Draycote Report W/E 22nd August 2021

Weekly Fishing Report: Draycote, Eyebrook & Thornton

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Draycote Fishery Weekly Report – 01788 812018

**New Email Address**: draycote@flyfishstore.co.uk

Week Ending 22^nd August Rod Average 4.6      Water Temperature 18‘C

ANGER PARKING NOTICE

All Anglers please note that from Monday 23^rd August Severn Trent has requested that all anglers will now have to return their car to the main car park after unloading, if you require a yellow parking pass please ask for one in the lodge on the morning of your visit.

The wind was stronger than forecast to start the week coming from the West Northwest, these strong winds seemed to bring the fish higher in the water feeding just before the waves. All water members Chris Bobby & Lianne Frost enjoyed a good day landing 15 fish around J & T Buoy fishing washing line set ups on slow intermediates. Andrew Farmer fished around the Top Dam wall drifting out towards the open water to land 7. Fishery Ranger and Guide Lee Henfrey fished for a half-day session with friend Gaz Roberts. The pair landed 23 fish with Lee taking the majority fishing with a Di 5 40 plus sinking line with an olive snake and a sparkler on the top drop. With drifts around J, T and N Buoy their most productive.

The winds remained in the Northwest Tuesday with mostly overcast conditions for the day. Draycote season ticket holder Mike Garner fished from the bank landing a brace on a Sedgehog from the Old Pipe in Biggin Bay & along the Cornfield. Dave Atkins fished from a boat landing 11 fish from around X Buoy with dries working and also snakes fished on a Di 3 sinking line. Jack Vallis fished with a Di 5 sinking line and a sparkler booby to take 7 fish drifting the open water. Mr N Woodroff used a washing line set up to land 17 fish. Tony Baldwin used dries and also pulling to take a dozen fish.

Another overcast day Wednesday, which once again meant the fish came to flies fished high in the water. All water season ticket holder Norman Perkins landed 17 fish using foam daddies with orange being his best pattern. Norman found the fish around the Valve Tower and then around Y Buoy. Traveling Welsh anglers Llyr Evans & Gerwyn Evans landed 18 fish to the boat again on daddies with Daddyhogs being their best patterns landing fish up to 5lb. Draycote season ticket holder John Dickens landed 14 fish on red Bob’s Bits. Francis Campbell used snakes on a Di 5 sinking line to land a baker’s dozen. Fishery ranger and top guide Lee Henfrey fished for a morning session landing 27 fish using a Di 5 forty plus sinking line with a sparkler booby. Lee found the majority of the fish around J & T Buoy and took them on a very fast roly-poly retrieve.

A busy day Thursday with anglers starting to arrive to practice for the Anglers World Final held on Sunday. We had a mix of sun and cloud with wind coming from the South West. Jim Dempsey & Rod Wilson landed 14 fish using the Rudder with majority coming around Y Buoy. Although the pair reported a number of fish sitting deep and did land fish on a Di 7 sinking line. Draycote season ticket holder Gordon Bramwell enjoyed a good days sport landing 19 fish using a Midge tip and a size 12 FAB on the point. Lee Patten & Alec Urquhart landed 18 fish to the boat again using a washing line set up. Ben Robertson found foam Daddies in orange and tan to be there best pattern landing over 20 fish.

Near perfect conditions Friday with light winds and overcast skies. All water member Jamie Scott landed 16 fish on a variety of flies with a 6ft midge tip being his best line landing the majority of the fish over the Aerators. Mr Newman fished with his son landing 14 in a half day with dries being their best option. A number of anglers once again took the water practicing for competition on Sunday. These anglers’ best methods were fishing dries, washing lining with some fish getting caught pulling as well.

Over the weekend we hosted the Anglers World Final with 50 boats taking to the water practice on the Saturday. The Saturday seemed to be a very mixed affair with some anglers reporting great numbers up towards 20 fish while others struggled, making for a very interesting match come Sunday.

On the Sunday the wind started in the west with overcast skies, however the wind swung round to a Northwest as the day wore on a complete 180° from the previous practice days. The majority of the boats headed off towards C Buoy and coming down from there on open water drifts. When the fishery staff headed out it was clear that some anglers had got the method cracked with 2 time double winner Gary Morris already landing 8 fish after just a couple of hours. Later in the day on our second fly check we had reports of some great numbers with Dale Burgess having 15 fish, Phil Thompson & 16 year old Alexander Jaffrey also on 15. When the anglers come back it it was Phil Thompson who had taken the win with 20 fish, Alexander 2^nd with 18 and Dale Burgess 3^rd with 15 and Gary Morris just falling short of 3 on the bounce also on 15. All 4 anglers found that fishing high in the water to be the most productive. Phil’s winning set up was a FAB on the top dropper, nymphs and then another FAB on a Airflo 6ft slow tip. While Alex used a RIO Midge Tip with a tequila FAB two muskins and then a tequila booby on the point. With long drifts starting around C,B & X Buoy the winning areas. For pictures of the event please see www.facebook.com/flyfishstore

Thornton Fishery Weekly Report – 01530 230807

“New Email address”  thornton@flyfishstore.co.uk 

Stocking Policy As we enter the period of the year higher water temperatures we alter the average size of trout we stock our stocking policy for Thornton is explained on our website Stocking Policy | Fly Fish Thornton – Leicestershire Fly Fishery 

Week ending 22^nd August   Rod Av 2.0   Water Temperature 18c

Cool start to the week with the water temperature at 18c. Fish were high in the water & prepared to chase a pulled fly in particular a muddler but as is often the case lots of follows, exciting sport doesn’t always lead to fish been hooked. All water member Dave Skudder caught 3 for his mornings visit but reported lots of follows to a muddler. Ian Brealey fished a washing line with a booby on the point & nymphs, buzzer on the dropper catching 10 for his visit. Fish are starting to spread themselves out through the reservoir with fish to be seen opposite the lodge to the stones & from the dam across to the Markfield arm.

Tuesday a cool overcast day with our morning water temperature at 18c. Conditions looked perfect and returned a rod average 4 for the day. B Perry fished a fab and olive buzzer to catch 9 trout, Neil Bates pulled a muddler with a red headed diawl to catch 6 for his afternoon session, Arthur Olding popped a white booby across the wave to catch his 7 trout with Phil Mee catching 6 for his mornings visit. Morning session still producing best with a few fish moving during the evening.

Wednesday, despite fish moving at times they proved difficult to put in the boats with anglers reporting missed takes, lost fish or fish coming short to the fly. J Carrier changed to a DI3 catching 4 and losing a further 3 trout for his mornings visit. S Wilson caught 12 for his days visit with the muddler being the successful fly

Thursday the trout proved difficult to tempt, plenty of fish to be seen moving at times but they proved difficult to tempt with a few fish taken on small #14 #16 diawls & buzzers. David Hussey fishing the afternoon session found the secret a small olive or brown buzzer catching 8 for his visit. Most of the buzzers hatching are still small #14 #16 we would expect to see the larger claret buzzer #10 #12 start to show any time.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday were similar days, fish moving at times but on the whole proved difficult to catch, fish chasing a pulled fly, nipping nymphs and buzzers, swirling, drowning dry flies but didn’t take the fly, frustrating at times. Mornings still fishing best with Chris Sayer catching 3 for his mornings visit, Jan Webber opted for a booby on a fast sinker to take his 3 with B Sibley also taking 3 for his mornings visit. L Ford & K Evans fished buzzers during their morning session to boat their 6 fish

Water clarity is good, were waiting for the large claret buzzer & daddies to show

Eyebrook Fishery Weekly Report – 01536 770264

**New Email Address**: eyebrook@flyfishstore.co.uk

Stocking Policy As we enter the period of the year with expected higher water temperatures at the Eyebrook we alter the average size of trout we stock. Our stocking policy for the Eyebrook is explained on our website Stocking Policy | Fly Fish Eyebrook – Leicestershire Trout Fishery 

Week ending 22^nd Aug 21                Rod Average:                        Water Temp:

This week has seen the Eyebrook Reservoir perform particularly well for August. As all avid Fly anglers are aware, August can be a really hard month on the water.

Monday started off a little bit slowly for most of our anglers, but all water ticket holder Paul Walked had an outstanding day getting well in to double figures fishing from a boat. Most of his fish fell to Diawl Bach’s and Damsel Nymphs.

Tuesday seemed a little bit more settled with the occasional shower. The conditions were fantastic for fishing from a drifting boat. Most anglers managed roughly 3 fish to the boat. But the regular anglers that fish Eyebrook almost religiously were rewarded with higher numbers. Yet again, washing line method or straight dry flies were working best.

Wednesday seen a bit of a change in feeding habits of the fish. Plenty showing in the surface, they’d chase through the surface, they’d come up and look at dries, they’d take the occasional nymph. But on this day, Mr R. Champney managed 15 fishing traditional wets and a foam daddy. A. Thomas and R. Thomas had well over 20 to the boat while fishing small buzzers and foam daddies. Slowly we are seeing an increase of anglers getting good results from fish taking daddies again.

With winds being a little stronger on Thursday, presenting a dry fly was a little more challenging for most. However, all water ticket holder Ed Douglas once again put in a masterclass of dry fly fishing to get well in to double figures. The cooling water temperatures are helping as it is keeping the fish in that top 2 feet of water. Ideal for anglers who like to fish dries or the washing line method.

Friday was yet another fantastic day out on the lake. With a couple of anglers getting in to double figures and quite a few more picking up 3 or 4 fish. A majority of fish fell to Bob’s Bits, Shipman’s, Foam Daddies, Midas and CDC Emergers. A lot of the fish were out in open water but quite a few anglers decided to stay around the area of the netted bank along to Robbo’s where a majority of the action has been taking place in the past week or so.

Saturday was a bit of a wet dreary day. The sort of day you wouldn’t really think about digging your floatant out of your box. But the wet weather doesn’t bother the fish. They were still looking up and looking for their next tasty morsel to land on the water. Funnily enough, dries even work when it’s wet. Quite a few anglers have now switched from fishing a booby or FAB on the point, they are now fishing washing line method with a foam daddy. This method can be deadly at this time of year.

Sunday carried on from the Saturday as being a but gloomy with the occasional squall coming out of nowhere. Initially the fishing was a little slow for a few anglers and not many fish were rolling in the surface as they had been the day before. Then at around 11AM the fish appeared. Reports were coming in about fish coming short to the daddies when fished static, but if they were twitched through the waves, the trout would have a go at them. Regular fishing buddies and Eyebrook season ticket holders Dave Chadwick and Steve Lawrence had a cracking morning session out on the boats managing to get 15 fish to the boat between them on very different methods. Dave persevered with foam daddies while Steve was pulling snakes just sub surface. All water member Mark Hunt once again put in a good shift fishing dries throughout the day. Finding it difficult to convert interest to solid lock ups, he constantly revised what he was fishing until they steadily started taking rather than drowning the flies. Mark noted that after a sudden downpour, the fish seemed to go down and stop looking for the dries. But 20 minutes or so later once it had passed, they’d start coming up again.

This week has really seen an uptake in the fish coming for the Daddies as well as hitting small Buzzers and Diawl Bach’s fished on a floater or midge tip. Daddies have been just as effective being fished sub surface as they have been in the surface. Don’t be afraid to try some traditional wets such as Silver Invicta.