No.1 Wed 8th June

sport we had enjoyed from the Haven House charity match the previous weekend. As often happens, takes came thick and fast at the start of the evening, with many of us returning fish in the hope of getting bigger specimens later. A few were caught on Boobies on the DI7, but the Charley Farley on the Intermediate, fished with the roly-poly, soon came into its own as the method of the evening. Jim moved swims from the Causeway to the South West Bay of No5, and his efforts were rewarded with a couple of good fish to close on 4lbs. Tony got a nice one from No4, where Andrew also got his second keeper. Others found that takes slowed up just as they were looking for one to keep, with John unlucky not to find another 3lb fish to go with the one he took earlier. Doubtless, the fishing will get harder as we move into the height of summer, but for now the reservoirs are really fishing well, to all methods, and the fish are in great condition and fight like demons.

No.2 Wed 15th June

sport, but we had to cope with a fresh South Westerly pushing onto the Causeway of No5. For those who stuck it out, like Billy and Jim, there were good fish to be had, with both of them weighing in three pounders, with others returned. Frank and Dave got some nice fish on nymphs from the North end of the West bank, while Andrew went for the fry feeders off the Houses Bank with a White Zonker (Snake-style). But the most fish were showing in the relatively calm South West Bay where Tony weighed in two great fish taken on a single Cul, with John also catching on washing-line and buzzers. Both reservoirs still have excellent water clarity, and the fish are still in great condition and going really well. Unlike last week, people were careful to retain a few fish in the race for points, but once you’ve worked out a method that will take them, you could be in for lively evening, with catches into double figures.  

No.3 Wed 22nd June

many of these new residents could be seen active all over No5, but especially in the South West Bay and along the Causeway. Overcast conditions and light winds made for excellent fishing on dries, with many fish topping, as well crashing after pin-fry. Dave Garry did well on his Orange Shipmans half way up the West bank, only to be pipped by one ounce by Billy Bridgeworth who found a lot of fish off the Causeway in the North East corner. Surface activity slowed slightly later in the evening as the cloud broke up, which led Andrew to go deeper with a White Minkie in the South West Bay to get a couple of grown-on fish. Tony stuck with his dries however, to get his second right at the death, and now leads the series by four points ahead of Jim Dillon. With this quality of fishing, though, the position could change very quickly. Get it right and you’ll get plenty of fish, it’s more a question of finding the better ones. They are there, though. Matt, fishing his first Wednesday Evening, hooked up with a real lunker, which he was unlucky to lose after a tremendous scrap. 

No.4 Wed 29th June

South West wind and rain approaching. The reservoirs were still fishing well, though, with fish both topping on small stuff and crashing after pinfry, especially in the South West Bay of No5, where most of us concentrated our efforts. John though, searched for a better fish in No4 and was rewarded with a nice 3lbs+ specimen, although he couldn’t find another to match it. Tony Fox used Culs to catch a succession of fish, none of which were sizeable. This was a pattern found by Jim and Andrew, who got better fish on his Charley Farley and Fast Intermediate. Only trouble was, after a couple of takes, a lure’s attractiveness soon wore off and the fly had to be changed to keep the takes coming. Jim was doing well on floater with Diawl Bachs and Blobs, while Billy was also catching on the floater. He was favourite to take the 10pts until Andrew was surprised to find his one decent fish had helped him pip Billy by just a few ounces. With Tony not weighing in, Jim and Andrew are tie for the overall lead with 30pts, ahead of Billy on 28, Tony on 26 and John on 25. We’re only half way through, so this is bound to change. 

No.5 Wed 6th July

a smaller turnout his evening. But any thoughts that there might be some easy points going were soon dispelled when Billy reported blanking on Sunday and Dave Jarvis (not in the competition) told us he’d had a slow day, even though he’d managed a few on dries. It appears the brownish colouration of the reservoirs might have put the fish off, but even so, there were still plenty showing, both topping on midge, and crashing after pin-fry. After one or two refusals, Jim had an early success with his first ever Walthamstow fish caught on a dry, an Orange Cul to be precise, off the West bank of No5, while Billy managed to get another to take a Coral Snake on the Causeway. Jim was soon back to form, though, with a second on the roly-poly to a White lure on an Intermediate. As the only competitor to score in every evening so far, Jim now leads the series with 40 points. Billy, though, is just three points behind him, and with one 1st and three 2nds could be well placed if he is able to get another good score. With three evenings to go, there’s still all to play for.

No.6 Wed 13th July

conditions that hampered sport last week, with plenty of fish seen crashing after pin-fry, but not easy to tempt. Nevertheless, Dave was off to a good start early on the West bank with a fish taken on a Diawl Bach on the washing-line. Billy and Jim, also on the West bank, found the going tough, even on the roly-poly, until Billy, moving further down the bank, managed to get some interest on his favourite ‘Fox Red’ Cul, getting a fish and missing a couple of other takes. With an hour to Billy was able to complete his brace and was looking good for the 10 pts until Dave pipped him in the last five minutes, with another fish, also taken on a Cul, which twice took him down to the backing. It was noted that all the fish caught looked like residents, silvered-up with big tails, if a little on the slim side, so it’s not surprising they are still going like trains. After some consistent performances, Billy has now moved into the overall lead six points ahead of Jim, but with two matches to go, and tricky fishing, nothing is guaranteed.

No.7 Wed 20th July

though this might be starting to clear) we also had tropical temperatures. Even so, there were still plenty of fish crashing after fry and topping on midge, especially in the South West Bay and West Bank of No5. Billy and Dave concentrated on the tactics that brought them success last week, with very little to show for it, while Jim and Andrew also slaved away with very little reward. As the light started to go, though, Andrew had a knock on a Black Charley Farley, then a decent 3lbs+ fish when he changed to a couple of small Diawl Bachs fished on the washing-line. He managed to lose his next fish in the weed, but then got a second with ten minutes to go. With Jim and Andrew on identical scores, and Billy six points ahead, next Wednesday could be interesting. Both Jim or Andrew could tie with Billy for the overall lead if they win this last match, in which case the series would be decided on total weight. But if Billy gets another 10pts then he wins it outright. Given the way it’s fishing though, we could all blank, but that’s how it can be like in the summer.

No.8 Wed 27th July

both reservoirs was starting to clear, even if it was still on the brownish side. With big shoals of pin-fry still evident, fish were seen crashing after these all evening, often just the other side of the marginal weed, with others topping after midge as the light started to go. Tony did well on floating fry on the South West Bay of No5, sportingly returning all his fish as he wasn’t in contention for the top spot. Next to him Andrew lost a reasonable fish on a White Snake Fry pattern, landing a smaller one, while Billy put his weekend reconnaissance to good use, finding that a short-tied Pearly Corixa pattern fished washing-line style with a Fry Booby on the point brought a succession of takes. Keeping a 2-8-0 fish he later wished he had put back, he followed this with a good 3-4-0 specimen, the type he was after, to finish well ahead of John Ferguson, the only other competitor to weigh in a brace. On the West bank Dave had another nice 3lb fish caught on a Diawl Bach, while Jim found it slow after a few early chances. Andrew did get a second fish, but put this back hoping for the bigger one he really needed to catch up Billy, which of course never turned up. Billy added this 1st place to a succession of consistent performances all summer to take the Ken Gunn shield, four points ahead of Andrew, with Jim not far behind. Well done, and thanks to everyone for supporting this event. Regulars are reminded that the reservoir gates now close at 9.00pm, but that it’s well worth staying on for that last hour, as the light goes and fish start to lose some of their natural caution. From what we’ve seen there are plenty of grown-on fish still in both reservoirs, and once temperatures start to drop and the trout get back on the feed, we could be in for some spectacular fishing, and a great Wateraid charity match.

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