ESTHWAITE WATER TROUT FISHERY REPORT – 2/5/12

Despite the continuous unsettled weather patterns from the North East, keeping the temperatures down, the fishery has been on top form once again and the imitative fishing has been superb with fish very much up in the water. Although hatches have been restricted good numbers of buzzer, olives and alders have been coming off the water keeping the fish near the surface and feeding with gusto!

Being regular visitors to the fishery the season ticket rods have been having a ball. Over 3 visits Richard Maddox from Barrow in Furness has landed 41 trout on fly from the boats. Richard opted to fish an intermediate line and damsels to take his huge haul of fish, which was topped by his personal best rainbow of 11lb 12oz (see attached photo).

Jim Miller, another season rod from nearby Keswick has taken 28 trout over 3 visits on similar tactics. Meanwhile John Gardner from Morecambe has caught 24 trout over 2 visits. John also employed an intermediate with cats whisker and damsel combos’.

Also doing well on the fly Stephen Emerson and Tony Averill from Kelso landed 20+ rainbows and browns fishing buzzer and Montana on a floating line from the boats.

John Battersby from Freckleton fished from the boats and landed 8 trout to 2lb+ on the fly. Meanwhile Bob Swann fished dabblers on a fast glass intermediate and took 12 rainbows.

Hawkshead Angling Club member Thomas Morris from Whithaven fished a washing line set up on a floating line with a midge tip and took 16 rainbows to 2lb 8oz. Buzzer was the killing pattern fished from the boats!

Any method anglers are also doing well from the boats and the bank and Matt Hunt aged 9 from Warrington took a fabulous rainbow of 12lb 10oz from the South basin on spinner, while fishing with his dad Dave, well done son! (see attached photo)

Heat 2 of the 2012 Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery Open Pairs competition was contested last weekend and qualifying for the final was the top 2 pairs. In second place Barry Brookes and Paul Bland weighed in 12 trout for 16lb including time bonus. Meanwhile in first place Ernie Craster and Peter Crowe weighed in 12 trout for 16lb 5oz, in what was to prove a very close heat indeed. The next heat of this great competition will take place on Saturday 12^th May. Please contact the fishery to book your place!

The Esthwaite Water 2012 Tackle Shop Challenge match was contested last week. Six tackle shops from the North West area competed in this light hearted competition and the winners once again for the second year running were The Northwest Angling Centre in Wigan. Proprietor Dave Hunt and angling partner Scott Graham weighed in a brace of fish weighing 8lb 10oz. Well done to those two, obviously an effective partnership!

Anyone wishing to fish the Esthwaite Water Individual Competition to be contested on Sunday 20^th May should contact the fishery immediately for registration. This new boat fly competition will be a friendly individuals competition and will be fished to Esthwaite Water competition rules. There are some great prizes up for grabs in what promises to be a fantastic new loch style comp’. Entry fee is £32.50 per person and boat allocation will take place on the day. Anyone is welcome!

The next discounted tuition day will take place on Sunday 13^th May, there are still places left for this event, so please contact the fishery A.S.A.P if you would like to learn to fly fish or just brush up on your existing technique and the cost is £10 per person!

Best Regards

David Coleman M.I.F.M

FISHERY MANAGER