Saturday 28 January 2017

BFFA Competition at Burrator Saturday 28th January 2017

Seven members met at the parking area at Longstone to start fishing at 10am.  The weather was calm, the air cold at 8C with a Southwest breeze forecast for later in the morning.  I took the water temperature which was a very cold 4C.  I understand that rainbow trout have one of the broadest temperature ranges through which they will continue to feed.  Unfortunately for us at Burrator that range is about 6C to  21C which seemed to show that today we would be struggling even if the rainbows were right in front of us!

The breeze from the southwest picked up as forecast and that makes casting on the south side of Longstone Peninsula difficult if you are right handed.  Some of our members moved around to the more sheltered side but their efforts went unrewarded.  By 2pm we had landed nothing although Kenisha had contacted a trout that came off.  Although we all tried every method the day ended with a resounding 7 blanks and no winner.

I fished on here on Monday  23rd January and since then the water level had risen a little.
See here - https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/reservoirlevels
On the same date in 2016 Burrator was 100% full so there is a lot of water needed to reach that level.

Mark fishing towards the point at Longstone

Short lived excitement as Kenisha snags the bottom




Kenisha & Mark wait for the Kelly Kettle

Mark & Tony
Tony fishing beside the fence



Mark at Longstone with the Discovery Centre beyond

Sunshine & showers as Kenisha & Pete fish Longstone

Tuesday 24 January 2017

A still day at Burrator - 23rd January 2017

As usual first stop was at the dam to check water levels and I was surprised to see it was almost as low as back in the summer.  The South West Water website is showing 54% full (about 48% at the lowest level last year) which indicates how dry the weather has been.

Around at Longstone Peninsula  I spent a while casting various flies near the point.  I didn't have a touch there so moved farther into the bay for a Kelly Kettle brew.

By then it was early afternoon and I tried in front of the ruined manor house.  I had one pull followed a little later with a rainbow of 1lb 12oz on the bank.  Both times I was using a sinking line and a single orange booby, letting it sink to the bottom before slowly retrieving.  The air temperature was 8C but the water was a very chilly 4-5C.  I was glad of my thermals under my new zippy waders!

Flat calm conditions
The Kelly Kettle again


Thursday 19 January 2017

BFFA Competition at Newhouse Fishery 18th January 2017

The club's first competition of 2017 was held at Newhouse Fishery at Gara Bridge near Loddiswell in South Devon.  The day was quite cold under a clear blue sky when we started at 10am with an air temperature of 7C which was the same as the water temperature.  A light easterly breeze picked up later bringing a small ripple to the water surface.  Four BFFA members fished the two ponds and we mostly opted for sinking lines.

First into a trout was Pete who landed one of about two and a quarter pounds.  The fishing hut beside the bigger lake provided welcome shelter to have lunch.  The sun hardly got over the tops of the trees but in the afternoon everyone except me landed their 3 fish limit!  At the weigh-in at 3.30pm Bob had landed the biggest rainbow at 3lb 3oz  and was declared the winner.

The owner had visited us in the fishing hut at lunchtime and as the only trout by then was Pete's,  he generously suggested we could try casting in the beginners pond (or as someone put it - the baby pond!).  As most of us had a limit by the end of the competition the offer was not taken up.

Final results were:  Bob - 3 fish - 3lb 3oz, 1lb 13oz & 1lb 3oz.  Kelvin - 3 fish - 2lb 0oz, 1lb 10oz & 1lb 3oz,  Pete 3 fish - 2lb 3oz, 1lb 10oz & 1lb 7oz, Tony - 1 fish at 1lb 6oz.

The valley was calm when we arrived

Bob casting into the Main Lake

Pete landing one from the Middle Lake

In the net!

Tony, Bob & Pete on the Middle Lake and Kelvin fishing the Main Lake
Kelvin fishing the Main Lake from the platform by the fishing hut