbow Corner and A buoy throwing up some good bags of fish. Leigh Pond won the day using a small FAB on the point and 3 size 10 black Diawl Bachs on the droppers. Dries such as fiery brown or claret Crippled Midge worked for some anglers as did two Dabblers with a nymph between.
Draycote Restaurant
The Restaurant here at Draycote Water will be open early for breakfast on Saturday 10th August 2019. Pre booking is advised, by calling 01788 815274.
Disabled Anglers
Draycote has a wheelie boat for hire, which includes a ramp and hydraulic lift for wheelchair access. To book the wheelie boat, call the lodge on 01788 812018.
Fishery Tackle Shop & Online Shop
Draycote has a tackle shop at the fishery stocking SAGE, RIO, VISION, REDINGTON, WYCHWOOD, GREYS, SNOWBEE, FULLING MILL, FARIO, LOON, FISHPOND and STREAMWORKS products with demo SAGE, Vision & Redington rods & RIO fly lines for you to take out and try.
We also have an 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. The Fishery Management (UK) ltd guides top flies for all venues for the washing line and sinking lines can be found on the online shop https://www.flyfishstore.co.uk/offers/”
COMPETITIONS During August.
Anglers World Final 17th and 18th August 2019
Fly Dressers Guild 24th August 2019
Weather Forecast:
We’re often asked which weather forecast we use. In our experience regional forecasts can be quite inaccurate. We tend to use more localised weather apps such as XC Weather or Windguru. These can be downloaded to your phone or computer, and using our post code of CV23 8AB, will give you a dedicated, more accurate forecast for Draycote water.
Weekly Boat draw
Congratulations to Mr Vince Aronica from Loughborough, the winner of this week’s free boat draw.
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 277 Number Trout Taken: 239 Number Trout Released: 437
Total Catch: 676 Rod Average: 2.4
Current Fishing Times:
Bank: 07:30 until 21:00
Boat All Day: 08:30 until 21:00
Boat Part Day: AM 08:30 until 15:00 PM 15:00 until 21:00
Last 4 Hours from: 17:00 until 21:00 (Ticket sales available from 16:45)
Gutting Room Closes: 20:30
All Anglers to be off site by: 21:30
Tight lines,
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