This week has seen a remarkable change in fortunes for Draycote. For the first time in almost a fortnight we have had a consistent wind direction, albeit a Northerly one for at least 4 days and this, combined with lighter winds has improved the fishing. Swifts and swallows have also been here in large numbers feeding on the lakes surface from dawn till dusk. The birds feeding hard on the water all day can be no coincidence with the increase in rod catches. The more relatively settled weather has bought the buzzers out in there thousands and at times the entire lake surface has been littered with them.

Mr P Hill recorded a fish of 7lb 5oz, and Scottish visiting angler J Mcgregor also landed a brown and returned it, estimating 7.5lb, whilst another member of the party, Wullie Munn also returned a brown of around 6.5lb.. Mr A Ross took the biggest fish of the week, a cracking 8lb rainbow from the sailing club bank, fished from a boat. The fish fell to a green buzzer

Bank anglers have had a good week with many areas of the lake now yielding good fish. Regular angler Tony Broadway got well into double figures fishing off the Hensbrough dam using a floating line and buzzers. Gordon Slack also landed 15 fish from the bank on buzzers whilst fishing Biggin Bay.

Bank anglers have done best using floating lines with a blue flash damsel on the point and a team of buzzers. The best areas have been Biggin Bay, The Hensbrough Dam, Rainbow Corner, Lincroft Point and the Swans nest.
Boat anglers have enjoyed fish from all areas of the lake. The more noticeable areas have been along the cornfileds, the lodge frontage to the sailing club, Biggin Bay, drifting onto the draw off tower, and anglers using the rudder have had some big bags drifting through the middle of the lake.

With the lake being stocked on a weekly basis the lake now has a good head of fish, and with some more settled weather it is sure to be in top form. If you are planning a day at Draycote in May from a boat it would be wise to book early. Combined with competitions and big group bookings May is already looking very busy, not to mention world class buzzer fishing, weather pending of course!

Total number of rods 175
Total of fish killed 382
Total of fish released 559
Rod average 5.3

To book a boat please call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018. Bank car passes of which we have 30 available giving bank anglers car access to the reservoir perimeter road, these 30 car passes are available on the same number.

July the 1st is the first prize competition on Draycote. Sponsored by Rio the winners will win in excess of £1000 of tackle. Prizes will go down to 10th place. The match will be fished to International rules, however you will fish with your chosen partner. Entry fee only £23 + days fishing costs. To book please call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018 and ask for Craig.

August 19th and October 14th are the the dates for the £1000 pairs competition, fished to reservoir rules. Entry fee £25. To book call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018.

Tight Lines
Craig Barr

Is there any end to this unsettled weather? Lets hope so!! This week has again been unsettled, yet, we could say typical April weather! The water level has risen steadily each day, with the lake now at 66% full, and filling. The cold water being pumped in has had an effect on the fishing, not to mention the unsettled conditions, as fish have adjusted to the rising water levels and change in water temperature, a common factor when fishing larger waters.

Anglers who have braved the weather have in general done ok, however some have found it tricky. Gary Owen from Loughborough landed 15 fish, fishing boobies on a DI-5 line, and Mr Dempsey, a regular visitor with his rudder, took 8 fish for 26lb drifting across the middle of the lake. Garry Simpson from Totteridge, London, managed 12 fish to the boat fishing a combination of damsels, buzzers and blobs on an intermediate line. Mr I Jones took the best bag average for the week on Saturday, with his 4 fish weighing 17lb, and the biggest fish recorded was 5lb 13oz caught by Mr R Wilson using a Di-7 line.

Daycote Water is yet to show its true form, especially the buzzers. I predict the first settled spell of weather will see the lake erupt into life, with a fish bonanza. With the same amount of fish stocked as the same point last year, yet 25% less water, its got to happen sooner or later. A more versatile approach is needed at the moment with line choice, as the fish, not helped by this sudden rain deluge, have dropped in depth, sitting around 6′ on average.

Bank anglers will be able to drive around the perimeter road, but this will be restricted to 30 cars at any one time, we will operate the same system as last year which worked well, you call the lodge and book one of the 30 available bank car passes. The available bank fishing will be the same as last year, Toft Shallow, Cornfield, Biggin Bay, Dunns Bay up to the start of the dam wall of the Draycote Bank. Rainbow Corner will also be available.

Fish Caught 171 Fish Returned 160 Number of Rods 91 Rod Av – 3.6
Boats off the water at 8.15
Bank fishing finishes at 8.30
All anglers to be off site by 8.45

tight lines
Craig Barr

Competitions

Sunday 1st of July – Rio Challenge Pairs match – Entry fee £23pp + fishing fees. Fished to International rules. 1st prize of £1000 tackle, and prizes to 10th place. You will fish with your chosen partner.
Friday August 10th. Lexus Individual Heat (last one before the Final). To book call 07974748496, or call Draycote Fishing Lodge on 01788 812018.
Sunday 19th August. £1000 pairs match. Entry fee £25+fishing fees, reservoir rules (no rudders, the exception). Prizes to 4th place.
Sunday 14th October.£1000 pairs match. Entry fee £25+fishing fees, reservoir rules (no rudders, the exception). Prizes to 4th place.

Call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018 to book into any of the competitions.

The weather this week has remained changeable, as has the fishing. On the less windier days the fishing has been good, yet on the more windier and cooler days the fishing has slowed. The reservoir is now filling up nicely with all the recent rain, and this too will have an effect on the fishing with an almost overnight water temperature change.

Boat angler s have done well predominantly on di-3 and di-5 lines, yet on the less windier days, and there hasn’t been many of late, buzzers have produced some excellent catches. Keith Harding from Birmingham took over 17 fish from a boat using Fab Blobs, whereas Mike Smith from Oxford took his 8 fish limit on buzzers.

The bank fishing has the been generally good this last week, with buzzers taking the majority of fish. Mr Dawson braved Tuesday blustery weather to land 10 fish, including rainbows of 4lb12oz, 4lb 8oz and 3lb 12oz, all overwintered fish, all on black buzzers fished from the bank at Rainbow Corner!

The latest stocking of fish up to 4lb have also started to show 13 year old Tom Gamble and his dad found out with 8 fish, the biggest weighing 4lb 8oz, and the bag weight totalling 26lb.
The best bank areas have been Rainbow Corner, The Henbrough Dam, Dunns Bay and Toft Shallows. The best boat areas have been, Rainbow Corner, the lodge frontage, Lincroft Point, Farnborough Spit and Toft Shallows(down the middle).

Total Rods 147 Total Fish Caught 322 Fish released 379 Rod average 4.7.

Boats start 8.30am and now off the water at 8pm
Bank fishing starts at 7.30am and finished at 8.30
Everyone to be off the site by 8.45pm

Bank anglers can drive around the reservoir, but is limited to 30 cars at any one time, we therefore recommend visiting bank anglers call the lodge & book one of the 30 available bank anglers car pass.

To Book a boat of bank fishing permit please call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018.

COMPETITION NEWS
Rio Pairs match – Sunday 1st of July (Fantastic Prizes). For full details call Craig Barr on 01788812018.

Again this week has been hampered by cold Northerly winds and occasional over night frosts, causing the fish to drop in the water. It has almost become predictable of late, on the colder the days the fish have gone down and on milder less windier days the fish have been taken nearer the surface. Daily catches have reflected this with the rod average one day being over 8, then the very next day dropping to below 4! We must remember we are still in April, which can be so unpredictable with the weather!

This week has seen some of the more resident fish starting to show, with a brown and rainbow over 7lb being caught, both on the same day!

Mr R Wilsons bag weighed 36lb for 8 fish, whereas Eddie Kirks bag weighed 18lb for 4 fish! Friday and Saturday produced some excellent catches with the rod average topping 8.6 on the Friday. Over 26 fish recorded in excess of 4lb.

Sunday however started with a frost and the Northerly wind had increased thus having an effect on the fishing as the rod average dropped below 4.

Fish have generally been deeper, with the DI-5 being the best line from the boat. Mr Severn took a great bag from the boat fishing from the point off Biggin Bay to the tower. He also lost a fish in the region of 10lb!!

Bank anglers have again faired better with the ability to fish the flies slowly and more controlled in the fresher winds. Black and green lures have worked best with intermediate lines, however regular Graham Homer took 4 cracking fish on size 14 buzzers. The usual clouds of buzzers this week have been scarce, this is due to the colder weather. As I write this report the buzzers are back with a vengeance, there’s one even in my coffee!

The water clarity is exceptional, and the lake is continuing to rise as the water is being pumped in from the nearby river. Heavy rain is again forecast for the next 3 days, so pumping is likely to continue.

Number of rods 165 Fish Killed 287 Fish released 416 Rod average 4.3

Lodge & bank fishing open 7.30am
Full Day Boats 8.30am – 7.45pm
Part Day Boats 8.30am – 2.00pm / 2.00pm – 7.45pm
Last Four Hours 3.45 – 7.45pm
Bank Fishing Closes 8.00pm

Bank anglers can drive around the reservoir, but is limited to 30 cars at any one time, we therefore recommend visiting bank anglers call the lodge and book one of the 30 available bank anglers car pass.

July the 1st is the day of the Rio Challenge Pairs match at Draycote. Fished to full International rules. Entry fee is £23 and deposit is required at point of booking. Prizes will be down to 20th place, with the winners winning in excess of £1000 worth of Rio tackle and £100 cash.

tight lines
Craig Barr
Tel: 01788 812018

Predicting the weather these days is like trying to predict the lottery numbers – neon impossible. From the throws of summer we were dropped backed into the grips of winter last week!

The sudden drop in temperatures and two days of frost sent the fish nose diving to the bottom and anglers turning up for the past good buzzer fishing were left scratching their heads!
All week we had North East, North and Easterly winds which slowed the big buzzer hatches we have been seeing recently, thus sending the fish deeper, and noticeably closer to the shores!

Mr I Bullock took advantage of the fish cruising the shores once again with 12 fish, the best weighing 3lb 6oz, and Peter Elliot also managed well into double figures from the bank fishing buzzers.

Boat anglers wanting to fish floating lines struggled in the colder weather as the fish dropped to around 8′ in the water, deeper in many other cases, as reports from boats using fish finders filtered back to fishery staff.

Rod Wilson found the right depth as he took over 20 fish fishing deep with lures, including 2 browns over 4lb(returned). His 8 fish weighed 29lb 4oz!! Birmingham anger Keith Harding took his 8 fish on buzzers, with the trick being a 20′ leader and 4 heavy buzzers fished from an anchored boat in Toft Shallows.

If the weather forecast is correct it is due to turn cooler again for the weekend, so if you are planning a trip to Draycote be prepared to fish on the dark side!! (sinking lines).

Fish Caught 285
fish released 354
Number of anglers 186
Rod Average 3.4

Boat fishing starts at 8.30am and now off the water at 7.45pm.
Bank anglers start from 7.30am and must be off site by 8.15pm.
Credit card paying facilities are now available at the shop.

Our two £1000 cash prize competition dates will be confirmed this week and also a NEW individual match sponsored by Rio with some fantastic prizes down to 12th place up for grabs. To book call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018.

tight lines
Craig Barr

From an Indian summer to an arctic blast, this week has seen them both. The fishing has generally still been very good, however Sunday saw a dip in from as the weeks first and only sharp frost, followed by blue skies tested the skills of all visiting anglers.

Mr J Blackband took the weeks best fish, a nice 6lb 12oz rainbow. Scottish visitors C Mclachlan, T Easton and B Aitken all took there bag limits on a 3 day package visit, drifting off Farnborough spit.

The bank fishing has on average still been excellent, with regular anglers Mr Dews an A Broadway both landing in excess of a dozen fish. The best areas have been Toft Shallows, Biggin Bay, The Cornfields and Rainbow Corner. The boats are also finding fish in the same areas, although Lee Henfrey had the best bag on Sunday with 13 fish, drifting in front of the sailing club to the dam using a Di-7 and boobies.

The buzzer hatches have been phenomenal and fish have been rising freely, but have proven tricky to catch. Lures fished on sinking lines have still been the best option, with the Di-3 being the best line choice.

Total number of rods – 204 Fish Taken 573 Fish returned 1193 Rod average 8.65.

Bank anglers can take their cars around the reservoir, but is limited to 30 cars at any one time, call the lodge & book one of the 30 car passes.

We now have credit card payment facilities in the fishing lodge.

Lodge & bank fishing open 7.30am
Full Day Boats 8.30am – 7.30pm
Part Day Boats 8.30am – 2.00pm / 2.00pm – 7.30pm

All anglers off site by 8.00pm

tight lines
Craig Barr

The fishing at Draycote has been exceptional although the consistency of the sun over the last few days has seen the rod average dip to an average of 6 per rod – still impressive! The bright conditions have caused the fish to move away from the margins, and hold approx 25 yards out.

The fish are now becoming a little more spread out throughout the lake, so anglers who move around on a day out have faired better. Regular bank angler Mr Cronin always manages to find the fish, as he took 14 fish on an afternoon visit on Tuesday, fishing in Biggin Bay. Season ticket holder Mr Duffy also managed 10 in an afternoon session, the best fish weighing 4lb. Mr P Mitchell fished from the bank on Saturday 24th March and landed 14 fish, the biggest 5lb 8oz, with his 4 fish bag limit weighing just over 16lb!

Match angler Phil Longstaff led the way on the boats this week with a 16 fish bag limit for 68lb!! These were all caught fishing deep with big lures. Regular angler John Hoskins landed 16 fish on buzzers anchored off the Cornfields, with the best fish weighing 6lb 11oz.

Fish in the deeper water have been feeding on Daphnia whereas fish closer to the margins have been feeding hard on small green and black buzzers buzzers. Size 14 buzzers have worked very well from the bank.

Best bank areas have been – the Cornfields, Lincroft Point, Toft Shallows and Biggin Bay.
Best Boat areas – Toft Shallows, The Cornfields down to Lincroft Point, Rainbow Corner and Biggin Bay to the Tower.
Best Flies- Black and green buzzers(small), orange blobs, woofter booby, Cocktail booby, Diawl Bachs, golhead lures.(Flash Attack Flies available in the tackle shop)
Best Lines – Midge Tip, Floater, DI-3 and intermediate lines.

Number of rods 257 Number of fish killed 605 Number of fish returned 1128 Rod Av. 6.74.

Car parking is available around the lake with easy access to the water, 30 cars are permitted at any one time, call the lodge to book a car pass.

Disabled anglers are able to take their vehicles near to the pontoon for boat fishing. Please ask a member of staff on arrival for access.

We also have 30 car parking permits for boat anglers, allocation one per boat. A car pass will be issued when purchasing you fishing permit.

For those travelling or looking for a short break:

3 day package for two anglers and a motor boat £145 – 1 fish each per day and catch an release.
3 day package for two anglers and a motor boat £180 – 8 fish per day per angler and catch and release.

To book a boat or one of 30 car passes for the bank please call the fishing lodge on 01788 812018.

For Boat bookings up to date information call 01788 812018.

tight lines
Craig Barr

Draycote is still in good form, and is not yet showing any sign of slowing down. It is almost certain that last weeks weather played a good part in this fact, as light winds and mild conditions allowed for great fishing conditions.

Peter Elliot, Mr Hughes, Mr Wyant, and Mr K Rees all recorded fish over 7lb with several browns of similar size being returned. Mr B Warwick weighed 8 fish for 33lb.

The fish have moved away from the very edge of the lake and now appear to be 20-30 yards out. Bank anglers have enjoyed some excellent sport fom Toft Shallows and the Cornfields. Favoured winds have encouraged most anglers to head to these areas, however quieter parts of the lake have also fished well, Biggin Bay and Rainbow corner.

Boat anglers have also done exceptionally well as bank fishermen have pushed fish a little further out at times. Drifts from Lincroft Point, down to the Cornfields have yielded fantastic catches, many fish over 4lb!! Rudder fishermen have worked a little harder for fish in the deeper water, however have been rewarded with some fantastic over wintered fish around the 3.5lb mark.

Best flies have been black & olive buzzers, orange blobs, Fab Blobs, black & green lures, and boobies.

Best bank areas – Toft Shallows, The Cornfields, Lincroft Point, and Biggin Bay.

Best boat areas – Toft Shallows, The Cornfields, Rainbow Corner Farnborough bank.

Best lines – floating, slow intermediates and Di-3 lines. The fish are around 3′ down at the moment.

Bank anglers: Car parking is allowed around the lake in designated parking bays, 30 cars are allowed to use the perimeter road at any one time, call the lodge and book one of the 30 available Car Passes.

Boat anglers: Every boat booking is issued with one free car parking permit.

We are in the new lodge we have a tackle shop and the gutting room and toilets are also open.

Fish Killed 663 Fish returned 1607 Number of anglers 209 Rod average 10.8.

For further information contact the fishing lodge on 01778 812018.

tight lines
Craig Barr

Draycote press day was attended by club members from the Draycote Fly Fishers and other members from the angling press. Keith Arthur, the host from Sky Tv’s Tight Lines programme, also attended with the TV crew. Fishery manager Craig Barr and Keith fished in Rainbow Corner, managing 22 fish between them. This can be seen on the Tight Lines programme this coming Friday, or the following week.

Thursday, the official opening day got off to a flying start. Weather conditions were near perfect, and boy did the lake respond. 60 anglers caught an incredible 1151 fish, giving a rod average of 19 fish a man!!!

Fish were well spread out and anglers on every stretch of the banks caught. The boats fished exceptionally well too, as the fish appeared to cover every bit of the shoreline around the lake. Reports quickly came in of fish being full of bloodworm and tiny snails. Coots have been seen diving close to the shore picking up weeds, which suggests the mild winter has failed to kill the weed right back, allowing for this early food bonanza for the trout.

The weekend, especially Sunday, saw near summer conditions and many anglers headed out with floating lines and buzzers. Lee Pattern took full advantage of the conditions and was rewarded with a fish of 7lb, although this was not the biggest fish so far. Mr R Blackwell caught a rainbow of 8lb 8oz from the bank on a black buzzer.

The best areas have literally been anywhere on the lake. The best flies have been Cats Whiskers, Black & Green Lures, Blobs, fab blobs, Boobies, black & Green buzzers and Diawl Bachs.

We now have a fully equipped tackle shop on site, gutting room facilities, toilet facilities and 30 free car parking permits for boat anglers.

Bank anglers as they did last year are also allowed to drive around the lake to fish, although we are restricted to allowing 30 cars at any one time. If your coming bank fishing call the lodge and book one of the 30 car passes.

Total number of rods 200
Total number of fish caught 2683 (2010 of which were released) Rod AV 13.4
Fish stocked pre-season 7000

Bank fishing commences at 7.30
Boat Fishing commences at 8.30

To Book telephone the fishing lodge on 01788 812018.

tight lines
Craig Barr