Draycote Fishing Trip   Thursday 21^st Oct 2022

Arrived at 8am, paid for boat and a 6 fish ticket (total approx. £50).   Talked to Tom the fishing manager and he said that fish were still high in the water.    Also said that the fish are heavily on fry so use minkies and snakes, as nymphs are not working now.

Had a go at the  -Farnborough spit–    had one on with a light dun coloured weighted snake on the midge tip – got off!

Next, dropped anchor just passed a very shallow Croft Shoal (marked with a yellow buoy).   Nothing on the D3 but 3 follows on the midge tip and a white snake. Nothing attached properly to my  line though!

Next anchored 60yds offshore at Lin Croft. Second cast I hooked a good fish with the D3 and own tied light brown minkie (silver/black humongous on the dropper). Had another 4 fish with same setup all by 11.30am. Going well despite the wind becoming a bit of a nuisance!

Rain started mid-morning and just got heavier and heavier so despite my ground-sheet covering everything, it just got wetter!   No fish for a while so tried a drift into Biggin Bay popping a white popper along the surface using the midge-tip, had one follow.

Really wet now so motored all the way to  “M” buoy near to Hensborough Bank fished minkies but no trout action.  So changed rods to the midge tip and tried the popper again.   Fish took the popper after a few “pops” followed by a 20 second pause.  So that what was required –   fast “pop” pulls followed by a 20 second pause then repeat. Fish “rose” to the popper on the pause.

Last fishing was over Musbourgh shoal just north of “D” buoy right in the middle of the lake!   This area was full of fish showing here and there (very few people fish the middle of the lake).  My white popper was taken, at the static stage again but this time by a large trout which dived into the weed which was just 10’ down.   Fortunately, I had a 12lb leader so was able to manipulate the fish away from the weed, which was now all over the line.  After another 5 mins the fish was in the net, best one of the day weighing over 4lbs.

Now 3pm and rain intensity reached a new high so drew stumps and went home. Great day but oh so wet!

Tony Marchant  21-10-22    

PS – all fish taken home were stuffed with perch fry up to 3” long