The northerly breeze and a nice but cold day tempted me to G Bank this afternoon. A complete waste of time really.
Moved one fish with a Bugler on dropper and Brown Minkie on point but other than that nothing at all.
After a couple of hours and near frozen i gave up.
Friday 31 October 2008
Wednesday 29 October 2008
Frosty morning at the Harbour
I decided to brave the cold and frost and went to the east harbour arm for a couple of hours this morning.
6.30am and the sun was just rising, a really nice crisp start to the day.
After pulling a white minkie for 20 mins or so and not seeing any interest i switched to a Bugler on the dropper and a brown minkie on the point. Several casts later and a fish swirled at the Bugler but missed, turned and took the minkie that was following.
A 2lb Rainbow was on the bank a few minutes later.
A couple more short pulls but no fish followed so at 8.30 I headed back home for breakfast.
6.30am and the sun was just rising, a really nice crisp start to the day.
After pulling a white minkie for 20 mins or so and not seeing any interest i switched to a Bugler on the dropper and a brown minkie on the point. Several casts later and a fish swirled at the Bugler but missed, turned and took the minkie that was following.
A 2lb Rainbow was on the bank a few minutes later.
A couple more short pulls but no fish followed so at 8.30 I headed back home for breakfast.
Wednesday 22 October 2008
Brownie in Plummers
Went to Plummers this evening and met Peter for a couple of hours fishing. The weather was ideal, a reasonable SW breeze and we saw a few fish moving so it looked good.
I tried a few casts with a minkie but didn't attract any fish so switched to a Bugler. Moved a fish that had a grab at the fly but missed.
The breeze stopped and everything went flat so I changed set up to a 3 fly leader. Claret Hopper and Corixa on droppers with a daddy on the point. Kept hitting weed so put a Bugler on the point to keep everything up in the water washing line style.
A couple of casts and a great take, a big fish took me all the way to the backing. I managed to turn it and it swam all the way in towards the bank. Close to the net it turned and ran again taking me down to the backing again. I saw it was a nice sized brownie. After a few minutes it was in the net. Peter came down the bank to check it out. We weighed it at 4lb 12oz.
I decided it was too nice a fish to kill so released it to fight another day. Browns are out of season soon so hopefully this one will grow on to be even bigger next year.
A couple of casts later and I had a rainbow take the Bugler. A small stockie about 1lb 8 oz but at least this one was going to make the freezer.
Started to get dark so packed up and headed home.
I tried a few casts with a minkie but didn't attract any fish so switched to a Bugler. Moved a fish that had a grab at the fly but missed.
The breeze stopped and everything went flat so I changed set up to a 3 fly leader. Claret Hopper and Corixa on droppers with a daddy on the point. Kept hitting weed so put a Bugler on the point to keep everything up in the water washing line style.
A couple of casts and a great take, a big fish took me all the way to the backing. I managed to turn it and it swam all the way in towards the bank. Close to the net it turned and ran again taking me down to the backing again. I saw it was a nice sized brownie. After a few minutes it was in the net. Peter came down the bank to check it out. We weighed it at 4lb 12oz.
I decided it was too nice a fish to kill so released it to fight another day. Browns are out of season soon so hopefully this one will grow on to be even bigger next year.
A couple of casts later and I had a rainbow take the Bugler. A small stockie about 1lb 8 oz but at least this one was going to make the freezer.
Started to get dark so packed up and headed home.
Tuesday 21 October 2008
GWFFA Club Championship results
The Club Championship results have just been published for 2008.
This was my first full season where i competed in all of the matches bar 1.
Overall I did well, Finished in 8th place for the Bank Competition, 16th place in the Boat Competition and 10th overall.
Not a bad first season so every chance of improving next year.
You can view all the results here http://www.gwffa.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/results_08.pdf
This was my first full season where i competed in all of the matches bar 1.
Overall I did well, Finished in 8th place for the Bank Competition, 16th place in the Boat Competition and 10th overall.
Not a bad first season so every chance of improving next year.
You can view all the results here http://www.gwffa.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/results_08.pdf
Sunday 19 October 2008
Hinckley Shield - Rutland Water
Not a great day is about the best way to summarise todays Hinckley Shield at Rutland Water.
I was part of a six man team that also included Peter Waterhouse (Captain), Steve Ellerbeck, Chris Lane, Nick Preston and Neil ?
Peter and I headed for New Zealand Point while the others headed for Normanton and The Pipes near the dam.
The competition started at 9.30 so tackled up and ready to go we hit the water bang on time. 45 mins later and i had a nice fish on that had taken a Claret Hopper on the dropper. On the point was Bugler. A few minutes later and it was in the bag.
Peter changed flies with a Bugler on point and soon had a fish follow but it turned away. Things were looking good.
Sadly, nothing else happened. After hearing from Nick and Steve that they were not catching and eventually Nick and Neil joined us. We decided to stick it out till 2.30 when we finally moved to Barnwell Creek on the Peninsula. People there were catching fish but we didn't get a thing.
At 4.45 we packed up and took the 30 min drive back to the lodge in time to weigh in.
My single fish weighed 2lb 9oz. Chris Lane had a brace or about 3lb 6oz or so. Everyone else on out team had blanked.
We finished 6th out of 6 teams so not a good result for the GWFFA Hill Farmers as we were known. GWFFA G Bouys did better and finished 2nd overall. EMFFA won the day so well done them and next years competition will be at Draycote.
All in all a good days fishing just a shame we didn't bag up.
I was part of a six man team that also included Peter Waterhouse (Captain), Steve Ellerbeck, Chris Lane, Nick Preston and Neil ?
Peter and I headed for New Zealand Point while the others headed for Normanton and The Pipes near the dam.
The competition started at 9.30 so tackled up and ready to go we hit the water bang on time. 45 mins later and i had a nice fish on that had taken a Claret Hopper on the dropper. On the point was Bugler. A few minutes later and it was in the bag.
Peter changed flies with a Bugler on point and soon had a fish follow but it turned away. Things were looking good.
Sadly, nothing else happened. After hearing from Nick and Steve that they were not catching and eventually Nick and Neil joined us. We decided to stick it out till 2.30 when we finally moved to Barnwell Creek on the Peninsula. People there were catching fish but we didn't get a thing.
At 4.45 we packed up and took the 30 min drive back to the lodge in time to weigh in.
My single fish weighed 2lb 9oz. Chris Lane had a brace or about 3lb 6oz or so. Everyone else on out team had blanked.
We finished 6th out of 6 teams so not a good result for the GWFFA Hill Farmers as we were known. GWFFA G Bouys did better and finished 2nd overall. EMFFA won the day so well done them and next years competition will be at Draycote.
All in all a good days fishing just a shame we didn't bag up.
Thursday 16 October 2008
Rutland practice
Met Peter Waterhouse this afternoon for a bit of a practice at Rutland Water. On Sunday we are fishing together in the Hinckley Shield as part of a six man team for GWFFA. GWFFA won this last year.
Weather was terrible really, NW wind making the hotspots unfishable so we met in Stockie Bay on the North Shore.
No action whatsoever. Tried Intermediate line with a minkie, black and green lures and damsels but no interest. Changed to a floating line with nymphs and still nothing. Did see one fish jump but it was a long way out.
Hope Sunday is better, the weather forecast looks good so here's hoping
Weather was terrible really, NW wind making the hotspots unfishable so we met in Stockie Bay on the North Shore.
No action whatsoever. Tried Intermediate line with a minkie, black and green lures and damsels but no interest. Changed to a floating line with nymphs and still nothing. Did see one fish jump but it was a long way out.
Hope Sunday is better, the weather forecast looks good so here's hoping
Wednesday 15 October 2008
Plummers
Went to Plummers this evening, quite a few fish moving so it looked promising. Weather was overcast and a westerly breeze made fishing easy in this part of Grafham Water.
I set up 3 flies on about 12ft leader, a Claret Hopper on the point and 2 Corixa on droppers.
After casting at several rising fish I final hooked into a fish. It had taken the first dropper, a size 10 Corixa. After a few minutes a nice 2lb 6oz rainbow was in the net.
I then changed to a booby on a dropper with an Olive Damsel on the point. There were still fish moving and fry were now scattering on the surface. Maybe there were some fry feeding trout around.
I had a great follow but the fish turned away as i lifted the flies off the water.
No more action after that so I headed home.
I set up 3 flies on about 12ft leader, a Claret Hopper on the point and 2 Corixa on droppers.
After casting at several rising fish I final hooked into a fish. It had taken the first dropper, a size 10 Corixa. After a few minutes a nice 2lb 6oz rainbow was in the net.
I then changed to a booby on a dropper with an Olive Damsel on the point. There were still fish moving and fry were now scattering on the surface. Maybe there were some fry feeding trout around.
I had a great follow but the fish turned away as i lifted the flies off the water.
No more action after that so I headed home.
Troutmaster
This is the 3lb 15oz Brown trout that qualified me for 2009 Troutmaster "fish off" that will be held at Grafham Water sometime in early 2009.
I caught this close to the South Dam on a Red Diawl Bach fished on a floating line. It is also entered for the Snowbee Challenge in Total Fly Fisher Magazine.
Tuesday 14 October 2008
Couple of hours on the Harbour
Had a couple of hours on the East arm of the harbour this evening. Had one small pull but didn't catch anything.
Saw a Rainbow near the rocks and what looked like a good sized trout cruised by off the end of the rocks.
Started with a floating line and a brown minkie which attracted the pull but didn't move any other fish. Changed to an intermediate line and a white minkie. No luck here either.
Weather was cloudy with a gentle SW breeze.
Saw a Rainbow near the rocks and what looked like a good sized trout cruised by off the end of the rocks.
Started with a floating line and a brown minkie which attracted the pull but didn't move any other fish. Changed to an intermediate line and a white minkie. No luck here either.
Weather was cloudy with a gentle SW breeze.
Sunday 12 October 2008
The Season so far
2008 season is nearly over with only a couple of months left in which to fish.
It's been a pretty good season really, I have managed to fish all but one of the club matches and hopefully will finish in the top 10 of this years championship.
Other highlights of the season have been
It's been a pretty good season really, I have managed to fish all but one of the club matches and hopefully will finish in the top 10 of this years championship.
Other highlights of the season have been
- Qualifying for 2009 Troutmasters with a superb 3lb 15oz Brownie caught in September
- My kids have been out fishing regularly and Lauren has done really well this year
One more club match left which is in November, The Winter Plate is the last chance to win something this year.
Sunday 19th October see's me competing in the GWFFA Team for the Hinckley Shield. An update will appear on here after that one.
GWFFA Bank Day at Pitsford
Well!! yet another tough days fishing.
Hooked and lost a good brownie at 8.45 this morning, then got 1 rainbow about 2ish and that was it for the rest of the day.
Weighed in with one fish for 1lb 12oz!!!!!!!!
Most others didn't fare any better, Lianne won with three fish 7 others caught 1 each and the rest blanked.
Hope it's a bit better next Sunday at Rutland?????
Hooked and lost a good brownie at 8.45 this morning, then got 1 rainbow about 2ish and that was it for the rest of the day.
Weighed in with one fish for 1lb 12oz!!!!!!!!
Most others didn't fare any better, Lianne won with three fish 7 others caught 1 each and the rest blanked.
Hope it's a bit better next Sunday at Rutland?????
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