It's been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted the returns, so here goes.
For w.e. 29th May, 34 people fished with a catch of 90 fish. This works out at rate of nearly 3 a trip and this includes 8 nils.
A fresh stocking of 100 fish went in on Friday, 30th May. Usual excellent quality, but unfortunately only 12 inch fish instead of our usual 13+. Problems with the supplier not being able to feed in the stew ponds because of the mixed weather, and hence not growing on as quickly as they should.
W.e. 5th June - well everybody seems to have taken advantage of the fresh stocking (probably livened up the residents as well). 58 fished with a return of 245 fish giving a rod average of over 4 and only 3 nil returns.
Fish have been caught on a variety of flies, with no particular pattern to give you any advice.
Daytime fishing has been good for me with a variety of dries off the wind bank. The sheep seemed to be stirring up the alders which were in the grass and getting blown on. Now there is one for you - it is often said that fish don't take the adult alder!!! Try a bushy dry or sedge imitation. And here is another one - fish don't take adult damsels. Just wait and see. There a few about and if the weather returns to a bit warmer then you should see them going out over the water as mating pairs and the fish going berserk - following them under the surface and then leaping out of the water, sometimes bombing them.
Evening fishing has now come to inevitable - caenis. Everbody knows these even if it's only to curse them getting into your eyes, ears, you name it! Well at least you know what the fish are feeding on. I try small nymphs at the start of the rise swapping to emergers and dries and then back again, and back again, and back again, ditto. It's not easy, but keep trying. One trick is to cast right on the fish's nose and then lift the rod tip to pull the fly quickly in front of it - sometimes works!
The long dry spell has seen the water level drop. As you will have noticed we have blocked up the causeway again to try and retain as much water in the big pond as possible. Unfortunately with the lower water levels and recent warm spell the weed has gone mad. Treating it in these conditions can be a bit iffy - the last thing we want to see is the water getting de-oxygenated and fish suffering.
Don't forget the open day on Sunday.
Tight lines.
Dave the treasurer.
