Weekly Fishing Report: Draycote, Eyebrook, Thornton
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| Lodge & Bank Open: | 7.30am – 6.15pm |
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| Morning Boat: | 8.30am – 1.00pm |
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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 Membership details Visit www.flyfishthornton.co.uk/about-us-2/season-permits/ for details of our 2023 membership options
Week Ending: 12th March Rod Av: 4.5 Water Temperature: 7c
Weather Forecast
The national weather forecast for the UK is likely to have an impact on us this week, although as I write this report locally it’s not too bad. I’m often asked which weather forecast we follow, we use two
https://www.xcweather.co.uk/ which you can also download as an App, all you do is enter the fisheries postcode
Thornton LE67 1AR, Draycote CV23 8AB, Eyebrook LE16 8RP
The other weather forecast we follow is https://www.windy.com/ and again all you do is enter the fisheries postcode
We find both to be pretty accurate 48h to 24hr before your visit.
Fishing Report
Monday with a mixed forecast only one angler took to the water new Thornton member Martin Hoskins was rewarded with 10 trout taken on a fast sinking line with a black and green booby.
Tuesday, how wrong could the national weather forecast be for the midlands, no rods and we had the worst days in February when anglers went out fishing! By late morning the sun was out. Follow the local forecast.
Wednesday, snow flurries and a bitterly cold easterly. One angler member Carl Bond took a boat out for a few hours catching 1 fish on a fast sinker and a black nymph before the cold drove him off the water.
Thursday, Friday snow arrived causing local disruption to travel with no anglers on the water. Saturday & following a quick thaw the reservoir level rose & water clarity was reduced to 1ft, with no rods out fishing.
Sunday following a bit of rain and the continued thaw the water level in the reservoir continued to rise with clarity reduced further. A couple of rods decided to give it a try, Richard Smith caught 1 and had other offers to a black humungus with John Reynold catching 6 on a fast sinker and a black and green booby.
With the reservoir running over the overflow due to the snow melt and rain our visibility is currently 1ft but will improve with this weeks forecast as always we recommend you call the lodge for the latest updates
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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/
Week Ending: 12th March 2023 Rod Av: 5.9 Water Temperature: 4-5°C
A cold start to the week with the temperatures dropping down to single figures and the a strong Southwest wind blowing. However, it didn’t seem to upset the fish to much as the rods who took to the water produced a 7.25 rod average. Draycote member Peter Elliot headed out on the bank using a black snake on a fast glass to return 16 fish from Dunn’s and the Cornfield. Another angler who found the fish at Dunn’s was Bob Barfoot who landed 7 fish on small buzzers in size 12 & 14s. New member Richard Collier also used the more natural approach landing a brace on Pheasant tailed nymphs with a further one on a viva. On the boats Brett Vinall & Andy Birkett started there first of a 3 day break returning 22 fish to the boat using boobies on sunk lines. Ian Morris also used a booby with some cormorants fished slowly at the Cornfield & Alberts Bottom landing a baker’s dozen. Anglers Bob Smith and Ian Richardson fishing in Toft and later in Biggin Bay also boating 13. With the best flies being bloodworm patterns, blobs and small snakes.
The cold weather continued Tuesday with very cold conditions 1°C mixed with some rain at the same time for the morning. Although in the afternoon the sun came out, making it much more pleasant day still cold but certainly more enjoyable to be out on the water. The previous days of colder weather and certainly knocked the fish off a little from the previous days. Season ticket holder Alan Grant fished for a few hours off Lincroft Point to land a brace using an intermediate with a damsel. Regular last four hour anglers Slav & Jony fished in Dunn’s again using various early season lures such as black & greens, snakes and cats whiskers. David Harrison fished from the boats with his best area being G Buoy in Toft fishing keep with a white snake. All water member John Kirk found the fish off Lincroft Point using the Bung and black buzzers. Brent Vinall & Andy Birkett fished for their second day landing 17 fish. The duo found that a Di 3 link with boobies to be most effective in the morning. While it was the Booby Basher in the afternoon that caught the fish. With the best areas being Toft, Biggin Bay and Lincroft Point.
An awful weather day Wednesday with North east winds fixed with snow and sleet showers for nearly the entire day, making it feel well below freezing. As a result we only had 3 anglers arrive at the fishery. Draycote member Dave Kennel fished off the bank to land a very welcome fish from the Cornfield. Then out on the boats we had Brent Vinall & Andy Birkett on the final day of their 3 day break. They once again used booby bashers and boobies. Landing 9 fish from around Farborough Spit including some cracking overwintered fish. Pictures of the fish can be seen on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/flyfishstore
Heavy snow and very inclement conditions put an end to any chance of fishing over Thursday and Friday, and indeed due to local road conditions Severn Trent closed Draycote over both days.
A light but cold north easterly breeze greeted us on Saturday morning, with the promise of reasonable fishing conditions throughout the day. Draycote did not disappoint from either the boat or the bank and is fishing well at the moment. Mr A Joseph fished from the bank in Toft Shallows to land 7 fish on a small orange lure. Mike Hunt landed half a dozen fish from the bank on an olive snake in the Cornfield. Out on the boats Mark Braun netted 16 fish using damsels on a fast glass in Toft Shallows. Ray Rawlings also boated 16 fish using green and black lures on a DI7 off the Cornfield. Young Mike Garner and Ian Ross had 20 fish to the boat between them using black and green lures fished along the northern shore.
The best day of the week arrived Sunday and the anglers who fished on the day enjoyed good sport with a rod average of 6.2 fish per angler. Bank angler and Draycote season ticket holder Jon Crowley landed 11 fish from Rainbow Corner using a blue flash Damsel fished on either a Di 5 sweep or on a midge tip. Also, fishing in Rainbow Corner Steve Orton using a brown buzzer to land 7 fish. Draycote member Richard Walker fished along the Northshore using a fast sinking line and a booby to also land 7 fish. Mr J Mackay fished in Toft in the afternoon from the bank to land 6 fish on blue flash damsels. On the boats all water member Kevin Hart fished with Dave Pacey landing 35 fish to the boat. The pair fished in Toft, Cornfield & The Farborough Dam with intermediate and medium sink lines. With the best flies being various boobies and tadpoles. All water members Fraser Duffy Snr & Fraser Duffy Jnr used Di 5 sinking lines and boobies to land 36 fish landing the fish from Toft, Cornfield & Biggin Bay. Jared Burton & L Jones fished from a boat along the Cornfield using Olive Snakes to land 28 fish.
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Eyebrook Fishery Weekly Report – 01536 770264
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/
Week Ending: 12th March 23 Rod Av: 3.0 Water Temperature: 5°C
Eyebrook Opening Day video on our YouTube Channel Flyfishstore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POtAY7sh-rs
The week started with a moderate northerly wind that saw both the air & water temperature begin to plummet. This made the trout fishing somewhat challenging & fish hard to come by, particularly from the boats. The banks fared better with All Water Member & Eyebrook regular Ian Jobe landing 11 fish from the bank on lure patterns. Ian started along the Hawthorns & he moved frequently further along the bank picking up fish as he went. Other catches from included Mr Hawley & All Water Member Jim Watt who had 5 & 4 fish respectively. From the boats the Pike anglers proved to be more successful than the trout anglers with quite a few fish to 8lb being caught. The big girls did not make a showing on this day, but it is only a matter of time before they do.
Tuesday proved to be even colder than the previous day & the water temperature had dropped to 4°C. The water was 1°C colder than the previous day which would have a detrimental impact on the fishing, so it proved. It made the fishing beyond challenging & therefore very few fish were caught. The trout did make an appearance but only in 1’s & 2’s.
The cold weather continued Wednesday & so did Eyebrook’s challenging start to the season. Robbo’s cabin did produce some fish however, where fish were caught from both the banks & the boats. The boat anglers caught using lures on sinking lines fished relatively slow. Whereas the bank anglers caught fishing small nymphs which contained a small element of some kind of flash. Targeting the naturally feeding fish these small flashy nymphs proved to be a convincing imitation of the Corixa the trout were feeding on.
The weather Thursday & Friday were very typical of a British springtime with numerous bouts of snow, wind, rain, frost & sunshine. These changeable weather conditions were enough to deter the very hardiest of anglers & the fishery remained extremely quiet.
It was a very cold & clear start to Saturday. The reservoir resembled a mill pond & remarkably, fish could be seen moving across the area of the Main Basin. The Hawthorns proved to be the most productive area with the bank anglers catching on Intermediate Lines & White Humungus Boobies.
Sunday saw an increase in air temperature & the fishing really kicked into life with the reservoir producing a daily rod average of 7.08. Fish were caught from both the bank & the boats with the most productive area being the Leicester Bank from the Lodge to Sam’s Dyke. Fish were caught on a variety of flies & methods from Black & Green Lures being pulled to Diawl Bachs fished static on a Washing Line.
The forecast for the forthcoming week is one of changeable conditions with strong winds. However, it is also one of increased air temperature & from a favourable direction for the bank fishing so the recent upturn in form looks set to continue.