Fish 955 (Season 4,195) Returns 166 (731) Rod average 5.8 (5.74)
Grafham continues to fish well and has hosted a couple of big competitions this week with an England Qualifier on Friday 3 May and the Snowbee floating Line match on Saturday 4 May.
On the England qualifier 55 anglers boated 375 fish for a rod average of 6.8. It was a day of 2 halves with the weather; with a near flat calm in the morning changing to a strong northerly wind in the afternoon. Fish were taken early on directly in front of the lodge, at Rectory Bay and Hedge End. Then once the weather changed it was mostly from the points and bays along the north shore. Congratulations to Mark Thomas top rod on the day and to the 12 other anglers who now progress onto the Final.
On Saturday we hosted the Snowbee Floating Line Match with twenty 4 man teams competing in a strong, bitter Northerly wind which made fishing conditions very tricky as only floating lines were permitted. The 80 anglers boated 302 fish for a rod average of 3.8.
Top rod was Mark Mathieson with 8 fish (plus time bonus) for 26lb 2oz. Mark caught early on in Pig Bay with a team of buzzers and an indicator, keeping his drifts short and staying in the calmer water. The winning team were Invicta Fly By Nights with 29 fish (plus time bonus) for 81lb 3oz. 2nd were Rutland Water and 3rd were Grey Lags Harriers. Best fish on the day was a superb 5lb 9oz brown for Peter Lewis.
We would like to add a special thank you to Simon Kidd and Snowbee for the superb prizes awarded for this match.
As can be seen from the match reports the boat fishing has been excellent again this week with buzzers under the bung scoring in calmer conditions and blobs and fabs pulled or twiddled on a fast glass down to a Di 3 working in the windier conditions. Washing line tactics with a fab or booby on the point and red or green Diawl Bachs is also working. North shore in the wind and out in the middle if calm is the way to go.
From the bank, it is pretty much as usual with the dam and the stone jetties producing most of the sport, along with G marker and Deep Water Point. It was encouraging to hear that some better fish caught off the dam were full of shrimp!
Fishing Stats
Best boat areas: All the north shore. In particular Stumps, hill Farm, Pig Bay, hedge End, G Buoy, the bowl, the Willows and out in the middle.
Best bank areas: The bowl, Marlow Arm, Harbour Arms, Deep Water Point, G Point (especially the western side).
Mid week boat winner: K J Donovan.
Fish stocked: Year to date 22,600.
Forthcoming events
Home International 7-10 May
Invicta Pilgrimage 23 & 24 May
EFFA ProAm 20 June
Anglian Water Airflo International Midland heat 22 June
Beginners courses: 19,26 & 31 May; 6,15,23 & 30 June and other dates throughout the season.
Boat handling courses: 13 & 27 May; 4 & 11 June and other dates throughout the season.