Spring is in the air! After one of the wettest winters on record I bet you are all looking forward to a glimpse of sunshine to banish the winter blues. Spring is a really special time for the stillwater trout fisher – I know you can fish many waters right through the year now but opening day at any fishery is always exciting.
Are you prepared for the new season?
I see many anglers at this time of year with tackle damaged at the end of the last season and forgotten about until the day before their first trip. Now is the time to sort out your gear – there is nothing worse than finding the mice have made a meal of your net or your favourite fly line is cracked when you arrive on the bank. We carry everything in stock you will need for the season ahead from a few flies to a complete new outfit. Why not bring your kit to one of our stores? Our expert staff will help you give everything a pre season once over and recommend a few bits and pieces to help make your first trip a success.
Opening Dates & Contact Details
Rutland Water opens 29/03/13 – 01780 686441
Grafham opens 15/03/13 – 01480 810531
Chew Valley Lake opens 23/03/13 – 01275 332339
Pitsford opens 8/03/13 – 01604 781350
Llyn Brenig opens 23/03/13 – 01490 420463
Bewl Water opens 21/03/13 – 01892 890352
Blagdon opens 16/03/13 – 01275 332339
Foremark opens 1/03/13 – 01283 703202
Draycote opens 5/03/13 – 01788 812018
Eyebrook opens 22/03/13 – 01536 772930
Ravensthorpe opens 01/03/13 – 01604 770875
Toft Newton open all year round – 01673 878453
Stocks opens 23/03/13 – 01200 446602
Farmoor open all year round – 07747 640707
NEW VIDEO: Jonathan Tomlinson, Assistant Manger at Sportfish Reading and Trout Fisherman Magazine Advice Squad expert, explains some of the tips and tactics that will help you land more early season trout in our new video.
Top tips for early season success
Face the wind – you will often find trout feeding on the windward shore of a large stillwater. The wind will pull warm water up from the thermocline as it pushes across the surface and concentrate food on this shore. Trout are often feeding surprisingly close in.
Look for features – with the current high water levels look for fence and hedge lines disappearing into the reservoir, these will hold insect life and attract feeding trout.
Stay mobile – you may need to find the fish so be prepared to keep moving. If you have had nothing after 20 minutes or so move along the bank to try new water. Casting along the shore often works.
Look for clear water – If its windy trout will often be found feeding along the boundary of murky water churned up by waves and clearer water in the main body of the lake. They will be hunting for nymphs and shrimps disturbed by the waves.
Keep warm – weather changes quickly at this time of year. This is when top notch technical clothing really proves its worth keeping you warm and dry in all conditions.
Be sensitive to temperature changes – a slight increase in water temperature can trigger an insect hatch – and some memorable rod bending sport.
A cold start to spring has changed the fishing routine for the Easter holiday – but don’t worry the fish are still there and feeding hard! Check out our latest video in this post and see how trout expert Jonathan Tomlinson tackles a short session on Haywards Farm Lake – right next to our Reading store – armed with his trusty Sage ONE fly rod.
NEW VIDEO: Jonathan Tomlinson, Assistant Manager at Sportfish Reading and Trout Fisherman Magazine Advice Squad expert, gives you some useful tips and tactics in this video to help you land a few more trout this Easter break!
How do I rate the Sage ONE?
The Sage ONE has been a part of my rod armory since it came out in 2012 and it has rapidly become one of my favored “go to” rods. Light in the hand it is very well balanced and exceptionally crisp with the fastest recovery rates of just about any rod I’ve seen. Lots of feed back from the blank together with Sages KINETIC technology has made this a very accurate all rounder capable of throwing everything from dries on a floating line to a team of mini lures on a fast sinker!
Ten Top Tips for Easter Fishing
Ring the changes; don’t be scared to change fly and fly line if takes aren’t coming regularly. Start at the top with a floating line and work your way down through the depths until you start getting takes, even when the water is cold trout can feed up in the water.
Don’t be tempted to stay in the same spot if you aren’t catching after 30 minutes without a take try a new spot!
When fishing mini lures don’t always fish them fast, a slow retrieve especially when the temperature is cold can be the most effective method.
Give nymphs a go, just because they aren’t hatching off the insects are still in the waters so buzzers, damsels etc will still catch you fish.
Keep warm, as daft as it sounds with Easter being so early and with the poor run of weather we are having make sure you have enough clothes on. Always opt for more and thinner layers rather than fewer thicker layers.
Make sure you have eye protection on. For those overcast cloudy days it can be all too tempting to take you glasses off, DON’T! Try using a light enhancing sunrise/yellow lense.
If the weather warms up and fish start rising then try a small dry fly, e.g. Bob’s bits, fly or shuttlecock buzzers, they can work a treat.
When casting try fanning out your casts from left to right this allows you to cover more water than you would casting repeatedly straight out.
Count down your casts. Try your first 20 casts with a count of 5, the next 20 at a count of 10 and so on until you start getting takes.
Don’t always fish in the easiest spot when it comes to the wind direction, the easy option is to fish with the wind on your back, try fishing into the wind if it isn’t too strong, any food will be blown towards the Lee shore and will become an easy target for a trout.
Don’t forget… leave your comments below if you’ve enjoyed our Easter trout fishing post and Sage ONE rod review. Plus, if have any more tips then add these too – it’s great to share! You can also share with all your friends via our social sharing buttons below.
Our still water courses are proving very popular this season and places are selling fast. With the increase in popularity of still water trout fishing, an increasing number of people are looking for opportunities to learn about the equipment and techniques needed to get the most from the sport. Sportfish offers a number of dates either on a Friday or a Saturday throughout the summer.
You will start the day in the classroom where your instructor will introduce you to the equipment needed for still water fishing and he will show you how it all fits together. He will be on hand to answer whatever questions you may have related to choosing your first outfit. You will also cover topics such as entomology and fly selection. This normally involves taking a look at a selection of nymphs, beetles and other aquatic life found in the lake just outside our purpose built retail superstore. There is also the chance to get hands-on and learn some knots which usually proves great fun as well and informative.
After lunch, which is provided by Sportfish, you will get the chance to hone your casting skills with the help of your instructor. The climax of the day is taking your new skills to our onsite lake to try to catch a trout with help from your instructor if required.
These one day courses offer excellent value at £99 per person – to find out how to book a course, please visit our fly fishing school pages »
Check out this video with one of our instructors, Jonathan Tomlinson, for some top trout fishing tips at our Haywards Farm lake! Don’t forget… you can book a lesson with him!
These are a few photos from a recent course, where despite the cold weather the whole team managed to catch a fish each!
Join Sportfish’s own Allan Shephard and Jonathan Tomlinson for a day at Dever Springs – Hampshire’s best known stillwater trout fishery, justifiably famous for the superb fishing it provides and the size and quality of it’s trout. Learn our experts top tips on casting, retrieves, fly selection and how to stalk the biggest trout in the lake! All right here and just a click away.
JT and I always look forward to a trip to Dever – this superb fishery houses some of the UK’s biggest trout in two lovely spring fed lakes. The fishery also boasts abundant wildlife with all the major aquatic fly life being present through the season. The beautiful river Dever (a tributary of the famous Test) cuts through the fishery and is surely one of Hampshire’s prettiest chalkstreams.
Dever produced the UK’s record brown trout of 28lbs 2oz – an amazing fish. No fish are stocked below 4lbs so you never quite know how big your next trout will be – only that it will be big! Double figure fish are relatively common and every angler has a genuine chance of a fish of this size.
Allan plays his first trout of the day!
On our filming day it was cold – spring was so late this year. We tackled up in the car park – I opted for a 9′ 5 weight Sportfish Purecast Rod (a personal favourite of mine) matched to a reliable Lamson Guru reel and a Rio LT fly line. JT went for his trusty 5 wt Sage TCR rod with a reel from his collection and a Rio Gold flyline. We selected a range of weighted Fulling Mill stalking bugs and heavily weighted nymphs together with our general trout patterns. Useful and essential additions included a Mclean Sea Trout Landing net (perfect size for Dever) and Costa Black-Fin 580 sunglasses for fish spotting and eye protection. You can contact JT and Allan at Sportfish Reading for help and advice with fishing small stillwaters or to find out more about their day and the tackle they used. Just ring 0118 930 3860 and they will be happy to help!
You will have to watch the film below to see how our day went and what we caught!
Dever Springs is a great fishery and definitely one we recommend for our customers to visit.
Farmoor reservoir in Oxfordshire is a great trout fishery, it’s run by Thames water – they do an excellent job of keeping rods bent right through the year with quality rainbow and occasional brown trout. The fishery is made up of two concrete bowl water supply reservoirs separated by a causeway. Although this doesn’t sound very pretty, the concrete has weathered and the reservoirs fit comfortably into the surrounding landscape.
My recent visit was on a Sunday and we decided to fish from a boat on Farmoor 2 allowing my boat partner Phil D and I to cover lots of water and keep away from the busier sections of bank. As we headed away from the jetty it was obvious that buzzers would be the order of the day. Lots were hatching although this was not a day for a lot of surface activity. We both tackled up with 10’ 7 weight Sage fly rods – I had a new One model and Phil used his trusty XP. These were matched with floating fly lines. I opted for a 7weight Guideline 4-Cast, this line loads the Sage One to perfection. I like to fish buzzers on a long leader so I tied 7lb fluorocarbon to the end of a 9’ tapered leader tied a water knot to make a dropper to give me a 20’ leader with a dropper and a point fly.
Anglers and Sailors Co-Exist Happily at Farmoor
There was quite a cold wind on the day so it was quite fresh in spite of the bright sunshine. This definitely kept the fish down and most of the fish came to the point fly. Choice of fly was important – star fly was the Fulling Mill black/red buzzer nugget – it caught around 80% of the 25 or so rainbows we caught and released steadily through the day.
Phil Lands a Hard Fighting Farmoor Trout
So all in all a top day out – I really love fishing with my 10’ 7weight Sage ONE, it’s so light and responsive. This is definitely my favourite rod for reservoir trout fishing. I quite fancy a 10’ 5 or 6 weight for fishing dries – better start saving!
If you enjoyed Allan’s fishing diary or have been to Farmoor… please leave your comments below – it’s great to share & chat! You can also share with all your friends via our social sharing buttons below.
There’s a chill in the air and the leaves are falling, what better time to get out of the house and catch some fighting fit stillwater trout? Whilst fishing stillwater is is arguably most pleasant on a summer’s day, trout dislike high water temperatures resulting in the fishing dropping off through warmer months. With a large number of fisheries staying open through the winter months there is certainly good sport available!
Some of my most memorable stillwater trout experiences have been in sub zero conditions when the fly line is freezing in the rod rings! In fact, these were the conditions when I caught my largest stillwater trout, a fighting fit rainbow of 15lb which took me well into the backing as it tanked off down the lake. The thermometer on my car read a frosty -10 degrees C!
So, what’s different about fishing at this time of year? It’s fair to expect fish activity to decrease in the very coldest weather but with our variable climate there will often be periods when fish can be found right through the water column and may even take emerging insects, such as chrinominids, which are active all year round. Consequently, you should certainly pay close attention to the weather conditions and stable or improving weather should be taken full advantage of.
Winter Trout Tactics
The bulk of your summer tackle will work just fine in the winter though I would suggest this is the time to dust off your intermediate and sinking fly lines and start exploring the deeper parts of your chosen fishery. This particularly applies if there is a drop in temperature. In this scenario, the deeper parts of a stillwater remain the most temperature stable, whilst the surface layer will chill quickly, especially with a cold wind upon exposed parts of the water. This may cause fish to avoid the cooler upper layer.
The use of a slow retrieve is likely to increase your chances of success and this is a good time to apply the figure-of-eight method. This technique enables you to inch the fly gradually through the water and still remain in contact aiding bite detection. Whilst on the subject of bite detection, the use of an indicator positioned between the fly and the fly line will greatly increase detection. Letting a small dark fly such as a buzzer swing around on the wind is a very effective technique on many stillwaters. At Sportfish we often use this technique to help beginners to catch their first fish as less casting is required.
A boat may help you access trout in deeper water!
As the season progresses from spring to summer, aquatic insects gradually increase in size until they mature as adults, mate and lay eggs. This results in winter fly life often being physically quite small (especially for species which only spend one year maturing) making this an important consideration when delving into our fly boxes. The sort of large garish patterns a spring or summer trout would have chased down in an instant often do not work so effectively in the colder months. Having said that, the use of large flies should not be discounted and a blob or cat’s whisker fished very slowly has been the down-fall of many a trout.
During the winter the metabolism of trout can slow down dramatically, this can result in gentle finicky takes which are hard to detect. The angler will need to be sensitive to any slight pluck or resistance and I’m sure fish inhale and reject flies more times than angler realise!
Recommended Clothing
If ever there was a time when clothing choice is critical, then this is it! Modern fishing clothing is remarkably light and it pays to take advantage of this, you will fish far more comfortably in light materials which don’t restrict your movement. Similarly a number of thin layers will help you to regulate your body temperature more easily than one or two thick layers.
The key areas of heat loss will be your head and your hands so investing in a warm hat and gloves can make a huge difference to your enjoyment and how long you actually spend fishing – you’ve got to be in it to win it!
The winter months go hand in hand with poor light conditions, so the use of yellow lens sunglasses will help enhance the light and enable you to spot and intercept fish. Regardless of the time of year or the light conditions glasses in some form or another must always be worn to avoid a fly in the eye – a life changing event best avoided.
Five Tips To Help You Succeed
Experiment with small dark flies or large garish ones fished slow and deep down
Wear glasses with yellow lenses to enhance the available light
Fish subsurface or sink tip lines to avoid creating a fish scaring wake on glassy water
As with all times of the year keep off the sky line to avoid spooking passing fish
Wear a layered clothing system to trap more warmth
If you’ve any top tips for winter trout fishing of your own, or wish to ask a question, please leave your comments below – it’s great to share & chat! You can also share with all your friends via our social sharing buttons below.
With the new trout season upon us and Hayward’s Farm Trout Fishery about to open its doors for the new season, it’s time to get the first Sportfish event of the year in your diary. We are opening our doors on the 28th of February and the 1st of March for a fun packed trout-tastic weekend to help you get ready for that first days fly fishing.
START THE NEW TROUT FISHING SEASON IN STYLE HERE AT SPORTFISH READING
With many trout fishing experts here to interact with and seminars running throughout the weekend, this is a great opportunity to pick up a deal and to learn more before casting your first line of the season.
SPECIAL OFFERS EXCLUSIVE TO THIS WEEKEND
Spend over £100 in one transaction and get a FREE 1 fish ticket at Hayward’s Farm. To be used by the 18th April.
Signs up to an outside seminar/demo and you will receive a further £5.00 OFF your purchase when you check in on the day! * One £5.00 per person.
Upgrade your old single hand rod & we will guarantee a minimum price of £40 in part exchange on all usable single handed rods.
Buy 10 Fulling Mill trout flies and we will give you two for FREE.
Receive a FREE casting lesson here at Sportfish with every full priced trout rod purchased.
All Greys GX 500 and 700 reels are on offer, 40% OFF.
FREE group sessions with experts (sign up) See Schedule for the two days.
Many other fantastic SALE OFFERS in store.
FREE casting and Fly Tying session on Saturday.
FREE seminars through the weekend, please see schedule of events.
There will be plenty on inside & outside throughout the weekend!
TROUTASTIC EVENT WEEKEND – FULL SCHEDULE
Saturday 28th February – Lecture Room Seminars
9:45 – 10:30 A-Z of Tenkara
Angus Campbell reveals the mysteries and benefits surrounding Tenkara and its application in modern fly fishing. Why not call us on 0118 930 3860 & book onto the FREE interactive Tenkara workshop on the stream outside the store? Booking essential so reserve your place ASAP!
11:00 – 12:00 Jonathan Tomlinson’s Early Season Stillwater Tactics
Jonathan gives you the low down on how to avoid those blank early season days.
12:30 – 1:30 Simms Wader Repair Workshop
Steve Peterson from Simms will be on hand to illustrate how to take best care of your Simms products and how to repair pin holes in waders. Why not bring your Simms waders with you for a quick health check before the start of the new season?
2:00 – 3:00 Famous Fishing Chalkstream
William Daniel of Famous Fishing will be giving an over view of fishing opportunities on the southern chalkstreams for 2015.
3:00 – 4:00 FREE Fly Tying Workshop with Expert Jonathan Tomlinson
This work shop is ideal for those who have never sat behind a vice before and fancy tying a fly for the first time! Jonathan can also help those of you who have been tying for years but need help with advanced techniques. You are very welcome to bring your own kit or we will do our very best to supply kit and materials. Booking is essential – so call us on 0118 930 3860 & reserve your place now!
Saturday 28th February – Outside Demos & Interactive Events
11:00 – 12:00 Go fishing with Tenkara!
Following on from Angus Campbells A-Z Tenkara lecture room talk, join him on the stream outside the store to witness the art of Tenkara. Booking essential, places are limited, so call us on 0118 930 3860 & reserve your place now.
1:00 – 2:00 UK launch of the Guideline Fario trout rods
Alex Jardine demonstrates how Guideline have achieved what many thought was impossible, making the new Fario even better than the last multi award winning model!
2:00 – 3:00 FREE Casting Lessons
With Alex Jardine of Guideline and Aardvark McLeod and Tom Festing AAPGAI , Sportfish tuition manager. Why not take advantage of a free casting lesson to improve and hone your technique? Booking essential as places will be limited, so call us on 0118 930 3860 & reserve your place now!
Sunday 1st March – Lecture Room Seminars
10:45 – 11:30 Ian May Presents…
“The unfair advantage with Sage and Rio” Questions and answer session to follow.
12:00 – 12:45 A-Z of Tenkara
Angus Campbell reveals the mysteries and benefits surrounding Tenkara and its application in modern fly fishing. Why not call us on 0118 930 3860 and book onto the FREE interactive Tenkara workshop on the stream outside the store? Booking essential!
1:15 – 2:00 Fly Fishing Ambassador
Charles Jardine presents the latest Wychwood fly line range and explains their specific applications to benefit your trout fishing throughout the year.
Sunday 1st March – Outside Demos & Interactive Events
11:00 – 12:00 UK launch of the Guideline Fario Trout Rods
Alex Jardine demonstrates how Guideline have achieved what many thought was impossible, making the new Fario even better than the last multi award winning model!
12:00 – 1:00 Ian May of Guide Fly Fishing
Untangling the mysteries of which rod / line to use & when to use it!
1:00 – 2:00 Go fishing with Tenkara!
Following on from Angus Campbells A-Z Tenkara lecture room talk, join him on the stream outside the store to witness the art of Tenkara. Booking essential as places will be limited, so call us on 0118 930 3860 & reserve your place now!
2:00 – 3:00 Alex & Charles Jardine Head-to-Head Fish Off!
Alex Jardine of Guideline takes on his father Charles Jardine of Wychwood in a “friendly” stillwater fish off!
REMEMBER: Some of the free seminars & demonstrations require you to book your place – please be sure to call us & secure a spot ASAP on 0118 930 3860
Get on the right track for the start of the new trout season with our latest top tips and a BRAND NEW video guide! Many of us will not have been on the bank for a few months so NOW is the time to spend a little time preparing to make sure that we are on the right track for the off.
Being organised doesn’t catch you fish as such but an organised angler is usually an efficient angler, and efficient anglers do catch – so now is the time to make the preparations to ensure that you can get amongst the fish right from the off and get that all-important head start, both on the fish, and on the other anglers on your fishery!
NEW VIDEO GUIDE: Jonathan “JT” Tomlinson, Trout Angling Specialist at Sportfish, gives you some useful tips and advice in this video to help you prepare for the new season ahead!
Bag and Waistcoat Checks
If you haven’t been out then whatever state you put your gear away in then, so you will now find it! If you are super-organised everything in your boat and bank bags, and in your waistcoat pockets, will have been checked, cleaned, re-filled, replaced and re-furbished…
Then again, if you are like the rest of us, it is all going to need close inspection to make sure that it is all there and that it is in a state that’s not going to let you down when it really matters so NOW is the time to go through all of those waistcoat pockets and make sure you have all of those important bits and pieces such as bottles of Gink and Xink, tubs of mud and a line cleaning kit. It’s time to check and clean all of your lines too – are those braided loops sound? Are there any signs of cracking? Are your backing knots secure? Small checks at this time of year can make a big difference when you are out on the water but don’t forget those larger items too, now is the time to give your rods and reels the once over and to arrange repairs or servicing if necessary.
Make the Right Leader Choices
For early season work most of us will be looking to fish sub-surface so we recommend that you include some pure fluorocarbon leaders in your kit for nymphing and pulling lures.
Fluorocarbon sinks well and, because of the closeness of its refractive index to that of water, it is less visible than most other materials, particularly if you keep it clean. It also has an excellent diameter to breaking strain ratio so you can afford to fish a little heavier without compromising your chance of a take.
For early season fishing we have four line choices, all of which cast well and give you the variety you need from the off, without having to reach for a fast sinking line.
First up is the Rio Aqualux Midge Tip, a floating line with a 3ft clear intermediate tip that is ideal for nymphing and presenting mini lures up in the water.
Next is the Rio Hover, a slow sinker with a fall rate of approximately 1in per second. This is the ultimate line for presenting stillwater nymphs and buzzers, it’s easier to control in those tricky early season conditions than a floating line and gives perfect nymph and buzzer presentation.
Third is the Airflo Sixth Sense series with Di-3, 5 or 7 options allowing you to get your line down a little quicker and to work deeper in the water.
Our final choice is the full intermediate Rio Aqualux, which has a faster sink rate so you can work the bottom layers with a slow retrieve, or speed up to search the upper layers – and do make sure you search out different depth profiles too, don’t keep working the same swims and the same lines, vary your approach until you find what the fish want.
Early season fishing typically brings very variable and constantly changing conditions so make sure you cover all bases with your choices and be versatile in your approach.
Releasing a lovely healthy fish!
Check That Fly Box
For early season fishing we think it’s essential to have a few mini lures in your box to tempt those over wintered fish that will be feeding no matter what the water temperature is doing with big Zonkers and Cat’s Whiskers must haves!
It’s important not to neglect nymphs either; these will have been in the water throughout the winter so just because there is nothing hatching doesn’t mean that the fish are not feasting on them! Classics such as Hare’s Ear, Black Buzzers and Pheasant Tails should always be part of your armoury.
Finally, to take advantage of those small increases in temperature that might bring on a hatch make sure your box has a few CDC emergers and, to target the surface, a pattern such as a foam Shipman’s.
JT say’s “Early doors can be challenging fishing and no two days are the same; indeed, given typical British weather, no two hours are guaranteed to be the same! So take time out to prepare thoroughly so you are able to react and stay one step ahead and get on the right track to make this the best start to a new season that you have had!”
Get Involved and Let Us Know
Wherever you are fishing we hope you enjoy a terrific new season and don’t forget we want to hear about your successes – and indeed failures – so don’t forget to like and follow us on Facebookand Twitterso we can hear – and see – how you are getting on!
It’s still early spring, and the weather is very changeable, but follow our trout fishing expert Jonathan Tomlinson’s advice in this latest video guide, and you could be enjoying your best stillwater Easter trout sport yet.
Easter means we may all have a bit of extra leisure time to spend fishing and at this time of year, with the days lengthening and the clocks going forward, there is the opportunity to get out for an hour or two after work when the holidays are over too!
Weather is always one of the key factors at this time of year and it really does pay to monitor the forecast carefully and to pick your weather window accordingly. Early April can be a cruel month in the UK and we can see anything thrown at us from blizzards and hard frosts to gales and driving rain; yet there are also those glorious days of sunshine and gentle warmth when every trout in the lake seems to be rising to hatches of buzzers and small gnats.
NEW VIDEO GUIDE: “JT”, trout angling specialist at Sportfish Reading, presents this practical video guide offering you his top tips and advice to help you have a fantastic Easter’s fishing!
In the event of an overnight frost it can pay to have a bit of a lie in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and head to your water later in the day. This is when the water will be at its warmest and any time from late morning onwards should see your chances of a fish increase dramatically, with prime time often late in the afternoon. If you can only snatch an hour or two at the end of the day don’t despair, a nymph or lure pulled through the margins at dusk accounts for a lot of fish at this time of year.
This is still the time of year to keep on the move though, taking root and flogging away at the same piece of water in front of you is unlikely to bring rewards. Search your way through the water column by using the countdown method to work your fly at increasing depths, and vary your pattern and retrieve too, but if there are no signs of fish after 30 minutes or so it’s definitely time to move.
As far as the patterns to use at this time of year are concerned much of your work will still revolve around nymphs and mini lures with the Viva, Zonker, Cat’s Whisker or blob all essentials in your box. But scan the water at all times and if it warms up and the odd fish begins to move don’t be scared to try a dry fly such as a shuttlecock. Make sure you speak to the fishery bailiffs too, they know the fishery better than anyone and will always advise on what is likely to work best on any given day.
What better way to spend a spring day?
One of the best techniques to try at the moment, if you can get your timing right and be on the water when there is a gentle breeze, is to fish a floating line and allow a buzzer or nymph to swing around on the breeze. It’s an almost totally natural movement through the water and a very slow figure of eight retrieve – just enough to keep up with the slack line – will ensure you get it right. Watch the end of your line for the take, you will always see it move before you feel it! If you don’t get your weather timing right, or the wind picks up, then small stillwaters usually call for an intermediate line.
If you are short on time have a couple of fly rods set up to cover both scenarios: go for a floating line with a buzzer or nymph on one rod and an intermediate line with, if your fishery rules allow multiple flies, a nymph on the dropper and a mini lure on the point on the other.
If you’re near the Berkshire area, why not visit this stunning fishery!
If you are heading to the bigger stillwaters a boat will always give you an advantage simply because of the amount of water it opens up to you but at this time of year a lot of the fish will be feeding close to the shoreline so bank prospects can be excellent too. A set up offering a large bushy pattern on the top dropper, a winged wet on the middle and a weighted nymph as the anchor is likely to bring reward.
Don’t forget to let us know how you get on, or if you have any top tips of you’re own then share them via the comments panel below. You can also share your pictures with us on Facebook & Twitter.
Designing a range of rods to cover every likely fly fishing scenario is a tricky task, but Sportfish Designer Danny North rose to the challenge and has created a set of tools to meet the exacting demands of the modern fly angler.
Perfect for the beginner, or indeed for the improver looking to progress to the next level, the Purecast fly fishing rod series runs from a 7ft #4 up to a 10ft #7 with models geared for everything from delicate small stream work, through to reservoir angling, right up to single-handed salmon and sea trout fishing.
NEW VIDEO REVIEW: Few people know more about rods and how to get the best from them than Jonathan Tomlinson, so check out JT’s short video assessment of the range and see how a Purecast rod could be the ideal start to your trout fishing ‘adventure’ or how one could move your fly fishing onto the next level.
The easy-cast actions are great for novices and are precisely tailored to the job they are designed to do. The 7ft #4, for example, has a slow middle action to load the rod quickly with little line out, whereas the 9ft 6in #7 has a faster tip action to help add those all-important extra yards for stillwater usage.
“Within the range I have created a rod capable of handling any water you are likely to visit”
Danny North
Cosmetically the rods feature a smart anti-flash matt olive green finish, bespoke reel fittings with a carbon insert and the highest quality flor-grade cork handles. Stripping rings are silicon carbide lined, with the rest lightweight, single-legged and designed with performance in mind. Overall the result across the range is rods that don’t just look good, but which are also lightweight, perfectly balanced and deadly accurate.
The Purecast Fly Fishing Rod
To complete an amazing package all of the rods are 4-piece and supplied in a high quality cloth bag and a tough Cordura hard case, making them perfect for transportation – wherever you are heading.
“No other rod on the market offers as much value at this price.”
SPECIAL OFFER – Save up to 25% on Purecast ‘Just Add Water’ Kits
If you are looking for a perfectly-balanced fly fishing outfit, or the perfect starter outfit, we have put together a terrific special offer package designed to get you fishing effectively and efficiently with the minimum of fuss!
Choose any Purecast rod from the range and we will match it with a Sage 2200 fly reel – a lightweight model with a large arbor, perfect for line management.
Jonathan Tomlinson shares his wealth of trout fishing experience to ensure that you make the most of early spring on the stillwaters.
I’m always surprised that so many anglers wait until the weather has really warmed up before heading out for their first stillwater trout session of the year, by which time they have missed out on some of the best sport of the year! This time of year sees well-oxygenated water, active fish and plenty of opportunities as water temperatures begin to climb dramatically.
Of course every fishery is different but if I had to cherry pick a few key pieces of advice that will help you to put fish on the bank during the next few weeks then these are the ones to note:
JT is an accomplished trout angler
Get out there!
You catch nothing sitting at home in front of the TV, it really is one of the best times of year to fish so make the effort!
Concrete feet!
Don’t get concrete feet! Make sure you keep active and on the move if you are not catching. 20 to 30 minutes is enough time to spend in any one spot.
Keep warm
Yes, it can be cold at this time of year so do make sure you are properly layered and waterproofed and don’t forget a hat, good socks and fingerless gloves to keep those extremities warm.
Pre-fishing checks
The new Sportfish Tackle MOT events have been great, encouraging anglers to get their gear out early and make those essential pre-season checks (the next one is at Sportfish Reading on 2nd April).
Think about proofing your clothing with Nikwax, check that your flies are not rusty (and your boxes are filled up with those essential spring patterns). Check your nets for mouse damage, your tippet material, your loops and backing. Do you have mud, gink and xink? You may not have been out for a while, so check everything!
Fan casting
Cover as much of the water in front of you as possible by fanning out your casts. Don’t forget to work the different depths too, so count your fly down and work it at different layers in the water. You may well find a similar ‘kill’ zone all over your water so count down carefully and maximise the time your fly is in that zone.
Retrieve rates
Freshly-stocked fish will respond to a quickly stripped fly, but if you want to connect with a big over-wintered fish then try a slow retrieve instead.
Key patterns
Most anglers reach for mini lures at this time of year but don’t neglect buzzers and nymphs. Nymphs are in the water all year round and make up the bulk of a trout’s diet, even if they are not hatching.
The key ‘must haves’ in my box at the moment are:
I’d go as far as to say if you can’t catch with those six, you probably won’t catch with anything!
Changing patterns
Notwithstanding my above comments it is important you change colours and patterns regularly until you find what the fish want to take on the day. Try being a bit left field too – if you usually fish (or your fishery usually produces on) small flies, go for something big – and vice versa.
Dry flies
Even this early in the season late afternoon warmth may bring on a small hatch so keep your eyes peeled and make sure you have a few dry flies in your box too.
Boat etiquette
If you are afloat on one of the reservoirs fish on the drift rather than at anchor and cover the water in much the same way as you would by regularly moving if you were bank fishing. Don’t forget to be sensible and adopt the appropriate etiquette too; ‘boats attract boats’ particularly if someone is catching, but keep your distance and gain some respect from your fellow anglers!
Safety first
It may seem obvious to many but a lifejacket is a MUST if you are afloat (at any time of year) and don’t forget a hat and glasses, especially if you are throwing weighted flies – as you invariably will be at this time of year.
Local knowledge
Finally, if you are fishing a new water check the rules beforehand and speak to the bailiffs about patterns and areas to try. Nothing beats local knowledge.
I do hope I have persuaded you that early spring is a great time to be out and that it can produce some terrific fishing – so get out there and enjoy it!
It’s good to share – so please leave your questions, comments or your own tips below.
Join us at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre on Saturday 20th August 2016 for our Family Fun Fishing Day!
As part of our celebration of National Fishing Month 2016 we are holding a special family fishing day at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre on Saturday 20th August.
Both Haywards Farm Lake and Lake Savage will be available for the exclusive use of parents/guardians with up to two juniors (under 16) each from 9am until 1pm – at which time we will finish off the session with a BBQ – you can even have a fish you have caught expertly cooked!
All juniors must be accompanied and supervised by their parent or guardian during the day but the Sportfish team and Angling Trust Level 2 coaches will be on hand to offer help and advice to ensure your day is a success and the Savage Gear team will be on-site too, offering their expert advice on all aspects of lure fishing. Some fly fishing and lure fishing tackle will be available to use on the day but parents/guardians should bring their own where possible.
Tickets for this special day cost just £10 per family but are strictly limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
Each ticket covers:
• Fishing for one adult with a maximum of two juniors (under 16)
• The retention of one fish per family, thereafter catch and release fishing
• BBQ
To book your place, or for further details, telephone the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre on 0118 930 3860 or email gamefishingcentre@sportfish.co.uk
Organiser John Horsey reports back from the grand final of the Sportfish-sponsored event, fished on Rutland Water last weekend.
19 Teams of six anglers gathered at Rutland Water for the inaugural grand final of the 2016 Sportfish Team Championship. All had qualified from regional heats and, following days of practice, the competitors were facing bizarre weather conditions with strong winds and rain – typical British summertime!
Following the briefing, where the normal limit of 8 fish was reduced to 4 and then unlimited catch and release, the 57 boats headed out onto a rather choppy Rutland Water. All released fish would count as 2lb, which was the average weight of trout on the venue immediately prior to the event.
Most boats headed for the main basin, as the windy conditions had churned up the water at the bottom of both arms. Those areas had been producing some quality grown-on trout, but sadly the competitors felt they had a better chance fishing the clearer water near to the dam.
2016 Sportfish Team Champions – Fulling Mill Nymphomaniacs
Carrot Creek proved to be a key area and was out of the wind, several boats headed there and did very well. Others braved the rough water along Whitwell Shore and those anglers also caught decent numbers of fish.
2016 Sportfish Team 2nd Place RAF Fish Hawks
At the end of day one, Fulling Mill Nymphomaniacs had stormed into top place with a team total of 45 trout, weighing 89lb 8oz. Second were Greenwell Persuaders with 31 fish for 64lb 13oz, with Elinor also on 31 fish for 63lb and third place. RAF Fish Hawks were fourth, having the same number of fish weighing 62lb 13oz.
2016 Sportfish Team 3rd Place Welsh Hawks
Kieron Jenkins of Fulling Mill Nymphomaniacs was top individual rod with 12 trout weighing 24lb 1oz, while Sean Jones of BRFFA Drifters had the biggest trout at exactly 5lb.
Dave Eames 7lb 14oz Rainbow – Biggest Fish
Day two saw the winds switch direction from SSW to a westerly and also drop in strength to about 17mph. This encouraged a few boats to venture up the arms, as the dirty water would now be blown away from these areas.
RAF Fish Hawks had an incredible team total of 46 fish weighing 98lb 9oz to take top spot, aided by a cracking 7lb 14oz rainbow and total bag of 10 fish weighing 26lb 10oz for their star man Dave Eames. Welsh Hawks were second with 43 fish for 87lb 13oz, thanks to a captain’s performance from Russell Owen who was top rod on the day with 13 trout weighing 26lb 9oz.
Fulling Mill Nymphomaniacs came third on the day with 43 fish for 86lb 3oz and thereby secured the title of Sportfish Team Champions for 2016 and with it a cheque for £1500, plus gold medals and the trophy.
RAF Fish Hawks were the silver medal winners and claimed the £1000 prize, while the Welsh Hawks collected the bronze medals and a cheque for £500 for finishing in third place.
Kieron Jenkins won an Orvis reel for being top rod on day one, as did Russell Owen for his performance on day two. Sean Jones and Dave Eames won Costa sunglasses for the biggest fish each day and the Fulling Mill £250 Prize for top overall rod went to Kieron Jenkins, who caught 22 trout over the two days for a total weight of 43lb 14oz.
Farlows Group Tuition Manager, Chris Hayward, is based at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre in Reading, Berkshire, where the stillwater trout fly fishing has been superb all winter on the onsite Haywards Farm Lake. Here he looks at the secrets of winter trout success.
My colleague Danny North has given some excellent winter trout advice in a previous Sportfish Post so do make sure that you check that out. As far as I’m concerned there are a number of key points to remember to incorporate into your fishing at this time of year.
Top Trout Fly Fishing Tips for Winter
Keep Moving
A mobile approach is always the best winter tactic, so keep moving and make sure you cover the lake. In cold water the fish are less likely to move, so you need to find them, rather than have them come to you.
Fan Casting
As with staying mobile by fanning your casts you will cover all the water in front of you and as the fish may be tightly shoaled at this time of year make sure your explore the water
Stay Deep…
It’s worth exploring the deeper areas of the lake and, as with fan casting to explore the area in front of you, count down your fly and work the different depth profiles too. Sinking or intermediate lines are the way to go.
…But Don’t Ignore Shallow
Shallow areas will be the quickest to warm up in any winter sunshine so don’t ignore them when weather conditions are right.
Fish slower than you normally would and inch your fly back through the water, as a slowed metabolism means that fish are usually unwilling to chase in reduced water temperatures.
Buzzers
Buzzers are a great fly pattern to fish and even in winter you will often see a hatch in the warmest part of the day – usually between 10am to 2pm.
Blobs
Garish patterns are great winter catchers too and a bright blob – or even a boobie fished on a sinking line – can often provoke a response when all else fails.
Stay Warm
You will fish far more effectively if you are warm, so layer up and make the most of the hi-tech fishing clothing materials that are out there to keep you snug and dry.
Jonno Randall, Retail and Fishery Manager at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre, looks at how he and his team created the Hobby Lake Fishery.
The New Hobby Lake Trout Fishery
The Fishery Background
Historically, Hobby Lake was managed by the Stratton family as a catch and release trout fishery to complement their main put and take Haywards Farm Lake, adjacent our Sportfish store. The name ‘Hobby Lake’ deriving from the fact that the area is a favoured haunt of hobbies, a fact we have recognised in creating the artwork of our new Hobby Lake lodge sign!
In 2015 Sportfish took full control of the site and set about creating a whole new fishery experience.
The process commenced with Haywards Farm Lake, which was restocked with more, and larger, fish. The lodge was gutted and refitted, aerators installed, landscaping enhanced and boats provided. It was a great success, and continues to this day as one of the top stillwater fisheries in the UK.
At this time, Hobby Lake was largely left to itself and developed as a predator fishery, as some very large pike were known to be present. However, the contours of the lake and the landscaping meant it was best suited to hardcore lure anglers, it wasn’t easy fishing.
All Change at Hobby Lake
After a single winter as a predator fishery we decided Hobby Lake’s future was best served as an exclusive use, private hire trout fishery for small groups of up to four people. The aim was to create a totally different experience to Haywards Farm Lake, for small parties of friends or colleagues to be able to enjoy some great fishing in a relaxed environment.
Helped by friends, the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre team started the re-development of Hobby Lake on the 14th March this year by building a 36m2 concrete base for the new Hobby lodge, but with its remote location this in itself was a challenge! Shortly after it was completed the lodge itself was constructed, a building project which took over seven days to complete.
The team then installed a solar panel on the roof of the lodge to provide basic lighting and a phone charging facility, and we have now further upgraded the electricity supply to mains power to further enhance the experience. Once the power supply was installed, team member Jonathan Tomlinson spent his time upcycling furniture for the lodge, it’s a real home-from-home and facilities include everything from a dining table and fly tying vice to a BBQ and cool boxes.
Boat Fishing
The contours of Hobby Lake are such that it was always going to be better fished from a boat so our next project was to build a mooring pontoon and, together with helpers Nick Parker and Alan Tyson, we achieved this prior to delivery of our boats.
The boats were sourced from a well-known reservoir and although in sound condition they needed a little cosmetic refurbishment! The team, including Chris Hayward and Simon Bedwell, worked hard to refurbish them in evenings after work.
Although boat fishing is probably the best way to tackle the lake we also fitted benches to provide comfortable bankside fishing for those requiring a little variety.
Fish Stocking
We dared to be a little different when it came to fish stock and after getting in a netting team from Sparsholt College to assess the existing fish population our first delivery was a consignment of big tiger trout – big as in some of them were into double figures!
We continued with the exotic theme and Hobby Lake is now stocked with a high proportion of exotic trout species, giving anglers a real chance of catching blues, browns, golden and tigers, as well as having a good head of hard-fighting rainbows. We have continued with the ‘big’ theme too as the browns and rainbows, as well as the tigers, are present to double figures.
Opening the Lake
The Hobby lake project was completed on 5th May, featured in an episode of BT Sport’s ‘On the Bank’ TV show, and was officially launched at our 2017 Reading Show over the weekend of 6th and 7th May.
Of course, work never stops on any fishery and we have recently installed a large aerator, having seen the benefit aeration has brought to Haywards Farm Lake. This will ensure Hobby Lake fishermen have the best possible experience, even during the warmer months when trout fishing traditionally becomes much trickier!
Booking
To book Hobby Lake, call us on 0118 930 3860. The cost of booking the lake is currently £300 for exclusive use of up to four anglers (£75 per head).
WINTER is here, so dig out your lures! Sportfish’s Matt Holden and Jonathan Tomlinson hunt for a winter specimen with lures at Haywards Farm. Discover their top tips and tactics for small waters.
Although it’s cold, we trout anglers can enjoy the bliss of cooler water temperatures. This, in all but extreme cold, can lead to active trout with newly-found appetites and a desire to feed. Stunning autumnal reds, oranges and ochres litter the ground as the trees hold onto their last remnants of foliage.
This time of year is not only beautiful but offers some of the season’s finest fishing. This year’s fry are now approaching a heathy size and offer a serious protein and calorie boost for the water’s larger inhabitants. With this in mind we head out to tempt a few trout on this crisp, sunny day.
Matt Holden is taking up this challenge with me. No stranger to Haywards Farm Lake, working in the adjacent Sportfish store as he does, he’s a well-travelled and experienced fly fisherman with a wealth of knowledge, while also being a qualified instructor.
“These are some of my favourite days to fish – fresh yet still conditions. Even with temperatures in mid-single figures and the temptation to stay indoors and keep warm, I f ind myself heading to the water to take advantage of the great fishing that can be on offer,” says Matt.
Matt proudly displays a hard-earned reward – a 6lb rainbow trout.
Two-Rod Approach
As he sets up his 6wt rods, fish can be seen in the middle of the lake, rising to a flurry of hatching buzzers. Even though we’re looking to highlight winter lure fishing, we are both only too aware of how deadly Buzzer patterns, nymphs and even dry fly can be at this time of year.
Although a slight spike in temperatures has prompted hatches, often few or no emerging insects can be seen, but you shouldn’t discount what’s going on sub-surface: just because you aren’t seeing buzzer activity, it doesn’t mean that they’ve suddenly all disappeared from the water.
This main dietary component for stillwater trout is present and active all year long and will continue to form the bulk of the fishes’ menu, so shouldn’t be neglected.
Unfortunately for us, we’ve opted for the bank today and, as is so often the case, the fish are rising just out of casting distance even for a caster of Matt’s ability. His choice of tackle consists of two rods, 9ft and 9ft 6in, both rated for a 6wt line.
“I much prefer a lighter line. I can cast every bit as far as I need but get better presentation,” he explains. “More to the point, it’s a lot more fun if I hook into some of the larger fish present.”
He sets up the shorter rod with a weight-forward floating line and a single fly on a nine-foot leader of 10lb
fluorocarbon. The fishery asks for a minimum of 6lb breaking strain tippet but with so many ‘lumps’ swimming around Matt is loath to take any chances.
“You have to make sure that you buy material that’s 100% pure fluorocarbon,” he points out, “so that you get all the benefits. Denser than water, it allows my flies to get down quicker and the fact that it’s super thin for its stated breaking strength – and is nigh-on invisible due to its refractive index – definitely makes it worth the extra pennies.”
His second, slightly longer rod, is armed with a fast intermediate fly line and a two-fly leader set-up, some 15 feet in length. The longer rod makes handling multiple flies a bit easier and allows him to get two offerings out there at the same time (two flies are allowed to be used at the fishery).
Humungus and Blob Approach
This is the outfit that gets wet first. A weighted Pink Humungus on the point and an Orange Blob on the dropper offer two very attractive flies but in very different sizes.
A couple of inches long, the flashy Humungus might just take the fancy of the fish targeting the vast amount of fry spawned this year, while the Blob is a popular favourite with many local anglers.
It’s not long before the first take on the Humungus, but after a brief tussle the fish throws the hook.
It’s a real shame as it looked to be a fish around the 6-8lb mark.
“I like to keep on the move, I never stay in the same place for too long. All too often I see anglers setting up camp for the day in one spot, but if I haven’t managed to get some kind of interest in the first 20 minutes or so, I’ll look for some fresh water,” says Matt.
Cover Water, Mix Retrieves
Extending the countdown time by five-second intervals as the flies descend, and fan-casting his swim, Matt covers every inch of the water with varying retrieves. Often, when lure fishing, the temptation is to throw it out and just pull it back.
Mixing it up between long and short pulls, fast and slow and figure-of-eight retrieves, however, can often be just enough to trigger a take from that hesitant fish. No further interest occurs on this occasion, though, so a move is in order.
Changing flies regularly is another key to success. Minkies, Sparklers and Tadpoles, along with a host of other patterns, are given a go but to no avail.
“Extending the countdown time by five second intervals as flies descend, and fan casting his swim, Matt covers every inch of water…”
Target Upper Layers
We work our way up the whole side of the lake that backs onto the railway line, with only a follow and a couple of tentative plucks to show for the first hour or so. After lunch, the day continues to warm and more surface activity ensues, so another change in location and a change in tactics to target the upper layers of
water are now in order.
We head to the opposite bank, closest to the stream, and Matt grabs the floating line. Fish can be seen rising and pushing water very close to the surface, thankfully now within casting range.
Matt changes to an old classic and a favourite amongst many, the Cat’s Whisker. The increased activity has
spawned a new-found vigour and confidence: anglers nearby can be seen hooped into hard-fighting fish and I can see Matt is itching to get among them.
As so often happens, a change in approach and location quickly results in a take, but after a brief jump the fish makes a bid for freedom and breaks free.
“I’m going to slow my retrieve right down. I think that was just a bit too quick to get a proper hook hold,” claims Matt.
A Six-Pounder
Next cast and a swift figure-of-eight results in another take – a savage hit and a solid hook-up followed by a powerful run and Matt is suddenly being led a merry dance by a substantial rainbow.
Eventually slipping the net beneath it, I can see the relief and joy on Matt’s face – a cracking, well-conditioned fish with a paddle for a tail tips the scales at a little over 6lb: modest by some big-fish waters’
standards but a daily occurrence for Haywards Farm, which, along with many fish of this size stocks doubles up to 15lb.
A rejuvenated Matt steps up his intensity and quickly finds himself a few more fish to the good, which are quickly and competently returned.
That incredible stillwater lure the Cat’s Whisker strikes again.
Continuous Retrieve is Key
The change to the figure-of-eight retrieve, providing that continuous movement, is now doing the damage, proving that you don’t have to rip lures back at breakneck speed. How many times have we hooked fish on that last cast, while wearily reeling in before going home?
Other anglers are using similar methods to great success, some with bag numbers approaching double figures. Two more fish are caught and we call it a day – an enjoyable spell on the water that has resulted in cracking sport and a lovely fish to take to the smokers.
Sportfish Game Fishing Centre
There are two lakes, Haywards Farm Lake and Hobby Lake, at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre at Theale, near Reading. Managed by the Sportfish team and regularly stocked with fish well into double figures, it is the ideal place to test out rods before purchasing from the shop.
ADDRESS Station Road, Theale, Reading, Berkshire RG7 4AS
CONTACT 0118 930 3860
WEB www.gamefishingcentre.co.uk
Jonny Muir heads to Rutland Water on a solo mission to get reservoir trout fishing back on his radar, but he finds it tough going.
Last year I didn’t do as much reservoir trout fishing as I would have liked, spending far more time exploring rivers for trout and grayling, coastal waters for bass and, most notably, trying to crack one of our most challenging chalkstreams – the urban River Wandle in south London. Despite catching some decent chub, dace and roach on the fly, as well as one or two trout, I can confirm that, for me at least, the Wandle remains distinctly un-cracked.
This season however, I’m determined to get back in a boat to see what our large reservoirs have to offer. I have so many great fishing memories from when I regularly used to fish Rutland, Grafham, Ravensthorpe, Pitsford and Eyebrook but for one reason or another they have dropped off my radar in recent years. The 2018 opening weekend at Rutland Water, surely the king of English reservoirs, seemed like an ideal opportunity to get back into it.
I set off from London at about 6.30am and, with quiet Sunday morning roads and a breakfast pit-stop, arrived at Rutland by about 8.45am. As I neared the reservoir, evidence of our recent extreme winter weather was still apparent and despite the temperature reading 9°C a few solitary piles of snow remained beneath the hedgerows, reminding me this was still very much early season fishing.
Going from the catch returns, opening day on Friday 9th March had provided great sport, particularly for the bank anglers. A chat with Andy in the tackle shop confirmed this was the case when he informed me that the fish were holding very close to the bank. I could have taken the decision to give up the boat I had booked and position myself on the shore, but I was yearning for the freedom that comes from being afloat so I made my way onto the pontoon, located my assigned boat and loaded my gear ready for the off.
Dense fog delayed the departure of the boats.
A dense layer of fog hung over the reservoir that morning and, as a result, boat anglers were delayed until 9.45am when it had lifted sufficiently for us to depart safely. I decided that my first location would be the south shoreline, so I set a drift from east to west down from the ‘blue pipes’ towards Normanton Church and as I set off I could already see bank anglers getting stuck into a few fish, confirming the fish were moving very close in.
After a couple of drifts I rather disappointingly had nothing to show for my efforts. I’d seen one or two fish being caught from the boats, but It was clear that those fishing from the bank had a distinct advantage. Not wanting to encroach on the bank anglers by getting too close, and without being able to anchor anywhere suitable, catching a fish was proving trickier than anticipated. The east wind was also blowing boats slightly away from the south shoreline, making it a challenge to control the drift at the right distance from the shore.
Just as I was planning on pulling in the drogue and changing location, a nice brown trout of about 3lb followed my Black Booby right to the edge of the boat as I fished ‘the hang’ but it turned away at the last second. I hoped that wasn’t going to be my only chance of the day.
By afternoon I was staring a big, fat, embarrassing blank in the face. Some anglers were pulling in fish after fish while others, like myself, were struggling. It was apparent that the fish were shoaled up in various hotspots and finding one of those was going to be the key to success. A change of scenery was desperately needed, so I motored over to the north shore and set a drift from the dam down towards Whitwell Creek.
Having tried everything in the morning from a full floater and buzzers to a Di7 and lures, I elected to set up with a RIO InTouch Deep 5 fly line, a 15-foot leader of 8.5lb RIO Fluoroflex Plus and three flies. On the point was a big white and silver Minkie Booby, in the middle a Jelly Blob, and on the top dropper a small Black Cormorant. My thinking was that the Minkie would appeal to any grown-on fry feeders, the blob to recent stock fish and the cormorant was there to entice any fish wanting a more natural-looking mouthful.
At long last my line went tight…
At long last my fly line went tight and I had a fish in the boat – a recent stock fish which took the Jelly Blob. Just to prove it wasn’t luck, I soon after had another fish in the boat, this time on the cormorant.
I had obviously happened across a shoal of fish, as I had another couple of tentative plucks, but I decided to keep drifting down the shoreline rather than go back and drift over the same spot again. The image of the brown trout that had followed my fly to the boat earlier was still stuck in my mind, so I decided to drift further down the North Arm in the hope of hooking something a bit more special.
I saw a shimmer of gold in the depths, it was a big Rutland brown!
A look at my watch showed the time to be 5pm – time for a few last casts before I had to return the boat. I cast out my line and counted it down to what I thought to be about 12-15 feet. Strip, strip, strip, thump. This one felt more solid and I instantly knew I hadn’t hooked another recent stock fish and, after a couple of minutes of the fish staying deep, I saw a glimmer of gold shining up from the depths – it was a big Rutland brown!
The Minkie Booby
The fish had taken the Minkie Booby and as it rolled on the surface, I could see that It was barely hooked. After struggling all day, my heart was well and truly in my mouth but I managed to slip the net under it and the fish was finally mine! Not wanting to mess around too much I didn’t weigh it, but snapped a quick photo before sending it back home. To say I was chuffed is an understatement!
It was a challenging day where others bagged-up but I never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. It did, however, end more perfectly than I could have imagined as I had landed a grown-on Rutland brownie – that’s what reservoir fishing is all about!
I headed back to the dock, not having caught many fish, but satisfied that perseverance and tactical thinking had finally paid off and I had been rewarded with a truly memorable fish. My reservoir trout fishing season was off to a flying start!
Do you get butterflies in your stomach when you hook into a fish? Top young angler, eleven-year-old James Penwright, recently spent a day with the Sportfish cameras and told us just why fishing excites him so much and how it gives him that ‘fishy feeling’.
In our latest video, we caught up with Sportfish friend and young angler, James, who talks about his passion for fishing and demonstrates just how cool the sport can be! Watch his video now:
Get Someone Into Fishing
As James tells us, fishing is enjoyable, relaxing, stress-free and far better than sitting in front of a computer screen. So why not get a non-fishing friend, colleague or family member to join you on your next trip?
We offer a wide range of fishing lessons for beginners and improvers (as well as for old hands who wish to stay on top of their game) and stock an excellent range of ready-to-fish kits that include all a newcomer to the sport needs to get out on the water and catch fish.
Great Value Fishing Kits
Together with some tuition, the gift of a fishing kit is the perfect way to introduce someone to the sport we all love. We have a range of ready-to-fish kits from our trusted brands.
With so much gear out there, getting started in fly fishing can seem a tricky task but buying a starter outfit is a lot simpler than you might think. We caught up with England Youth Fly Fishing team member, James Penwright, and asked him what kit he would recommend for beginners of all ages and the reasons why you should have this kit in your tackle bag.
James’s Top Beginner’s Fly Fishing Tackle
Shakespeare Sigma Fly Fishing Kit
I chose this ready-to-go kit because it was the very first kit I used myself. It’s one of the best beginner‘s kits out there – great value for money, strong and versatile. I’ve had one for seven years and, although I have a lot more rods now, this one’s still in my collection!
Abu Compact Telescopic Folding Fishing Net
Fold-up nets are great and super convenient. They fit into the car nicely and you can carry them around all day without dragging the net on the ground. The Abu Compact is a great quality net at an affordable price. I wish I still had mine, but I lost it in a lake! Maybe it’s time to get a replacement!
Drennan Subsurface Green Monofilament Tippet
Tippet is a very important item for fly fishing because there is no way you can attach your flies onto your main fly line without it. Drennan Subsurface is strong, inexpensive and the 6lb breaking strain should be ideal to get you started on most stillwaters.
Sigma All Round Stillwater Set and Sigma Dry Fly Set
I chose these two fly sets because they are versatile and they have just about everything you need to get started to cover as many conditions and environments as possible. They include buzzers, daddy longlegs, bloodworms, dry flies and lures. I’d buy both the dry and the stillwater sets as a starting point.
Fuller‘s Mud
It’s important to have this when fishing dry flies. Run a bit of this mud up your leader to make it sink and prevent leader flash so the fish don’t see the leader and get spooked whilst coming up to take your dry fly. A great tactic!
Gink Floatant
This little bottle will also be pretty useful when fishing dry flies because, when applied to the fly, it won’t sink. This will allow the fly to sit in the surface film nicely – enticing the trout to come up and gulp it in. Watching fish take a dry fly is really exciting, especially on a summer evening!
James at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre in Reading
Leeda Profil Fly Box
These are great starter fly boxes for two reasons – Firstly you can choose which colour you like and secondly, they have a clear lid so you can easily see which flies you want to use instead of opening the lid each time. Very useful to stop you dropping and losing flies until you get used to handling them!
Sportfish Gold Loop 5.5in Scissor Plier
I’ve chosen these scissor pliers for when the fly is hooked in an awkward place and is tough to get at. These are easy to handle, and if the fish has taken the fly deep you can get it out without injuring it. They have scissors behind the pliers to help you cut leader material and change flies too, so are two tools in one.
Fish Pimp Strike Indicators
I’ve put these on my list because they work great with some of the flies that come in the Sigma pack e.g. buzzers and bloodworms. When these patterns are fished static, or moved slowly, an indicator means you are able to see the actual bite and to keep your flies fishing at the right depth. This makes it very exciting to watch and is a great technique for beginners or people moving from coarse to fly fishing.
Sportfish Guideline Keel Sunglasses
These are a MUST when fly fishing for two reasons. Firstly, to keep your eyes safe so you don’t end up with hooks in them and secondly, to allow you to see the fish better through the water thanks to the polarised lenses. Glasses for safety should always be worn when fly fishing, even if you’re an experienced angler.
Aquapac Waterproof Keymaster Pouch
I put this item on my list because a lot of us kids these days have very expensive phones! Keep any valuables like phones, money and keys in here and BAM! – they are instantly waterproof!
If you missed the video we shot with James last season, be sure to check it out here, and you can check out James’s very own website by clicking HERE
Get on the right track for the start of the new trout season with our latest top tips and a BRAND NEW video guide! Many of us will not have been on the bank for a few months so NOW is the time to spend a little time preparing to make sure that we are on the right track for the off.
Being organised doesn’t catch you fish as such but an organised angler is usually an efficient angler, and efficient anglers do catch – so now is the time to make the preparations to ensure that you can get amongst the fish right from the off and get that all-important head start, both on the fish, and on the other anglers on your fishery!
NEW VIDEO GUIDE: Jonathan “JT” Tomlinson, Trout Angling Specialist at Sportfish, gives you some useful tips and advice in this video to help you prepare for the new season ahead!
Bag and Waistcoat Checks
If you haven’t been out then whatever state you put your gear away in then, so you will now find it! If you are super-organised everything in your boat and bank bags, and in your waistcoat pockets, will have been checked, cleaned, re-filled, replaced and re-furbished…
Then again, if you are like the rest of us, it is all going to need close inspection to make sure that it is all there and that it is in a state that’s not going to let you down when it really matters so NOW is the time to go through all of those waistcoat pockets and make sure you have all of those important bits and pieces such as bottles of Gink and Xink, tubs of mud and a line cleaning kit. It’s time to check and clean all of your lines too – are those braided loops sound? Are there any signs of cracking? Are your backing knots secure? Small checks at this time of year can make a big difference when you are out on the water but don’t forget those larger items too, now is the time to give your rods and reels the once over and to arrange repairs or servicing if necessary.
Make the Right Leader Choices
For early season work most of us will be looking to fish sub-surface so we recommend that you include some pure fluorocarbon leaders in your kit for nymphing and pulling lures.
Fluorocarbon sinks well and, because of the closeness of its refractive index to that of water, it is less visible than most other materials, particularly if you keep it clean. It also has an excellent diameter to breaking strain ratio so you can afford to fish a little heavier without compromising your chance of a take.
For early season fishing we have four line choices, all of which cast well and give you the variety you need from the off, without having to reach for a fast sinking line.
First up is the Rio Aqualux Midge Tip, a floating line with a 3ft clear intermediate tip that is ideal for nymphing and presenting mini lures up in the water.
Next is the Rio Hover, a slow sinker with a fall rate of approximately 1in per second. This is the ultimate line for presenting stillwater nymphs and buzzers, it’s easier to control in those tricky early season conditions than a floating line and gives perfect nymph and buzzer presentation.
Third is the Airflo Sixth Sense series with Di-3, 5 or 7 options allowing you to get your line down a little quicker and to work deeper in the water.
Our final choice is the full intermediate Rio Aqualux, which has a faster sink rate so you can work the bottom layers with a slow retrieve, or speed up to search the upper layers – and do make sure you search out different depth profiles too, don’t keep working the same swims and the same lines, vary your approach until you find what the fish want.
Early season fishing typically brings very variable and constantly changing conditions so make sure you cover all bases with your choices and be versatile in your approach.
Releasing a lovely healthy fish!
Check That Fly Box
For early season fishing we think it’s essential to have a few mini lures in your box to tempt those over wintered fish that will be feeding no matter what the water temperature is doing with big Zonkers and Cat’s Whiskers must haves!
It’s important not to neglect nymphs either; these will have been in the water throughout the winter so just because there is nothing hatching doesn’t mean that the fish are not feasting on them! Classics such as Hare’s Ear, Black Buzzers and Pheasant Tails should always be part of your armoury.
Finally, to take advantage of those small increases in temperature that might bring on a hatch make sure your box has a few CDC emergers and, to target the surface, a pattern such as a foam Shipman’s.
JT say’s “Early doors can be challenging fishing and no two days are the same; indeed, given typical British weather, no two hours are guaranteed to be the same! So take time out to prepare thoroughly so you are able to react and stay one step ahead and get on the right track to make this the best start to a new season that you have had!”
Get Involved and Let Us Know
Wherever you are fishing we hope you enjoy a terrific new season and don’t forget we want to hear about your successes – and indeed failures – so don’t forget to like and follow us on Facebookand Twitterso we can hear – and see – how you are getting on!
JT and I always look forward to a trip to Dever – this superb fishery houses some of the UK’s biggest trout in two lovely spring fed lakes. The fishery also boasts abundant wildlife with all the major aquatic fly life being present through the season. The beautiful river Dever (a tributary of the famous Test) cuts through the fishery and is surely one of Hampshire’s prettiest chalkstreams.
As he sets up his 6wt rods, fish can be seen in the middle of the lake, rising to a flurry of hatching buzzers. Even though we’re looking to highlight winter lure fishing, we are both only too aware of how deadly Buzzer patterns, nymphs and even dry fly can be at this time of year.
There are two lakes, Haywards Farm Lake and Hobby Lake, at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre at Theale, near Reading. Managed by the Sportfish team and regularly stocked with fish well into double figures, it is the ideal place to test out rods before purchasing from the shop.
