Thornton weekly report week ending 15th October 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

Fry time as minkie booby and fry patterns worked best this past week

The fish been caught on fry patterns are not where you would expect them to be with the majority taken on minkie boobies and boobies on a fast sinking line down the middle of the arms or the drift from the dam to the wood, this is despite the fry moving into the shallows and around the boat pontoon this week

Colin Meads recorded 7 for his mornings visit, Bob Jones caught 8 on a variety of boobies with Keith Coley and John Bebbington fishing fast sink lines on the drift over deeper water boating 14 in just over 4 hours. Steve Orton also enjoyed a short 4 hour visit coating 6 on fry patterns fished deep in front of the dam. Mick Cross and Chris Sayer fished a morning session boating 13 trout.

With Thornton entering its last month of the season, closing date Sunday 19^th November we could do with some cooler evening temperatures to encourage the trout into the shallows after the fry.

Our water temperature is 14c with good clarity.

Rod average for the week was 1.2

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 6.15pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 1.30pm /  1.30pm – 6.15pm

Last 4 hours:   2.15pm – 6.15pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 2.00pm)

All anglers off site by 6.30pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 8th October 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

This last week I think we can say were in that autumnal transition period as the trout start to turn their attention from the decreasing fly hatches to the fry.

Our water has cleared with visibility easily 6ft+ with large shoals of fry easily visible around the pontoon with fish starting to smash into them. Interestingly the fry feeding activity is at its best after 1pm

Andy Lillie caught 4 for his visit on a sinking line and booby, Clive Cattell caught 3 for his 4 our afternoon session on a booby, John Simpson had fish up to 3lb on his home tied bunny, Jem Langley used ph tails and diawls to take his 4 fish with Chris Sayer and Mick Cross boating 5 on boobies for their morning session.

Richard Dayman caught and returned a5lb8oz brown photo on www.facebook.com/flyfishstore

Thornton continues to hold over 4000 trout we should see more of them turn onto the fry with the shorter daylight hours and cooling temperatures

Rod average for the week was 1.2

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 6.30pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 1.30pm /  1.30pm – 6.30pm

Last 4 hours:   2.30pm – 6.30pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 2.15pm)

All anglers off site by 6.45pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 2^nd October 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

A much better week for Thornton with the rod average of 3.0

Generally the afternoon & evening are fishing best with trout been taken on floating, hover & intermediate lines with daddies, buzzer & small cdc fishing best, although every day that goes by we are seeing an increasing number of fish falling to fry patterns.

Neil Bates fished a muddler during a breezy afternoon session boating 8 trout, Clive Holt continues to catch well in the late afternoon on suspender buzzer & traditional wet flies boating 7 for his session returning a few days later & boating a further 9 trout, Mark Johnson & Tim Cant caught 11 on their visit to green nymphs, Peter Wrigley recorded 8, John Simpson continued his good form with his bunny patterns boating 10 with Norman Perkins catching 11 on buzzers.

Mark Hunt caught 14 for his visit on crunchers, we wish Mark the best of luck at the Troutmasters Final being fished at Draycote Water 9^th October

On Saturday we fished the Steve Parton memorial competition with float tubers fishing against boat anglers, thanks to Andre Russell of the float tube association for arranging this annual match, Float tubers won with 9 anglers catching 26 fish with the boat angler team catching 18.

Best line: Floating, Hover, slow intermediate

Rod average for the week was 3.0

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 6.45pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 1.30pm /  1.30pm – 6.45pm

Last 4 hours:   2.45pm – 6.45pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 2.30pm)

All anglers off site by 7.00pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 24^th  September 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

Our algae bloom is just about gone, with our water temperature at 15c all week not surprising therefore that dries, emergers, suspender buzzer and muddlers worked best.

We are seeing an evening rise with the afternoon session into the late evening fishing best.

Richard Dayman won the Thornton Fly fishers pensioners competition with a 4 fish limit followed closely by Len Hill who caught 3. Geoff Over who fished with Len but wasn’t in the competition could easily have won catching 7 trout on yellow daddies and small claret hoppers

John Simpson fished an afternoon session catching 6 trout on his bunny flies with George Jackson catching 6 for his afternoon visit. Clive Holt fished from a drifting boat using traditional wet flies to boat his 6 fish with R Mansell finding smaller flies the better was his route to success boating 12 during a last 4 hour session with most taking a small sedge pupa pattern.

There are some fish up the arms on the fry, however the majority are still been caught in the main basin and towards the corner of the wood.

Best line: Floating, Hover, slow intermediate

Rod average for the week was 2.0

Date for your diary

To be held by kind permission of the family: Steve Parton Memorial Competition 30^th September

Andre Russell of the British float tubing association is once again arranging this light hearted competition, float tuber team fishing against boat angling team, to enter contact the Thornton lodge or Andre Russell

Light refreshments, (hot dogs) will be provided after the weighing

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 7.00pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.00pm /  2.00pm – 7.00pm

Last 4 hours:   3.00pm – 7.00pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 2.45pm)

All anglers off site by 7.30pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 17^th  September 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

Water clarity is improving daily with visibility 4ft+ with our water temperature down to 15.5c It’s had an autumnal feel to it all week.

With the cooler conditions and rapidly improving water quality the majority of the trout are being caught on floating, midge tip, hover or intermediate lines with fry patterns, small emergers, hoppers and daddies taking fish. Its noticeable this past week that the majority of trout were caught during the second half of the day with a good at times excellent late evening rise.

For the early September fry feeders concentrate your efforts to green bay, stones, corner of the wood & the weed beds down the arms, for fish on the buzzers in the main basin but again the arms are well worth a look.

Clive Holt fished a late evening session and caught 12, John Simpson caught 11 for his visit with Andrew Wilson fished another late evening session catching 6 on buzzer and claret bumble, Mark Hunt decided to fish the evening rise and caught 18 using a hover line and small cormorants.

Anglers reported fish were prepared to follow a daddy, popper hopper or muddler moved through the surface but were generally taking short, exciting sport nevertheless.

Rod average for the week was 2.5

Date for your diary

To be held by kind permission of the family: Steve Parton Memorial Competition 30^th September

Andre Russell of the British float tubing association is once again arranging this light hearted competition, float tuber team fishing against boat angling team, to enter contact the Thornton lodge or Andre Russell

Light refreshments, (hot dogs) will be provided after the weighing

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 7.30pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.00pm /  2.00pm – 7.30pm

Last 4 hours:   3.30pm – 7.30pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 3.15pm)

All anglers off site by 7.45pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton weekly report week ending 10^th  September 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

This past week’s rod average 2.0 would have been much higher if only our algae bloom would drop out of the water, visibility is improving and is currently 2ft – 4ft, search out the areas upwind were the water will be at its clearest.

The majority of the trout taken are on floating or intermediate lines with a good rise enjoyed on a few evenings this past week. Anglers report plenty of fish following or coming to the fly to only turn away at the last moment.

Fish were seen all over the reservoir this week although the largest concentration is still to be found in front of the dam wall and across the main basin.

Steve Jordan and boat partner Steve Norman fished hopper to boat their catch of 11 trout, Val & Mick Jay fished a morning session with sedge patterns to catch 5. Norman Perkins caught 9 for his visit with Andrew Wilson fishing an evening session boating 4 trout during the evening rise on muddlers and buzzers. Sunday evening Peter Wurm fished the evening rise catching 5

Thornton Fly Fishers fished their boat pairs competition with eventual winners Nigel Harvey and Richard Dayman, report and pictures on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Rod average for the week was 2.00

Our water temperature is 16.5c and is always taken 18inch below the surface between 7.30am & 8.00am every morning.

As we always advise, keep in touch with the lodge for latest updates.

Date for your diary

To be held by kind permission of the family: Steve Parton Memorial Competition 30^th September

Andre Russell of the British float tubing association is once again arranging this light hearted competition, float tuber team fishing against boat angling team, to enter contact the Thornton lodge or Andre Russell

Light refreshments, (hot dogs) will be provided after the weighing

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 7.45pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.00pm /  2.00pm – 7.45pm

Last 4 hours:   3.45pm – 7.45pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 3.30pm)

All anglers off site by 8.00pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton weekly report week ending 3^rd September 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

A bit of a strange week with the reservoir fishing better during the early part of the week when our rod average was 2.1 however over the weekend and possibly down to the algae it did not fish well with the overall rod average for the week dropping to 1.4

Monday Jan Webber fished booby and damsel patterns catching 14 trout on the drift from the dam to the wood. Steve Windram and Phil Cross shared a boat catching 10 on blue flash damsel. Jan Webber returned to fish on Saturday but found conditions more difficult taking 5 trout to the same successful method he used on Monday.

The water temperature has slowly dropped during the week with the surface temperature by the end of the week at 18.5c, we continue to have an algae bloom which should start to drop out with the cooler overcast conditions forecast for this week.

As we move into September we can expect the buzzer & dry fly fishing to pick up with daddies featuring in the catches, also expect to find a few trout on the fry amongst the weed beds of the arms.

Rod average for the week was 1.4

Our water temperature is always taken 18inch below the surface between 7.30am & 8.00am every morning.

As we always advise, keep in touch with the lodge for latest updates.

Date for your diary

To be held by kind permission of the family: Steve Parton Memorial Competition 30^th September

Andre Russell of the British float tubing association is once again arranging this light hearted competition, float tuber team fishing against boat angling team, to enter contact the Thornton lodge or Andre Russell

Light refreshments, (hot dogs) will be provided after the weighing

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 8.00pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.30pm /  2.30pm – 8.00pm

Last 4 hours:   4.00pm – 8.00pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 3.45pm)

All anglers off site by 8.15pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton weekly report week ending 27^th August 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

Sadly I have to start this weekly report with the sad news of Louis Conway death. Louise had fished at Thornton for over 30 years and was a regular sight on the water with his boat partners Mick Cross & Geoff Willis. His Irish wit & charm will be missed by all at Thornton.

Monday through to Friday our water temperature was around the 18c mark with anglers in the main catching on cdc, dries, daddies & buzzer with a reasonable evening rise for the anglers fishing the last 4 hours. The trout seemed to be well spread throughout the reservoir with anglers catching over the deeper water in front of the dam and along the shallows of the Thornton & Markfield arm.

Saturday & Sunday we were back to a very warm late August weather which quickly pushed our water temperature back up to 20c+, surprisingly some anglers still caught on emergers & dries although a number of anglers enjoyed good sport using sinking lines & boobies.

Steve Jordan and Steve Norman returning to fly fishing caught 14 for their mornings visit using cdc patterns and a muddler, Norman Perkins fished buzzers to catch his 10 fish with Colin Chambers & Clive Holt fishing the last 4 hours and boating 5 on the same evening Carl Bond fished the last 4hr boating 5 on a claret buzzer

Geoff Over and Len Hill caught 8 for their mornings visit on dries and emergers. Jack Hives fished a dry daddy to catch his 5 trout with Steve Windram finding his cats whisker pattern is still working boating 8 for his mornings visit.

Andy Lilly fishing during a bright spell in the weather caught 5 on a booby. Stuart Thomson caught 7 for his short 3 hour afternoon visit with Mark Hunt found fish hard against the weedbeds up the top of the Thornton arm, although he caught on emergers some of these fish were already on the fry.

Rod average for the week was 1.9 pegged back by the bright, hot conditions on Saturday & Sunday.

Our water temperature is always taken 18inch below the surface between 7.30am & 8.00am every morning.

Water clarity: Most of the week was 4ft however with the bright weather over the weekend our visibility has reduced to 1ft

As we always advise, keep in touch with the lodge for latest updates.

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 8.15pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.30pm /  2.30pm – 8.15pm

Last 4 hours:   4.15pm – 8.15pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 4.00pm)

All anglers off site by 8.30pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton weekly report week ending 13^th August 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

7 0 acre

Monday to Thursday of last week the fishing remained challenging, on Friday we saw the first signs of the fishing starting to pick up, Saturday continued to see an improvement in the fishing with Sunday producing the best days fishing we have enjoyed for some time.

Shorter daylight hours, cooler nights and improving buzzer hatches, especially the claret buzzer hatch, watch the video on our www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore page has all come together to improve our fishing.

Mick Cross & Chris Sayer shared a boat Friday morning boating 6 trout between them, Howard Davies on Saturday fished a home tied claret nymph to catch 7 trout, Sam Cook caught 3 during Sundays evening rise with Mark Hunt specifically fishing Sunday evening for the claret buzzer hatch, he wasn’t disappointed catching 9 trout and losing as many.

Although we are seeing fish moving during the day to buzzers our large claret buzzer hatch is during the last hour.

Best patterns, damsel, claret nymph, cdc hoppers & daddies

Best area, in front of the lodge, drift from the dam past orange buoy to the wood, although with cooler conditions expect green bay to start fishing with the Markfield arm well worth a visit.

With over 4600 trout in the water with improving conditions our sport should continue to improve

Our water temperature is always taken 18inch below the surface between 7.30am & 8.00am every morning.

Water clarity: Our algae bloom is reducing, visibility is around 4ft

As we always advise, keep in touch with the lodge for latest updates.

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 8.30pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.30pm /  2.30pm – 8.30pm

Last 4 hours:   4.30pm – 8.30pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 4.15pm)

All anglers off site by 8.45pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

Thornton weekly report week ending 13^th August 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

We did need the rain & the cooler temperatures helped drop the water temperature to 18c most mornings.

Despite another stocking of 625 trout bringing the total stocked since the 1^st August to 1025 trout our sport remains stubbornly slow.

We are seeing a few fish move in the late evening to small hatches of buzzer.

Carl Bond donned his waterproof gear & went out on a very wet & breezy Tuesday evening catching two but losing a further 6 fish during a 3.5hr spell fishing a red klink and cats whisker.

Mark Hunt worked hard for his 4 trout using a combination of a claret hopper & ginger hopper casting to rising fish which were proving difficult to tempt.

Chris Sayer caught a 4lb rainbow on a fast sinking

With 4700 trout in the water as soon as conditions come good we should see a marked upturn in our sport

Our water temperature is always taken 18inch below the surface between 7.30am & 8.00am every morning.

Water clarity: We have an algae bloom, visibility is around 4ft

As we always advise, keep in touch with the lodge for latest updates.

Current Fishing Times:

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats: 8.30am – 8.45pm

Part Day Boats: 8.30am – 2.30pm /  2.30pm – 8.45pm

Last 4 hours:   4.45pm – 8.45pm (last 4 hour permits on sale from 4.30pm)

All anglers off site by 9.00pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore