Fish 395 Returns 68 Rod average 5.8
Grafham has fished well again this week with a rod average of nearly 6.
Early in the week there were a lot of fish caught close in at Savages from the boats with the trout coming to foam daddies in either brown or orange. With a favourable wind fish could be found from the mouth of Savages all the way along Sanctuary and on into the Stumps. With the wind now coming from the north and east you can do the same drift in reverse.
There are also fish showing off the points along the north shore, particularly Hedge End, Pylon and Deep Water Point. Daddies have fished well all week either dry or just sub surface and tweaked back. Bank anglers are using similar tactics with the north end of the dam fishing well.
Now that we are getting winds from the north and east we expect good results from G Point, Coves, Deep Water, Pylon and Hedge End. There are also some fry feeders moving in the harbour – these are usually susceptible to a size 8 humungus or a mini snake.
The predator anglers are still to be found in the usual spots at the towers or along the line of the pipe that runs between them – this produced a large number of perch up to 2½lb to one angler this week. The pike and zander fishing remains an unknown quantity with little information coming in to us.
Competition news
Angling Trust Loch Style Autumn Series Match hosted by Grafham on Sunday 20 September. 44 Anglers fished this match which was the only match to be held from the original series of 12 matches, making this a one off final.
The blue skies and north easterly wind greeting the competitors provided far from ideal fly fishing conditions. Many anglers had been out and practiced in the run-up to the match and this was evident at the 10am start when there was a two-way split with the boats. Half the fleet headed to the north east side of the reservoir from G Buoy to the Willows and the other half focussed on the north west side from Sanctuary Bay into Savages Creek.
The format on the day was a timed catch and release match where the times of the first three fish caught by each angler were recorded on a score card with a maximum catch of 20 fish. The scorecard, along with the briefing documents were emailed out to all competitors prior to the match. A live Facebook boat draw, no weigh-in and the results announced on Facebook live ensured anglers, organisers and staff were kept safe in the current Covid 19 situation.
The fish were keen to feed and many anglers caught in the first hour; with the earliest Grafham rainbow recorded at 10.08am.
Size 12 red dries saw one angler taking his first three fish by 10.18 fishing in Sanctuary Bay and Savages. By 12.15 this angler was on seven fish and his boat partner was on three. The eventual runner up was on 7 fish at 12.45 and into fish at P Buoy, fishing a slow glass line with a black booby on the point, cormorants on the droppers and a small blob on the top dropper.
Another boat pair were also catching well targeting resident fish in the weedbeds at Sanctuary. They fished tip lines catching trout up to 4lb in weight with a black bejusus booby, black hopper, black muskins and an orange foam daddy working well.
However, it was the long drifts from G Buoy/Marlow Stones/Willows down to the south end of the reservoir where the winner caught his 18 trout. Along with his boat partner he caught close in at first but as they drifted further out they found pods of fish and focussed on these pods. He fished a slow glass line with two small FAB’s and two Hare’s Ear Nymphs.
Results
1st 18 fish
2nd 15 fish
3rd 12 fish (1st fish 10.24am)
4th 12 fish (1st fish 10.40am)
44 anglers caught 269 fish for a rod average of 6.1
Detailed results are available at www.facebook.com/anglingtrustcompetitions/
Beginners Courses: 4,11,15,24 & 30 October; 6 November and 5 December. To book please call the lodge on 01480 810531.
Forthcoming events:
Predator lure fishing 1-30 September.
Fry Bashers 17 October
Fur & Feather 22 November.