Post by Pete Tyjas on Apr 29, 2010 15:41:22 GMT
Apologies for the late posting, I'll get April up sooner!
South West Lakes Trout Fisheries ( March 2010)
General:
In spite of very mixed weather (from sunshine to snow!), the fish have generally been eager to feed, and anglers have been reporting good catches, with some excellent quality fish. The fish have mainly been deep, with water temperatures a good three degrees lower than this time last year, with the occasional warm sunny day bringing fish up to feed on early buzzers, only for them to be sent to deeper waters again on the colder, windier days. All the lakes are full, with the outlook for April seeing more fish feeding from the surface.
Fishing:
Kennick – The fishing at Kennick got off to a flying start, with anglers averaging just under 5 fish per rod for the opening weekend of the season (27 March), with over 50 full bags being caught. The fish were eager to feed, being taken on a wide selection of subsurface flies, from buzzers through to lures – with most fish were taken on intermediate or sinking lines. In marked contrast to the opening days of the last two years, the majority of fish seemed to be at the Causeway end of the fishery, although fish were caught from all over. The boats did very well, with a number of anglers catching over 20 fish, practicing catch-and-release.
Dark patterns proved to be the most productive and while the majority of fish were taken on lures (deep-fished Boobies, Nomads and Woolly Buggers), plenty of fish were caught on Damsel Nymphs and Montanas.
The best fish caught in the opening week was a 5lb rainbow (as part of a bag of twenty fish on a ‘catch and release’ ticket) taken by Duncan Kier (of Belstone) while fishing from a boat using a Nomad on a sinking line. Chris Bolt (from Kingsteignton) caught a 4lb 8oz rainbow while fishing from the bank on Opening Day.
The new boat dock has now been installed for the 2010 season.
Prospects for April are for larger buzzer hatches, with Black Buzzer patterns the preferred fly.
Siblyback - This year’s opening weekend proved to be the best for a number of years, with a number of sizeable fish being caught, and a rod average of over 5 fish. A few buzzer hatches when the air warms up, although the weather has generally been cold and windy, and all fish have been caught sub-surface.. Generally the stocked fish are in good condition, although the overwintered fish are still fairly lean – they should start to improve as the natural food increases with warmer temperatures. Successful nymph patterns included Montanas, Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Black and Peacock, and Diawl Bachs, with Stocky Bay providing the best bank fishing and The Marshes the best for boats.
A number of excellent big fish were caught, the best being an 8lb 2oz rainbow caught by Gary Stickland (from Belstone) fishing from a boat. Mr. W. Caldwell caught a 6lb rainbow using a Cats Whisker fishing from the bank in Stocky Bay, and John Carter caught rainbows of 5lb 12 oz and 3lb 4oz in the same session using a Montana and Diawl Bach. Over 30 other rainbows over 3lb were caught in the opening week.
Wimbleball – while there were no particularly big fish caught on the opening weekend, the rod average was a respectable 4.2 fish per rod. Most fish were caught at the North end of the lake, with Bessoms and Ruggs providing the best bank fishing, and Ruggs Bay and Sailing Club bay the best boat fishing. The bigger fish were generally caught from boats, although the best fish of the opening week being a 3lb 13oz rainbow caught by Mr. Spencer using a nymph from the bank at Ruggs. Although a few buzzers have been hatching, most of the fish have been taken on sub-surface nymphs (Damsels, Montanas, and Pheasant Tail Nymphs) or Boobies fished on the bottom..
Stithians – fish have started to rise at Sthians, with Black and Peacock fished in the surface film taking a few fish, although the majority of fish have been caught subsurface, either on Montana Nymphs or Buzzers, or on lures (anything Orange, as well as Cats Whisker).
The best areas have been Pub Bay, North Bank, and Deep Bank.
The best fish was taken on opening day (15 March) – a superb 5lb 2oz rainbow caught by Mr. Glanville using a Black and Peacock Spider.
Prospects for April are good for surface fishing toward the end of the month, when the Hawthorns start to become abundant.
Colliford – has fished well, with the fish feeding eagerly (overwintered fish are still fairly long and lean), although most fish caught so far this season have been sub-surface, either on nymphs (mainly Montanas) or small lures (black, such as Ace of Spades) or Black Leeches being the most productive. Black Buzzers have also fished well, best on an intermediate line and fished very slow.
The fishing at Fernworthy starts on 1 April, and Burrator is now operated by the South West Lakes Trust, with day tickets available from the garage at Yelverton as well as the Snowbee outlet in Plympton .
Chris Hall (April 2010)
South West Lakes Trout Fisheries ( March 2010)
General:
In spite of very mixed weather (from sunshine to snow!), the fish have generally been eager to feed, and anglers have been reporting good catches, with some excellent quality fish. The fish have mainly been deep, with water temperatures a good three degrees lower than this time last year, with the occasional warm sunny day bringing fish up to feed on early buzzers, only for them to be sent to deeper waters again on the colder, windier days. All the lakes are full, with the outlook for April seeing more fish feeding from the surface.
Fishing:
Kennick – The fishing at Kennick got off to a flying start, with anglers averaging just under 5 fish per rod for the opening weekend of the season (27 March), with over 50 full bags being caught. The fish were eager to feed, being taken on a wide selection of subsurface flies, from buzzers through to lures – with most fish were taken on intermediate or sinking lines. In marked contrast to the opening days of the last two years, the majority of fish seemed to be at the Causeway end of the fishery, although fish were caught from all over. The boats did very well, with a number of anglers catching over 20 fish, practicing catch-and-release.
Dark patterns proved to be the most productive and while the majority of fish were taken on lures (deep-fished Boobies, Nomads and Woolly Buggers), plenty of fish were caught on Damsel Nymphs and Montanas.
The best fish caught in the opening week was a 5lb rainbow (as part of a bag of twenty fish on a ‘catch and release’ ticket) taken by Duncan Kier (of Belstone) while fishing from a boat using a Nomad on a sinking line. Chris Bolt (from Kingsteignton) caught a 4lb 8oz rainbow while fishing from the bank on Opening Day.
The new boat dock has now been installed for the 2010 season.
Prospects for April are for larger buzzer hatches, with Black Buzzer patterns the preferred fly.
Siblyback - This year’s opening weekend proved to be the best for a number of years, with a number of sizeable fish being caught, and a rod average of over 5 fish. A few buzzer hatches when the air warms up, although the weather has generally been cold and windy, and all fish have been caught sub-surface.. Generally the stocked fish are in good condition, although the overwintered fish are still fairly lean – they should start to improve as the natural food increases with warmer temperatures. Successful nymph patterns included Montanas, Pheasant Tail Nymphs, Black and Peacock, and Diawl Bachs, with Stocky Bay providing the best bank fishing and The Marshes the best for boats.
A number of excellent big fish were caught, the best being an 8lb 2oz rainbow caught by Gary Stickland (from Belstone) fishing from a boat. Mr. W. Caldwell caught a 6lb rainbow using a Cats Whisker fishing from the bank in Stocky Bay, and John Carter caught rainbows of 5lb 12 oz and 3lb 4oz in the same session using a Montana and Diawl Bach. Over 30 other rainbows over 3lb were caught in the opening week.
Wimbleball – while there were no particularly big fish caught on the opening weekend, the rod average was a respectable 4.2 fish per rod. Most fish were caught at the North end of the lake, with Bessoms and Ruggs providing the best bank fishing, and Ruggs Bay and Sailing Club bay the best boat fishing. The bigger fish were generally caught from boats, although the best fish of the opening week being a 3lb 13oz rainbow caught by Mr. Spencer using a nymph from the bank at Ruggs. Although a few buzzers have been hatching, most of the fish have been taken on sub-surface nymphs (Damsels, Montanas, and Pheasant Tail Nymphs) or Boobies fished on the bottom..
Stithians – fish have started to rise at Sthians, with Black and Peacock fished in the surface film taking a few fish, although the majority of fish have been caught subsurface, either on Montana Nymphs or Buzzers, or on lures (anything Orange, as well as Cats Whisker).
The best areas have been Pub Bay, North Bank, and Deep Bank.
The best fish was taken on opening day (15 March) – a superb 5lb 2oz rainbow caught by Mr. Glanville using a Black and Peacock Spider.
Prospects for April are good for surface fishing toward the end of the month, when the Hawthorns start to become abundant.
Colliford – has fished well, with the fish feeding eagerly (overwintered fish are still fairly long and lean), although most fish caught so far this season have been sub-surface, either on nymphs (mainly Montanas) or small lures (black, such as Ace of Spades) or Black Leeches being the most productive. Black Buzzers have also fished well, best on an intermediate line and fished very slow.
The fishing at Fernworthy starts on 1 April, and Burrator is now operated by the South West Lakes Trust, with day tickets available from the garage at Yelverton as well as the Snowbee outlet in Plympton .
Chris Hall (April 2010)