ENGLAND TROUTMASTERS REPORTS FOR WEEK-ENDING JUNE 9TH, 2017
Avington Trout Fishery, Hampshire
The Blue-flash Damsel has, without doubt, been the fly of the month. Huge numbers of fish of all sizes have been successfully banked with this highly productive fly. The Fishery has enjoyed a bumper month with four days of corporate entertainment, which saw huge catches coming out, even with inexperienced anglers, but under the watchful eye of some of our regular guides. One day alone with 22 anglers saw 71 fish gutted, cleaned and labelled. That day also saw a 14lb rainbow caught by a first-time angler. Regular visitor Grant Ashby also landed a fine 14lb rainbow, while Richard Francis, another avid stalker and big fish hunter, caught a mighty 18lb brown trout using a Sid Knight pattern.
Avington has a new staffing team. The new manager is Aaron Hopkins. At 37 he has a vast amount of experience, not only at running flyfisheries, but also biodynamic and sustainable trout farming, a subject upon which he lectures both in the UK and abroad. Aaron’s right had man is Bobbie Horseman, a graduate from Sparsholt, who has experience working on a carp establishment in Devon. Last but by no means least is Adam Johnson who has worked at Avington on numerous occasions whilst still a student on a Fisheries degree course at Sparsholt.
On a more sombre note, it took Bobbie an hour on lake one to collect an extraordinary ball of leader, much still connected to flies. Sometimes it is impossible to retrieve caught leader and hooks, but it is a menace to wildlife, and if it can be retrieved and binned it would be greatly appreciated.
Blackdyke Trout Fishery, Norfolk
A more difficult week with the mini heatwave. Fish are still rising on the surface but slow to take. Damsels, Buzzers, black dries and Black Beetles all being tried. Mornings and evenings fare better than mid afternoon. Boat anglers and float-tubers who used a long leader and Buzzers were most productive during the week. Cooler temperatures expected this week so hoping for improved conditions. Corporate events mean the fishery will be closed on Friday June 9 and Sunday June 25.
Chatton Trout Fishery, Northumberland
A busy half-term with dries and Buzzers working well. Ali Tait from Morpeth caught 17 fish on his visit on Saturday using dries and olives and was thrilled with catching his first ever tiger trout weighing 6lb. Matty Divine from Hadston caught 18 fish returning a 15lb 5oz rainbow to Ross Lake which he caught on a Devine Dancer. Colin Grey from Gelling returned eight fish including a 15lb rainbow. Andy 'Pandy' Saunders from Newton Aycliffe caught 14 fish using a Chatton Squirrel and PTN. Julian Bales from Wooler caught 12 fish on a PTN. Sonia Dobson from Pruhoe returned 11 fish on Crunchers and Buzzers. Peter and Hugh Tyser from Berwick-upon-Tweed returned 15 fish using Suspender Buzzers, PTNs and Daddies. Kevin Dick from Gateshead returned 10 fish on Suspender Buzzers. Tony Robinson from Howtel returned nine fish using Spiders and Buzzers. Rob Frame from West Denton caught 15 fish on Buzzers. Fergus Aitchison kept five fish and returned nine. Douglas Aitchison kept five and returned five on Cat’s Whiskers and an Apps’ Bloodworm.
Chatton Trout Fishery along with Jim and Tracey Tuck are delighted to be holding a fundraising event on Saturday July 1 for Cancer Research UK and Barnardos. It costs £35 to enter the six hour 'friendly' competition which includes fishing, lunch and barbecue after the competition. Participants are very welcome to carry on fishing after the barbecue until 10pm closing. Jim Tuck will be running the competition on the day. Please ring the fishery to book your place 01668 215226.
Elinor Trout Fishery, Northamptonshire
For the week May 29 - June 4 the 187 anglers caught 707 fish of which 531 were returned. Best fish 8lb 1oz to Matt Tuck, from Yelling, on a Black Buzzer, from the boat; 7lb 10oz for Steve Freeman, St Neots, Fraser Nymph; 6lb 2oz to John Oram, Desborough, boat; 5lb 8oz for Bob Pittman, Daventry, Candy FAB, boat; 5lb 6oz by Steve Freeman, St Neots, Fraser Nymph. Best bank areas are east arm, dam, gravel bar, best boat areas are pylon point, east arm, down middle. Best patterns Damsel, Fraser Nymph, Red Cruncher, Diawl Bach, Olive CdC, Black or Brown Hopper, Tequila/Candy FAB. Thursday to Saturday were particularly difficult days with hot weather although the rest of the week produced good results for both bank and boat anglers. Plenty of fish taking damsels with an Olive CdC working. Boat anglers fishing deeper down the middle have found fish easier to tempt than the surface feeders. If all else fails try pulling a Tequila FAB/Booby or a Snake across them! Prospects are better this week with cooler temperatures.
The Scierra Pairs heat on Sunday June 4 saw six pairs catch 33 fish. The winners were England Youth team members Daniel Tranter and Ben Fox who caught their 12 fish limit at 1.40pm anchored off pylon point using Di-5 sweep lines with two Boobies and a nymph in between. They finished with 12 fish for 25lb 3oz plus 6lb 8oz time bonus to total 31lb 11oz. 2nd Scott Bowman/Mike Brassett 12 fish (4.48pm) 22lb 4oz; 3rd Shane Else/Jason Cooke 2 fish 5lb 12oz; 4th Richard Winser/Phillips Dowsett 3 fish 5lb 8oz; 5th Rosemary Gunn/Kevin Saxton 3 fish 4lb 14oz; 6th David Winser/Walter Haddow 1 fish 1lb 12oz. Biggest fish Ben Fox 3lb 14oz and Shane Else 3lb 12oz.
Foremark Reservoir, Derbyshire
Foremark has fished steady this week. With the warm bright sunny days, the water temperature has increased which has slowed the fishing slightly. Some of the resident coarse fish have spawned and there are plenty of small fry around the banks and most features. Monday saw season permit holder Mr R. Cotterill use dry flies from the bank and land 10 fish while Mr J. Wooward fished from a boat taking seven fish on Buzzers and CdC Buzzers off the surface. Mr Worley and Mr Spence fished from a boat on Tuesday tacking 18 fish between them, again on Buzzers, down Carver’s Arm. On Wednesday Mr J. Jack used Diawl Bachs and crunchers to tempt 20 fish to his boat also fishing down Carver’s Arm. Derby county club angler Mr M. Grant had some success off the bank using Shipman’s Buzzer and an Orange Hopper.
Thursday’s top rods were yet again Tony and Ruth Kirk catching 11 fish from the bank in Flamingo Bay on Olive Buzzers and one fish on a dry fly. Friday was a difficult day for most but Mr T. Kenchington fished from the banks and took 10 fish and Mr D. Barker landed seven fish to his boat on Buzzers and Diawl Bachs. By using size 18 Spiders and Buzzers Mr J. Machin landed eight fish to the bank in Bramble Bay. Mr S. Wilson was back on the water for the first time in a week and landed eight trout during the afternoon on Damsel and Greenwells Daddies from Sun Bless Bay. Tony and Ruth Kirk were back on Sunday for another visit but it was Ruth’s turn to catch more than Tony (well done Ruth) a total of 17 fish between them, again from the bank.
Kirby Fly Fishers held their annual boat match on Sunday with 13 rods taking 37 fish giving a match rod average of 2.8. The winner was Mr W. Lewin with a weight of 9lb 15oz for six fish Second was Mr A. Pentney with 9lb 15oz for five fish. Third place went to Mr B. Parker with a weight of 9lb 10oz for six fish. Biggest fish of the day at 2lb 15oz was caught by Mr G. Partridge.
Packington Trout Fishery, Warwickshire
Last week 53 rods caught 122 fish for an average of 2.30. The cooler more overcast weather saw an upturn on sport on the previous week but the fishing is not easy at the moment. There are still plenty of fish moving on the top but they are now on the caenis making them more difficult to feed. The better catches have come fishing on the more overcast periods or deep down when it is bright. Black and green Tadpoles, Cat’s Whiskers and Blobs have all accounted for a few fish this week. Small Buzzers, Diawl Bachs and Klinkhamers are also worth a try The largest fish of the week was a 10lb rainbow caught and released by fishery veteran Harold Pritchett of Athertstone who was fishing from a boat on Cocks Close and he tempted it along with seven other fish on a Black Tadpole fished deep. Mark Goldney of Nuneaton fished the bank of Cocks Close and caught eight fish to 4lb using small CdC Emergers and Blobs. Steve Usher of Stratford fished from a boat on Park Meadow and caught and released seven fish to 4lb using a small black nymph fished on a floating line. Steve will be doing the trout fishing tuition at Packington so if anybody is looking to brush up their technique or even start from scratch please contact the fishery and we will put you in touch with him. The Fishery is open from 8am until dusk.
Press Manor Fishing Lakes, Derbyshire
Hawthorn activity has now finished and anglers are having more success with lures fished at different depths and speeds. A national qualifier was held at Press Manor on Sunday and the north-east lads took five of the six qualifying places. Rob Frome (from Newcastle) won with 15 trout, 2nd Peter Davison, 3rd Tim Gilchrist (Staffordshire), 4th Colin Harris, 5th Lee Cartmel, and 6th Jim Tuck. 86 trout were caught at an average of 7.1 trout per angler.
Siblyback Lake, Cornwall
Anglers averaged just over two fish per rod over the month of May, with most fish being caught from the Marshes and Stocky Bay and from the North Shore toward the end of the month, mainly from the bank. With hawthorns very evident at the beginning of the month, Dry Bibios, Hoppers and Hawthorn imitations caught well fished on the surface. Lures such as Cat’s Whiskers, Baby Dolls and Orange Blobs, fished on intermediate lines, were the most productive, with nymph imitation catches (Damsel Nymphs, Buzzers and Diawl Bach) improving as the month progressed. The best fish of the month, a rainbow of 5lb 2oz, was caught by C. Hall, from Pensilva, while Mr Long, from Liskeard, caught a rainbow of 4lb 12oz.
Thrunton Trout Fishery, Northumberland
Fishing conditions have challenged anglers this week as the hot weather spell continues and the caenis hatches get underway. Fish have been found at all depths, many being caught on Buzzers and dries but the odd Chamois worm has proved successful. A busy day on Sunday raising funds for Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest Breast Cancer research charity. The Blythe/McEwan angling competition saw 31 local anglers, including seven juniors, compete for the Blythe/McEwan trophy and some fantastic prizes. Under challenging conditions Dave Cookson from Swarland took the title of ‘top rod’ in the adult competition, Joe Dewhirst from Rothbury took the heaviest fish prize and Graham Walton caught the first brownie. In the Junior competition 13-year-old Jack Metcalf from Newbiggin was the winner and Joseph Graham took the prize of heaviest fish and first brown trout caught. Jack Metcalf was also presented with the James Robinson Junior Big Fish shield for the largest fish caught by a junior at the fishery over the last 12 months. Not only did Jack manage to net a cracking 18lb rainbow but he also brought to the net a 13lb brown trout! A huge thank you to all those who took part, bought raffle tickets, joined in FB auctions, donated some fabulous prizes and generally gave generously to this worthwhile charity. A special mention must go to Peter McEwan and his family for helping to organise the event as well as to Andy Richmond for his truly epic fundraising efforts over the months – £1012 was raised from his fly box raffle alone! Thank you to all marshalls and lodge helpers who made the day run so smoothly. A good day was had by all and a fantastic £4390 raised for Breast Cancer Now. The money was raised over a few months from selling flies, raffles, bonus ball draws, auctions and kind donations.
In pleasure catches, Mick Brown of Bedlington had a splendid 10 hour session releasing 22 fish on black and yellow Buzzers and Perdigon nymphs. Young Jack Metcalf had a good day releasing five on dries. Bedlington angler Willie Emery returned 10 to Long Crag while fishing Buzzers deep. N. Jones of Holystone caught seven, keeping four on small black dries, and released another eight the next day from both lakes. Graeme Harrison from Hartlepool returned 20 over two successful fishing sessions from the boat on Shuttlecocks and Buzzers. M. Watson from Chapel House safely returned 11 fish on dries. Ashington angler Ken Glenton released five on Buzzers and Chamois. Stu Ward from Westerhope returned seven on Chamois worms from both lakes. Steve Ritson from Crawcrook landed 10 from Coe Crag on Buzzers.
Best flies are Buzzers, small black dries, Hoppers, nymphs, Shipman’s, Damsels, Shuttlecocks and Chamois.