Fly Fishing Reports

Date    Sunday 28th
Report Author:    Matthew
Best Catch:    Scott Nellins 15 fish
Heaviest Bag:    5 fish for 12lb  Mick Casidy
Best Rainbow:    Several for 3lb +
Best Brownie:    n/a
Bank Rod Av:    2.82
Boat Rod Av:    8.73
Sport:  The boats have really come into their own this weekend, as we finally wave bye bye to the last of the ice. The Northern shallows have fished fantastic with fish coming thick and fast. One of my favourite spots Cooks creek is according to Scott Stuffed with fish. Scott once again had a belting day with 15 fish coming to sparklers and orange blobs. The trick was a very slow figure of eight. Paul Davison and Steve Smalley had some 20 plus fish to their boat again the Causeway and the shallows produced the goods with black and green mini lures fished slowly on a Di 3 doing the trick.
Top boat today however belonged toPhilip Pendlebury and his boat partnerwho had a staggering 33 trout between them! They found fish in amongst the Willows with Black and green doing the work once again. One thing that was a little unusual for this time of year however was that the found just as many fish fishing very deep water between Gull Island and the Willows. This is great news as it makes me believe that the fish are starting to spread out and indeed thaw out! Also scoring big was Andy fairweather who eaked 20 fish from along the shallows a fantstic result with the bulk of them falling to cats whiskers.
A settled week lies ahead and the fishing will only go from strength to strength.
Tight lines Matthew

Report Author:    Pete
Best Catch:    17 fish by Carl Nixon
Heaviest Bag:   5 fish for 19lb by Paul Gaskell
Best Rainbow:    10lb 8oz by Ian Strachan
Best Brownie:    N/A
Bank Rod Av:    2.28 fish per angler
Boat Rod Av:     5.68 fish per angler
Sport: What a difference a week makes! Today was a lovely sunny day with a slight breeze. All 25 boats were on the water with some top anglers amongst them. England international Scott Nellins had a bumper day taking 15 fish. Scott found cormorants fished on a sinking line his best method. Also on the boats stocks regulars Peter Andrews and Stuart McCaughey had 28 fish to the boat they found the northern shallows to be most productive but also had fish from Newclose Bay and Hollins Bay. They used Di3 sinking lines with a black and gold Humungus in the morning but found Boobies fished better in the afternoon great angling boys. From the bank Black and green lures and cats whiskers worked well with Paul Gaskel l taking the heaviest bag of the day with 5 trout for 19lb with two trout weighing 7lb 8oz and 5lb 8oz respectively good angling Paul. Also on the bank Paul Miller had 7 fish from Hartleys again the Di3 with Boobies was the top method. The First double of the season went to Scottish angler Ian Strachan with a stonking rainbow of 10lb 8oz. The fish was caught in the two trees area. We were also glad to see Hywel Morgan on the water today and we hope he has another cracking days fishing tomorrow. One late result Greys G-Tec anglers Darren Booth and Karl Nixon had the best days Boat result with 33 fish between them, they found the area at the back of willow island the hot spot. Black and green boobies figure of eighted back on a Di3 did most the damage. See you in the lodge Pete

Date:    Friday 26th February
Report Author:    Matthew
Best Catch:    14 fish for Michael Drake and Andy Boylon
Heaviest Bag:    Michael Drake 5 fish for 12lb
Best Rainbow:    8lb estimate Andy Boylon
Best Brownie:    N/a
Bank Rod Av:    3.00
Boat Rod Av:    5.75
Sport: The big thaw has taken effect and the fish are coming round to these milder conditions. Andy Boylon and Duggy Ingles had a blinder with 26 fish to the boat including a specimen Rainbow from the top of Gull Island. Both guy’s fished black and green and green and white all day in many guises, one thing’s for sure though the fish seemed to want things nice and slow. They found a Di 3 at the most was deep enough with most coming on a slow intermediate.
Steve Hilton and Dave O’gradey had a good day too with 12 to their boat. They spotted a clear spot of water along the dam and had some cracking sport all afternoon. Once again black and green did the trick!
Bill Orrell is continuing his good form from last year with 11 fish all in a short afternoon visit. Bill fished a single sparsely tied black and silver double down in the newly thawed Hollin’s Bay, good angling Bill.
Top rod honours today however goes to Michael Drake who fished from Bell Point round to Hollin’s landing an impressive 14 fish with many 3lb + rainbows.
Hopefully the weather will remain kind this weekend and the sport will go from strength to strength.
Ps I even saw some buzzers hatching today!
Spring is in the air (a little optimism can’t hurt can it??)
Tight lines Matthew

Best Catch:                  9 fish for Sir Bob Cooper and Lee Cowking
Heaviest Bag:             3 fish for 8lb for Steve Kerr
Best Rainbow:             7lb for Len Ryding
Bank Rod Av:              3.43 fish per angler
Boat Rod Av:               4.28 fish per angler
Sport: Today the ice was melting away. Although there were parts of frozen water the vast majority of the reservoir is now clear and with a reasonable wind blowing and slightly higher temperatures than we have seen of late the situation can only improve. There were some good catches made today with the majority of the fish caught being close to the shoreline. Regular bank angler Ray Entwistle landed 4 fine rainbows, one of which had a red tag on it, Ray is now the owner of a new scierra rod and very pleased he is too. Well done Ray. Len Ryding landed 6 rainbows including a super 7lb specimen that was taken on a lure from the two trees area near the jetty. Other bank anglers were also in amongst the trout with all areas from Hollins bay right round to Bell Point and beyond being productive with various lures mainly on sinking lines being best. On the boats those anglers that put their flies close to the bank or near to ice caught well, once again to lures on sinking lines, indeed the two best catches fell to boat anglers Sir Bob Cooper and Lee Cowking who both utilised the sinking line-lure combo to good effect landing 9 trout each from Hollins bay. See you on the water Paul.

The reservoir is thawing! Tomorrow sees the temperatures rising so I am quietly confident that we should be fully clear by Friday. I can’t be 100% sure but I’m pretty confident.
Boats can now leave the jetty safely without crossing any ice, and the whole of the east bank is totally clear. Ben’s beach, Bell Point and Barnes Quarry are all ice free for the roving bank angler.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at the lodge for an up to date review of the situation.
One thing is for sure with the temperatures on the rise the fishing should switch on real soon and when it does we are in for a real treat!
Tight lines Matthew

The reservoir is once again partially frozen this morning but there is a stretch of fishable water along the alders and from hartleys round onto bens beach for bank fishing this is likely to improve as the day progresses cheers pete

I’m afraid that today the reservoir was frozen over once again.
Their was a clear area along Hartley’s were the fish were coming to black and green lures along with small cats whisker patterns.
With a cold night predicted there is every chance tomorrow may be the same.
Please keep an eye on the reports page for further info. If your travelling some distance Matt has informed me he will be manning the phone from 5.30 am, you can contact him on 01200 446602.
I will say one thing once this ice does clear the fishing will be incredible!
Bank House is fishing fantastic throughout these wintry conditions the paddle wheels are doing an excellent job keeping the whole place ice clear. To book on to Bank House phone 01524 770412.
See you on the ice Paul!

I’m afraid Stocks is frozen this morning. I expect it will be lunchtime before we have any open water. Bank House is clear of ice and fishing well. Tight lines Ben

Report Author:    Pete
Best Catch:    10 fish by Paul Miller
Heaviest Bag:   5 fish for 12lb by Paul Miller
Best Rainbow:    3lb 8oz by Ian Butterworth
Best Brownie:    N/A
Bank Rod Av:    5.5 fish per angler
Boat Rod Av:     N/a
Sport: The reservoir was only partially frozen this morning but snow showers deterred many anglers from travelling because of hazardous driving conditions. Those that did travel were once again treated to a cracking days fishing. Paul miller had a cracking half days fishing taking 10 trout in just  4 hours, also claiming the heaviest bag with 5 fish for 12lb. Paul found a slow roly-poly retrieve on a sinking line the best method taking fish on cats whiskers, Damsels and a black and green zonker, all his fish were taken from bell Point. Also on Bell point Andy Holden took 6 fish on a di3 with a black and green booby. Stocks First timer Mick Mercer had a day to remember when he hooked into one of the ten tagged fish released this year winning him a £30 voucher. Ian Butterworth came for a couple of hours this afternoon and was immediately into a fish on his first cast and had another 3 all from the corner of Hollins Bay. The weather this evening is due to drop below Zero again but as the last couple of days have proved the ice will soon clear by mid-morning and the fishing is excellent when it does. See you in the lodge Pete

Stocks has froze once again overnight.Some areas of the bank are fishable
from the jetty down to Barns Quarry and possibly a strech along the east bank.
The Freeze is NOT as bad as last night and should the wind pick up we may be
clear around lunch time.
Please keep an eye on this page for further up dates.