Burrator Fly Fishers Competition & BBQ 13 August 2016

There was quite a good turn out of nine members to fish a competition at Burrator.  We followed the afternoon weigh-in at Longstone with another BBQ.

The competition started at 10am and although not cold at 16C it was very overcast and murky with a light breeze from the southwest.  I took the water temperature which was 18C.  Through the morning we were treated to occasional drizzle and low cloud.  There was little fly life coming off the water and very few trout moving.  By lunchtime the weather began to improve and when we assembled at Longstone for the weigh-in the sun was breaking through.  The total catch was very disappointing with just one blue trout of around 1.25lb landed by Bob Eccles.  I understand that one or two members had contacted fish but didn't get them to the net.  Bob Prout had been all the way up the shore on the east side of the reservoir but did not contact anything.  At least it was an easy walk as Burrator is only 50% full.  We extended an invitation to SW Lakes Trust staff and Mark came around to check permits and see what was being caught but could not stay for the BBQ as he had to go back to Kennick.

The BBQ was lit after the weigh-in and we were joined by four of our ladies and our 5 year old grandaughter, Lily-Rose.  Mark Garbutt was disappointed to have to leave before the BBQ was underway.  Neil from SW Lakes Trust had let us have a bag of the Burrator Discovery Centre produced charcoal and I used it to cook the burgers & bangers.  Very good charcoal, by the way!  I had to apologise to the gathering for the shortage of onions as I made a schoolboy error (or was it an age related error!) and turned the gas cooker on full instead of off.  Some of the onions became welded to the bottom of the pan which reminded me of a few of my teenage camping trips when cooking over open fires!  I need not really say that it took some time to restore the pan to its former state! 

Bob & Jenny's very well behaved Spaniel, Ziggy did his best to ignore the smell of sausages & burgers all evening and was rewarded with one of Tesco's Finest sausages. Another enjoyable day at Burrator despite the lack of trout.

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Low cloud & drizzle greeted members at the start

A bit of free advertising for the Snowbee Lightweight jacket!

BFFA members at Longstone

MikeD at Longstone Point

BobE at Longstone

Pat in one of his favourite spots at Longstone

TonyH trying farther along the east shore

The weather cleared up after the weigh-in

13 of us enjoyed the BBQ along with Ziggy the Spaniel

And finally my Kelly Kettles provide the tea and coffee

Burrator Fly Fishers Competition 30 July 2016

Six BFFA members met at Longstone for the July competition.  There has been low rainfall during July and the reservoir levels reflect that.  I took the water temperature at Longstone - 18C - and at the boat pontoon - 20C - so very warm.  A widely held belief in the US is that with a water temperature at and above 20C it is time to pack up!

At first there was a breeze blowing across the reservoir from the west which gradually became more northerly.  No rain was forecast and around lunchtime it quite suddenly became warmer.  Anyway, at the 10am start BobP decided to start fishing near the Discovery Centre on the west shore where he lost one trout  before returning to Longstone where he did land one 1.25lb rainbow.  Personally, I did not have a single 'touch' all day.  After the weigh-in at 3pm where Bob's was the only fish, I tried over the other side of Burrator at the boat pontoon and below the Discovery Centre without contacting anything at all.

The water level is quite low

View from the Sheepstor Dam

Linda fishing at Longstone

Tony & Mark waiting for the Kelly Kettle

Just boiled

We mostly fished towards the end of Longstone Point

I later fished at the boat pontoon