Fishing Report January 2010

The first 17 days of the month were lost due to "The Big Freeze" as far as guiding clients was concerned. I however could only take so much fly tying, then had to hit the water to avoid loosing the plot completely! Best option was grayling and a couple of outing saw me getting my string pulled, which was fantastic therapy.

Since the thaw, stillwater fishing has been red hot and several postponed bookings have now been completed. Everyone has enjoyed some great sport, interspersed with warming up around the log burner in the lodge. Below Jonathan Boyle shows off his first trout on a fly, by the day's end he was up to 6 fine rainbows to 3.5lbs.

It has been nice to see a number of you making the most of our current special offers on trips during January, so if you have not booked yet, remember offers run until 28th February! 

I had planned to renew my pike hunt post thaw, this has been delayed however due to bookings. Tom reports the pike fishing has been good, as expected, so I know how everyone else feels now eh?

Looking forward spring maybe just around the corner, though meantime we have some great fishing for quality rainbow, grayling and pike to enjoy. As they build up to spawning time we have the best chance of the year to encounter trophy size pike & grayling. Hope you can join us?

Best Fishes

Steve

Top Tips for Winter Grayling Fishing!

Having spent 2 weeks without going fishing, I could not take it any longer. So yesterday we hit the river Dove for some much needed therapy in the form of some beautiful winter grayling.

Grayling are a fly fishers dream, providing superb river fishing during winter. Even on the coldest day's it is possible to enjoy having your line pulled by this most majestic fish.

Here are a few pointers about how I go about fly fishing for grayling: -

1. Make sure you fish the warmest part of the day during winter, usually 11am - 3pm when peak feeding activity will take place.

2. Stay mobile, quickly searching through deep runs & pools. Even try the odd shallower, faster run if you don't contact grayling in deeper water. They can be shoaled tightly together during winter, leaving much good looking water devoid of fish, find one and you will often catch several.

3. Wade slowly and quietly as always, to get close to the fish holding lies without spooking the grayling.

4. Do use czech nymph style tactics. Close contact with your flies is a must to detect the often very gentle takes. Watch your leader like a hawk!

5. I like to fish 2 flies using czech style rigging. Try swapping the position of your heaviest fly between point and dropper positions.

6. Ensure your range of nymphs and bugs includes various sizes and weights to cover varying depths and flow rates. In addition to fishing flies grayling want to eat, you must ensure your flies get down to the fish as much of their feeding is bottom based.

7. Do try fishing a bright attractor grayling fly like a pink shrimp or egg fly with a natural pattern such as a peeping caddis, olive shrimp or czech nymph.

8. Ensure your rig is light weight and balanced. I tend to fish a 3 - 4 weight outfit with a leader of 9-10 feet tapering to 4 - 5lbs fluorocarbon. Fishing a tippet any lighter is just asking to loose a lot of flies!

9. Watch for rises, most day's see a hatch of midges and sometimes large dark olives during milder spells. It makes a great change to swap to dry fly in mid winter and can be highly productive for as long as a hatch lasts.

10. Put it all together and you can catch, just like we did yesterday!



Best Fishes

Steve

December 09 Fishing Report

While December is traditionally a quieter month for being on the water with clients as everyone heads for the shops, we were out more than previous years. In between we enjoyed a few hot trips ourselves for grayling, trout and pike.



After the heavy rain's of November the river Coln has been carrying it's seasonal milky tinge, classic of the spring fed rivers. This prevented sight fishing, though a thorough search of the "hot spots" brought a steady stream of good grayling to the bank. I'm anticipating more of the same for the remainder of the season, so take advantage of our special offer grayling fishing!

Pre freeze we had been observing and tempting a number of pike in the 3-9lb range and also enjoying some hot sight fishing for the rainbow trout. I'm looking to the New Year, bringing warmer temperatures to thaw out the lakes and spike the appetites of these two voracious predators once more.


Above Andrew Month displays the quality of rainbow trout as they should be and every bit as worthy as any reservoir caught fish IMO. With all stillwaters now on form, including Loynton, Lechlade, Watermark, I expect to see many more fabulous fish gracing our nets during the coming weeks.

We also have special offers running on our pike and stalking days, plus our fly fishing lessons during January and February 2010. With hot action expected, now is the time to arrange your first trips of 2010!

Best Fishes

Steve

Christmas 2009 Fly Fishing

Well the big freeze has arrived just in time for Christmas again. Is it me or is this becoming a regular occurrence? With the majority of lakes frozen over, it narrows down fishing opportunities at this time of year. If the freeze continues and you need to get out, my advice is look no further than the seasonal grayling fishing. Need some inspiration to get you out the door? Check out this clip from Sky's Tight Lines.

Hopefully we get a thaw. If so hitting your local stillwater can provide some fantastic action with not only lures, buzzers are lethal, particularly when fishing right after ice out, which releases numbers of trapped midge pupa.

Another top target post thaw are pike, the lifting temperature often triggers a feeding spree. Make the most of it should opportunity knock.

Finally to all blog readers and clients, we wish you all a great Christmas.

Steve

Hot Winter Sight Casting

We are picking our days currently for sight fishing bookings, ensuring you have sufficient light levels to enjoy the great sport that's available right now!

Check out Tom into a fast, powerful fry feeding rainbow below!



After several runs, jumps and a heart stopping moment when it nearly wrapped the leader around a landing stage post, this was the result!



4lbs of lean mean muscle in prime condition.

I between the very visual fry feeding spells (these tend to be short as trout fill up quick on big pieces of meat) we stalk the lake margins for cruising trout. Here's one I bagged a little later.



Just as I cut my fly off the leader at the day's end, a trout twice the size cruised passed right in front of me! I swear they know. All I could see at first was quick blinks of white as it sucked in a nymph occasionally. Then a big shape came into view. I went to retie the fly, then noticed it was a big male brown. Decided to leave him until spring. How's that for self control?

We have availability for trips during the Christmas break on the 29th and 30th December. So if you have some Christmas money burning a hole in your pocket and want to sample some thrilling sight fishing in December or January, get in touch by phone or email. Contact details here.

Also seeing a number of pike most mornings, if you fancy a combo trip we can do a split pike/trout day for the same price.

Tight Lines

Steve

Christmas Gift Ideas

Whether you know someone who wants to start fly fishing or wish to enjoy a fabulous fly fishing experience yourself during the coming year, why not consider our range of gift vouchers this Christmas?

Let your nearest and dearest know what you want for Christmas! Use the "SHARE" button at the end of this post to email them or forward our details to them on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

December 09 Newsletter

Latest edition of our informative monthly magazine is out now!

See the December issue here.

Enjoy the read? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section of this page.

November 09 Fishing Report

November has once again provided superb action. Stillwaters are now offering excellent sport with quality rainbow trout. Loynton has been amazing again with a high average size of fish. Lots of visual takes, casting at aggressive trout slashing into baitfish! Plenty of opportunity for small flies too here, with decent midge hatches around midday, getting some big fish nymphing well. Best action has been to floating line tactics as fish fed in the top 5 feet. Below Mr. Jenkins shows off a cracking 11lber.



Cotswold waters are picking up well now, several clients having experienced some good sight fishing at Watermark. In the extremely clear water, targeting fish is the way to go. In addition to the sheer thrill of watching all the action, you spook far less fish! Brighter weather offer the best visibility, so a couple of dates got rearranged!

Grayling fishing on the Coln was good prior to the deluge of rain we received. However conditions are now fishable again and although sight fishing is out, deep nymphing techniques are producing fish. It's that time of year when heavy and pink are the buzz words in grayling flies!

Tight Lines

Steve