Thornton weekly fishing report 19th March 2023

Weekly Fishing Report: Draycote, Eyebrook, Thornton

Visit our Fisheries Websites: www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk   www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk  www.flyfishthornton.co.uk

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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:19^th March 2023    Rod Av: 0.9      Water Temperature: 8c

Quiet start to the week with average wind speeds exceeding 25mph our cut off point for allowing boats out. Reservoir levels are high due to the snow melt & rain with visibility around 1ft. Although it’s disappointing to lose days to the weather we need the rain to ensure ground water levels are normal or above normal to ensure any high summer temperatures have as little impact as possible on reservoir levels. It’s the joys of earning a living around the weather.

Tuesday to Thursday with the high levels & coloured water we recommended that anglers didn’t fish or went to Draycote.

Friday, water level was returning to normal, visibility was improving with two members deciding to fish the morning session. J Bebbington caught 2 up the Thornton arm with L Serrano catching 3 from the corner of the wood. Sinking lines with black coloured boobies worked best.

Saturday morning with the level continuing to fall our clarity is around 18inch. Fishing wasn’t easy with anglers picking up an odd fish along the wood and corner of the wood with black booby or black humungous best on a fast sinker.

Sunday with our clarity at 18inch+ and as the colour / sediment drops from the top downwards it meant the clearer water would be closer to the bank. Bob Jones caught his 4 fish limit doing just that, catching his first fish on a fast sinker & booby but due to catching weed changed to a floater & a black & green lure. Fishing opposite the lodge and casting tight to the bank he caught a further 3 & missed a few as the takes were tentative.

Challenging week due to snow melt & rain which raised the level & bought in dirty water. Currently our level is dropping & returning to normal, clarity is improving daily & currently 18inch+. Last weeks stocking has increased the head of fish to 3450 rainbows we would therefore weather permitting expect to see the fishing improve. Contact the lodge for 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: 19^th March 2023     Rod Av:   13.92     Water Temperature: 6-7°C

After the snow and cold weather of the previous week, we all hoped that the bad weather was behind us and that spring would start to spring in earnest. Although, the Great British weather had other ideas with strong winds over 30mph stopped the boats going out. When this was teamed with heavy rain showers it certainly was a day for the hardy anglers. Two such anglers were D Clawson & D Bray, the pair fished in Rainbow Corner and enjoyed great sport landing 24 fish between the two. Using a floating line with a black and green goldhead. Great angling on what was certainly not a very pleasant day on the water, but it beats being stuck in an office at work.

The wind swung to the Northwest, Tuesday and dropped considerable from the previous day with the temperatures also hitting double figures, although the wind did make it feel cooler. Fishing from a boat Mark Frost & Richard Webb enjoyed a good days sport landing 27 to the boat using black & green lures and also Diawl Bachs, with their best area being Biggin Bay. All water member Pete Eville fished from a boat enjoying a good day’s sport landing 16 fish. Using a tequila booby fishing along the Farborough Bank, with the same tactics also accounting for some fish out of Biggin Bay. On the bank new member Peter Jefferies fished for his first ever time on the bank. Only fishing for a couple of hours before the cold got the better of him, Peter landed 1 and lost one more. Using a black and green lure from Rainbow Corner with the one landed being a great 3lb rainbow.

It was dull and overcast for most of the day on Wednesday with light breezes and the odd spot of rain through the afternoon. The bank anglers have been faring well over this early part of the season with some good returns coming from the north shore and Toft Shallows. Young James Kelly had a bakers dozen from Lincroft Point on black and orange lures, while Mike Garner caught his fish from the Cornfield. Peter Elliott and Lee Patten had an absolute hat full of fish from the bank down in Toft Shallows using DI3’s and snakes. Out on the boats anglers were also doing extremely well Adam Larbalester and Ben Bayliss had over 30 fish each to the boat using a mixture of snakes, nymphs and lure patterns. Ian Morris plied his trade around the Valve Tower and Lincroft Point on small boobies fished deep and slow to net 16 fish from a drifting boat.

A windy day with rain in the afternoon on Thursday, which deterred some anglers from venturing out. Although those that did enjoyed great sport, Mike Oliver fished on the bank in the afternoon from 1pm onwards. Landing 27 using a black lure on the point and then pheasant tail nymph on the droppers and buzzers. The best area Mike found was down the Cornfield all the way up to Lincroft point and then in Biggin Bay as well. On the boats Lianne Frost & Chris Bobby landed 32 fish using a DI 5 sinking line and various boobies and blobs. Also using Di 5 lines to great affect, Fraser Duffer Snr & Jnr who landed 40 fish to the boat. The hotspots for the boat anglers seemed to be Toft, Lincroft Point and Biggin Bay.

A much improved day weather wise on Friday with mild conditions and a touch of spring in the air. And the mood these fish are in will definitely put a spring in your step here at Draycote because once again the rod average is through the roof. (14.9). The best of the fishing for both bank and boat anglers is along the northern shoreline running from Biggin Bay down to the Cornfield. Season permit holder Mr Paul Walker netted 26 fish from the bank . Paul used minkies and diawl bachs to catch his fish in Biggin Bay. Another season permit holder Mr Paul Walley caught a dozen fish from the bank at Lincroft Point using a Pitsford pea. Mr M Baggott and Mr D Jinkins also took to the bank to net 16 fish between them on black lures from Toft Shallows and the Cornfield. Young Ian Richardson and Bob Smith had an unholy number of fish to the boat yesterday 88 in all. The lads used cormorants fished on sinking lines in Dougies Gap to tempt their fish and remarked on a red letter day. Mr David Mason had 20 fish to the boat using boobies and buzzers. Mr James Carr and Mr Tony Rowley had nearly 40 fish to the boat between them on buzzers and boobies and remarked on a great day.

Saturday morning dawned with overcast skies, and light showers. It was a fairly mild day overall with quite a few anglers taking to the water. Mr N and Mr M Hollingshead ventured out on to the bank to catch 19 fish between them. They fished mainly in the Cornfield using a mixture of patterns such as damsels, diawl bachs and crunchers. Season permit holder Simon Ringer caught 8 fish from the bank during a morning session, all on buzzers. Mr John Hartley also fished buzzers from the bank to net 7 fish from Biggin Bay. Draycote regular Stan Hillman caught 15 fish from the bank on lures from various points along the northern shoreline. Saturday was the practice day for the 6 x 4 competition so some anglers were playing their cards very close to their chests. However we still managed a rod average of 8, with once again lots of fish being caught from the boats in Toft Shallows, along the Cornfield and in Biggin Bay.

A fantastic day at Draycote Sunday with all anglers enjoying great sport. On the bank manager Tom Bird & fishery instructor and guide Mike Oliver hosted the first beginner bank day of the season. A great day was had by all the participants, and they went on to land 12 fish from Lincroft Point. With the best flies being a white and chartreuse tadpole fished on a floating line.

Member Paul Walley fishing along the Cornfield landed a baker’s dozen using a black and green booby on an intermediate line. With fellow member Mark JJ landed 6 alongside Paul, again on a black and green lure. Fishing at Lincroft Point in the morning Richard Walker landed 6 fish using black buzzers. On the boats we hosted the first round of the 6X4 competition. They informed us that the there had been some very impressive catches the day before and that they expected the water to fish well again on Sunday. This proved to be the case with the 56 anglers producing a rod average of 21.4 fish per angler. With the best area’s being Toft, Croft Shoal, S Buoy and Lincroft point with the majority of anglers catching fish on Di 5 & 7 sinking lines with boobies, cormorants and blobs. Although Buzzers also featured well on the catch report with a 3ft Midge Tip and a team of buzzers working well. If you want to see any pictures and posts about with either the tuition day or competition, please visit www.facebook.com/flyfishstore

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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: 19th March 23                    Rod Av: 2.3        Water Temperature: 6-7°C

Monday at Eyebrook was dominated by the weather. With heavy rain, very strong winds there was no anglers venturing out.

Due to the recent weather the water clarity was very poor with visibility down to around 1ft. This did not deter George Hall from taking a boat for a short session. George managed 3 fish from the Hawthorns to Sam’s Dyke area which is a great return given the lack of water clarity.

Wednesday was another quiet day on Eyebrook. The water clarity remained an issue, however it did improve as the day wore as the colour started to drop out. By mid-afternoon the visibility was between 1 & 2ft.  Those that did venture out still caught however where the Hawthorns remained the most productive area with fish getting caught on Buzzers & Lures fished from the bank.

It was a damp start to the day Thursday with light southerly winds which made for favourable bank conditions. The water clarity is improving day by day with the shallower area around banks being first to clear as the sediment particles begin to drop through the water column. Eyebrook member Mick Farrell had a very productive bank session landing 6 fish & reporting a lot of interest throughout the day. Mick used a Di3 & Boobies with a slow retrieve to tempt his fish.

Fridays start was damp & cold which developed into a warm, bright spring afternoon. The wind was a light southerly which remained consistent all day. The water clarity continued its improvement with visibility now being at 2ft +. Subsequently, the reservoir fished very well off the bank with fish getting caught all down the Hawthorns to the Island. Fish were caught on a variety of lines with black flies proving to be more successful than lighter coloured ones. The key seemed to be to fish your flies slow, giving the fish plenty of opportunities to see them. Garry Mickley had a very productive day, landing 18 fish on a 5ft tip line with a Black lure on the point & Black Diawl Bachs above it. Eyebrook member Keith Johnson had 10 fish on a Kate McLaren & Black Diawl Bachs.

Saturday saw both the boats & the banks busy. With the water clarity now at 3ft, fish were caught from both. Those fishing the margins faired better than those on the boats opting for open water. As previously mentioned, the sediment clears from the shallower areas first as it has less distance to fall. So at this time of year, when there is sediment in the water, the banks & margins are areas that with have the better clarity of water & affords the greater possibility of fish seeing your flies.

Sunday was a very quiet day with a few fish caught from the boats & banks but in no great numbers. With the weather for the forth coming week looking increasingly unsettled, targeting the areas that have better water clarity will become of paramount importance.