A day of mixed fortunes.

The weather :-

The fishing that week had been bad – the sunny/hot conditions. Everyone expected it to be cloudless and sunny and the fishing hard. How wrong they were.

It started off completely clouded over with a nice gentle cool breeze and ripple. It was good conditions compared to the previous days. Many were glad that they had brought pullovers. However, as the afternoon got underway the clouds dispersed, the sun came out in force, the heat went up, and the fishing deteriorated.

The boat teams :-

Ray Simpson & John Weaver

Ken Williams & Frank Bayley (Ken & Frank retired at 4.00pm to get home)

Roy Palmer & Keith Jones

Allen Dixon & Malcolm Golding

The fishing :-

Allen tried a DI8 line and Malcolm a floater. After Allen caught two and none for Malcolm it appeared that sinking lines were the technique of the day. Every one else quickly discovered this too but not before Keith had caught one on floater, the only such fish of the day.

The boil was going and there was a mass of boats in that area. However, I believe that few fish came out of the boil itself, with most of them coming out in the nearby vicinity. But with that many boats around that area perhaps it is not surprising.

In fact Allen & Malcolm caught all their fish well away from the boil, but deep down and well out from the bank. Perhaps the recent hot weather had pushed them into deeper water.

Lines used varied from intermediates to Hi-Dis but NOT floaters. Flies varied from boobies (John caught 4 fish this way) to small flies (Ray went small and Roy caught 4 on a minkie and 1 on a Dahl Bach). Allen caught 4 on a black boobie and one on a white dropper nymph, Malcolm on an orange boobie. So anything went if you were in the right place at the right time although perhaps small flies had a marginal lead.

Highlights of the day :-

1. Ken – and many others for that matter – lost many fish at the net. Lots of lost fish!
2. John lost a BIG one. It went around the back into the drogue and in spite of Ray’s efforts to free it, it was lost.
3. Frank started the motor and moved off. But his line was slightly in the water. The line caught around the prop which did not stop. It wound off most of his line and, because his rod was laid in the gunwales, his rod started to disappear too. His rod broke although he did manage to save the bottom part and ¾ of his line.
4. Got sun burnt!!!

The weigh-in :-

John Weaver 8 fish 13lbs 12ozs heaviest bag

Ray Simpson 4 11lbs 7ozs heaviest fish 3lbs 8ozs (joint)

Ken Williams 2 5lbs 4ozs

Frank Bayley 0

Roy Palmer 5 11lbs 12ozs heaviest fish 3lbs 8ozs (joint)

Keith Jones 3 8lbs 8ozs one on a floater!!

Allen Dixon 5 10lbs 13ozs

Malcolm Golding 1 2lbs 4ozs