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Date                           Saturday 20th february
Report by           Pete
Best Catch              22 trout by Derek Moore and Michael Brook
Boat Rod Average   5.1 fish per man
Bank Rod Average   12.5 fish per man
Sport: Today was the opening day of the season unfortunately when we arrived this morning the temperature overnight had plummeted to -5 and unexpectedly the reservoir was completely covered with a layer of ice. This made fishing all but impossible, the fishery staff and the anglers that had travalled were all very deflated. However the sun soon broke through and the temperature started to rise. By lunchtime a good westerly breeze picked up and, with a bit of help by Ben in the safety boat, the ice was gone from everywhere except the northern shallows and Newclose Bay. Then, for the few anglers that had stayed to fish, the season really started. Michael Brooks made good use of the open water in Hollins Bay to catch 22 hard fighting trout all falling to a pink Dog nobbler. Also on the bank regular Tony Taylor had 9 trout from Barns Quarry tony fished a di6 line with a mini cats booby and a mini orange booby, he commented on the fact that the fish were eager to take his flies and he even had a double hook up. Mr Holden braved the east bank to take 4 fish from Halsteads Hike in 20 casts. He fished an orange and black Fritz. Darren Booth, Derek Moore and Lee Cowking tried there luck with a boat once all the ice had had melted and were rewarded with a bonanza of fish with 50 trout between them all falling to black and green lures. Derek Moore took top honours with 22 fish. With a cold night predicted tonight then there is a chance the reservoir could freeze again this evening but with patience and a later start in the morning fantastic fishing can be had. The website will be updated at about 6am in the morning in case of ice. See you in the lodge Pete
Darren Booth into a fish opening day in Hollins Bay
