Thornton weekly fishing report 14th March

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

Thornton Fishery Weekly Report – 01530 230807

Email: thornton@flyfishstore.co.uk

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

Can we remind members & day rods of our pre payment policy for 2022 details are on our website www.flyfishthornton.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Week Ending:  13^th March   Rod Av:  6.0    Water Temperature: 7c+

Slow start to the week with not many rods out on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday with the rod average for the first three days of the week 2.0 Clarity is improving with some improvement to the water temperature which should see our fishing improve as the week progresses.

Thursday and all the rods caught using a variety of method from a floating line, slow intermediate to a fast sinker. P Harding fished opposite the lodge and caught steadily all day using a slow intermediate with candy blob on the dropper and small pink snake on the point. Mark and Sam Gee caught 6 fishing buzzer and olive nymphs close into the margins opposite the lodge. George Jackson fished the corner of the wood with a fast sinker and booby patterns for his 6 trout. Good to see some of our trout starting to take the buzzer, a sign of improving conditions and improving water temperature. Water clarity is pushing 3ft.

Friday, windier than forecast! Although wind strength was more than forecast with the wind coming from the south the air temperature was warmer than the day before. Our water temperature was 7c+ we should see a steady increase the closer it gets to 10c+ the higher in the water column the fish will be. Not many rods on the water due to the weather but the three members who decided to go out were rewarded with a rod average 8 with fast sinking sink 7 or the slower sinking sink 3 with booby, blob and cats whisker taking the majority of the trout. Water clarity is a good 3ft

Saturday and a nice start to the day although the wind did pick up during the day. With our water temperature at 7c+ and improving, our water clarity is 3ft and improving daily the trout were keen to take the fly. Opposite the lodge, wood and corner of the wood fished best with anglers catching on intermediate all the way down to sink 7 lines. Although the standard booby, snakes and cats whisker patterns are working we have during the last few days seen increasing number trout on small lure patterns, cormorants, buzzers and diawls. Brian Sibley. Martin Clay, Jan Webber and Mark Hunt all recorded double figure catches.

Sunday and with a poor weather forecast which proved to be wrong we had few rods on the water, a shame as it fished well with M Vickers fishing the morning session catching 8

Water clarity is improving and very fishable as our rod average 6.0 indicates. As our water temperature improves a bit every day we will soon be at 10c+ when we should start to see our buzzers begin to hatch.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Draycote Fishery Weekly Report – 01788 812018

Email:  draycote@flyfishstore.co.uk

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

2022 Prices & details on our pre-payment visit our website www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Week Ending:  13^th March 2022              Rod Av:   5.8       Water Temperature: 6 °C

The wind remained in the Northeast, Monday so again it wasn’t the warmest of days for the anglers out on the water. Draycote season ticket holders Peter Elliot & Lee Patten fished from the bank enjoying a good day’s sport landing 14 and 11 fish each. The pair found the fish at Carpark 4 the top end of the Cornfield, using midge tip lines and hothead Damsel patterns. All water season Andy Lillie fished at Carp Park number 8 near Dunn’s Bay to land 5 fish on a yellow boobies fished on a sinking line with a slow retrieve. On the boats Dave Parkes & M Roberts landed 15 fish to the boat fishing along the Cornfield on sunk lines and lures. Ed Doulas enjoyed a good days sport landing 17 fish, fishing down in Toft near the nature reserve buoys using an Airflo 12ft Slow Tip. Ed teamed the line with a mix of cormorants and nymphs, to take his fish.

A cold start Tuesday with a frost and an East wind once again, as a result the water temperature started at a cold 5°C. These cold water temperatures made the fishing a challenge, as the fish were very lethargic. On the boats all water season ticket holder Lorenzo Serrano landed 5 fish using various lures fishing along the nature reserve buoy in Toft. With John Poote also landing 3 fish put not sure on his tactics.

Again another day with the wind in the East this time a strong Southeast this made the fishing along the Hotspots on the Northshore a real challenge and as a result the fishing was tough. Bob Askew fished from a boat in Toft to land 4 fish along the Nature reserve buoys. With beginner season ticket holder and fly fishing newcomer Simon Enstock landing his first fish of the 2022 season also from Toft on a cats whisker snake.

The fishing improved Thursday with the water temperature rising by a degree to 6°C, with the strong Southeast winds which later swung to a full South the bank anglers struggled and for the first time this season the boat anglers had the lion share of the sport. Dave Kennell landed 3 fish from Toft fishing at the Swan’s Nest. On the boats Dave Atkins & Richard Hanlon landed 22 between them the pair found the fish at S Buoy near Croft shoal. With their successful tactics being a Di 5 sinking line with snakes, they also landed some cracking fish of 3 & 5lb. Ian Reeve landed 12 fish taking his fish from the Hensborough Bank and also Biggin Bay using a fast intermediate and a booby snake in olive. Ifor Macary enjoyed a great days sport landing 18 fish drifting along the Farborough Dam using a floating line with a Cat’s Whisker on the point.

Once again blustery winds and light showers meant that we were a bit light on the rod numbers for Friday.

Those who wrapped up warm and braved the conditions were however rewarded with some very good sport from both boat and bank alike. The Cornfield produced well for Mr Neil Ledbrook, who netted half a dozen fish on black and green boobies and tequila blobs on a DI3. Season permit holder Ray Rawlings had 18 fish to the boat. Ray also used a DI3, fishing snakes tight in on the Cornfield. Another season permit holder, Mr Craig Middleton, pulled well over 30 fish to the boat using a 12 foot slow tip and a single blob.

Saturday dawned as forecast, with overcast conditions and a light but cold southerly blowing across the reservoir . It turns out that there were a lot of fish holding on the Farborough Dam and up on the Hensborough Bank, and most of these seemed to be getting caught in the top 8 feet of the water column. Popular lines on the day were midge tips down to DI3’s, with anything from lure patterns through to buzzers and diawl bachs showing up on the catch return. Young James Kelly caught 9 fish from the bank, using black and green lures and damsels down in Toft Shallows. Season permit holder Paul Walley caught ten fish from the bank using a gold humungus, again in Toft. Lee Cheshire also took to the bank and fished up in Rainbow Corner, using black and green lures to net 3 fish, one of which weighed 3 and a half pounds. Out on the boats Rob, Sam and Albert Edmunds all got well into double figures using cats whiskers, blobs and fab’s. Mr Andy Campbell and Mr John Brown had a good day, netting well over sixty fish between them. Andy and John tried a few different spots before settling up near the Hensborough bank .

Sunday started bright and breezy but threw a few light showers our way just to keep us on our toes. The wind never really got up to what was forecast, so overall a nippy, but fairly comfortable day. The fishing was once again top notch, with many good bags coming to both boat and bank anglers from various points around the reservoir. The best spots again on the southerly wind were Farborough Dam, Toft Shallows, (drifting off the dam wall), and the Hensborough bank. Season permit holder John Crowley fished bank fished in the corner of the Hensborough Bank to net 7 fish on a yellow dancer and diawl bachs using an intermediate line. Mr H Lambert and Mr D Robson had over 20 fish to the boat using a mixture of cormorants and humungus . The All Abilities Fly Fishers ventured out onto the reservoir with a good attendance, under the guidance of Mark Goodge and Shaun Higgins. A grand total of 15 rods caught 122 fish, giving them a club rod average for the day of  8.1. Well done to all those who took part.

————————————————————————————————————————–

Eyebrook Fishery Weekly Report – 01536 770264

Email: eyebrook@flyfishstore.co.uk

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

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

2022 Prices & details on our pre-payment visit our website www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Week Ending: 13^th March        Rod Av: 4.5          Water Temperature: 7C +

Monday saw the cold weather from the previous week continue with a stiff easterly breeze reducing the air temperature further. The water clarity is improving daily; currently at around 2 ½ ft which will improve due to the predicted forecast of dryer weather. The Gillespie brothers had a productive day from the boat, landing 18 fish between them, fishing bright flies relatively slow. The Netted bank, Robbo’s Cabin & the Willows were their most productive areas once the air temperature had increased & the wind had dropped. Other productive areas included along the platform’s frontage & the Hawthorns with fish getting caught from the bank & boat.

With Tuesday’s warmer settled weather, the water clarity continued to improve. All water member Ian Jobe had a very productive day from the bank, picking up 11 fish from various locations with the Bell to the Hawthorns being his most productive area. He found the fish from the netted bank to the Willows which were more widespread, having to adopt a mobile approach to pick up fish. Whereas the fish on the Bell to Hawthorns area were more condensed; on occasion hooking 2 at a time. The best method remains fishing your flies very slow & relatively deep. Either black or very bright neon type flies have proven best given the water clarity. Each day has seen the water clarity improve and this should continue as the week progresses.

Wednesday seemed to make the fish a little more elusive for quite a few of the anglers as a lot of them struggled to locate the fish in the morning. As the afternoon broke, the fish seemed to become more active and the Anglers started to pick a few more fish up as the day progressed. Yet again, the same fly combinations in the same areas as previously mentioned were producing results.

Thursday saw Eyebrook adopt another truckload of stunning Rainbows from Westacre. They settled in quickly and headed off up the Leicestershire bank and straight across the dam towards the netted bank. Some of the anglers couldn’t quite get in on the action from the bank or boat. But there were a few exceptions that found fish and got into good numbers. Olly Mills was fishing single tadpole type patterns and getting a lot of interest as well as fish to the net. D. Brocklesby’s group took a while to find fish on their first day out on the reservoir, but soon enjoyed the sport once certain areas had been identified.

Friday seen Eyebrook being hit with swirling winds that made choosing a spot to fish, quite deceptive. The wind always looked good until you got into that spot and then it would change. The most sheltered area of the reservoir was along the netted bank and Robbo’s area. This left bank anglers and boat anglers jostling for position. Remember, boats should give bank anglers at least 50 yards clearance. It’s good etiquette. Shelter was only one reason for that corner being that busy, there’s lots of fish in that area as well, and it has been producing some good sport, mainly for the bank anglers as long as the wind is in the right direction.

The productive bank fishing continued Saturday with several anglers catching good numbers of fish from various locations; Bell to Hawthorns & over at the netted bank to Robbo’s cabin. David Rechorik enjoyed an excellent day with 11 fish taken on Minkies & various booby lures fished on a floating line & midge tip respectively. Other productive methods include washing line buzzers with a colourful FAB on the point particularly on the warmer leeward bank, to twiddling dark coloured lures on intermediate lines. Those taking to the boats have found that fishing lures on intermediate to sinking lines to be the more productive approach, concentrating their efforts fishing over deeper water.

Sunday saw Eyebrook host a Thornton Fly Fishers bank match. Every angler caught fish and overall top rod was Norman Perkins with 4 fish which were caught over by the Netted Bank/Robbo’s Cabin area on a mixture of Fabs & Nymphs. What was noticeable was that as weather warmed throughout the day the fishing improved with Season Ticket holder Dave Etty landing 10 fish on Diawl Bachs over by Robbo’s Cabin to the Seat area. Boat anglers continue to have success fishing the slightly deeper water further out of the Hawthorns & Robbo’s Cabin with Ian Dalby taking 9 fish in a short morning session. As the remanding colour continues to drop out the water and the water temperature increases the forecast for the coming weeks looks excellent.