Wednesday 20th May - 1st Session Chew Valley Lake

Bristol Water opened up their waters the previous Friday. They changed the booking process a few days later to make it easier and simplify the process. It was bank fishing only, which I prefer anyway so booked a ticket for the Wednesday.

I was up early and on Lodge Bank by about 07:15. It was really misty and you couldn't see more than 50 meters out. Only two other anglers who arrived the same time as me.

I still had a few trout in the freezer so opted for barbless hooks and fish catch and release. A buzzer on the point and two Dawl Bachs as droppers, all size 12 hooks.

It took about 20 minutes to get my first fish which was a nice rainbow who took a red Dawl Bach a few meters from the bank. At around 2lbs he went back quickly.

Three more fish followed over the next 90 minutes, all went back.

The sun came out and it became harder. A few more anglers had arrived and there were now 6 of us. At approximately 10:45 I hit a really good fish and it too a while to land it. It measured 22 inches and must have been about 4lbs.

I kept this one as I wanted a whole fish for the BBQ.

Two more pulls and another fish smashed me up so I called it a day at 12:00.

Lovely session and my right arm was aching after that fist session.

Going up the Glossy again on Sunday for the bream.

Sunday 3rd November - Chew Valley Lake

I was booked in to fish an Open on the Bristol Avon at Swineford but a text from organiser Dean Harvey notified me it was cancelled. No surprise really as I have been keeping an eye on the levels all day. The banks on some of the pegs can be quite steep so good call for safety reasons.

I pondered over a few options.....the K & A but couldn't get a day ticket until 9am. Durleigh Res probably too many carpers. Bristol Docks too many people walking around.  I eventually decided on Chew Valley Lake for another bit of "fluff chucking ".

I already had the rod set up with two red dawl bachs and a green one so it didn't take long to load up the following morning.

A reasonable day was forecast with light winds. I got to the Lodge around 9 am and got my ticket. I decided to try the Lodge Bank first as there is a decent depth close in but at the moment you can still wade out a few yards.

The sky was a little overcast but due to brighten up later.

The bank on Lodge is nice and solid with stones in wire cages to protect it from erosion unlike the North Bank where I was earlier in the week.
As I was putting my gear down a fish topped no more than 30 yards out.

I wadded out up to waist deep and fixed the bank stick with the landing net on it into the lake bed then went back to get the rod, I was the only one on Lodge Bank which is unusual but there were quite a few boats out.

I had my first pull around 20 minutes in and hit it. Lovely fit rainbow which gave a great battle as it took the point fly at distance.

Another angler turned up and started fishing about 40 yards to my right, he took a fish quite quickly.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted another angler coming down the bank behind me...Mr. Currie..how are you he said...it was Steve Ball who I know from the Bristol and West Federation of Anglers and who also follows my blog.

Steve had read my earlier post about my day out on the North Bank and went there first but didn't have a pull, he also had been on Whalley Bank but know luck there either. He had a look at my fish, sat and had a chat and then went up near the boat jetty to try his luck.

The wind got up a little and was blowing right to left toward the bank so I had a few casts paraell to it and soon was playing another decent fish.

Steve came back about an hour later and asked if I had any more. I told him I had another, he hadn't had any luck and headed home to work on his motorcycle.

It was quiet for the next 90 minutes but on the retrieve about 2 rod lengths out I had a really violent take and had to give the fish a lot of line. What a scrap, it was a long lean fish but another angler weighed it for me and it registered 4lb 8ozs.

I had another smaller fish around 1lb 8ozs but let it go after landing it.

So a nice day after all.

Poppy match next Sunday but may go up on the Gloucester Canal in the week.

Wednesday 30th October -Chew Valley Lake Fly Fishing

I intended  to fish for roach on my local river Kenn as I had loads of left over bait, another option was to fish the Avon at Swineford.
But...to get to the Avon I would have to que in Bristol traffic and as for the Kenn the wind was stronger than forecast so.....a session on Chew it was.

A bank ticket in the winter is only £18 and you can take 6 fish plus catch and release.

I got up to the Lodge around 1015 and the wind looked OK in order to fish the Lodge bank but after getting my ticket it had increased and was blowing north to south, bit chilly as well.

In the interests of comfort I headed around to the North Bank were the wind would be off my back.

I already had the rod set up with 2 red dawl bachs and 1 green.

4 other anglers were on the bank plus a couple of boats in the vicinity.

I decided to settle in nearest the car park with an angler 30 yards to my left and only reeds to my right. I waded out up to my waist.

Casting was easy with the wind off my back and 4th cast I had a take and the others looked at me in astonishment lol.

After I netted it and put it in the bag two came down to me and asked what I caught it on as no one else had a pull.

I freely showed them my set up and off they went to change their flies.

I waded back out and had another...one guy shouted down and asked if I came here often. I said no I am a match angler.

The guy nearest to me then had one on a red dawl bach.

I had another 3 fish but put one back as it was only around 1lb.

At 3 o'clock I called it a day as it was getting colder.

Quite a nice few hours.

Open match on Sunday....Bristol Avon Swineford to Jack Whites.

Sunday 20th March - A few hours on Chew

I had not planned anything in particular for Sunday as I had a late night on Saturday and also nominated driver. Waking up around 8.30 and looking at the weather I decided to go up to Chew Valley Lake again for a bit of fluff chucking. The weather was quite good when leaving home and little or no breeze. After a 20 minute drive I arrived at the Lodge and there was a stiff NE breeze across this big piece of water. The car park was fairly empty as well due to most of bank anglers heading up to the car park on the North Shore with their backs to the wind, you could see them all lined up like Stick Men.....not for me I thought and after getting my permit headed around the back of the Sailing Club to Whalley Bank.
The wind was not quite blowing into my face but from left to right so kind of cast at about 2 o'clock.
I had an orange blob on the point to attract fish and two droppers, each with red and black dawl bachs  on a 15' leader to a floating line.
I had to wade out a little for casting comfort and after 10 mins I could feel the affect of the cold breeze on my hands. I soon warmed up though after hitting an early pull about 4 rod lengths out and netted a decent rainbow. The breeze dropped slightly and I was able to cast pretty far in front of me and began a slow retrieve. I had only taken in about 10' of line via the figure 8 method when I got a pretty angry take and was soon playing a good Brownie. It put up a good scrap and I landed it after a few minutes.
Another angler came down with a young lad with special needs and informed me he would be casting and the young lad retrieving just in case I wondered what was going on. He saw my two fish and was encouraged. Within the hour I had another half tidy rainbow whereas the other angler and lad had not had a pull. I gave them a copy of the Dawl Bach I was using and much to the delight of the young lad they caught one on about the 6th cast...happy days.
I suppose about 30 minutes passed and I had another rainbow, this time on the orange blob. By this time my feet were freezing so headed up to fish off the bank by the Dam.  I fished up that end for about 40 minutes but not a sign of a fish so headed back down to the Sailing Club end for the final  90 minutes.This was a good choice as I hit another few fish and one of the limit, but not worried about that as I had a great day.

Sunday 22nd March - first outing on Chew Valley Lake

I was in two minds what to do, the river season was over, there was an open on the Clubs Paddock Lake on the Saturday but I couldn't fish it due to a Birthday Party and the Six Nations super Saturday was more important. I did think about Summerhayes open on the Sunday but did not get around to it.

The well earned lie in on the Sunday was well received and I decided to give Chew a try for the trout for the first time this year. No prep required as everything was in order from last October.

The short 20 minute drive saw me arrive at the Lodge around 09:45 and greeted by Paul Barnfield who is one of the Rangers on site. Paul gave me an update on what was being caught where, boats had been doing well catching on Orange Blobs, Dawl Bachs and Black Buzzers. I was going to fish from the bank and due to the breeze decided on Whally Bank near the Sailing Club. A floating line approach would be ok with a 15' leader as it is not that deep here.

I was soon set up and it took a few casts to get back into the swing of things. There was a huge amount of buzzers around on the surface (maybe too many) but it was quite cold so I was unsure whether or not the trout would be interested. I did see a couple rise way beyond my casting capability.

At around 11:00 and withing 20' of the bank I had a positive take (no need to strike). Initially there was a bit of a fight but it soon came to the net. Not a huge fish (around 2lb) but at least I had not blanked.

First trout of the year

There were no more than 3 boats out in front of me all day which is not a good sign either, they appeared to be concentrating on the south and west shores. I had another take at around 11:30 but failed to strike quick enough and that was all the action I saw up until I packed up aound 15:30.

I am booked into Summerhayes this coming Sunday so will be able to catch up with fellow blogger Jamie Rich, check out his blog if not already familiar, something for everyone  http://againstmenandfish.blogspot.co.uk/

Evening session on Chew Thursday 24th April

The weather was looking good for an evening session on Chew Valley Lake but untl you get there and due to the huge expanse of water and the surrounding mendip hills you never know until you get there. I arrived about 5:30 pm and it was reasonably calm from the Lodge Bank but I did fancy going back to Wick Point more or less opposite the Lodge and a 10 minute drive further around the Lake. Temperature was ok ish but soon drops so the deeper water at Wick Point would be an advantage.

I had fished there a couple of weeks a go with a floatng line and a 15 foot leader without any trouble so was surprised that on the retrieve I kept dragging in weed. I did persevere but after an hour took the orange blob of the point and put on a booby with 2 black buzzers as droppers fishing 'washing line style' and up in the water.

Second cast I had a take, missed it at first but had a second take immediately afterwards which I hit resulting in a very good scrap with a nice rainbow that went 2lb 15oz. The time was now just after 7 pm. No more takes until just after 8 pm when I had a take more or less at full distance which I was not expecting. The line tightened fully and a huge fish jumped out of the water, I estimate it to be around 5lb - 6lbs. Due to the tension and not being able to slacken off it broke the leader (8lb breaking strain). It was getting dark so no time to set up again. Two other anglers beside me blanked so I must be doing something right.

Here is the fish and the return. Ready for gutting and put in the freezer.

No planned fishing this weekend due to an all day wedding on Saturday with a late night unless I get out for another evening session on Chew on Sunday. Next match for me is Avalon the following Sunday.

Thursday 10th April 1st session on Chew

I managed to get home from work a little earlier than usual so decided to go Fly Fishing for the first time this year. Barrow Tanks is just up the road from where I live (15 mins away) but can fish very hard with fish sometimes only responding during the last 30 minutes before dusk. Chew Valley Lake is only 20 minutes away and I had a lot of sucess there last year both from the boat and bank, the fish are a better size as well. So off to Chew it was and I got there just after 4 p.m. Its £16 to fish from the bank from 3 p.m. to dark and you can take 4 fish. I had intended to fish off the Lodge bank but due to the wind one of the Rangers suggested I go right around the far side on Wick Point. No idea where this was but managed to find it after a 15 min car journey stopping half way and asking for directions. When I got there the wind was up and more or less in my face and it was cold. Rangers advice was to fish a medium or sinking line with an Orange Blob and then Buzzers as droppers. One guy was leaving when I got there, he had 2 fish which were caught at 8.30 a.m. and then nothing all day...hmmmm. Another guy also turned up, he had been fishing at Blagdon Lake all day and caught 2 pike! He said he had not seen a trout caught. Ah well. After a quick chat discussing tactics he suggested I set up a flaoting line with a 15 foot leader and that way f the fish came up in the water I would just have to change the Orange Blob to a Booby. The water was quite deep close in so not much point in killing myself trying to cast out into a facing wind. I was fishing by 4.45 p.m. and had my first take just before 5, the other guy was walking the bank looking for a more sheltered spot when I hit into the fish (I think he was surprised). After a good scrape the rainbow was netted, and went 4lb 2oz on the salter spring balance, lovely and caught on the Orange Blob. I persevered in the cold wind, the other chap went home about 7 p.m. fishless, just after he went I moved down where he was (as it was deeper) and had a fish second cast, Orange Blob again and it went 3lb 4oz. By 8 p.m. I was too cold and it was getting dark so headed home. By 9.15 p.m. I had the fish cleaned and cut up into 5 portions, put in the freezer and had a shower. Chew is a great water and glad I made the effort. Here are the fish just before cleaning...

Might try and get back one evening this week, if not it's a Club Match on the Sedges Fishery Easter Sunday.

Wednesday 31st July Fly Fishing session on Chew

I have had the week off work just to chill and catch up with a few odd jobs but always planned to have a mid week fishing session. I was planning to go on the River Kenn but looking at the weather forecast and with little cover I thought I may have got drenched so a day session on Chew it was to be. I got to Woodford Lodge about 10:30 and there were plently of boats available, it would have been almost impossible to fish from the bank given the wind. Paid my £36.50 which includes fishing ticket and 8 fish, no catch and release at the moment due to the warm conditions, fair enough. The advice I was given was to fish deep so I set up a 15 foot leader with 2 diawl bachs (1 red, 1 green) and a gold head black buzzer on the point. Boat No. 32 was loaded and off I went, not that many out on the water today so loads of room across 1200 acres!I decided to stay close to the Lodge bank and just worked my way up and down drifting in the wind and windy it was at times.

on the high seas looking towards the Lodge and Sailing Club.

After about 30 mins I felt my set up was not right, I had spotted a few fish rising so swapped the point fly to an orange booby to fish washing line style and up in the water. What a good move that was, within 10 mins I had my first fish, fishing was difficult with a massive strong tow, nearly fell out of the boat once while standing up controlling the line. Another hour passed and I caught another up near the dam wall and missed a few pulls, then it went quite. Back down the lake and below the Lodge I just kept drifting in and then went back out about 500 yds and kept going over the same ground. By 5 p.m. I had my limit, 8 fish for 16lb 8oz, nice eating. Here they are......

I called into a friend on the way home and gave him 2, had one for tea myself and the rest are in the freezer.

Booked into the Chippenham Saturday Open on the upper Bristol Avon, probably be a roach and small chub match.

Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June, short sessions on Chew

First of all I did manage to do planned maintenance on my top kits and am all ready for the next Clevedon Club Match next Sunday which is on the main lake Shiplate Farm.
I had a few jobs to do again this weekend but did manage 2 late afternoon sessions from the bank at Chew Valley Lake.
On Saturday I got there about 3:30pm and was fishing by 4pm, the wind was off the bank on Lodge , it was warm but not blazing sunshine all the time so perfect conditions. I set up a red diawl bach on the point and 2 black buzzers as droppers. First cast I had a pull, on the 3rd cast I had my first fish, quickly followed by another 30 minutes later. At around 5:30 pm I had another one and a decent size. More pulls followed but no firm takes until just after 6 pm when I had another making by bag limit of 4 fish. I did fish on for 30 mins as you can catch and release but no other bites.
Saturdays fish went 2lb, 2lb 4oz, 2lb 12oz and 3lb 6oz so not bad at all.

The 4 fish ready to be cleaned and freezed

I was also fending for myself concerning a Saturday night meal and had defrosted part one of the fish I caught from Hawkridge the other week so cooked it in oranges in the middle, scored on the outside and salted, wrapped in foil, cooked for 30 mins with new potatoes and mixed veg, can't beat it.

bring on master chef

I went back on the Sunday afternoon, got their a bit earlier this time and fished off Lodge Bank again although I did walk through to the other side of the sailing club to have a look at Wally Bank, looks good but will go there on an all day session. The wind was all over the place today and from speaking to other anglers not a lot being caught. 3rd cast and I had one about 2 rod lengths out, it must have followed the buzzers in and a cracking fish it was to, 4lb 9oz.

4lb 9oz

I did not get another pull and packed up at 7 pm but overall a good weekend even though it was in short bursts. That's it for the fluff chucking for a while (I think), match next weekend and the river will be open the following weekend, looking forward to it.



Saturday 25th May - Afternoon session on Chew Valley Lake

With the wife working late lates on the Saturday, a family and friends BBQ arranged for Sunday and a day out on BH Monday an afternoon session somewhere was on the cards. I had thought about Plantations, Bullocks, Apex or going back down to Hawkridge where I had success last week. I still had not got around to sorting out my top kits and most of my rigs needed attention, Kev Perry spoke to me about Hawkridge on Thursday night at a Clevedon Committe Meeting he was thinking about going down on the Friday and suggested to me the BH Traffic would be murder to get through over the weekend. I did not make a decision until Saturday morning around 11:00, even then I was considering Barrow Tanks but made a phone call to Chew Valley instead to enquire about a boat. They were all booked but when I asked how the bank anglers were doing a positive reply came back, so that was it, even though I have never fished from the bank at Chew before.
I got up to the Lodge which is only 15 to 20 mins from home around 15:15, an afternoon ticket from the bank is £15 and you can take 4 fish plus catch and release as well, bargain. I went into the Lodge to get a few more bits of information and who should be working there but Paul Barnfield. Paul fished the Bristol Avon a lot the same time as me, we used to meet up when fishing the Avon Commercial League (formally Post Office and Telecomms League) between 1978 and 1990. He was a very good river angler and later went on to fish for the Amalgamated Fisheries Match Team.

Paul is bottom row second in from the left.

I know he still does a little bit of match fishing with the Coffin Dodgers on the odd Thursday at Hunstrete Lake (controlled by Bathampton AA) but due to being an employee of Bristol Water gets free fishing so does a lot of fluff chucking now. So whats working I says to Paul, 'booby on the point and a couple of buzzers fished washing line style' he says, guy had an 8 fish limit on this earlier today from the lodge bank. Well that was it a nice 2 min stroll from the car park.

Washing line method, basically keeps the flies up in the water.

I walked across the grass down to the lake shore just to the right of the boat jetty, about 5 other anglers were already there and one came along after me, none had caught yet. The bank was excellent and was composed of stones in wire cages, there looked to be about 6 foot of water in the margins which deepened to about 15 foot 30 meters out I saw a couple of fish rise but they were too far out, still I had until about 8 p.m. so plenty of time.

Lodge bank at Chew.

I set up using the washing line method as advised with a black buzzer and a diawl back as droppers, the booby on the point was bright orange to attract the fish. The wind was a bit awkward at times with the odd gust from right to left but manageable. After about an hour not a pull and it was a little chilly so I took the booby off the point and put on a red diawl back. After casting out and about 10 meters of a retrive I had a pull which caught me out, a quick draw on the line moving the flies about 2 feet I had him go for me again but very finicky and I did not connect. 15 mins later though I did connect and soon had a rainbow of just under 2lb on the black buzzer. This brought a couple of visits from the other anglers enquiring what I had caught on etc. Another hour passed an a better fish this time, just under 3lb, again another visit from the angler to my right, no one else had caught yet. I had a text message from the wife and will I was replying had the rod between my legs after a full cast and I had a pull but missed it. Straight out on the same line and instantly connected with a cracking fish which took me all over the place. There was nood weed about so was able to enjoy it and take time. This fish weighed 4lb 2oz. I had another couple of pulls but no more fish and decided to pack up just before 8 p.m.

My 3 fish for around 9lb.

Really please with my first session from the bank at Chew and will be hard push to go back to Barrow Tanks, although they are closer to home if I am in a rush.Will definetly be sorting out my pole and rigs this week.



Fluff chucking on Chew Thursday 30th August

As mention in my previous post I had planned to go fly fishing for a late afternoon evening session with Dan from Cadbury Angling. I was meant to recieve a call from him around lunchtime confirming that it was still on. 13:15 ish and no call so phoned his mobile and it went straight to voice message, a quick call to John at Cadbury suggested he was going. I made myself a decent lunch and loaded the car up ready for the off around 15:00. At around the same time I had a message from Dan saying he was not going due to picking up some kind of flu bug. A quick decision saw me get on the lap top and check out if a singleton boat was possible on Chew, this was soon folowed by a call to the lodge and I booked a boat, £23 for 16:00 - 20:00. I arrived dead on 16:00 and was out in the boat 10 mins later. I could see a few boats down in the bay immediately below the lodge and thought that'll do for me. I started off right down the bottom end and just drifted within 10 mins I had my first pull on what I think was the orange gold headed lure, I had a couple of nymph's further up the 18 foot leader. The wind was quite strong and kept pushing me into a weeded area which meant I had to start up the engine again. Across on the lodge bank the boats that were there were protected from the win by the trees and didn't seem to move much. I was soon across which was much better in terms of drift and fly presentation. No one was catching around me, the about 17:30 the boat further up the bank had 2 in quick succession, I also saw a few fish move on the surface but the sun was still quite bright. A wind knot made me replace the leader and I only put on 2 flies this time but extended the leader by 2 foot. On the end was a red diawl bach

and further up was a green diawl back
Both on size 14 hooks.

Its amazing casting these small flies into some 1,200 acres that you can catch at all.

I decided to do a very slow retrieve as I guessed most of the fish were down deep, I had another pull but missed it, I still haven't got the hang of the strike when fly fishing. 20 mins later another pull and managed to hit it this time. A real craker of a fish, 5 mins later he was in the boat and knocked on the head a really good fish.
Back out and nothing for about 20 mins the another pull, did  not connect, same again back out hit a fish this time but came off half way to the boat.
19:50 I headed back in, the boats had to be tied up by 20:00. I weighed my fish at the lodge, 4lb 4oz, pic taken below in my kitchen just before it was cleaned and put in the freezer.

No matched scheduled for the weekend so not sure if I will go out orn not, the following week we have a club match at Shiplake. I might go back on the Kenn for a few hours if I go out at all. It's been a good week off work.