Thornton weekly report week ending 12^th March 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

Early part of the week we were recommending anglers visited one of our other waters Foremark or Draycote as the clarity at Thornton was still poor following storm Doris.

By Thursday our conditions had improved with boat and bank anglers catching with the milder conditions seeing the first tentative buzzer hatch.

Some of the trout quickly switched onto the buzzer with anglers reporting seeing trout head and tailing and on spooning some of the fish caught it revealed that buzzers were on the menu.

The trout remain close in on the shallows along the Thornton arm & wood corner although some fish were also been taken off the lonesome pine.

Floating lines or intermediate with buzzers, suspender buzzer, diawl bach, Montana, dancer, damsel and cats whiskers have all taken fish this past week.

We advise bank anglers to bring waders.

We would remind boat anglers that they are required to give way to bank anglers and unless mutually agreed to keep 40yds from other boats and bank anglers

New for 2017, Thornton has joined the Troutmasters competition, entry forms to be found next to the booking out sheet you will need a member of staff to countersign your entry, good luck and get those entries rolling in.

Overall average for the week was 4.0

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats 8.30am – 5.45pm

Part Day Boats 8.30am – 1.00pm /  1.00pm – 5.45pm

All anglers off site by 6.15pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 26^th February 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

Prior to Thursday and storm Doris the fishery was enjoying another good weeks sport with a rod average 4+ once storm Doris had passed through we struggled to average 1, combination of extreme low pressure and storm force winds lashing the banks where the fish had been.

Sunday and the fishing started to pick up with local club Thornton Fly Fishers fishing their bank match to a 4 fish limit, a close run affair with only 1oz separating the winner John Kirk from second placed Harold Chapman, overall the bank fished better than the boats.

Damsel, cats whisker, dancer & green pea continue to be the most productive patterns although Mike Oliver bank fished prior to storm Doris & caught 17 on pheasant tails

Clarity although reduced slightly by the winds of storm Doris the fishery remains fishable

Bank anglers continue to enjoy the best of the sports, bring wellingtons or waders if fishing the bank, for latest updates contact the lodge

Overall average for the week was 2.5

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats 8.30am – 5.30pm

Part Day Boats 8.30am – 1.00pm /  1.00pm – 5.30pm

All anglers off site by 6.00pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 19^th February 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

Mixed weeks weather, sleety cold showers, rain but milder at the weekend. The rain on Wednesday did reduce the water clarity but thankfully not enough to put off the fish.

The trout remain close in on the banks giving bank anglers good sport, boat anglers at times just couldn’t get close enough in. Its noticeable as well that on certain days the trout had a preference to take flies fished in towards the bank, hence the reason bank anglers had a good week

The shallows opposite the lodge, wood, corner of the wood & lonesome pine continues to provide the best sport with bank anglers using floating & intermediate lines while boat anglers used intermediate & mid range 3 – 4 inch/sec sinkers.

Mick Hanson & Nev Welsh fished from a boat catching 10 trout each, Pete Cox on the same day fished bloodworm patterns from the bank and recorded 8 trout. Mike Oliver used a pheasant tail from the bank returning 15 trout with Phil Cross opting to fish from the bank using a cats whisker to catch 10 trout. B Burton continues to use his black & green patterns on a floating line from the bank recording 11 trout. S Smith caught 20 from a boat on bloodworm & cats whisker with Mark Hunt using dancer patterns from a boat recording 18 trout. Danny Lovegrove & Bob Middleton took themselves down the Markfield arm towards the turn raft catching their fish from this area on damsel patterns & cats whisker.

If your coming to fish from the bank be sure to bring wellingtons or waders

Overall average for the week was 3.4

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats 8.30am – 5.30pm

Part Day Boats 8.30am – 1.00pm /  1.00pm – 5.30pm

All anglers off site by 5.45pm

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Thornton weekly report week ending 12^th February 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

A good weeks fishing, if a little cold at times, with bank & boat anglers catching with the shelter from the cold easterlies given by the bank opposite the lodge fishing best.

When the wind has allowed the lonesome pine area has fished well

At times the bank fished better than the boats with the trout within yards of the bank, with bank anglers using a floating or intermediate line with green & black or white & green lures & damsel producing best, although a few anglers who opted to fish buzzers or nymphs caught, with Phil Harding catching 17 on black crunchers.

Lee Henfrey fished the bank and caught 18, Geoff Tomkinson also bank fished catching 20 trout, John Simpson caught 11 from the bank, Jan Webber decided to fish the bank instead of his usual boat and was rewarded with 19 fish on a red headed damsel & small minkie.

It’s not unusual at this time of year for the bank on some days to fish best, although boat anglers also returned good numbers in particular members Steve Windram & Phill Cross who boated 26 between them

If your coming to fish the bank we recommend you wear wellingtons or waders.

Clarity remains good.

Overall average for the week was 5.7

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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Thornton weekly report week ending 5^th February 2017

Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

Opening week and an overall rod average of 4.2 with 82 rods catching 345 trout

Early season the shallows opposite the lodge along the Thornton arm, wood bank & down towards the lonesome pine are the areas to concentrate your fishing efforts on with the most productive time to fish between 10.00am & 4.00pm, the warmest part of the day.

Good number of overwintered trout caught with Chris Sayer taking the best at 4lb8oz, overall the average weight of trout taken is 1lb14oz – 2lb+

Dave Leavesley weighed the best 8 fish limit for 19lb

Generally bank anglers have caught using floating or intermediate lines with the usual early season patterns working, black & green, white & green tadpoles, blobs, snakes & booby, although Mike Oliver (a Draycote regular) caught his 15 trout on pheasant tails & buzzers. Alan Topping caught 16 from the bank on a sink tip & damsel with B Burton taking 18 green & black 15ft leader & floating line

Boat anglers have caught using Intermediate lines & sinkers again using similar patterns to the bank anglers John Hoskins & Kevin Hart recorded 24 to the boat, Mark Hunt popped in for an afternoon session catching 9, Brian Sibley & Martin Clay boated 23, with A Hill & J Falconbridge boating 14 for their afternoon session.

Water clarity is good, if a little cold, if your coming to fish the bank bring wellingtons or waders.

Prospects for the coming week look good

Overall average for the week was 4.2

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

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

We have a stand at the British Fly Fair www.bffi.co.uk this coming weekend 11^th & 12^th February with Thornton, Draycote & Foremark staff on hand, Tom Bird will be tying his favourite patterns.

Thornton opens for the new 2017 season on:

Wednesday 1st February

Call the lodge to book boats 01530 230807

Thornton 2016 season drew to a close on Sunday 20th we would like to thank you all for your custom & support.

Full Report to follow

2017 Season opens on 1st February that’s only 9 weekends away!!

We are taking bookings for the 2017 season call the lodge on 01530230807

In the meantime keep up to date on what’s  going on by visiting our Facebook page Flyfishstore

Thornton weekly report week ending 13^th November 2016

 Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

Fry patterns generally was the order of the day last week although the diawl bach, hares ear and buzzer continues to take some fish.

The trout are moving into the margins and both the arms with our advice to keep on the move until you find feeding fish paying dividends.

Trevor Pegg found the fish feeding on the fry from the corner of the wood all the way down the markfield arm eventually boating 6 fish to 3lb6oz on a silver humungus, Mike Cupitt caught 5 to 5lb6oz with Dave Pritchard taking 4 for his short morning session on a stick fly. Mark Hunt fished the weed beds opposite the lodge using a yellow dancer, damsel & cruncher to catch 14 with Adam Gunby using a variety of fry patterns to boat his 6 fish

As Thornton enters its last full week of the season and with a rod average of nearly 2.0 with a reasonable forecast were looking forward to a reasonable weeks fishing

Overall average for the week was 1.9

Thornton 2016 Closing date is Sunday 20^th November

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats 8.30am – 4.15pm

Part Day Boats 8.30am – 12.30pm  /  12.30pm – 4.15pm

During this period with shorter days our part day boat session, morning & afternoon will be charged at the last 4 hour rate.

All anglers off site by 4.30pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

2017 Season Permits, if you’re interested in receiving information on availability of season permits for next year call or email the Thornton lodge.

Call 01530230807

Email lodge@flyfishthornton.co.uk

Thornton weekly report week ending 7^th November 2016

 Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

35years I have been at Thornton this year and I had the pleasure of helping Mick Cross return the biggest brown trout I have seen caught at this 70 acre trout fishery, it weighed 10lb2oz and as we have never stocked a brown bigger than 3lb it was a superb conditioned grown on fish, pictures up on our facebook page www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore just goes to show what these reservoirs can hold!!!

During the early part of the week it was weather related with anglers catching on fry patterns with some anglers during the calmer warmer part of the day catching on cdc buzzers and dries.

Carl Bond persevered with buzzers to catch 3 fish for his mornings visit, Dave Leavesley caught 5 off the bank on Sedge & cats whisker patterns. Peter Wrigley caught 10 on various fry patterns, Mark Hunt caught 8 on a cats whisker pattern, John Everett used a cats whisker pattern tied by Mark Hunt to take his 3 fish, George Jackson fished a booby for his 4 trout. John Bebbington & Keith Coley caught 12 during a short 4 hour afternoon session in fry patterns.

Mick Cross as reported above caught  10lb2oz brown, he also caught 3lb12oz rainbow both fish falling to a small white booby fished on an intermediate

Overall average for the week was 1.5

Thornton 2016 Closing date is Sunday 20^th November

Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats 8.30am – 4.30pm

Part Day Boats 8.30am – 12.30pm  /  12.30pm – 4.30pm

During this period with shorter days our part day boat session, morning & afternoon will be charged at the last 4 hour rate.

All anglers off site by 5.00pm

Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

2017 Season Permits, if you’re interested in receiving information on availability of season permits for next year call or email the Thornton lodge.

Call 01530230807

Email lodge@flyfishthornton.co.uk  

Thornton weekly report week ending 30^th October 2016

 Tel: 01530 230807

70 acre

Although we’re seeing increasing numbers of fish on the fry, all over the reservoir, this mild October weather has had some anglers reaching for their dries and buzzer boxes, with some success.

Steve Orton went to the top of the Thornton arm, found fish moving and took two on shuttlecock buzzers, Mark Burrows caught 4 during an afternoon session with a suspender buzzer taking a few, Stuart Thompson also fished an afternoon session taking 4 on dries while Mick Glover fished a 14 buzzer to take his 3 fish.

Most anglers reached for their fry patterns with a small white or black booby on an intermediate working while the cats whisker and small minkie patterns worked well.

Martin Clay and Colin Meads fished fry patterns on an intermediate to take 11 trout, Mark Hunt fished cruncher and cats whisker to record his 6 fish with Chris Sayer fry patterns taking 5 trout to 3lb8oz, Val and Mick Jay fished a short morning session using an intermediate and small boobies to take 8 fish

As is typical this time of year it’s a case of keeping on the move looking for the fry feeders.

Overall average for the week was 1.7

Thornton 2016 Closing date is Sunday 20^th November

 Car Park, Lodge and bank fishing open 7.30am

Full Day Boats 8.30am – 6.00pm

Part Day Boats 8.30am – 12.30pm  /  12.45pm – 4.45pm

During this period with shorter days our part day boat session, morning & afternoon will be charged at the last 4 hour rate.

 All anglers off site by 5.15pm

 Follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore

 2017 Season Permits, if you’re interested in receiving information on availability of season permits for next year call or email the Thornton lodge.

 Call 01530230807

Email lodge@flyfishthornton.co.uk