Big rainbows fall to buzzers
Braces of stillwater trout don’t come much better than this fine pair, taken by Dave Minall on a visit to the day-ticket Tavistock Trout Fishery in Devon.
The angler, from Torpoint in the same county, caught the fish, which weighed 9lb 14oz and 7lb 7oz, on buzzers during warm and overcast weather conditions.
Dave went on to take two further fish in his session. For more venue information, log on to www.tavistocktroutfishery.co.uk or call 01822 615441.
Anglers having to work hard at Grafham
Anglers have had their skills well tested, but rewards have been good for those with the right tactics. Chris Bobby fished Sanctuary Bay during the Wychwood Mixed Pairs event and landed rainbows of 5lb 14oz and 5lb 4oz, one to a Hopper and one to a Booby.
Elsewhere, Phil Cotton took eight fish for 24lb 7oz while fishing for Team Airflo in the southern final of the Anglian Water Airflo International.
Fish have been feeding on a variety of items including snails, pinfry, various nymphs and dry flies in addition to shrimps. The water surface has often been littered with ants, spiders, sedges and some buzzers, perhaps explaining why shoals of fish have regularly been seen at the surface, even in bright, sunny conditions.
Various methods have been successful and have included teams of nymphs, wet flies and mini lures on anything from floating lines to midge tips, slow sinkers and Di-5s. The washing-line method has been the most popular.
In general boat fishing has been most productive, but banks have fished best early in the morning or in the evening.
It's a trout bonanza at Bewl Water!
Fly anglers at Bewl Water in East Sussex are continuing to enjoy a hugely productive season, with a fish-per-rod average of more than 7 being enjoyed by visitors in July!
The management at the venue claim that the 'extraordinary success of those opting for catch and release' as the main reason behind the unprecedented productivity, which they have said would be remarkable for any part of the season, never mind for July.
At less than 18C, the water temperature has so far remained low for the time of the year, which has led to the trout staying close to the surface.
Best areas for boats are the Main Bowl, the area near the cages, Belgrano Bay, Canoe Club Corner and Seven Pound Creek. Successful flies are Boobies, Floating Fry, Hare's Ears, Diawl Bachs, Hoppers and Buzzers.
Most anglers have been catching using floating lines and as long a leader as can be managed. The dam wall and Chingley have once again been the best places for bank fishing.
Places are still available for Bewl's cash prize floating line competition on Sunday August 14.
There is a £1000 cash first prize and other cash prizes totalling £3000 in value - contact Fishing Lodge for details on 01892 890352.
Tiny fly lures giant Ravensthorpe trout
This superb 11lb 2oz rainbow trout was the highlight of a great day’s sport on Ravensthorpe Reservoir for Andy Kress.
It fell to a small black dry fly, which Andy, from London, only chose to use after seeing another boat on the Northamptonshire venue take a hefty 9lb trout on the same pattern.
He said: “Ravensthorpe has been one of my favourite fisheries for the last 20 years and I have put the time and effort in and tend to catch well there. On my latest visit I was on a boat with my 12-year-old lad, over in Catwalk Corner when a nearby boat took a 9lb fish on a small black dry.”
“I had taken a 2lb fish on a Diawl Bach but the fish were shy. I set up a new leader on 6lb mono, put a small black dry on the point, a red Diawl Bach on the mid dropper and a new Kj Sus Buzzer on the top dropper.”
“About 10 minutes later I had a steady take and knew I was into something special. The fish kept its head down and I did not see it for over five minutes. When I got a first glimpse I realised it was a ‘double’ and after another five minutes, some powerful runs and angry head shaking, my lad slipped the net under the fish.”
Bag limits galore at Jubilee Lakes
Fishing has picked up considerably at Jubilee Lakes, near Darlington, Co Durham, with tiny Diawl Bachs, Pheasant Tail Nymphs or similar patterns accounting for a stack of fish.
Most visitors have been enjoying full bag limits, particularly those casting to trout that are actively feeding, rather than those that have been mooching around - as many do when the water warms up in July.
One of the best trout of the week was taken by Keith Olley, from South Shields, who landed a 7lb 3oz fish on a Natural Zonker
Kids making hay at Esthwaite Water
THE children are starting to break up from school and many have been fishing with their usual enthusiasm at Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery, in Cumbria.
Two lads who had an action-packed day were James Hyde and Jamie Wood, both from Doncaster. The friends fished around the cages area and several other deep water marks to take a trio of plump rainbows.
Worm hookbaits presented at 15ft-20ft down was the successful approach for James and Jamie.
Rutland rainbow joy for Rob
Rob Keeber, of Leicester, landed a number of quality fish during a recent day trip to Rutland Water, topped by this cracking 6lb 2oz rainbow.
He found the most success using dry flies in the Manton Bay area of the venue, with bites increasing once the cloud cover arrived.
However, it was a move to the main basin later in the afternoon which saw Rob land his biggest fish.
He fished the slicks around the boils with a Di-5 line and a size 12 black and green variant.
Elsewhere on the fishery, the best brown trout of the week weighing 4lb 8oz was taken by John Machin from Nottingham.
First trout for Chris!
Season ticket holder Kim Lewington, of Sutton Bassett, introduced his son Christopher to the art of flyfishing for trout, and the pair enjoyed a profitable evening boat session at Eyebrook Trout Fishery, Caldecott.
It was not long before Chris had caught his first rainbow trout, in fact two trout, both taken on an Orange Daddy Longlegs.
Elsewhere on the fishery, the heaviest recorded brown trout of the season at 7lb 8oz was caught and safely returned by Mr Gladding, who boat fished off the Island.
The fish was taken on a GRHE.
Double-figure personal best landed after 20-minute tussle
Keith Wallace caught this personal best 11lb 8oz rainbow during a visit to Withern Mill Trout Fishery, near Alford, Lincolnshire.
He was understandably delighted with his catch, which was taken on one of the special Withern Mill Hare’s Ears. The fish put up a spectacular fight for over 20 minutes but with gentle persuasion Keith managed to finally get it to the net.
The wet spell of weather we had has brought on a huge fly hatch at the venue, and dry fly action this week has been fantastic with numerous fish over 4lb being taken on small Black Gnats and Daddies.
The owners have recently stocked a number of fish in the 7lb to 8lb bracket, on top of the usual 2lb rainbows.
Huge rainbow on first visit to venue
Big rainbows have been the order of the day at Wellsfield Trout Fishery, near Stirling, in Scotland, with the biggest fish of the week coming in at a colossal 17lb 4oz!
It was caught by first-time visitor Mr J Gray, from East Kilbride, and fell to a fly.
Wellsfield holds the Scottish record for rainbow trout in the form of a massive 30lb 11oz specimen caught in March 2005.
For more venue info, log on to www.wellsfield.co.uk
Pupils warming to fishing lessons
AN initiative to increase angling awareness and recruitment in schools is going from strength to strength.
Fishing For Schools was set up by the Countryside Alliance Foundation and is headed up by global fly fishing star Charles Jardine.
“I love running this course,” said Charles. “The programme now reaches 30 schools within the UK and aims to place angling as part of the National Curriculum, while also offering the young people a fulfilling pastime.”
This year, the series of short courses – aimed at youngsters between 14 and 16 – is planning a ‘Young Fisher of the Year’ award.
More details and a short film about the project can be found at www.countryside-alliance.org/
Grandad caught stealing fish at Grassholme Reservoir
A grandfather has been caught red handed stealing fish from a Northumbrian Water reservoir.
David Hopper of Eden Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, pleaded guilty by post before Darlington magistrates after being caught with 12 trout in his bag on the banks of Grassholme Reservoir, Teesdale, four fish over the legal limit.
He was fined £115 for theft and ordered to pay £75 costs.
Northumbrian Water also banned him for a year from fishing its reservoirs and Hopper told the court in his letter that his biggest disappointment was having to tell his nine-year-old grandson that he can no longer take him fishing.
Paul Kelly, prosecuting for Northumbrian Water said: "The continued success of the fishery is dependent upon anglers complying with the fishing rules. Theft of fish is a serious problem as it reduces the number of stocked fish and thereby spoils the enjoyment of law-abiding anglers."
Cheap salmon fishing on Wye and Usk
Salmon anglers looking for a bit of extra value in their fishing over the next few months need look no further than the Wye and Usk Foundation, who are offering a range of cut price tickets over the coming months.
The conservation charity, which has a huge portfolio of waters under its control, is offering three days salmon fishing for the price of two on many of its beats, and three rods for the price of two on others.
For bookings and availability, log on to www.wyeuskfoundation.org, or call 01982 560788.
England World Champs team announced
The England Youth Flyfishing team has been announced ahead of next month’s World Angling Championships in Italy.
The team that will bid to beat England Youth’s best recent result abroad (a bronze medal in the USA four years ago) is Rob Thomas from Kent, Tom Gott, Yorkshire; Carl Malpass, Co. Durham; OliverAvis, Manchester and Lancashire’s James Atkinson.
Follow their performance on Facebook at England Youth Fly Fishing World Championships.
