Thornton Weekly Report

Week ending 18^th March

Tel 01530 230807

Another week hampered by the weather, its become a regular theme during March!

A lot of dirty water at the start of last week, which has started to clear, with the visibility currently 16 – 18inch and improving daily

With the barometer rising and a much better weather forecast we should see the fishing pick up this week

As always we will update conditions on our websites & social media, however we recommend for up to date updates you call the lodge.

Opening Times

Main Gate, Lodge & Bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boat: 8.30am – 6.00pm

Morning Boat: 8.30am – 1.30pm

Afternoon Boat: 1.30pm – 6.00pm

All anglers offsite by 6.15pm

www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton Weekly Report

Week ending 4^th March

Tel 01530 230807

Normality returns, looking out of the lodge window this morning there’s very little snow left on the ground with the thaw currently not causing us any water clarity issues, due to the cold of last week we currently have good water clarity.

A handful of anglers braved the conditions this past week with most been rewarded with a fish or two, the rod average for the week was 4.0

The best of the fishing was during the period 12.00pm to 4.00pm with cats whiskers. Mike & Paul Sellors fished Saturday afternoon along the shallows opposite the lodge catching 7 trout between them, on Sunday Mike Harrison fished from a boat from 1.30pm – 5.00pm catching 5 from the top of the Thornton arm, Mark Hunt also fished Sunday from 11am – 5pm along the shallows opposite the lodge catching 7 trout.

As always call the lodge for update

Afternoon session fishing best.

Best Area: Top of the Thornton arm & down along the shallows opposite the lodge along the wood past lonesome pine to the tern raft, trout are well spread, but very close to the bank

Best Method: Floating Line, Midge Tip and cats whisker

Rod average 4.0

Hopefully our fish suppliers who have been snowed in for days will be able to get out delivering fish again this week, Thornton has a delivery scheduled for this week with rainbows up to 3lb been stocked

Opening Times

Main Gate, Lodge & Bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boat: 8.30am – 5.30pm

Morning Boat: 8.30am – 1.00pm

Afternoon Boat: 1.00pm – 5.30pm

All anglers offsite by 5.45pm

www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton Weekly Report

Week ending 25^th February

Tel 01530 230807

Despite the weather Thornton is enjoying a good start to the season with the rod average this week 4.7

Monday G Tomkinson caught 12 from the bank on a white tadpole, Thornton member Dave Leavesley caught 18 in 3 hours off the bank on an appetizer with Draycote member Rodger Kerrison catching 20 from a boat fishing the top of the Thornton arm. Tuesday with a bitterly cold morning few fish were caught in the morning, with a slight air temperature rise at 1pm it all started to happen, Nev Welsh caught 13 between 1pm and 3pm, M Harrison caught 16 between 1pm and 4pm with Alan Topping on the bank catching 8 fish after 1.30pm.

Wednesday Dave Leavesley bank fished and caught 20, Pete Evile caught 20+ trout on buzzers with Thornton member D Slessor catching 9 from a boat. Friday and yet another cold frosty morning, staff member and guide Lee Henfrey caught 20+ on a midge tip single fly cats whisker pattern, Thornton member Richard Price caught 10 on a small cats whisker pattern with John Bebbington bank fishing for 3 hours 1pm – 4pm catching 7 from the bank

Saturday and the cold weather theme continued, Martin Clay caught 16 opposite the lodge, Mark Hunt caught 14 from the Thornton again late morning early afternoon fished best

Sunday Thornton Fly fishers held their bank match with Richard Dayman taking the prize, report & photo on our www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Afternoon session fishing best.

Best Area: Top of the Thornton arm & down along the shallows opposite the lodge along the wood past lonesome pine to the tern raft, trout are well spread, but very close to the bank

Best Method: Floating Line, Hover, Midge Tip, Intermediate and sinking lines with white & green lures, small green pea, snakes and booby

Rod average 4.7

Opening Times

Main Gate, Lodge & Bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boat: 8.30am – 5.30pm

Morning Boat: 8.30am – 1.00pm

Afternoon Boat: 1.00pm – 5.30pm

All anglers offsite by 5.45pm

www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton Weekly Report

Week ending 18^th February

Tel 01530 230807

The week started with a cold blast, ice on the water and a wind that chilled you to the bone. On the Monday the anglers who did venture out caught in the main on boobies with Emad Moaz and Mari Cani taking a limit each on boobies. Tuesday with the cold wet and vey windy conditions we had no rods on the water, on Wednesday season permit Dave Leavesley fished a short 3 hour session from the bank catching 4 on a orange blob before the windy conditions made it too difficult to fish

Thursday and conditions improved, still cold, but the wind reduced. Eyebrook member Ian Jobe caught 11 off the bank down by the tern raft, Thornton member Mike Cupitt bank fished and caught 6 with day rod C Day travelling from Worcester and was rewarded with 9 trout again from the bank. Friday another cold morning with ice on the water, although once conditions improved we recorded a rod average of 3.5 for the day, brothers W Newby & S Newby caught 11, Foremark regular Alan Topping caught 8 from the bank wit N Woolnough catching 7 from a boat. Another cold day on Saturday but we enjoyed our best day of the week Jan Webber & Howard Davies shared a boat and caught 17 down the Markfield arm, Martin Clay also boat fished and caught 10 trout, Steve Owen arranged for a group of the west midlands police to fish, many of them fishing Thornton for the first time, with them all taking to the bank, despite the cold conditions they all nearly caught with top rod C Howkins with 7. Thornton member Mark Hunt caught 13 from a boat with Lee Henfrey returning over 20 trout, photo on our facebook page www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

A few trout on Saturday were taken on the buzzer

Sunday and few rods ventured out, Adam Gunby and Rodger Guise caught 8 for their short session, D Rowbotham caught 5 on a sinking line and white snake with Mick Carrig bank fishing and catching 4 on an olive woolly bugger

Best Area: Top of the Thornton arm & down along the shallows opposite the lodge along the wood past lonesome pine to the tern raft, trout are well spread, but very close to the bank

Best Method: Floating Line, Hover, Midge Tip, Intermediate and sinking lines with white & green lures, small green pea, snakes and booby

Rod average 4.0

Opening Times

Main Gate, Lodge & Bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boat: 8.30am – 5.00pm

Morning Boat: 8.30am – 12.30pm

Afternoon Boat: 12.30pm – 5.00pm

All anglers offsite by 5.15pm

www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton Weekly Report

Week ending 11^th February

Tel 01530 230807

Last week’s rod average 4.2 does not give a true reflection of the week with Monday to Thursday producing good sport and a rod average of 6.1 however by Friday the colder conditions had started to take their toll with the water temperature dropping a full 1 degree down to 5 degrees with the period Friday through to Sunday averaging 2.2

Water clarity continues to improve with the trout well spread out along the shallows from the top of the Thornton arm along the wood to the bottom of the Markfield arm.

Monday Ian Hyde returned and took a boat to the top of the Thornton arm using his gold headed shrimp pattern to catch 20 trout. On Tuesday Peter Wrigley opted to go bank fishing and it proved to be the correct decision as he caught 17 on white lures. Wednesday Swinfield & Zeleny shared a boat taking a limit apiece on cats whiskers with the majority caught during the warmer part of the day. Thursday we enjoyed the best day of the week with bot and bank anglers catching, Phil Harding bank fished and caught 13 trout, Andy Burton caught 10 from a boat with Cross & Windram sharing a boat catching 31 trout between them to 4lb.

Friday and the cold weather had took hold, Jamie Scott caught 17 with most other anglers struggling to catch, Saturday and a sharp frost and bitterly cold wind saw most anglers struggling, although Rob Baker recorded 11 from the shallows opposite the lodge with Martin Clay catching 14 on cats whiskers from the Thornton arm. Sunday with its bitterly cold wind & wintery showers saw the majority of the anglers struggle to catch with many calling it a day by lunchtime due to the cold.

Best Area: Top of the Thornton arm & down along the shallows opposite the lodge along the wood past lonesome pine to the tern raft, trout are well spread, but very close to the bank

Best Method: Floating Line, Intermediate and sinking lines with white & green lures, small green pea, snakes and booby

Opening Times

Main Gate, Lodge & Bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boat: 8.30am – 5.00pm

Morning Boat: 8.30am – 12.30pm

Afternoon Boat: 12.30pm – 5.00pm

All anglers offsite by 5.15pm

www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton Weekly Report

Week ending 4^th February

Tel 01530 230807

The 2018 season opened on Thursday 1^st February to a cold North Westerly. As reported earlier the rain during the past month had put some colour in the water although by opening day our visibility was 14inch+

With a preseason stocking of 3000 trout anglers headed towards the known early season hot spots, opposite the lodge & wood bank.

The strong north westerly by midmorning blowing onto the shallows opposite the lodge had the bank anglers moving to fish the sheltered shallows from the lonesome pine down towards the tern raft.

First back to the lodge with his 4 fish limit was Draycote regular Alex Twaites who found the fish all the way down the Markfileld Arm to the tern raft weighing 4 fish for 12lb including a brace of overwintered trout. Mr C J Day had travelled from Worcester and he also found the trout all the way down by the tern raft catching 9 including a 4lb overwintered brown, photo on our facebook page www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore top pattern for the day was green & white lure

Our second day of the season & the north westerly wind persisted & was particularly cold, again the bank anglers along with boat anglers headed for the shelter of the Markfield Arm with the best of the sport been enjoyed during the early afternoon. Thornton member Szymon caught 14 from the bank fishing opposite the lodge & around to the lonesome pine. Draycote fishery warden & guide Lee Henfrey caught 13 with Lee finding the fish at the top of the Thornton arm, Draycote member Rodger Kerrison on his first visit to Thornton caught 7 on a cats whisker, with I Hyde on his first visit to Thornton catching 7 from the top of the Thornton arm

On Saturday we had a calmer day, although wet it felt warmer & we enjoyed the best day of the season to date with bank & boat anglers catching trout from the top of the Thornton arm all the way along to the bottom of the Markfield arm to the tern raft. Howard Davies bank fished & caught 9 trout, Chris Goodwin & Mick Glover shared a boat catching 21 trout on cats whiskers, Jan Webber got his season off to a flying start with 9 trout with Vince Aronica enjoying a great bank session catching 16

Sunday & the colder conditions returned, Szymon returned to fish the bank catching 9, Dave Wilson & A Wolloff shared a boat catching 12, Keith Cowen caught 6 with Brian Sibley catching 10 with the majority falling to green & white lures. By Sunday our visibility had increased to 2ft

Bank anglers, we recommend you bring waders

Rod average 3.9          Water Temperature 6 degrees

Best Area: Top of the Thornton arm & down along the shallows opposite the lodge along the wood past lonesome pine to the tern raft, trout are well spread, but very close to the bank

Best Method: Floating Line, Midge Tip, Intermediate with white & green lures, small green pea, snakes

Opening Times

Main Gate, Lodge & Bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boat: 8.30am – 5.00pm

Morning Boat: 8.30am – 12.30pm

Afternoon Boat: 12.30pm – 5.00pm

All anglers offsite by 5.15pm

Dates for your diary: We are attending the BFFI show www.bffi.co.uk 10^th & 11^th February come along & meet the fishery staff from Thornton, Draycote, Foremark & Eyebrook we will have our full range of RIO fly lines, SAGE fly rods, Redington Rods, Vision Rods- Jackets-Waders & wading boots, Shakespeare rods & selected Snowbee items.

RIO DAGE DAY: We will also be taking bookings for our popular RIO SAGE day hosted at Draycote on May 6^th with Simon Gawesworth of Rio & Jim Fearn of SAGE on hand to take you through the full range of Trout, Salmon & Saltwater rods & lines with the opportunity to take a SAGE rod matched to a RIO fly line out fishing for a free 1hr30min session with a guide from a boat, pre- booking essential details on www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk RIO & SAGE DAY PAGE

Thornton Opens 1st February 2018

Tel: 01530 230807

Boats are back on the water and Exe Valley Trout farm have delivered & stocked our  initial stocking of 3000 trout.

The heavy rain this past month has coloured the water, however we have enough clarity to expect anglers fishing the shallows opposite the lodge to catch as they have done on previous openings.

Our water temperature 6 degrees, visibility 14inch

Bank anglers we recommend you bring waders

Main gate and lodge open from 7.30am with boats available from 8.30am

Visit our online store, we have a number of items on our sales page www.flyfishstore.co.uk

Some further dates for your diaries

Our other waters open

Foremark Opens 1st March,

Draycote Opens 2nd March ,

Eyebrook Opens 10th March

We will be at the British Fly Fair International on 10th & 11th February  www.bffi.co.uk

RIO & SAGE day at Draycote water 6th May 2018

We have a full programme of tuition & beginner days, along with fishery staff who are available to take you on guided fishing sessions on our waters

Wishing all our anglers tight lines for the 2018 season

THORNTON 2018 Season Opens 1st February

Details on available Thornton membership which starts from £328.00 email lodge@flyfishthornton.co.uk

Taking bookings call 01530 230807 or email lodge@flyfishthornton.co.uk

Looking for that last minute Christmas present we have gift voucher & tuition days available to purchase online at www.flyfishstore.co.uk they make the ideal Christmas gift

With Christmas less than a fortnight away we would like to take this opportunity of wishing all our customer a Very Happy Christmas & New Year

Thornton weekly report week ending 31st October 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

Another mixed weeks fishing for Thornton with no two days fishing the same as the daily rod average lurches from +2 to -1 no pattern whatsoever.

Phill Moore fished Tuesday morning catching 5 trout and reporting plenty of pulls, Phill returned next day and fished exactly the same but blanked, typical of the way its fishing, no pattern! D Timms and T Green fished Thornton for the first time in a while and were rewarded with 7 fish on sinking lines and booby, Steve Norman went out with his new fast sinking line and caught 5 fish to 3lb while his boat partner caught 2 with the largest a fine conditioned rainbow of 4lb8oz. Keith Coley and John Bebbington caught 8 on fast sinking lines drifting across the middle. Steve Jordan returned for his second visit of the week and recorded 6 trout on fast sinking lines.

Again this week the trout remain in the deep water with few around the margins, we could do with a week of noticeable cooler weather to bring the fry into the margins and hopefully the trout will follow.

Current stock level 3,941trout

Our water temperature is 13c with good clarity.

Rod average for the week was 1.1

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 5.00pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 12.30pm /  12.30pm – 5.00pm

All anglers off site by 5.30pm

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