guided pike fly fishing

2020 Season one of the best ever - despite the Pandemic

Despite 2020 being such a disastrous year due to Covid 19, once our lakes and rivers reopened following lockdown, the fishing all over the country has been nothing short of sensational!
This applies big time to Chew Valley and Blagdon Lakes, where the trout fly fishing has been sensational.  Countless big rainbows and browns being caught before and after the resumption of fishing, with Blagdon being open for business 7 days a week.
Sadly Chew has been open intermittently due to staffing shortages at Bristol Water, but when it is open,  boat sales hit the roof!
In fact, some trout fisheries have recorded record bookings from June through to the current time. 
Rod Licence sales are up by over 500,000 on last year and fishing tackle companies have made record sales.

Guided Days

My guided days have sadly been reduced to single rod bookings due to social distancing in the boats.  In fact, I did not guide at all for over the first 3 months of the pandemic as my wife is high risk.  Once the lakes reopened, it became clear that John Harris and the staff at Bristol Water were employing strict safety guidelines and to be honest, once out on the water in a boat, things could not be much safer!

We have had some great days on both lakes, with fin perfect trout falling mainly to floating lines and either Dry Fly or Washing Line tactics.

I did not target the pike as much as usual as Chew was closed for a big part of the season, but when I did we boated fish up to 25lbs 12ozs.

River Guiding

Recently I guided Barry Hawyes on the fabled River Test at Leckford - Beat 12 for his surprise 70th Birthday treat.  What a fabulous day!  Barry has fished rivers in New Zealand and caught many specimen browns and rainbows, but he was obviously blown away with the history and beauty of our own premier chalkstream.

Pike Trials

The pike trials on Both Chew and Blagdon have produced huge numbers of smaller pike so far this season, but even so, at least 6 pike over 30lbs have been landed on Chew, and one of these fell to Chris the Ranger on a fly!

If you fancy a guided day on Chew or Blagdon in the coming weeks, please contact me via the Contact Form on the WebSite, or pm me on Facebook.

Daryl Hunter with his 25:04 Blagdon Pike taken on the Fly!
Barry Hawyes on the River Test
John Horsey Fly Fishing

2019 Trout Season starts with a BANG!

 What a great few weeks we have had on Chew Valley & Blagdon Lakes, with immense buzzer hatches and trout gorging themselves and taking imitative nymph patterns.  Although we lost both the Chew and Blagdon opening days due to gale force winds, once the settled weather arrived, the insects hatched in profusion and the trout have been feeding on them ever since!

Both lakes have been producing some stunning fishing, but Blagdon has just had the edge, with some huge buzzers coming off at the Top End of the lake.  I have had plenty of guided days out already and the best bag of 8 trout weighed a massive 32lbs for my guest Jon Walker and that included a 7lb rainbow! 
My first Blagdon fish of the season was an overwintered brown trout of just over 4lbs, which I duly returned.  Some days we have had at least 20 fish each to the boat and every single trout has fallen to floating lines or midge tips with a team of Buzzers and Diawl Bach Nymphs.

The recent colder spell of weather has slowed things down a bit, but the insects are still hatching and the fishing will doubtless improve again as soon as it warms up a bit.  

There have been literally hundreds of Sand martins and House Martins on the water at times feeding on the hatching buzzers, as well as black headed gulls and little gulls feasting on the same tasty morsels.  I also watched an Osprey diving on Chew and people have also spotted it on Blagdon as well.  

Pike on the fly

I haver been out onto Chew a few times for the pike, but have only landed a few jacks so far.  My good friend Enrico Pini had a decent 30 a couple of weeks ago, but sadly the big fish have either been coming off for me or turning away at the boat!
Still, I have seen plenty spawning and this should hopefully be over very soon - if not already.

Guided Days

I have plenty of days available in April, although May and June are already very busy.  Please get in touch if you fancy a day on Chew or Blagdon this season.

 

Jon Walker and his 7lb Blagdon Rainbow
My 4lb Blagdon Brownie
Spoonings from a Blagdon rainbow

2018 FISHING NEWS UPDATE

This is my first post of the 2018 fly fishing season and many apologies for not keeping my Blog up to date during the last year.
I decided to focus more on Social Media during that time but realise that many people still do not use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media apps.  So I will now update my Blog regularly again with the latest fishing news and catches.

Chew Valley Lake - Trout

The trout fishing on Chew Valley Lake has been amazing since opening day in early March.  Hollowbrook has - and still is - holding large numbers of trout due to the massive bloodworm beds and buzzer hatches.  You can catch in the shallow margins using Washing Line tactics with a FAB or Booby on the point and nymphs such as Diawl Bachs, Crunchers or Buzzers on the droppers.  If you drift out into the deeper water - around 10 to 15 feet, then substitute a heavy Buzzer for the point fly and let the flies get right down.  But be warned, these fish are fighting like tigers and strong fluorocarbon such as 8lb or 10lb Rio Fluoroflex is highly recommended.
Herons Green has also been fishing well all season and now Villice Bay is coming alive.

When the winds drop and the air temperatures rise, head over to Stratford bay and Herriots.  These areas hold some of the biggest rainbow and brown trout that I have seen rising on Chew for many years.  Recently, on a flat calm, bright, sunny day, My guest Ron Howard and I spent a day casting at huge rising fish using dries.  The good old Claret Hopper proved to be the top fly and Ron's best fish was a fin perfect, overwintered Brown Trout weighing 5lbs 8ozs.  My best two Rainbows weighed in at 6lbs 4ozs and 6lbs 6ozs.  We also had plenty of other fish to dries that day, plus plenty to nymphs in other areas of the lake.

Blagdon Lake - Trout

Blagdon's Top End has been the best place all season, with boats catching literally hundreds of fish each day at times.  With many people now practicing catch and release, these fish have survived and are now amazingly fit and getting bigger by the day.  The same nymph tactics work here as on Chew and if there are rising fish to be seen, try the dries - Hoppers, Bobs Bits and Carrot Flies.

Butcombe bay started off very slowly this season, but now it is fishing well, as is Cheddar Water and in front of the Lodge at Polish Water.

Why not enter the Blagdon Heat of the Anglers World Individual Championships this coming Sunday 3rd June?  Simply go to: flyfishingchampionships.uk to enter online

Chew Valley - Pike

The pike fishing has been pretty tricky so far this season, but since the warmer weather, they are now beginning to feed properly.  Several 20's and a 32:00 have come out in the past few days, with lots of smaller fish around the 6lbs to 8lbs mark being caught.  Plenty of VERY big fish have also been spotted following the fly and lots are being caught on small flies by trout anglers.
I actually had a 16:04 pike on a size 10 Buzzer last week - hooked fairly and squarely in the mouth!

 

John Horsey with a 6lb 6oz rainbow taken on a size 10 Claret Hopper
Ron Howard's cracking Chew 5lb 8oz brownie taken on a dry
John Horsey with a 6lb 6oz rainbow taken on a size 10 Claret Hopper

Superb early season fishing!

Well what a great start to the 2017 fly fishing season this has been on the Bristol Waters.  Both Chew and Blagdon have been alive with buzzers, making the trout fishing incredible.  People have been using nymphs, small lures and even dries at times when the weather allowed.  And with more mild weather forecast, the prospects look even better for the coming weeks.

Trout

Both boat and bank anglers have been treated to some sensational fly fishing so far this season, with Chew opening for action on 9th march and Blagdon a week later.  Some key hotspots on Chew were behind Denny Island and down in Herons Green Bay - even though neither of those areas were stocked prior to opening day!

The best area at Blagdon was the Top End, although Butcombe was also good at the opposite end of the lake!  Once again, no fish were stocked at the Top End so it just goes to show that these trout will wander to where they find the best feeding areas, regardless of where they are stocked.

Pike

The pike fly fishing on Chew has been pretty difficult so far, but to be fair, there are not many anglers out there chasing them at the moment.  I have had several guided days and have boated a few, but have also had a fair amount of missed chances and some follows from very big fish - so I know it can only improve.

Guided Fly Fishing

Now that the new season is well and truly underway, I have plenty of availability; particularly midweek, during April.  May is already very busy and June is filling fast.
If you would like a guided day on Chew, Blagdon or Litton, then please go to the "Contact" part of this site and let's get a day or two organised!

Charlie Noble & Harvey with his first pike on the fly
Martin Watts on Chew fishing sinking line tactics with great success
John Horsey with a cracking early season Blagdon rainbow from Top End

GREAT NEW SEASON SPORT

What a great start to the 2016 fly fishing season this has been on the Bristol Waters.  Superb quality rainbow and brown trout being taken from all corners of both Chew Valley and Blagdon Lakes on a huge variety of methods.
Although the weather has seen cold winds and many layers of clothing have been required at times to keep warm, the trout have never been very deep and on Chew they are feeding hard on small black buzzer, while on Blagdon they are stuffed with daphnia.

Dry Fly!

Whenever the wind drops on Chew, the fish have risen to hatching buzzer and people were reporting catching on Dry Flies as early as the 18th March - the day after Opening day on Chew Valley!  This is almost unheard of on any of our reservoirs.

Teams of nymphs on Midge Tip lines have been very effective and on the colder, windier days, a DI5 with a bright Blob on the top dropper, a Black Diawl Bach Nymph in the middle and a Black Booby on the point has normally taken plenty of fish.

Buzzers everywhere

Every year the buzzer hatches on Chew seem to get earlier and definitely more prolific.  Black buzzers are already covering the surface of the lake and ducks, gulls, sand martins and swallows are feasting on them - as well as the trout!  Now that the winds have dropped recently, the nymph fishing is really taking off and some quality trout are being caught.

Pike slowly starting to feed again

Fishing for pike on the fly has been slow this season.  We are not sure why this is, but water temperature and possible spawning might be the reasons.  Every year the times that the pike spawn vary, so no-one ever knows how this affects the fishing. 
Thankfully a few have started to feed again as the days have grown longer and warmer - the best two being one of 32lbs and another big double - both taken while trout fishing on a Blob and Booby by the same angler; Dean Kibble from Wales.  Every year Dean catches big pike at this time of the year on small trout flies, so it's no coincidence.

Guided fishing on both lakes

Now that the season is in full swing, I am already heavilly booked for Guided Days, but still have plenty of mid week dates available throughout June and a few remaining in April and May.  The trout fishing should become more "top of the water" in the coming weeks and the pike fishing will become top drawer during may and June.

 

A cracking Blagdon rainbow
Anthony Tabor with a nice Chew Brownie
A nice Chew double taken on the fly

More big Chew fish!

The new Season is now well underway but recently the weather has spoilt the fishing - which up to now has been fantastic.  Strong winds have stopped all boats from going out on both Chew and Blagdon since Saturday, but tomorrow things look set to improve - for a short while at least!

Pike on Fly

My Guest Vern Novy has fished the Pike Trials with lures and deads several times and failed to land a pike.  However, his fortunes changed last Monday when we fly fished on Chew for pike and he first broke his duck with a jack - then followed it up with a PB of 31lbs 8ozs.
That makes it a 40+ and a 30+ to my boat this season - and Chew has only been open for 2 weeks!!!

Trout on Fly

Blagdon has had a slight brown algae bloom, but the fishing has still been good from boat and bank.  The Top End is alive with trout especially around Rugmoor.  Pegs Point and the North Shore has been good from the bank along with Green Lawns.

Chew has been hit badly by the winds recently, but just before they struck, the buzzer hatches were immense.  Trout had started to turn on to the buzzer and the nymphs were beginning to work well.  However, we need a day for the sediment to settle and I am sure the fishing will be just as good.  East Shore turned on big time last week and resident fish could also be taken at Stratford and Herriots.

Lexus European Flyfishing Championships

The first Heats of the Lexus will be held at Rutland Water this Friday (Individual Heat) and Saturday (Team Heat).  Places are still available for each day.

The Chew Individual Heats are next on 18th and 19th April.

Free Time with me on Chew

Bristol Water have arranged their free tuition days with me at Chew Valley Lake again this season and the first day is on Monday 13th April.  To book your slot, just contact the Fishing Lodge on 01275 33233901275 332339.

Vern Novy with his 31:08 Chew Pike
Simon Pledge with a cracking Blagdon rainbow
The 2015 Lexus European Flyfishing Championships

40lb Pike on the Fly!

Both Blagdon and Chew are now open for a new season of fly fishing and what an amzing first 2 weeks it has been!
The trout fishing on Blagdon has been superb, with fish averaging 2:12 and plenty of limit bags being taken from both bank and boat.
The brown trout in Blagdon have been in superb condition and I personally have only used a floatying line for my trips there.

Chew opened last saturday and I fished the boat with Bryan Brown, with both of us taking limit bags from the North Shore area in very cold conditions.  Once again, I used a floating line while Bryan opted for a midge tip.  Both lakes we have found black flies to be the best, although lots have caught using bright flies on sinking lines.

On day 2 at Chew, I was guiding 4 Italians who were filming for Sky Italy and who had fished Chew for pike in the past but without any real success.  A few jacks was their only captures.

Well, all that changed dramatically on saturday at last knockings when Enrico Pini landed a massive 40:08 specimen on a white and red fly from Villice Bay.  What a fish it was and the barbless hook was barely in it's huge mouth and came out with ease once i had her safely in the landing net!  We filmed the whole procedure and then released the trophy fish unharmed back into the lake.

Guided trips

With the weather now warming up nicely, my bookings are pretty heavy for the coming weeks but I still have availability if you fancy targetting some of Chew and Blagdon's quality fish on the fly.

Enrico with his 40:08 Chew pike
Cracking overwintered rainbow
Lovely Chew brownie for Glade Gunther

Blog Archive

December 2016

January 2016

December 2015

April 2015

August 2014

December 2013

September 2013

February 2012