Eyebrook Reservoir; Weekly report; week ending 11th August 2019
Telephone Number: 01536 770264
A very unsettled week with a variety of weather patterns including misty flat calms, sunny afternoons, torrential downpours, thunderstorms and gale force winds. The decreasing daylight hours are starting to give us cooler night-time hours, which, combined with the cooling effect of the winds and rain, has resulted in the water temperature dropping down to between 18°C and 19°C. This was reflected by an upturn in sport towards the latter part of the week, although adverse conditions affected the weekend sport.
Although the use of fast sinking DI7 and booby bashers lines, coupled with lures such as snakes, humongous and tube flies, have been successful this week, anglers are catching on floating lines and dries fished around the marginal weed beds, with the best time to fish these areas being first thing in the morning or in the evening. Also, both the staff and the trout have observed massive shoals of fry, lying all along the dam wall and in front of the lodge to Dogwoods Bay. These areas are now starting to produce fish to anglers using fry patterns.
There was a slow start to the week on Monday and although all the boats caught fish, they were few and far between. Tuesday was better with all water member Tony Day taking 6. In house guide Lee Henfrey was guiding a client who wanted to better understand the differing techniques employed when fishing with a range of sinking lines and between them, they accounted for 15 fish on a variety of lures.
On Wednesday, the brook hosted 16 members of the English Disabled Fly Fishers and nearly two thirds of the participants took limit bags, the best catch being 9 fish taken by Neil Hodson. Stuart Home had the best fish with a rainbow weighing in at 4 and a half pounds whilst Jim Watts had one of just over four. Some Eyebrook members were also out on Wednesday with Clive Moore taking 4 as did Bill Law whose best fish, a rainbow just over 4 pound fell to a small white snake. Ollie Mills also went out for the afternoon and boated 11 fish. The good sport continued into Thursday with staff members Kevin and Lee targeting the fry feeders off the dam and taking over 20 fish between them, Jude Tuffs was also out and enjoyed a fine morning accounting for 14 fish on boobies whilst Ian Jobe ventured out in his float tube and had 7 fish. Not all of the sport though was off the dam using lures as member Dave Shaer used a floating line in the vicinity of the weed-beds for his fish.
Friday saw heavy overnight rain and thunderstorm’s which by 9am finally gave way to a bright but blustery sunny morning although heavy rain returned in the afternoon. Mark Hunt fishing the Bell from a boat took 7 on diawl bachs on a 12-foot midge tip whilst Alex Roe and his partner used dries just off the valve tower to take 5. The high winds on Saturday stopped the boats going out and these conditions also led to the cancellation of an event planned by the British Float tube association. Although the lodge end of the dam and Dogswood Bay were protected from the worst of the winds, those hardy anglers who ventured out onto the banks were unfortunately frustrated by the gale force winds.
Sunday saw the winds abate and allow the boats back onto the water, but the high winds and heavy rain of the previous two days had a detrimental effect on the fishing. Lee Henfrey and Nigel Keeber had 12 fish to their boat. Malcolm Thompson fished the wed-beds from the bank and accounted for five using a dry damsel whilst Mr Alderson used a black and green humongous from the dam to the take his 3 fish
Looking ahead to next week, the cooler temperatures forecast should see the surface layers continue to cool which hopefully will see more fish returning to higher in the water column and the return of the much-famed surface sport at Eyebrook.
Pike Fishing
Pike fishing resumed this week with the water temperature cooling. Pike fishing is fly only, limited to a maximum of 5 boats per day. Visiting pike anglers should also check the specific pike fishing regulations which can be found on the fishery website. This year we will also be offering guided pike fishing with our in-house guides. Further details are available on our guiding and Tuition website www.flyfishtuition.co.uk or by contacting our guiding manager Tom Bird on 07834 581 423
Access
The “Alec Lane” ‘gate now has a combination lock on. Please remember to check the code with the rangers as it will change regularly.
Thinking of booking a match? We offer discounted rates for group boat bookings and competition permit prices call the lodge for more details: 01536 770264
Guiding & Tuition.
Tuition & guiding is available at Eyebrook with casting tuition from £30.00 & a 4 hour guided session from £80.00 details on our Tuition & Guiding website www.flyfishtuition.co.uk or call our tuition & guiding manager Tom Bird on 07834 581 423 or email tuition@flyfishstore.co.uk
Competitions
For a full listing of competitions at Eyebrook and for bookings please visit our website www.flyfisheyebroook.co.uk
Fishing Buddy Required
Novice fisherman requires a boat buddy for midweek fishing trips to Eyebrook two to three times a month between the hours 10am and 6pm. Contact John on 07811138274.
Don’t forget to pick up your loyalty card from the lodge, once you have purchased 10 of the same permits, your next visit of that permit option is FREE valid at all three fisheries, Thornton, Draycote and Eyebrook
Weekly Stats:
Number Rods: 67, Number Trout Taken: 67, Number Trout Released; 102
Total Catch: 169, Weekly Rod Average: 2.52
Current Fishing Time:
Bank: 07:30am till 20.45pm, Boat All Day: 08:30am to 20.45pm
Morning Boats: 08:30am until 14.30pm, Afternoon Boats: 14:30pm until 20.45pm
Last 4 Hours from: 16.45pm until 20.45pm (Tickets on sale from 16.30pm)
All anglers to be off site by 21.00pm
Tight lines
The Eyebrook Fishery team