See John on Sky Sports' "Tight Lines" show this Friday

I'm really pleased to have been invited back onto Keith Arthur's TV Show "Tight Lines" this coming Friday, 14th October at 7:00pm on Sky Sports 2.

The show gives up to date information on a wide range of fishing issues and every week they have a different studio guest.  I'm expecting to chat about both trout and pike fishing with host Keith Arthur and how best to tackle the remaining weeks of the reservoir trout fishing season.

The show is studio based in the now famous "Fishing Bivvy", but there are also clips of fishing action throughout and reports on the latest techniques, baits and lures to increase your chances of success this weekend.

Gales cause us to be towed off Blagdon!

In all the years that I have fished Blagdon Lake, I have never had to cancel a day due to the winds.  Chew is a different kettle of fish, as it is more exposed and also 3 times the size of Blagdon, so although still rare, it sometimes has to be expected during severe gales.

However, last Thursday, the winds were howling from the West and I was afloat on Blagdon with Dennis and Richard Greener.  We had a couple of trout in the bag, had stopped for lunch and decided to take a chance on the Top End as the wind seemed to have abated.  We anchored in Wood bay and Dennis was soon into a cracking rainbow on a Diawl Bach Nymph. 

The wind got worse and worse and soon our anchor would not hold bottom - even in the relative shelter of Wood Bay.  So we made a hasty decision to motor back to the Dam - we got to Green Lawns and I decided to change to my number 1 battery, which had been fully recharged the previous day.  It was like standing still!  We were motoring at full revs, but the force of the wind even seemed to be pushing us back!  We made our way into Holt Bay and signalled to a passing Bristol Water Ranger that we were in trouble.

Within minutes, out came the Bristol Water Launch and we were duly towed back to the jetties - along with another boat who was also struggling. What an embarrassment!

Apparently, all the pike boats had been recalled at 2:30 that afternoon from Chew Valley and now they were doing the same at Blagdon, so we didn't feel too guilty.

We lost another day this week due to the winds, but the forecasters are predicting better weather for the coming weeks.

For you trout anglers, get along to Blagdon for some truly exceptional fly fishing.  Tactics are either Washing Line with Sparkler Booby and Diawl Bach or Cruncher Nymphs, or just a team of Dries - Hoppers, Bobs Bits and Carrot Flies - Claret and Red being the best colours.

At Chew, the best fishing is still along Woodford Bank away from the weedbeds, but a lot of trout have now migrated to Herons Green and along the Moreton Bank and all across the middle of the lake.

Pikers should be in for a treat next week as the water is cooling fast and the bigger fish should come on the feed.  Watch this space .........