Eyebrook Reservoir
Weekly report ending 14th October 2018
Tel: 01536 770264 Fishery Mobile: 07738 490667
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 179 Number Trout Taken: 120 Number Trout Released: 316 Total Catch: 436
Rod Average: 2.5
Last day of fishing for the 2018 season will be Wednesday 31st October
A very autumnal week has past. Varying wind speed, direction and air temperatures changed fishing methods and locations daily. In the right conditions the fishing was sublime. Mid-week there was a mass of small aphid flies being blown on to the water and a hatch of tiny buzzers. Fish could be seen rising continuously in pods across the basin and dam wall. The size of these tiny flies made it a challenge to select a small enough pattern to interest the fish, I heard of many anglers using size 16 dries or buzzers to get a pull. Fry patterns are also becoming more apparent on the returns page and are the best options in rougher water on more blustery days. There is a huge abundance of fry this year, particularly out from the lodge corner and around the tower, but also in Harrison’s corner and along the weed beds to Sam’s dyke. A single white or grey minkie fished on a floating line, intermediate or Di3 will all worked, as did a snake or tube flies fished on a fast sinking line with a fast retrieve from the depths.
The early part of the week fished very well for the time of year. Monday and Tuesday both had averages of over 4 fish a rod. Mark Goodge and Ian Bradfield had an excellent day and caught well on dries and fry patterns, suspender minkies caught very well being pulled though the surface. Mr Hunt and Mr Horner had an excellent session fishing dries through the middle of the basin, they caught on hoppers and CDC patterns casting to rising fish.
Eyebrooks sister water Draycote held the Trout Masters final, a competition where anglers fish both the bank and boats in sections throughout the day. Eyebrook member Mark Hunt fished representing the Eyebrook having won his fish off earlier in the year. Mark came a very respectable 9th out of a field of 90 anglers winning himself an engraved hip flask. Well done Mark, top angling! If you would like to be entered in the trout master’s competition please ask a member of staff for an entry form.
Fishery management guiding and tuition manger Tom Bird had two guided sessions on Eyebrook this week. Firstly with Mr Gary Brewster. Gary wanted to focus his session on top of the water sport, dries and washing line nymphs. He chose the right venture, Eyebrook is renowned for its dry fly action and Tom is an expert in dry fly selection and techniques so Gary was almost guaranteed to have an excellent day. Tom was aware of a lot of feeding fish in front of the dam wall and set his first few drifts to cover these fish. After a couple of drifts Gary had netted serval hard fighting fish but had also had many fish coming short of the dries or not committing to take them confidently, so Tom suggested looking at nymphs fished on a washing line strategy. Tom set a cast of a red headed diawl Bach, and a black diawl bach with a FAB (foam arsed blob) on the point to ensure the nymphs were close to the surface. This proved to be a deadly method and the fish kept pulling fo the rest of the day with Gary encountering many double hook ups. Gary finished the day with an estimated 20 fish to the boat but wasn’t finished there. Gary returned to Eyebrook the following day and fished a completely different method to target something else Eyebrook is renowned for, big brown trout. He fished with a fast sinking line and Tube fly and hooked what proved to be a 7lb specimen from near to the tower. Well done Gary on Two excellent days fishing. Pictures are on our Facebook page, Flyfishstore.
Tom was back on the water again the next day this time with Nigel Tranter, again focusing the methods at washing lines and dry fly fishing. Wednesday proved slightly more challenging. There were an extraordinary number of small buzzers hatching and also aphids being blown on the water leaving the trout with what would be a size 24 fly on the menu. This meant the fish became preoccupied on their tiny meals and were rising continuously in front of the dam. With the fish being so occupied on the surface, Tom knew he had to keep the nymphs no more than six inches down but thought dries would be hard to present with the fish only taking the smallest of patterns. He tied a cast with two boobies to keep Nigels nymphs right in the surface and found the fish would then take the size 14 Diawl Bachs he had fished with the day previous. Once he had found the method it was all systems go and Nigel was soon into fish.
Tom is available for guiding on all our Fishery management waters along with England international Lee Henfrey. Guided session can be tailored to meet your requirements. For full information speak to a member of staff or visit our guiding website. www.flyfishtuition.co.uk
Strong winds prevented boats being allowed out for Friday and Saturday leaving anglers with the dam wall as their best chance of catching fish. Saturday saw 6 anglers all fish the dam wall with surprising success. They caught 43 fish between them averaging 7 fish a rod! Mark Hunt in his own wards had a “brilliant session” catching on CDCs and Cochy-bondus. Mr Kippen and Mr Rodgerson caught a dozen fish between them on dries fishing the far end of the dam wall.
The blue trout trophy was fished on Sunday and proved to be the wettest and windiest blue trout on record! Horrible conditions, strong north winds and consistent rain left anglers drenched. The competition is fished as a pairs matched with pairs also being put into teams representing the English Disabled fly fishers and the Eyebrook. 20 anglers fished to a six fish kill, many found it a challenge with two pairs managing their limits. The pairs award went to Ian Reeves and Rob Inglis representing team Eyebrook with 6 fish for 11lb 13oz. Eyebrook also won the team event with 14 fish for 21lb 10oz.
Eyebrook Fur and Feather Sunday 28th October – This popular pairs match will be fished to a 12 fish kill to the boat. Bacon rolls will be served in the morning and warm soup into the evening. Please bring a raffle prize to support the EDFF. To Book call the Lodge – 01536 770 264
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Photographs on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/FlyFishStore
We are allowing rudders & float tubers welcome. We will also have float tube available for you to hire at the Eyebrook this season.
Guiding available with England International Lee Henfrey, Fishery Ranger Toff Crowther & assistant Eyebrook manager Jobe Burnham. Jobe also specialises in Pike Fly Fishing tuition
Lodge will be open from 7.30am for bank anglers to book in with boats available from 8.30am
We will be operating the same pricing structure that we use at our other water with the permit loyalty card & boat loyalty card valid at all our waters.
Please be aware with our upper fish limit been reduced from 8 fish to a 6 fish limit in future all 8 Fish stamps will be eligible for a free 6 fish permit once you reach the required number of stamps
Access
‘Alec Lane ‘ gate now has a combination lock on. Please remember to check the code with the wardens as it will change regularly
Current Fishing Time:
Bank: 07:30am until18.15pm
Boat All Day: 08:30am until 18.15 pm
Morning Boats: 08:30am until 13.30 pm
Last 4 Hours from: 14.15pm until pm (Tickets on sale from 14.00pm)
All anglers booked out at the lodge & off site by: 18.30 pm
Visit our new Eyebrook fishery website www.flyfisheyebrook.co.uk