Sunday 24th May - Fly Fishing Hawkridge Res Spaxton near Bridgwater

There were a couple of matches I would not have minded fishing this weekend but one was on Saturday and the other on BH Monday, I was only available on the Sunday so decided to head down to Hawkridge Res for a relaxing days fly fishing. We had friends over for a BBQ on the Saturday night so no need to get up early the next day.
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.

Sunday 15th June - fluff chucking at Hawkridge Res

I had not been out for a couple of weeks due to a weekend in London with the wife and as part of a birthday gift and a thank you from our daughters for various bits and pieces we have supported them with. Saw the Committements in the West End, fab show. So back to today, no club match scheduled and a day to early to go out on the river I was some what torn what to do. A fairly busy day on Saturday meant I had little time to prep or get bait so a bit of fly fishing it was to be. I had planned to go on Chew but decided after I got in the car to head down the M5, off at Bridgwater and out to Hawkridge Res where I had some success last year. Bank fishing is good and it goes very deep a few paces out. Not in any rush I took a steady drive down and got there around 09:00, had a chat with the Ranger who said bank results were mixed due to the bright weather and the water was christle clear but he said I should get a few fish. I headed away from the Lodge, driving down to the next lay-by and parked up, a step over a low wall and I was on the bank. Two other guys where there but had not had a pull in the hour they were there but fish were showing on the top. The far bank looked inviting and there were no other angler so I walked around to the far side through some woods and carried on until I was more or less opposite the Lodge. Given the clear water and the fish not wanting to come that close I set up with an 18' leader, Booby on the point (which floats) and then a Black Buzzer and a Green Dawl Bach as droppers meaning I would be just fishing under the surface. It took an hour to get my first pull but it was half hearted and did not result in a take. The wind was coming down the lake which made it difficult to keep a tight line so I had to cast at 2 o'clock. About 11:30 I saw a fish rise in front of me about as far out as I could cast, a quick retieve and back out to where it showed resulted in a take as soon as the Booby hit the water, a nice rainbow about 3lb. I moved up towards the Dam a bit and could see a couple of guys out in a boat doing a quick retrieves which meant they must be on lures, they were getting a few fish as well. I change the Booby to a little gold head Hares Ear to get the flies down in the water to have a look. First cast and about 5 rod lengths out while pulling back a little faster than I had been resulted in a very agressive take on the Dawl Bach and the fish headed toward the middle of the lake. I managed to get it under control and as it came close I could see it was a decent brownie. Got it in and it was a lovely fish, weighed later on it went 3lb 14oz, best on I have had. I chopped and changed flies the rest of the day and finally had my 5 fish limit at 14:15 which I was happy with, back was killing. Heres the 5 fish, when weighed together came to 17lb 5oz not bad and freezer topped up again.

May try and get on the Kenn one evening this week but new job is full on at the moment. If not its the Bristol Avon at Barton Farm near Trowbrige for the practice match which is also a charity event prior to the next round of the SW Super League so some prep to do.

Sunday 19th May - Hawkridge

I could have gone to a Clevedon Club Match which was being held on Woodland Lake at Trinity Waters but needed a bit more time to re-elasticate some of my top sets and tie some rigs, I have not done that well on this venue either for about a year and you do get some venue experts join the Club simply to fish a match here. I know Paul Nicholls (long time Club member) won the match with 153lb so well done Paul.
Kev Perry another Clevedon Club stalwart does a bit of fly fishing in and out and had mentioned to me before about Hawkridge Res which is run by Wessex Water and located just outside Bridgwater near Spaxton, I had been meaning to get to it for some time now so decided to pay a visit this weekend. There were up to date reports on their website along with current successful methods. If you are interested here is the link to the site, an informative video can also be viewed.

http://www.wessexwater.co.uk/recreation/threecol.aspx?id=538&linkidentifier=id&itemid=538

After a 45 min journey I arrived via sat nav at just before 09:00, the Ranger was in the Lodge so I gleaned soe more info from him, basically orange blobs, buzzers and diawl bachs fished just below the surface was the 'in' method.

orange blob

buzzer



diawl bach

While I was talking to him there was a small competition going on (8 anglers) just in front of the Lodge and one of the guys landed a fantastic rainbow of 9lbs plus, happy days could not wait to get started.

I was directed around to a part of the lake, the opposite end of the dam where I could park and simply step over a small wall. There was a fair bit of marginal weed but luckily I brought waders so this was easy to overcome. I set up a floating line with a 15 foot leader, orange blob on the point and a diawl bach as a dropper. After about 20 minutes I had my first pull which I missed, then another on the same retrieve so things looked promising. There were a few other anglers around but I only saw one fish being caught, anglers walking the bank reported that the fish were being very fickle and many had not caught, a boat with 2 anglers also were blanking after 3 hours.

This is where I started

I decided to move around to the bank opposite the Lodge, this was the wider part of the reservoir.

I walked up the far side and decided on a spot more or less opposite the Lodge, a few fish were rising as well, the first ones I had seen in any number.

A few casts with the blob and diawl bach did not produce anything and the were still rising so I tied on an ornage booby on the point and a buzzer replaced the diawl bach.

orange booby

This would ensure the flies were kept up high in the water. Afer about 4 casts I had my first fish, caught on the booby, it was now just after 12:00. 4 more followed at intervals during the afternoon, my last one coming at 16:00, the last 4 were all caught on the buzzer. I also had a number of takes which I missed but I had a great afternoons sport. 5 is the limit here and there is no catch and release.

my limit bag on the 1st visit to Hawkridge

I weighed the fish on return to the Lodge, top individual fish was 3lb 8oz and the total weight for all 5 was just under 15lb so not bad. I will return soon, it's a great setting with good bank access.

So... trout for tea this week, neighbours have also benefited.

Not sure where I will go this coming weekend but will venture out somewhere, need to sort out the elasication of the top 2's this week.

Good to be back.