Sunday morning and I was just thinking of what to do for the day and the phone went. Mike had lost his partner for the day so an offer to fish Pitsford from the boat - magic!
I started as i left off at Grafham fishing the washing line and was really hoping that Daiwl backs or snatchers would start working. An early fish on the tequila booby proved me wrong but at least I was catching. The fish seemed to have all moved off the Dam and were heading towards the narrows - the key was to fish in the middle of no where out of Brixworth bay and across to the Pines.
The fish started to come up in the water as the day went on. There were pockets of fish but those were moving around. Mike put on a woofta booby and was then catching great. It was like fishing muddlers bubbling through the waves and the big bow wave behind - great sport.
The difference for me was when I changed to a slow glass with a woofta booby on the point and a tequila FAB on the top dropper with a hopper in the middle. I this it eliminated any line disturbance and all three flies were on the surface.
I never looked back and had some great sport.
Saturday, 21 August 2010
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
The Floating line
The MNTFA put in two teams for the Inter Club Floating line competition at the weekend and I made up one of the places.
Congratulations to a team from Invicta who won on the day. It was a hard day as the fish were very tightly shoaled and difficult to catch. Having said that as usual 3 people managed to bag up but with 5 fish I must have been up there shouting.
My partner was Ystlyn Smith from GWFFA and although he had not done much competition fishing before he was good company and did great with 3 fish and above average on the day.
We managed to find a very small shoal between the nature reserve and L buoy and with 5 drifts over a tight shoal we managed 5 fish. With 3 fish too on one of the last drifts of the day off W buoy, it was hard going for the rest of the day.
I was using a washing line with a tequila booby on the point and two diawl bachs on the droppers. It was like fishing a dry fly as they came up and took the booby off the top - shocking!
With Ash, Powie and John in the team too we managed 10 fish between us but no prizes!
Congratulations to a team from Invicta who won on the day. It was a hard day as the fish were very tightly shoaled and difficult to catch. Having said that as usual 3 people managed to bag up but with 5 fish I must have been up there shouting.
My partner was Ystlyn Smith from GWFFA and although he had not done much competition fishing before he was good company and did great with 3 fish and above average on the day.
We managed to find a very small shoal between the nature reserve and L buoy and with 5 drifts over a tight shoal we managed 5 fish. With 3 fish too on one of the last drifts of the day off W buoy, it was hard going for the rest of the day.
I was using a washing line with a tequila booby on the point and two diawl bachs on the droppers. It was like fishing a dry fly as they came up and took the booby off the top - shocking!
With Ash, Powie and John in the team too we managed 10 fish between us but no prizes!
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
The Arrow
Just for a change Steve, Phil and i decided to have a day on the river. After scanning through the "Wye and Usk passport" there was some great fishing to be had and we settled on the River Arrow in the village of Erdisland near Leominster. It was a mile beat with of both banks of upstream fishing for wild brownies and grayling.
I am not sure what I was expecting but we walked to the start of the beat up to our chests in wet grasses and when there we still couldn't find an easy route through the trees into the river. I guess I was hoping for some open grassy banks but that's reservoir softies for you!
I wanted to fish the dry but hadn't seen any fish rising but Steve had and I took his word and started with the klink. 10 minutes in I walked up a gravel spit and a fish rose, I cast at it and it took but nothing there, i lifted off and put it perfect again and this time the splash it was on, it was going to be a good day!
Yes so it wasn't a whopper and looked like it had been held in my fingers too long but it was a very welcome salmon Parr.
There weren't many rising at all but I had decided to use as much stealth as I could so just settled back and watched. There was just one fish rising under the trees on the far bank but it was too far away. I had a number of casts but couldn't get close. I shifted my position so i could side cast down the river and with a full cast the fly just floated under the branch and bang it was on and off. This is fun and very rewarding!
Phil had settled into his nymph fishing on a bung and it wasn't long and he too was into a fish on a pheasant tail, his first on a river and just what we came for - brilliant!
It went quite quiet and I worked my way back to the car with my mind on other things. A kingfisher, banded demoiselles and mayflies were still around. Butterflies were everywhere and it was certainly a great natural environment.
Steve and I made it back and decided to fish the weir. I went in above the weir and Steve below. There were a couple of fish rising but I struggled to cover them and then out the corner of my eye another fish rose on the far bank and I put the size 16 klink right on its nose and splash it was on. This time it was heavy and fighting solid as I got it's head up it came in and was a chub. The first I had caught on a fly and it was great sport.
I moved up the mill race to another overflow and changed over to nymphs, the sport really started then and I managed another 5 fish on a pheasant tail and daiwl bach. I told Steve and he changed over and immediately he was into takes and then a fish but a few casts later he hooked into a better fish.
It was a grayling and and over half a pound gave a great fight.
Phil made his way back and had also had good sport with the best brownie of the day.
It had been a great trip with good fishing and nice surroundings - a pleasure!
I am not sure what I was expecting but we walked to the start of the beat up to our chests in wet grasses and when there we still couldn't find an easy route through the trees into the river. I guess I was hoping for some open grassy banks but that's reservoir softies for you!
I wanted to fish the dry but hadn't seen any fish rising but Steve had and I took his word and started with the klink. 10 minutes in I walked up a gravel spit and a fish rose, I cast at it and it took but nothing there, i lifted off and put it perfect again and this time the splash it was on, it was going to be a good day!
Yes so it wasn't a whopper and looked like it had been held in my fingers too long but it was a very welcome salmon Parr.
There weren't many rising at all but I had decided to use as much stealth as I could so just settled back and watched. There was just one fish rising under the trees on the far bank but it was too far away. I had a number of casts but couldn't get close. I shifted my position so i could side cast down the river and with a full cast the fly just floated under the branch and bang it was on and off. This is fun and very rewarding!
Phil had settled into his nymph fishing on a bung and it wasn't long and he too was into a fish on a pheasant tail, his first on a river and just what we came for - brilliant!
It went quite quiet and I worked my way back to the car with my mind on other things. A kingfisher, banded demoiselles and mayflies were still around. Butterflies were everywhere and it was certainly a great natural environment.
Steve and I made it back and decided to fish the weir. I went in above the weir and Steve below. There were a couple of fish rising but I struggled to cover them and then out the corner of my eye another fish rose on the far bank and I put the size 16 klink right on its nose and splash it was on. This time it was heavy and fighting solid as I got it's head up it came in and was a chub. The first I had caught on a fly and it was great sport.
I moved up the mill race to another overflow and changed over to nymphs, the sport really started then and I managed another 5 fish on a pheasant tail and daiwl bach. I told Steve and he changed over and immediately he was into takes and then a fish but a few casts later he hooked into a better fish.
It was a grayling and and over half a pound gave a great fight.
Phil made his way back and had also had good sport with the best brownie of the day.
It had been a great trip with good fishing and nice surroundings - a pleasure!
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Windy Ravensthorpe
I was out on Ravensthorpe with Phil today and in some rough winds thought it would be the best bet of the reservoirs.
When we arrived we were sharing the water with the British float tubers and they were all floating like brown swans in front of the dam. I commented to Graham that it much be fishing great infront of the lodge but they had all just launched. They were drifting gracefully but you know that they were paddling like fury underneath. It was great to see them around and they found there way into all the nooks and cranny's working there way tight to the banks i am sure they caught a good number.
It started a bit quiet for us as drifted around in some rough water squalls and had my first fish as we anchored of the willow bay point. After a while we decided to move up to cotton end and with only a short anchor rope managed to hold just off the causeway tunnel with a great view under the road.
There were a few fish rising here and I decided to keep my two green Diawl bachs on the droppers but put a dry on the point to keep everything up. For an hour I had great sport. I had one fish on the dry which was really nice and must have been two pound.
The other fish were a bit smaller and took the green daiwl bachs maybe a foot or two down as they were slowly sinking through the water. I was trying to fish the dry and keep everything up and static and the line just shot off. Phil cottoned on quick and changed over but only managed a couple of takes and fish that hit him really hard and snapped at the dropper.
We persevered as the sun came out but the fish must have moved off down the bank or gone deeper and quiet.
With about an hour to go we headed for the boils and a quick waft of the Di5 and blobs just to make it feel that we had been working hard. I managed another on the first drift on the tequila blob. It was a nicely taken fish as it followed me up to the surface I let the fly sink back and it turned and took, nice!
Our discussion had turned to talk of phils averages this year and that a blank would help at all. However confident to the end Phil manged to hook into one just before the boils on our last drift, you can see the relief in his face and it was a nice end to a pleasant day.
When we arrived we were sharing the water with the British float tubers and they were all floating like brown swans in front of the dam. I commented to Graham that it much be fishing great infront of the lodge but they had all just launched. They were drifting gracefully but you know that they were paddling like fury underneath. It was great to see them around and they found there way into all the nooks and cranny's working there way tight to the banks i am sure they caught a good number.
It started a bit quiet for us as drifted around in some rough water squalls and had my first fish as we anchored of the willow bay point. After a while we decided to move up to cotton end and with only a short anchor rope managed to hold just off the causeway tunnel with a great view under the road.
There were a few fish rising here and I decided to keep my two green Diawl bachs on the droppers but put a dry on the point to keep everything up. For an hour I had great sport. I had one fish on the dry which was really nice and must have been two pound.
The other fish were a bit smaller and took the green daiwl bachs maybe a foot or two down as they were slowly sinking through the water. I was trying to fish the dry and keep everything up and static and the line just shot off. Phil cottoned on quick and changed over but only managed a couple of takes and fish that hit him really hard and snapped at the dropper.We persevered as the sun came out but the fish must have moved off down the bank or gone deeper and quiet.
With about an hour to go we headed for the boils and a quick waft of the Di5 and blobs just to make it feel that we had been working hard. I managed another on the first drift on the tequila blob. It was a nicely taken fish as it followed me up to the surface I let the fly sink back and it turned and took, nice!
Our discussion had turned to talk of phils averages this year and that a blank would help at all. However confident to the end Phil manged to hook into one just before the boils on our last drift, you can see the relief in his face and it was a nice end to a pleasant day.
Saturday, 10 July 2010
A rest for blistered feet
Just back from a few days in Barcelona sight seeing and I had made the mistake of wearing a new pair of shoes and the blisters were worse than when I did my three peak challenge earlier in the year. It's a hard life!
Nothing better than sitting around in a boat on Pitsford on a glorious day with the excuse of giving my feet a rest - magic!
I headed for the dam and found fish all the way along about 50 yards out and also just off the boils. It was a bit awkward keeping on the fish as there were a good number of boats and many anchored. I did a bit of anchoring and a bit of drifting really you just needed to be over a pod of fish.
There were two main techniques. I couldn't catch on the di7 and a minkie but a few others did. I managed 3 on a red daiwl bach on the midge tip. They were nice fish too all over a pound and half. The second one took at full stretch and ran and had to play him at distance on the reel for while.
I tried the pines and North Farm shore and while I saw fish on top I couldn't catch. I could only manage half a day on my own but it was nice too be out topping up the tan!
Nothing better than sitting around in a boat on Pitsford on a glorious day with the excuse of giving my feet a rest - magic!
I headed for the dam and found fish all the way along about 50 yards out and also just off the boils. It was a bit awkward keeping on the fish as there were a good number of boats and many anchored. I did a bit of anchoring and a bit of drifting really you just needed to be over a pod of fish.
There were two main techniques. I couldn't catch on the di7 and a minkie but a few others did. I managed 3 on a red daiwl bach on the midge tip. They were nice fish too all over a pound and half. The second one took at full stretch and ran and had to play him at distance on the reel for while.
I tried the pines and North Farm shore and while I saw fish on top I couldn't catch. I could only manage half a day on my own but it was nice too be out topping up the tan!
Sunday, 4 July 2010
Just coming on as I leave
The football seems to have got in the way of the fishing recently and now England are out and it doesn't matter too much I seem to be enjoying it more!
It started very bright and windy this morning and as I was determined to go I thought Ravensthorpe would stand the best chance of a fish.
I expected all the boats to be taken but there were a few left when I arrived so quickly grabbed one. I'm not a great lover of single manned boats but happy for the peace and quiet. I started on the drift, di5 and blobs - no boobies on ravensthorpe. The water was a little coloured so thought if there sulking near the botton then this might be a chance, however it was very quiet and after 5/6 drifts I hadn't even had a pull so the anchor it was.
My choices went well and not long after I settled into the cotton end tunnel I had a fish on a damsel. The wind was squalling and the boat swinging around, it was difficult to keep in control but really more annoying. Unfortunately it didn't get any better and had a move to the end of the willows about 100 yards off the two platforms. This felt better but after half an hour I was itching to move. Having looked around all the boats were moving and no one was catching so I thought I would hold on where I was. It wasn't long before the cloud started to roll in and this made all the difference and I saw my first fish on top. There were a few green buzzers hatching now and I suppose the fish could start to look up without being blinded.
I kept my damsel on the point and added a green daiwl bach to my top dropper and that seemed to be the catalyst. A couple of casts later I was into another fish, they were not big, maybe 1lb 8oz or so but there wasn't anyone else catching so good enough for me. A bankie popped onto the platform and caught 2 in the next 15 minutes they must just be coming on! I managed one more and then my half day boat time was up just as they were coming on for the afternoon. Never mind no fish to gut as they were all returned so i'll go and settle in to see Nadal win!
It started very bright and windy this morning and as I was determined to go I thought Ravensthorpe would stand the best chance of a fish.
I expected all the boats to be taken but there were a few left when I arrived so quickly grabbed one. I'm not a great lover of single manned boats but happy for the peace and quiet. I started on the drift, di5 and blobs - no boobies on ravensthorpe. The water was a little coloured so thought if there sulking near the botton then this might be a chance, however it was very quiet and after 5/6 drifts I hadn't even had a pull so the anchor it was.
My choices went well and not long after I settled into the cotton end tunnel I had a fish on a damsel. The wind was squalling and the boat swinging around, it was difficult to keep in control but really more annoying. Unfortunately it didn't get any better and had a move to the end of the willows about 100 yards off the two platforms. This felt better but after half an hour I was itching to move. Having looked around all the boats were moving and no one was catching so I thought I would hold on where I was. It wasn't long before the cloud started to roll in and this made all the difference and I saw my first fish on top. There were a few green buzzers hatching now and I suppose the fish could start to look up without being blinded.
I kept my damsel on the point and added a green daiwl bach to my top dropper and that seemed to be the catalyst. A couple of casts later I was into another fish, they were not big, maybe 1lb 8oz or so but there wasn't anyone else catching so good enough for me. A bankie popped onto the platform and caught 2 in the next 15 minutes they must just be coming on! I managed one more and then my half day boat time was up just as they were coming on for the afternoon. Never mind no fish to gut as they were all returned so i'll go and settle in to see Nadal win!
Monday, 21 June 2010
Turn on the tap!
As we were blown off in the Eliminators heat at rutland it was all down to a one hit eliminator on Grafham yesterday and unfortunately I didn't manage to go through.
After practice we had a couple of methods pulling a Di5 or twiddling on a midge tip and a good number of shoals in Sailing club, Lodge, Gaynes, G-bouy, Savages and the Nature reserve so what to choose?
My partner for the day was Richard Kesek, a seasoned Grafham campaigner with many England caps to his name and after a brief chat we decided to give outside the lodge a go at the most fish and then over to catch some bigger fish in Savages.
The first hour or so resulted in only a few swirls so we headed off to Savages. The fish weren't on here either but at least we managed to tempt a few fish and they were a good size.
I had a nice 4lb brown that fought hard and deep and typical. I then had a 4lb 6 rainbow that fought fantastic. it jumped 3 or 4 times and shot off on a couple of runs that took backing of a screeming reel - majic!
Fishing a couple of black buzzers with either a booby or a daiwl bach on the point we had managed 3 a piece by 4pm and then decided to tough it out. Everywhere else was fishing very hard. There were reports of a few 5's and 6's but our size of fish could well be OK.
What we hadn't realised though was that at 4pm the fish came on outside the lodge like turning a tap and all the many that headed back there then bagged up in double quick time. Mark Haycock managed to make it through and I think after only having 1 he then bagged up in the hour. Well done.
For me it was from confidence to dejection all within a couple of minutes. Never mind there's always next year!
After practice we had a couple of methods pulling a Di5 or twiddling on a midge tip and a good number of shoals in Sailing club, Lodge, Gaynes, G-bouy, Savages and the Nature reserve so what to choose?
My partner for the day was Richard Kesek, a seasoned Grafham campaigner with many England caps to his name and after a brief chat we decided to give outside the lodge a go at the most fish and then over to catch some bigger fish in Savages.
The first hour or so resulted in only a few swirls so we headed off to Savages. The fish weren't on here either but at least we managed to tempt a few fish and they were a good size.
I had a nice 4lb brown that fought hard and deep and typical. I then had a 4lb 6 rainbow that fought fantastic. it jumped 3 or 4 times and shot off on a couple of runs that took backing of a screeming reel - majic!
Fishing a couple of black buzzers with either a booby or a daiwl bach on the point we had managed 3 a piece by 4pm and then decided to tough it out. Everywhere else was fishing very hard. There were reports of a few 5's and 6's but our size of fish could well be OK.
What we hadn't realised though was that at 4pm the fish came on outside the lodge like turning a tap and all the many that headed back there then bagged up in double quick time. Mark Haycock managed to make it through and I think after only having 1 he then bagged up in the hour. Well done.
For me it was from confidence to dejection all within a couple of minutes. Never mind there's always next year!
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