I left home around 10:00 and arrived at the Reservoir just before 11:00, paid the £21 day ticket and had a look at some of the recent catches. I knew Kev Perry had been down a few times this year and he had told me about the golden trout he had caught, sure enough there was his picture with the 5 fish limit of around 26lb. Most of the bigger fish had been caught early season. There were a couple of anglers on the far bank and two were just sorting a boat out.
View from the Lodge looking toward the jetty.
I intended to drive around to a bit lay-by on the Lodge bank and head around toward the far bank and work my way back around.
When I parked up in the lay-by there were 3 anglers already fishing, they had been there a while but had not caught anything. There was lots of fish topping in front of them so I could not understand why they had not caught.
I tried to get one of the rises in front of this angler, you can just about see it at then end of his line.
I could have got in between them but decided to leave them to it.
I made my way through the woodland and could hear the Hawks screeching above the tree tops, pheasants also joined in so all in all very pleasant surroundings. I started immediately opposite the Lodge and began with a 'washing line' set up... orange booby on the point, followed by a black buzzer on a 12 and then a red dawl bach again on a 12. There were no obvious signs of fish in front of me so I was surprised getting a strong take second cast and had a good scrap with a rainbow about 2lb which had taken the buzzer.
My first fish, you can see the buzzer just on the top lip.
Although it was great that I got a fish I almost felt cheated to catch so early. It is a 5 fish limit and no catch and release so though at this rate I will be home by 14:00. I need not have worried as 3 hours passed with so much of a take. Another angler came down from the dam end and said he only had one since early morning, I could see others opposite me who had not had anything either. I worked my way down the bank changing flies every now and then without success and at around 15:30 decided to go back around to the lay-by area to see if the fish were still around. The 3 anglers were still there and when I enquired they still had not had any fish. One said they were still rising but just out of casting range. I could see lots of fish rising and there appeared to be a sedges hatch so they were feeding on big insects. I kept my basic set up but on the point put on a big white booby so it would stay up in the water and give me a big of an advantage in terms of casting distance.
I was only fishing for about 15 minutes when a fish rose to my left about 30 meters away, I quickly retrieved and covered the area where it broke the surface. After a couple of short quick pulls I had a take and a nice fish of around 3lb was landed much to the amazement of the other guys!
I took another at distance after it came up and had a nudge on the booby but a quick pull disturbing the water soon had a fish attacking it and it was on and landed in the presence of an audience by the ice cream van in the lay-by. 20 minute later I had a repeat performance. It was at this point the other 3 anglers packed up (around 16:15). One approached me to see what I was using, I don't think it was so much the type of fly but how it was used to disturb the water on the retrieve which in turn got them interested.
The rise stopped soon after they went and I called it a day around 17:00. I had enjoyed the day, the surroundings make Hawkridge very special.
My 4 fish and the return card below after weighing them back at the Lodge
On the river next week, the river Ithon that is fishing for grayling near Llandrindod Wells as part of a long weekend including race night at Chepstow and UB40 in concert.
thanks for the tips and information..i really appreciate it..
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