I had the whole of Bewl Water all to myself fly fishing.

I finished all I could do on my garden fencing project around noon so I decided to treat myself to a bit of piscatorial R & R! None of my pals could make it so was free to choose between Albury or Bewl.  I was pretty sure to catch at Albury but Bewl won because it would be more challenging and a bit cheaper. When I arrived the weather was good, overcast but dry, south westerly breeze and air temperature around 10 C.  Vince Brook, one of the fishery staff kindly stopped for a chat and suggested Bramble Point?  So off I set on  the ten minute walk and arrived to find the water crystal clear with a nice ripple.  Resisting the temptation to wade I kept well back and started casting with a single black woolly bugger gold head fly presented using a 7 weight forward floating line with a twelve foot leader.  On my third cast I was rewarded with a lovely pull that signalled good fish on!  It had hit the fly round two rod lengths off of the rod tip so it was in quite close and I would probably have spooked it if I had been in the water.

Later I did go into the water as there was no more action from the shore, I also tried an intermediate line with the woolly bugger, then a cats whisker and finally a blue flash damsel. I fished for 2 hours, only had the one fish but I loved every minute of it! The sky, the breeze and the water lapping at my waders told me I was very lucky to be there, still able to cast a line and still able to land a fish, the first of 2015.  And to top it all I had the whole of Bewl Water all to myself!

I am pleased to see that I can still pull them out!

Vince had warned me that they lock the exit gates at 4pm this time of year which is why I only fished for 2 hours.  However, as I was leaving Rob Barden told me that if you park down by the Outdoor Centre you can exit from there whenever you like.

English Fly Fisher Upsets Barmaid and goes on to Win International Fishing Competition!

You will see from the previous post that having been fishing most of the previous night we did not “rise and shine” till around 10 am.  Then we set off for a bit of sightseeing and lunch.  We lunched in St David’s in a pub called the Bishops.  I said I would treat everyone as they had been providing for me throughout the trip.  So I ordered the food and drinks from the barmaid.  After we were sitting down outside waiting for our meal Andy said to me “Well you really upset the barmaid”!  In all innocence I asked how and why?  Andy said he wasn’t sure but I had said something.  Now I wasn’t sure if he was kidding me or not but the others all joined in support of him.  I said I would go and apologise but I couldn't as I didn’t remember which bar maid it was.  Finally Andy came up with the conclusion that I had called her “luv” and apparently Welsh culture does not allow for terms of endearment from men when talking to strange ladies.  I still think I may have been wound up!  

Andy has a new toy, a “selfy stick” that allows him to take numerous pictures of himself.

I try the Selfy Stick for myself!

Ian made sure we visited some wonderful places. This is the Blue Lagoon where Red Bull held a diving competition.

We concluded the day by fly fishing a small still water fishery called Hayscastle.  I suggested making it an international competition with the Welsh team consisting of Ian and Andy and the English team being Rowland and me.  The Welsh lads jumped at it and were soon thrashing the water in bright sunlight and a cool breeze.  It wasn’t long before Andy using an intermediate line and a cats whisker had his first fish.  I tried a damsel nymph (as there were hundreds hatching) and then worked my way through my fly box using floating, intermediate and sinking lines as appropriate all to no avail.  Meanwhile Andy had his second fish and then lost another.  Almost in desperation I put three buzzers (chironomids) spaced at around 3 feet apart under a strike indicator (also called a bung). On the point I had a heavy white headed red buzzer given me by one of my fishing pals in WA, USA.  I cast out and let it settle and bang I had a good fish on.  Ten minutes later, having banked that fish I was into another and a few minutes after sorting that one I was into a third and the English were in the lead!  Rowland and Ian were still struggling to hook up but Andy kept getting takes and pulls but failed to keep the fish on.  When our watches indicated the competition was over Andy, on stripping down his gear discovered that he had been fishing with a cats whisker with a hook that was missing a bend and a point.  NICE ONE ANDY!

Well the four of us don't fish on Sundays, we go to church, and that was a lovely experience too with the friendly congregation at Milford Haven.

Bewl Water: Stocking in progress and the latest fishing report

Last Monday Malcolm and I were struggling to connect with fish in the strong variable winds and then we spotted Vince and Howard in the stocking boat. We had a brief chat with them as they were seeding Rosemary's Lane with 250 blues.  I was impressed that they were actually counting the fish in as they released them.  Needless to say I managed to hook up to a couple in that area after they had settled down. They gave me the arm wrenching response as they took a cats.

 

As we were leaving Vince kindly stopped for a chat and gave me some advice on how to find the fish in Bewl when the wind is up and swinging from all quarters!

 

I will put that in another post as soon as I find time.  Meanwhile here is the latest Bewl Fishing report from Janet.

Strong winds and heavy rain deterred most anglers at the end of last week and the weekend. Those who did brave the elements were rewarded with some good fishing. Rod average for the week was 2.7 and the fish have started to go deeper in the water and have been 4-5 feet down.

1000 blue trout were stocked on Monday and all trout are spread out across the water. Best areas for boats have been Hook Straight, The Nose , Hatheralls and Rosemary Lane.

Best areas for bank fishing are been Ferry Point, Seven Pound Creek, Dunsters and the Oak Trees.

Successful flies haven't changed much again - Cormorants, Boobies, Damsels and green and black flies such as Vivas and Montanas.

LIFE JACKET AMNESTY:

With weekends very busy, we need all the life jackets we have. 40 have gone missing already this season which has added a further £2,500 to the fishery's running costs. Removal of Bewl Water

property from the site should be treated as theft, however we accept that many of these may have been removed accidently and so would ask that you check cars, sheds etc and return any found immediately to the Fishing Lodge as they must be checked before they go back into use.

Water temp. 13.5c water level

Total Contrast at Bewl Water

One of the amazing things about living in the UK with its temperate climate is that the weather can change completely in a short space of time. In my last post I told of the strong winds and heavy rains experienced whilst fishing at Bewl, a week later and it was blue skies, gentle breezes and "sun burn"!  Yes I came away with 5 rainbows and rosy cheeks.

I was boat fishing with my pal Chris who had not fished Bewl before and who casts a modest distance.  In spite of that he had 3 fish on a single cats whisker before I had caught my first fish!  I was fishing a 3 fly team with a booby on the point and a couple of black buzzers on the droppers (known as the "washing line method").  Eventually it dawned on me that the fish were deeper, well below my flies but in range of his cats.  I switched to a lure and caught up with his total.  Then I thought I would experiment a bit so I fished 3 black buzzers approximately a metre apart under a "strike indicator" with the heavier gold headed  buzzer on the point. That technique caught me 2 more fish but both were caught on the point fly. I think the bright sun was keeping the fish deep. When we both left at around 5pm we each had 5 Superb rainbows and a suntan!

Fly Fishing Action at Boringwheel Trout Fishery

A few days ago me and my pal Chris managed to slip away from our voluntary duties at the LDS Temple at Lingfield and visit Boringwheel Trout Fishery.  I had not been there for some 20 years.  It was a dull dreary wet morning (not like the picture below) but during our 3 hours there we both caught a brace of beautiful fish.

 

I pinched the picture and the following blurb from their web site.

Situated in the heart of the Ashdown Forest, just off the A22 at Nutley, this 400-year-old spring-fed lake offers 6 1/2 acres of peace and tranquility for the discerning trout fisherman.

Situated in the heart of the Ashdown Forest, just off the A22 at Nutley, this 400-year-old spring-fed lake offers 6 1/2 acres of peace and tranquility for the discerning trout fisherman.

Boringwheel offers first-class hard-fighting fish on a water that once used to power a mill producing the guns for England's medieval fleet of warships. The lake takes its name from the historic mill, and to the discerning fisherman it's anything but boring!

You can fish from the bank, from the well-maintained wooden fishing stages, or you can use our boats free of charge. Our resources include two holiday cottages, a mini golf course, corporate entertainment facilities, refreshment provisions, and toilet/washroom.

All fish must be taken as Boringwheel does not allow catch and release.

Following the heavy rains the water was a little coloured so we used cats whiskers. The trout were in top fighting form.  We will be back and might see you there!!!

Boat fishing Bewl, last days this year: The where and the how!

Yes the boats come off the water at the end of November but there are still a few days remaining to hook up from a boat.  I went down today and caught 3 beauties, the largest of which I thought was going to disappear over the horizon! It weighed in at 3lb 8 oz and was perfect in every respect.  The where is: around the cages.  The how is: Cats whisker or simillar lure.  It was overcast and calm and the fish were near the top but only showed when they were on the chase.

 Just look at that perfect tail!

The head looks pretty too.

 

I understand that bank fishing will be available right through to February.  You can always check their website (see link at side of page).  Why not join the Bewl Bridge Fly Fishing Club, brilliant value for money and you get the famous magazine with all the marvelous tips.  See the link for that as well.

 

A big thank you to everyone who follows the blog and sends me e mails and comments.

Bewl Water:Temperature dips so change of tactics required!

My friend Rowland and I were fishing Bewl and I thought that the floating booby and hopper techniques of a few days earlier would still work.  However, after an hour on the water drifting over the recent "hot spot" there was no sign of action.  So we motored round to the upwind side of the cages and tied up to a buoy.  We soon noticed that another fly fisher was hitting fish.  Not being proud and wanting to make sure Rowland connected I called across and asked what they were on.  He kindly replied that it was gold head daddies a few feet down. 

I switched immediately and on my third cast was rewarded with a fish.  Then I went on to have some more takes and I got broken and lost my last Daddy.  Rowland kindly gave me one.  I think he gave it, but he might only have lent it!  Anyway I have still got it! 

 

This is the gent who kindly tipped me off as to what to use and how to fish it.  By this time another boat had moved on to a buoy the other side of us and they were immediately into fish. Then a chap with his girl friend turned up.  She must have been very devoted to him because it was quite cool and a bit breezy and bumpy!

 

I came away with four good fish and Rowland had his share.  Back at the car I spoke to the guys from the other boat, one had eight fish using a cats whisker and the other had four.  Thinking back I realised that the fish I had caught had all taken the daddy when I was retrieving quite fast.  I think if you retrieve a daddy fast it tends to look more like a lure imitating fry, so maybe I could have caught simply using lures.

 

A cats whisker fly