Draycote Report W/E 20th August 2023

Weekly Fishing Report: Draycote, Eyebrook, Thornton

Visit our Fisheries Websites: www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk   www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk  www.flyfishthornton.co.uk

Online Shop: www.flyfishstore.co.uk      Tuition & Guiding: www.flyfishtuition.co.uk

Fishery YouTube Channel: YouTube Flyfishstore

Draycote Fishery Weekly Report – 01788 812018

Email:  draycote@flyfishstore.co.uk

2023 Stocking Policy Details of our stocking policy for Draycote is explained on our website www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/stocking-policy/

2023 Membership Options visit our website www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/season-permits/

2023 Permits & Pre Payment for Boat Bookings Details of our Day Permits, Package Breaks & our Boat bookings pre-payment policy visit our website.

https://www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Exclusion Zone  Due to the work being carried out on the Hensborough Bank there is an exclusion zone in place, clearly marked with yellow buoys. Under no circumstances are anglers to enter this area as there are divers in the water.

Week Ending:   Sunday 20^th August 2023  Rod Av: 3.78  Water Temperature: 17.5 °C

Monday was overcast and windy for the most part with scattered showers until just after lunch. The conditions kept the numbers down with only 14 boats taking to the water, however the anglers pulled out a rod average of 4.6. Ian Richardson and Bob Smith had 17 fish between them using tequila FAB’s and crunchers on a midge tip line. The pair fished around N and Y buoy as well as Farborough Spit.  Mr Peter Evans used orange daddies on a midge tip to net half a dozen fish “Right in the top of the water”. Season permit holder Andy Lilley used dries as well as the washing line technique to catch 5 fish whilst drifting along the Flat Stones as well as in Rainbow Corner. Phil Cross and Steve Windram had 8 fish between them drifting around A buoy using foam daddies.

The great fishing continues at Draycote with Tuesdays rod average coming in at 5.7, even through bright sunshine. The fish are still holding in the top few feet of the water with dries working really well despite the conditions. Bank fishing is ticking along nicely with anglers making the best of the cooler water temperatures. Stan Hillman and Mick Cronin had half a dozen between them from the bank using a wide variety of patterns. Draycote regular Ivor Bullock had 6 fish from the bank in Duns Bay, using flies such as diawl bachs and buzzers. Season permit holders Peter Allen and Tony Broadway took to the bank to net a brace apiece on crunchers fished on a buzzer tip line. Out on the boats Kevin Rees netted 16 fish from a drifting boat on dries such as crippled midge, bob’s bits and the F fly. Draycote regulars James Maplethorpe and Trevor Moore had a bakers dozen between them on diawl bachs and remarked on an excellent afternoon. Kevin Hart and young John Hoskins had nearly 30 fish to the boat between them. The pair fished near N buoy, Y buoy and The Aerators using slow intermediate lines with perch fry patterns and blue flash damsels. Seasoned regular Dave Adkins had 15 fish to the boat drifting near M, N and J buoy using a DI3 line and mini snakes.

A tricky day Wednesday with sunny warm overhead conditions and a near flat calm that occasionally the wind swinging around during the day. As a result it was a more challenging day than we have experienced the last few weeks here at Draycote. Draycote member John Dickens used either dries of snakes to land 5 fish, fishing around N Buoy. Chris Mills & Dave Gould landed a dozen fish between then on lures, with Chris using a green leech and Dave using boobies. Mr D Randle landed 7 fish from his boat, fishing around M & N Buoy. Mr Ron Herbert despite the sun found dries to be productive landing 7 fish using CDC shuttlecocks. Mr James Kavanagh fished for a half day landing 4 fish. Overall it was a challenging day, with no stand out fly or methods. However, it shows that even in the sunny conditions the fish will still come up for a well presented dry.

A cloudy start to the day with the wind remaining on the Northeast with the sun arriving later in the day. On the bank Draycote member Jim Kelly fished in Toft to land 5 fish using pheasant tailed nymphs and Damsels. Fly fishing newcomer Sunny Walker also fished from the bank having had a couple of casting lessons with Tom. Landed his first ever fish a cracking 4lb silver Rainbow taken on a sparkler booby in Toft. A massive well done to Sunny, and we hope it’s the first of many more. On the boats Jim Dempsey used a Di 7 sinking line with a snake to land 5 fish near Y Buoy. Draycote member Ian Richardson & Bob Smith landed 11 fish between them using either a midge tip with cormorants or a DI 5 and a snake. The pair found the best area to be around N & Y Buoy as well as the Farborough Dam. Ian Reeve fished for a morning landing 8 fish. Taking 5 of them using a washing line at the Old Pipe in Biggin, taking the other 3 at Rainbow Corner on a snake. Draycote member Lee Patten fished with Stuart Lee using either dries or washing lining tactics or dries landing 19 fish. Dave Kennel used 2 daddies and 2 Diawl Bachs on a 12ft slow tip to land 9 fish. Drifting from H Buoy out towards P Buoy and Middle Shoal. Fraser Duffy Snr & Jnr landed 14 fish using a Di 3 sinking line with a team of cormorants.

Once again we had a Northwest wind on Friday, with overcast skies and rain for the morning. Before it did brighten a little around 4pm ahead of more rain later in the day. Draycote member Kevin Rees used dries all day to land 8 fish using crippled midge and f flies, drifting off the Farnborough Dam wall heading out towards P Buoy. Fellow member John Dickens also used crippled midge to great effect landing 9 fish. We also had a number of anglers also taking to the water ahead Wychwood Fly Fishing Championships on Sunday. As expected most of these anglers kept their cards close to their chest with regards to tactics and methods. But there was some good numbers reported of 20, 18, 16 fish being caught by individuals. Craig Middleton landed 16 fish using a variety of tactics. With his best being daddies on a 12ft slow tip when it was overcast and then caught pulling when the sun made an appearance in the afternoon. Dave Currie & Terry Bayes also used daddies to great effect landing 20 fish to their boat.

The weekend saw the fishery host the Wychwood fly fishing championships with 100 anglers competing to win £1,000 first prize and £2,000 worth of tackle to the top ten. Saturday the competitors took to the water for the official practice day. Southwest winds with overcast skies greeting the anglers with sunny spells at times. Specific tactics where a closely guarded secrets, however, the general feeling that there was a good spread of fish with hotspots around N Buoy, X Buoy and H Buoy down into Toft. With the fish sitting high in the water even when the sun was out but cloud cover produced the better fishing.

Sunday and the day of the match, there was differing forecast with some giving bright sun all day and other giving a mix of cloud. It was the latter that proved to be correct with cloud cover at times, with Southwest winds. From the start the boats split with half the fleet going to N Buoy and the other half heading to H Buoy and Farborough Spit. Ben Dobson got off to a flying start landing 6 fish before 11.30, but the sport slowed as the day progressed. Martin Griffiths also got off to a good start landing 3 early fish near K Buoy. Around lunch the wind picked up slightly meaning there was a bit more of a wave then a ripple. The winner on the day was James Rice from Wales, James used a 12ft slow tip with a black booby on the top dropper, muskins and a cormorant on the droppers with another black booby on the point. His beat area was around N Buoy and it was once the wind picked up in the afternoon he found the fishing more productive. After finding on practice that the fish seemed keener for a chase once the wind picked up, so swapped his figure of eight retrieve for a slow roly-poly. Overall there was 413 fish caught for a rod average of 4.13, with the majority of the anglers catching on washing line with buoyant flies on the point or top dropper with cormorants or nymphs on the droppers. With the areas found in practice to be most productive. The best fish of the match brought to the scales was a cracking fish caught by Bryan Brown of 5lb 1oz that took a booby.

Take A Friend Fishing 29^th July to 3^rd September 2023, a great opportunity to introduce a family member or friend to a Free days fly fishing. Your guest will share your permit with the availability of a free days rod licence.

Full details visit the website https://takeafriendfishing.co.uk/

The event is supported by the campaign partners Angling Trade Association & the Environment Agency

Competitions Due at Draycote:

Jim Watts Trophy Fly Dressers Guild 26^th August.

Weather: we use two weather forecast pages.

Both options give a good 48 to 72 hour forecast.

XC Weather – Forecast for CV23 8AB | XCWeather use this link for Draycote

Windy App – https://www.windy.com/  on their home page, enter the fishery name Draycote Water

Eyebrook Fishery Weekly Report  

Lodge – 01536 770264 & Fishery Mobile 07834581424

Email: eyebrook@flyfishstore.co.uk

2023 Stocking Policy Details of our stocking policy for Eyebrook is explained on our website

www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/stocking-policy/

2023 Membership options visit our website www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/season-permits/

2023 Permits & Pre Payment for Boat Bookings Details of our Day Permits, Package Breaks & our Boat bookings pre-payment policy visit our website.

https://www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Week Ending: 20^th August   Rod Av:   4.0       Water Temperature: 19+°c

It was a calm but very damp start to the week & as the day progressed the wind intensified. This put paid to any anglers venturing out on Monday.

Tuesday brought with it some bright, clear skies & a gentle to moderate south westerly wind. The clear skies remained for most of the day with occasional cloud cover. With far from ideal conditions, the reservoir fished very well, particularly to the Dries, where fish were caught across the Main Basin. Other successful methods included the Washing Line with those fishing “colour” on the point, be that a Blob Booby or FAB, catching better than those who opted for a more subtle point fly. Eyebrook Member Roy Swinfield did exactly this, landing 11 fish, coming to the Blob Booby on the point & the Muskins on the droppers. Eyebrook regular, Martin Rowson opted for CDC’s, whereas his boat partner Keith Walker chose the Washing Line & they enjoyed a very productive day landing over 30 fish. Fishing Dries, Mr Fox & Mr Smith also had a good day landing well over 20 fish, once again from the Main Basin. All Water Member Ian Jobe, out in his float tube, spent his morning fishing slightly deeper, looking for some of Eyebrook’s larger resident fish & was rewarded with 11 fish averaging over 3lbs.

On Wednesday the reservoir started in a flat calm & remained that way for most of the day with an occasional breeze that produced a very light ripple. This lack of wind, coupled with clear, bright skies indicated that this would be a challenging day and so it proved. There was however a good number of fish caught from the area of the Main Basin on a variety of methods. All Water Member Mick Glover initially caught well on Foam Daddies but changed later in the day to pulling a Tequila Booby on a sinking line & was a rewarded with an excellent return of 14 fish. Eyebrook Member Victoria Liggins fished Foam Daddies from a drifting boat & went on to have a very productive day landing 7 fish. Nigel & Max Woolnough chose a different approach by targeting feeding fish around the marginal weedbeds. Fishing Dries & Fry imitations they went on to land well into double figures which is an excellent return for a morning session. What were the common themes throughout the day was that despite the conditions, the fish remained high up in the water column & those fishing from drifting boats caught better than those fishing from an anchored boat. It pays to cover more water.

Thursday saw us experience the first algal bloom of the season, with the Main Basin’s water clarity deteriorated to 12 inches at times. This obviously had a detrimental effect on the fishing with very few fish caught. Those that did catch, caught in the morning before the extended sunlight accelerated the algal bloom. During this initial blooming phase, it was very difficult to find clear water as the algae built throughout.

With very little breeze to usher it along, the Algal boom continued to dominate the general area of the Main Basin on Friday. Most of the fish caught today, were caught by those targeting the feeding fish around the weedbeds, be that from the bank or from the boats. The weed acts as a filter to the Algae & there were some areas of water between the weed & the bank. The most productive pattern proved to be a Stickleback popper fry.

Saturday brought with it a moderate southerly breeze that began to clear the Algae in the Main Basin & subsequently the reservoir fished considerately better than it had previously. The Washing Line seemed to be the percentage method with a mixture of either a Foam Daddy on the point or a FAB & Hares Ears or Muskins on the Droppers. Out with his son, Eyebrook member, Mick Farrell enjoyed a very productive day landing well over 20 fish on the Washing Line. As did Ben Beckworth who got well into double figures, also on the Washing Line. Another Eyebrook Member Neil Shilton, out in his Float Tube, landed 8 great quality fish, fishing slightly deeper with lures. On his weekly visit, Bob Margery also got amongst the fish, again on the Washing Line with some colour on the point.

The improvement to the water clarity continued Sunday & yet again the Reservoir fished very well. With most of the fish occupying the upper layers, the Washing Line & Dries proved to be the most productive methods with great returns recorded. With the Washing Line, the choice of the buoyant point fly varied from Foam Daddies, Blob Booby/FAB to Marabou Boobies; Candy Booby, Cat Booby, etc…. The marabou booby is a great choice when fished on a slower retrieve due to the movement of the marabou. On the droppers, Hoppers, Lightweight Buzzers, Cormorants & Diawl Bachs all featured highly on the catch returns. This time of year & with changeable weather conditions we are currently experiencing it often pays dividends to remain flexible in your approach & change your method to suit the conditions, which is exactly what Mr Wilkins & Gray did. They fished Dries in the morning & then changed to the Washing Line in the brighter afternoon & were rewarded with landing well over 20 fish, catching throughout the day. Elsewhere, All Water Members, the Duffy’s, Junior & Senior, caught well into double figures as did Sam & Rob Edmunds.

Take A Friend Fishing 29^th July to 3^rd September 2023, a great opportunity to introduce a family member or friend to a Free day’s fly fishing. Your guest will share your permit with the availability of a free day’s rod licence.

Full details visit the website https://takeafriendfishing.co.uk/

The event is supported by the campaign partners Angling Trade Association & the Environment Agency

Upcoming Events

03 September – Eyebrook Fly Fishers – Single Fly, 8 Boats.

06 September – England Disabled Fly Fishers, 15 Boats + 2 WB’s

09 & 10 September – England Ladies National, 15 Boats.

Weather: we use two weather forecast pages.

Both options give a good 48-to-72-hour forecast.

XC Weather – https://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/LE16_8RP use this link for Eyebrook.

Windy App – https://www.windy.com/  on their home page, enter the fishery name Eyebrook Reservoir. Thornton Fishery Weekly Report – 01530 230807

Email: thornton@flyfishstore.co.uk

2023 Stocking Policy Details of our stocking policy for Eyebrook is explained on our website www.flyfishthornton.co.uk/about-us-2/stocking-policy/

2023 Permits & Pre Payment for Boat Bookings Details of our Day Permits, Package Breaks & our Boat bookings pre-payment policy visit our website.

https://www.flyfishthornton.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Week Ending: 20^th August.  Rod Av: 3.1    Water Temperature: 19c+ – 20c+

Monday with its forecast was a quiet day with only one boat out for a few hours. Tuesday with a much better forecast had all of the boats out for the morning session with some boats out for the afternoon evening. With the brighter conditions algae also returned. Mixed days fishing overall. Arthur Olding caught 10 on a fast sinking line and orange booby across the min basin. P hunt caught his 5 on buzzers & daddies with Paul Martindale during the afternoon hooking 5 trout & landing 2 on a damsel.

Wednesday with little wind forecast & a bright hot day, algae was an issue across the water. And yet, despite the weather we enjoyed our best days fishing of the week with the rod average at 4.5 The morning session was the most productive fishing from 8am to 2.30pm. Ironically the area opposite the lodge was a productive area along with the deeper water in front of the public car park and across the maim basin. Fast sink tip lines down to fast sinkers with damsel booby patterns, red booby & standard damsel patterns. Richard Price caught 14 for his mornings session, Phil Mee with his granddaughters caught 7, D Slessor caught 4 with P Hunt & J Thomson boating 14 trout.

Thursday, wind had switched to an easterly. With algae still about the cooler morning session fished best with anglers fishing fast sinking lines & booby patterns such as a damsel booby, orange or red booby, olive snake booby on a 3ft to 6ft leader. Martin Hosking fished the morning session boating 7 on booby patterns with Dean Rossi catching 3 for his mornings visit. Unfortunately the afternoon & evening proved challenging.

Friday, easterly wind, cooler morning with some rain, algae still showing, water temperature at 7am was 19c+ Anglers took our advice and fished the morning session which produced great sport with an 8.8 rod average. With the conditions fast sinking lines with a 3ft leader single booby or 6ft leader with a booby on the point and a booby, red buzzer, bloodworm pattern or red diawl bach on the dropper. All water member M Vickers fished with his son and 8 year old granddaughter Luna who caught 4 trout, excellent well done Luna. Matt and his son boating 20 trout. C Sayer caught 12 on various booby patterns with P Wrigley & R Dunster boating 11 trout with some of those caught drifting the Thornton arm. R Michalak caught 6 with the damsel booby being his most productive pattern

Saturday, algae still about with the water temperature 19c+ at 7.30am. Anglers took our recommendation and fished the morning session with fast sinking lines 6ft leaders with tequila booby, damsel booby, red booby and minkie booby working. Jan Webber caught 7 wit B Sibley and M Clay boating 12 fish to their boat with P Cook catching and returning a cracking 3lb perch.

Sunday with the water temperature 19c at 7.30am and still some algae about the morning session fished best with sinking lines and various booby patterns. P Hunt & J Thomson caught 10 for their mornings visit, John Reynolds caught 5 wit Ian Leach fishing an intermediate line down to a fast sinker to pick up his 4 trout. Most fish were caught across the main basin although some were caught down the middle of the Markfield and Thornton arm.

Take A Friend Fishing 29^th July to 3^rd September 2023, a great opportunity to introduce a family member or friend to a Free days fly fishing. Your guest will share your permit with the availability of a free days rod licence.

Full details visit the website https://takeafriendfishing.co.uk/

The event is supported by the campaign partners Angling Trade Association & the Environment Agency.