Chew overflowing in July!!!!

It's now the 8th July - mid Summer - and Chew Valley Lake is completely full, overflowing, with plenty of extra water still gushing in from the Nature reserve at Herriots.

I drove over to the lake today and photograghed both sides of the equation - dirty water pouring in and amazing amounts flowing out - more like a waterfall than a spillway!

It's hard to believe that just a few short weeks ago, we were in the midst of a drought and a hosepipe ban.

Blagdon Lake is also overflowing and I cannot find anyone who works for Bristol Water that has ever witnessed such high water levels at this time of the year.  I actually think that conditions are more akin to early April rather than early July.  The trout are feeding on bottom dwelling insects such as shrimp, hoglice and bloodworm - frequently close to the shorelines.  However, in the evenings they come up and sometimes feed on buzzer or sedge, the latter being very unusual.

Yet in the daytime, most fish are caught close to the surface using nymphs, blobs and boobies using floating or intermediate lines.

Whenever the winds are light, the fishing is superb, particularly in the corners of the dam, off Stratford and Moreton Banks, all across Herriots and off the reeds near Wick Green.