Fish caught - 181, Fish returned - 125, Fish kept - 56, Returns - 37, Rod average - 4.9
Grafham has fished well in the unseasonal weather for those brave enough to venture out either on the bank or in a boat.
Tactics are similar for both bank and boat with the trout feeding heavily on snails, shrimp and fry.
Best areas for the bank are the points along the north shore fishing close in around the weed beds. Floating line is probably best as you will be casting over weed close to the surface. Small dries work well when conditions allow with a small cdc being taken as a snail or a shrimp otherwise a washing line with shrimp and hares ear up the line and a small fab or blob on the point for the snailers. There are some bigger fish feeding on the fry and a popper fry twitched across the surface is worth a go.
Best boat areas are very similar to the bank areas with snail and shrimp feeders along the edges of the weed beds, on some days you have to be casting virtually on to the bank to find fish. Floating line down to a Di3 have been working with similar flies to the bank anglers. The Sludge bank has responded to popper fry patterns on occasion.
Love them or Hate them the aerators are on and holding a lot of fish including some absolute lumps. Anything from a Floating line down to a Di7 has worked with big fry patterns and snakes doing well. Casting across the flow and letting the flies swing round has worked better than strip retrieving this week.
A quick reminder not to drive your boat with the drogue out. ( we have been out quite a lot this week to drogues around propellers ). Also only wade to thigh depth. ( there should be daylight between the top of your legs).