Conditions :-

It was warm sunny day with the breeze (what little there was of it!) from the east. A day that one might expect to be very hard. However, it turned out to be anything but hard although this was partly because of finding a shoal by the inlet dam which turned our fortunes. As someone remarked, ‘ I can see the headlines, Iver empty out Draycote’.

Slow sink or intermediates seemed to be the lines for the day (generally few rises).

The match :-

On advice from the lodge many boats headed for the far easterly bank where, apparently, many fish were coming out. This was true except that the fish were shoaled up, localised near a tree-less part of the bank where there were bank anglers. The bank anglers were having a field day but the boats either side (where the were trees making it inaccessible to bank anglers) were finding it hard. The shoal would not move, as Roy and Bill found out, although the steady occasional fish did come out. Allen caught three there, including the biggest fish of the day (on a booby & HiDi of course!) but by lunch time it was time to move, the fish were staying put by the bank anglers .

So it was over to the far dam where most others were heading. But fishing there was still hard.

Then a quick phone call to partners Ron and Ken changed the day. They were just finishing to bag up and it was only just after lunch. They were by the inlet dam where there was a very large shoal, taking flies just below the surface (Ron caught on dry fly too). There were even lots of rises. An intermediate, or a floating line with a gold head, drawn slowly was catching fish at a rapid rate. Allen and Malcolm (who had 3 & 1 respectively) stepped in as Ron and Ken left and were soon to be joined by Roy and Bill. Roy incidentally had had a good day so far and was not desperate for fish unlike his partner Bill who had not been so lucky. Allen immediately started to catch and soon finished off his limit. Malcolm meanwhile was greedy with his two flies. He had two fish on at the same time and after much hassle (one fish in the net but the hook came out and caught in the net) he finally landed them both. Then he did it again, two fish, except that this time after quite a struggle one came off. However, it was not long before he bagged up too.

Roy had bagged up and partner Bill got stuck in and soon bagged up as well.

So six anglers had bagged up and it was time for them to do the rounds of the reservoir to see how the others were doing. Partners John and Ray had been catching slowly, Ray being on course to limit. However, Brian and Reg were really struggling with only one fish between them. A quick word and they were off to the inlet dam to try there luck. On arrival they immediately started catching and within an hour they were back to the lodge.

What had happened to partners Steve and Mick? I know not but they were the first to finish with the lodge keeper weighing them in. Mick got the heaviest bag of the day. Where did they go and what was their technique? I must find out.

So all were back to the lodge, enjoying ice cream and sitting in the sun - except for John and Ray. Just before finish at 6.00pm John and Ray appeared. Ray had bagged up but John had struggled with only 4 fish. He should have gone to the inlet dam!!!!!

So, although it was very sunny with an slight easterly breeze, everybody (just about) had a good memorable day.