Weekly fishing report 22nd May 2022

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

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: 22 May    Rod Av: 2.3  Water Temperature: 16c+

Monday & the forecast for heavy rain kept the anglers away, as it was no rain & not too bad fishing conditions with fish moving off & on during the day. Bill Stone caught 5 for his 4 hour visit with Andrew Wilson fishing a washing line with buzzers to catch his 4 trout.

Busy day Tuesday with all of the boats out. Trout remain high in the water with water clarity gin clear. Time to fish leaders as long as you can with as low diameter leader as you can manage. If fishing dries the anglers fishing a single small dry #14, #16 are doing best. Phill Mee & Steve Fairgrieve fished a morning session catching 9 trout to 3lb on diawl bach & buzzer. Kevin Hart took to his float tube catching 8 trout including an overwintered 3lb+ rainbow on a washing line, fab, nemo cruncher & diawl. Pete Cox fished a black pudding cruncher, pattern tied by our new fishery ranger Jim Sheehan catching 7 trout. Another good evening rise with fish moving in front of the lodge & from in front of the main dam across the main basin into Markfield arm.

Wednesday & again a wrong forecast kept rods away which was a shame as fish were moving again off & on during the day with a good evening rise as James Smith discovered fishing the last 4 hour session with fabs & emergers to catch his 4 trout

Thursday, the forecasted rain did eventually arrive, this morning the level is the same, water clarity is “gin clear” with fish sipping off the surface mopping up last night buzzer & the first of the caenis. It was a surprisingly challenging day considering the number of trout feeding off the surface. David Hussey fished sub surface with diawl bach and buzzer to catch his 12 trout for the day. Barry Deeley decided to fish deeper with a sink 5 and a humungus and booby patterns picking up 5 trout. Peter Wrigley fished the afternoon session fishing a long leader off his midge tip with an apps bloodworm catching 10 trout. Those surface feeding trout need a subtle approach, long tapered leader to a fine diameter point, single dry #14 #16 similar to an F fly, bobs bits, emerger pattern, don’t cast too often pick out the trout working its way towards you cant 6 to 8ft in front giving you enough time not to disturb the surface & for you to get the presentation right, allow the fish to move onto the fly. When its calm and I’m using small dries emergers I always opts for a tapered leader, to help turnover and presentation.

Friday and Saturday we had good numbers of fish rising all day from in front of the fishing lodge across the main basin. They weren’t easy to tempt with some of the anglers deciding to ignore the trout moving on the surface reaching for their Sink3, Sink 5 or Sink 7 lines with damsel, Dawson olive, fab, blob or booby. The anglers who had success with the surface feeding trout fished long leaders with a single size #14 emergers and shuttlecocks, this worked for Mark Hunt who caught 12 with M Clay catching 14

I often find when the fish become preoccupied with the smaller #14 #16 flies a tapered leader will help with turnover and improve presentation.

Sunday and again a good number of trout sipping off the surface in front of the lodge greeted the anglers as they got into their boats. These fish are feeding on caenis from the night before and small black buzzer and a small vivid green buzzer, size #14 #16 on a long leader, possibly a single fly is the way to approach them. Trout are well spread across the reservoir with anglers picking up fish from all over the reservoir. Some anglers are finding the straight line buzzer or bung is fishing best with others using a sink 3 or 5 with damsel patterns, blobs or booby. Kevin Hart & Dave Pacey during the afternoon found good numbers of trout moving down the Markfield arm fishing 5 & 5 weight rods with fine leader & small emergers, cdc caught 22 trout mostly during the afternoon.

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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/

Week Ending:  Sunday 22nd May 2022              Rod Av:  3.6      Water Temperature: 15 °C

Monday started warm with a fairly light breeze and good cloud cover. Draycote season ticket holder James Kelly fished on the bank in Toft to land 3 fish with the fish all taking Diawl Bachs. Out on the boats Rob Plume & John Stephens landed 16 fish on Buzzers fishing around the Outlet, with the boat of James & Jarvis also using these tactics to boat 15 fish. Draycote season ticket holder Ian Richardson & Bob Smith had 20 fish to the boat at the Hensbrough Bank. The pair fished straight line buzzers and commented on another “lovely day”

A very warm day Tuesday with a blustery southerly wind which picked up even more in the afternoon, then to finish the day we had a torrential down pour. Tim Grove & Gordon Byers on their second of 4 days enjoyed a good day’s sport landing 20 fish to the boat. They fished in the corner of the Hensborough bank on buzzers at anchor. Also landing 20 fish on Buzzer was Tosh Storrar & Rob Plume who fished just up from them further along the Hensborough Bank. Keith Allison & Peter Williams enjoyed a good day landing 22 the pair used a mix of buzzers, muskins and Diawl Bachs to land their fish. All water member Roger Kerrison enjoyed a good day landing 12 fish all on nymphs fishing at the school slips.

Wednesday started bright with a light breeze and then clouded over as the day progressed. These days it’s much easier to point out where not to fish, as the place is fishing so well, (famous last words). The daily rod average seems to be cruising along above six or so this past couple of weeks and doesn’t look set to change anytime soon. With just a few exceptions, most of the fish caught are coming out of the top few feet of the water column, on diawl bachs, buzzers and crunchers, fished on a floating or midge tip line. Some good bags are also coming to small dry fly patterns on the drift. Young Ed Douglas was using dries to good effect, netting 16 fish from various areas around the reservoir. Taking advantage of one of our three day packages, Tim Grove and Gordon Byers had well over 30 fish to the boat, all on buzzers. Mr Mike Gillett had a bakers dozen just off the School Slips using black buzzers on a floating line. The best of the bank fishing was Mr Colin Day, who caught 6 fish from the Hensborough Bank using the washing line method with black buzzers and an orange booby.

Thursday was overcast to start with and a bit foggy, with a mild westerly breeze. Things brightened up fairly quickly which made for a bit of a change in tactics for some anglers, as the fish moved away from the bank and further down in the water column.  Tony Parker and Andy Axon used buzzers and nymphs fished on floating lines to boat over 20 fish from various areas around the reservoir. Tim Grove and Gordon Byers had nearly 30 fish to the boat on buzzers and damsels from Biggin Bay and the Hensborough Bank. Out on one of our last 4 hour permits was Gary and David Turner, who caught 3 fish between them, as well as a large perch which tipped the scales at 3lbs 8oz. The Police fished their boat match today between Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Cheshire Police. The match was won by Cheshire Police with a total bag weight of 81 lbs 8 oz. The top rod in the competition was Anton Duerden with 9 fish to the boat, using a washing line with red diawl bachs and muskins.

Friday looked very promising with good cloud cover, a light south westerly, and the odd spot of rain here and there.  On the bank Stan Hillman enjoyed a good day landing 10 fish all on Hares Ear’s fishing in Biggin Bay casting into the wind. Also on the bank Tony & Geoff Harris landied 8 fish between them fishing in Rainbow Corner. On the boats Gordon Byers and Tim Grove enjoyed the last of their package break landing 14 fish once again all on buzzers. Kevin Hart & John Hoskins enjoyed a good day in the boat landing 26 fish all on buzzers and crunchers. The pair found the fish at the Saddle Bank and the Overflow. Draycote members Martin Foster & John Vyse enjoyed a good day fishing at the school slips landing 10 fish on black buzzers and Diawl Bachs. Fellow season ticket holder Kevin Rees used dries all day to land 8 fish with size 14 Bob’s Bits being his best pattern,  drifting from the Dam Wall towards A & B Buoy.

Another busy day at the fishery with all the boats once again taking to the water. Visiting from Wales the Wyn Philips party of 8 boat enjoying good sport on Dries and Diawl Bachs, with Rainbow Corner and Biggin Bay their best area. We also had the Herts Fly Dressers Guild talking to the water with their 8 anglers landing 24 fish again from Rainbow Corner. Father & Son Ian & Liam Gaskell enjoyed a good day’s sport landing 20 fish. The pair took all their fish on buzzers fished in Rainbow Corner drifting towards A Buoy and out from the Hensborough Bank towards M Buoy. Anton Byfleet & Daniel Wilkinson enjoyed a good day landing over 20 fish to the boat again with buzzers, landing the majority of their fish once again from Rainbow Corner. Fishery Guide Lee Henfrey took Jon Allen out for a 4 hour guiding session with Jon, enjoying a great session. The best method was either washing lining buzzers on a long midge tip or the Bung. If you’re interested in booking a guided session, please call Tom on 01788 812018.

A light south westerly on Sunday with a bright start, and good cloud cover rolling in as the day progressed. Anglers have reported a lot of fish showing in the surface of the water, seemingly preoccupied on very small flies. To that end some anglers are having more success on sinking lines such as DI 5’s and even Airflo’s booby basher, with lure patterns such as snakes and minkie boobies attached. Indeed, Season permit holder Jim Smith used the booby basher and snakes to net over a dozen fish from the deep water at various points around the reservoir. Jim Reported that his best area was about 70 yards out from the Draycote Dam. Mark Braun used a DI 5 and olive snakes to net 14 fish, again from a number of the deeper areas around the reservoir. Richard Walker netted 8 fish during a morning session, and weighed in 4 fish for 10lbs. Mr Paul Cushnie used a combination of buzzers and dry fly patterns to tempt 17 fish to the net. Draycote stalwart Ian Reeve had 9 fish to the boat. Ian used foam daddies and various other dry fly patterns whilst fishing along the Hensborough Bank and up in Rainbow Corner.

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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/

Pre-Payment
We will be asking you to pre pay when you call to book. If your unable to make your visit or the fishery needs to cancel your visit due to weather conditions, you will be entitled to a full refund or move the booking to another date. Further details visit our website http://www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk/about-us-2/day-permits/

Week Ending: Sunday 22 May 22       Rod Av: 6.3       Water Temperature:  18°C

As the Building work continues at the Harrisons corner area of the dam, we are still asking our customers to come to the lodge via the Alec Lane gate.

There was a damp & unsettled start to the week as Monday bought with it a light but changeable wind & varying amounts of cloud cover. The fishing mirrored the changeable weather with what was a relatively slow start but improved as the day progressed resulting in a very high rod average of 10.5. The best method on the day was fishing dries along the Leicester Bank with yet again Sam’s Dyke proving to be very productive. During brighter spells, when the conditions weren’t quite right for the dries, washing lined buzzers on a floater proved to be the better option to ensure anglers would still catch. As late afternoon turned into early evening there was a noticeable increase in surface activity as the trout responded well to the evident rise with some great catch returns being recorded from both the boat & bank anglers. The most productive dries during this period seemed to be Mayfly, CDC’s, Crippled Midges & Hoppers. The most productive areas throughout the day were Dogwood Bay to Sam’s Dyke, around the Island & up to the Chestnut.

Tuesday saw the reservoir continue to fish extremely well to the dries, even during the frequent spells of bright sunlight. Fish were caught consistently throughout the day from both the boat & bank with good numbers of fish being caught all along the Leicester Bank. Sam’s Dyke, the Island & Mucky Bay remain very productive areas along this bank where some excellent catch returns have been recorded. Enjoying an excellent 3-day short break package, Andrew Bentley & Peter Andrew had a very large number of fish over the 3 days, catching all their fish on either Nymphs on the washing line or dries. Visiting anglers Billy McCranaghan & Alan Martin were also down on a 3-day package & they had such a productive 3 days fishing the dries that they opted to extend to a fourth day. Best Dry fly patterns for day have been Yellow Owls, Hoppers & Klinkhammers. In addition to Dries, Diawl Bachs & Buzzers have continued to catch plenty of fish from both the banks & boats. For anyone interested in booking a short break please follow this link  Short Break Packages | Fly Fish Eyebrook – Leicestershire Trout Fishery

A warm sunny day to start with cloud that arrived a little later in the day and a huge thunderstorm to end the day at Eyebrook. Once again the fantastic fishing continued with the rod average over 8 fish per angler and just to ensure this continues the lake was stock with a further 2,500 fish. Eyebrook season ticket holder Neil Shilton enjoyed a good day in his float tube working along the Leicester bank landing 20 fish. On the bank fishing near the Hawthorns Tony & Ruth Kirk enjoyed a great session landing 18 between them fishing a washing line. Wednesday regulars Clive Moore & Ian Jobe fished near the Island to land 22 fish to the boat including a cracking 5-6lb Tench caught on a buzzer by Clive. To see a picture of this great fish please visit www.facebook.com/flyfishstore. Visiting anglers Billy McCranaghan & Alan Martin once again enjoyed a fantastic days sport landing a cricket score on CDC shuttlecocks and also buzzers, fishing in Sam’s Dyke.

Once again, the sun made an appearance for most of the day, with some cloud arriving a little later in the day. Fishing from the casting platforms for a short morning session was season ticket holder D Lawrence who landed 5 fish all on size 12 crunchers and buzzers. On the boats all water season ticket holder Paul Havard enjoyed a good day landing a dozen fish with red holographic diawl bachs and a Bejesus booby on the point. Mr Alan McGuire enjoyed an “excellent day” using dries and Diawl Bach’s to land 23 fish fishing in Sam’s Dyke and near the Hawthorns. Mr J Forsyth & G Ross used orange and green Diawl Bachs and a green headed Damsel to land 34 fish between them with both flies being size 12. Bill Wood & Jim Kay fished in Mucky Bay with Yellow Owls and small buzzers to and 17 fish to the boat and enjoyed an “excellent 3 days fishing” Fishery Guide Lee Henfrey took to the water with Draycote RIO Masters teammate Sam Smith. The pair enjoyed a good day’s sport landing over 40 fish to the boat taking fish from Sam’s Dyke, Mucky Bay and The Cow Shed. Lee opted to fish a washing line with hares’ ears and Diawl Bachs with a booby on the point. While Sam stuck to dries all day with CDC patterns being his best flies.

Friday and it’s nice to see another busy day at the Eyebrook with anglers enjoying excellent top of the water sport. M Farrell fished the big red dry catching 17 trout with cdc & hoppers catching 10 trout for Dave Etty fishing from the bank with D Naylor & S Houghton catching 17 on hoppers and sedge patterns. Sue Potts & Sam Edmonds caught 18 for their visit before they travel to Scotland to fish with the English Ladies team in the International, best of luck to you and the team from all at the Eyebrook. Bank fishing continues to fish well with the platforms, Sam’s Dyke, Chestnut to the cow sheds offering excellent bank sport with K Johnson catching 20, B Livingston catching 10. Damsels starting to show with sedges in the evening.

Saturday brought with it a stiff breeze with very sunny intervals which made the conditions challenging at times. The Leicester bank in its entirety still holds plenty of fish which can be caught either washing lining a floater with a Foam Daddy on the point & small nymphs above it or by fishing Dries; CDC Emergers & Yellow Owls have taken a lot of fish of late. All water Member Lee Edwards, had a very productive day from the boat, taking 24 fish, all of which came to CDC Emerger patterns. What has been apparent is that the fish will sit over the cooler deeper water and the frequently move in & out of the shallows to feed. As a result, they can, on occasions be caught in very shallow water that is extremely close to the bank. There has also been plenty of fish moving out in the open water, across the main basin from Dogwood Bay across to the Netted Bank. The presence of Damsel nymphs in the water seems to increase daily.

There was a gentle start to Sunday with light south westerly breeze with bright sunny intervals. Sunday was a busy day on Eyebrook; we hosted the All Abilities Fly Fishers & also the latest round of an Alex Booth Fly Fishers competition. The All Abilities caught 120 fish between 26 anglers giving them a rod average of 4.61 for the day. They caught on various methods from washing lined floaters to dries. Top rod for the day was Ian Bradfield who had 12 fish on Popper Hoppers. The Alex Booth Fly Fishers also had a good day catching on a variety of methods targeting fish in the top couple of feet of water. They caught 77 fish between 15 of them which gave them a slightly better rod average of 5.1 for the day. Congratulations to Kev Slater who was the top rod with 12 fish for 23lb 2oz. Kev was followed closely by Riccardo in 2^nd place with 10 fish for 21lb 6oz & 3^rd was Roy Lewin with 11 fish for 20lb 14oz. Both parties recalled a day of missed opportunities with their flies receiving a lot of interest & plenty of fish being “bumped off”. Eyebrook also continues to fish well from the bank with Eyebrook member Steve Lawrence having a very productive morning session & All Water members Albert Coles & Rob Edmonds also had a great day from the bank. By scaling down the size of the flies they were able to continue to catch throughout the day on Dries. The best areas continue to be all along the Leicester Bank from Dogwood Bay to the Cowshed & also there have been a few moving fish reported across the ma