guided 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

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

The New Season beckons .....

Well it had to happen; a long, dry, wind free and generally mild Winter - then just as the Lake is due to reopen for Pike Fishing - WHAM!  Gale force winds and driving rain are forecast for the West Country, driving right across Chew Valley Lake and causing the cancellation of the 1st two days of the 2017 Pike Trials on Thursday and Friday!
Don't get me wrong, we desperately need lots of rain to fill both Chew and Blagdon, but why did the winds have to pick up to ruin the start of another Pike Trials Session?  Exactly the same happened last year and another Opening Day was lost.

Still, if the forecasters are right, then the worst of it should have passed by Saturday and the boats should be let out to sample the best pike fishing in Europe - if not the World!

I am doing 10 days for Bristol Water as their official Pike Guide and there are still 2 days free in November - simply ring Bristol Water Fisheries at Woodford Lodge, Chew on 01275 332339 to book a day for 1 or 2 rods (the price is the same).

Guided Trout Fishing for 2017

This will be my 23rd year as a Professional Fishing Guide and hopes are high for a great season on the Bristol Waters.  Early season until July last year saw both Chew and Blagdon enjoy amazing trout fishing.  Huge hatches of buzzer brought fish to the surface as early as Opening Day and nymph fishing became the norm throughout March and April. 

Then once the warm weather came, massive hatches of damsel flies drove the trout into a frenzy - particularly on Blagdon.  In all my years fishing the Bristol Waters, I have never witnessed the trout feed so voraciously on damsels - and the fishing with washing line tactics or dries - was electric!

This year Chew opens first on 9th March and Blagdon opens a week later on the 16th March.  The lakes are currently lower than would be hoped, with Chew at 68% and Blagdon just 56% of capacity.  However, this rain will certainly push both lakes up a bit and that will be a good thing.

I can provide the latest Hardy Rods and Reels plus any other tackle if necessary.  Comfortable boat seats come as standard in my boat and all you need to bring is a packed lunch and some drinks!

Litton is also a great place for tuition or Corporate Days and where else in the country can you get not 1, but 2 lakes exclusively to yourself?

Guided Pike Fishing

Pike on the fly is a fantastic way to target Chew's mammoth fish and unlike the Pike Trials, where getting a boat is like rocking horse manure, access on the fly is available throughout the season.  Also, unlike using treble hooks, a single debarbed pike fly is really unintrusive as regards capture.  So there is far less chance of damaging the pike and due to the nature of the weather conditions here in the West Country, the oxygen levels rarely deplete, meaning that the pike are fighting fit throughout the Summer months.

I can supply top of the range Hardy rods and reels plus all terminal tackle, flies, nets and crash mats to target these amazing creatures.

So why not book a day with me in 2017?  Simply go to "Contact" and I will be in touch.

 

Chew Spillway showing the low water levels
Nice silver early season Blagdon rainbow
A Chew Summer pike on the fly

John Horsey Gift Vouchers

Only 19 days until Christmas, so why not treat someone special to a day's Guided Fly Fishing with the UK's best known Professional Fly Fishing Guide, by giving a "John Horsey Gift Voucher".

John has 23 years guiding experience and can be booked for a "One to One" guided fly fishing day from a boat on beautiful Chew Valley or Blagdon Lakes.

Alternatively, maybe you would prefer a day for 2 anglers, where regular friends or boat partners both get to benefit from John's vast experience.

Casting Lessons

John also gives casting tuition during the months of November through until March.

A 1 hour casting lesson costs just £30 per person and John provides all rods, reels, lines and terminal tackle.

John Horsey Casting Gift Vouchers are also available for Christmas and other special occasions.

 

John Horsey Fly Fishing
John Horsey Fly Fishing
John Horsey Fly Fishing

The season so far ......

Its amazing to think that we are already into August and another season is flying by!  Apart from a week or so of scorching hot weather, this has been a cool Summer with plenty of rain and even more wind!!  As I write this blog the rain is pouring down outside but that does have the helpful effect of cooling down the water temperatures on our lakes and reservoirs - as I'm out on Chew for pike on the fly for the next 2 days, this will be very welcome indeed.

Trout

The trout fishing on Blagdon in recent weeks has been incredible.  First with grown on rainbows and browns feeding on damsels, migrating leeches and corixa at the Top End, then to deep fished nymphs and boobies at the Dam where the fish fought like fury!  Barry Hawyes and I had a great couple of days boating fish after fish, with Barry taking browns to over 5lbs and rainbows over 4lbs.

Chew has been harder of late, but a month ago everyone was heading to Stratford and Herriots where overwintered trout were feeding amongst the weed on bloodworm and corixa.  There were some monsters to be caught but the weed growth and increase in water temperatures stopped this for a while.

Pike

Pike have been feeding during the cooler days and some cracking fish have fallen to the fly this season.  One of my regular clients ian Gregg had a superb 36-04 pike using a tiny baitfish pattern at Stratford, and there have been a couple more over 30lbs and plenty over 20lbs.
My season so far has been fine as regards numbers, but high doubles have been my best to the boat, although we have lost some bigger fish which we could not hold!
As the water cools, I reckon things will pick up and more of the big girls will begin to show.

Barry Hawyes with his amazing 5lb 2oz Blagdon Brown trout
John Horsey with a superbly conditioned Blagdon rainbow
Ian Gregg's 36lb monster from Chew on a fly

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

2016 Season looming

Not long now before the new fly fishing season begins on our reservoirs.
Blagdon Lake opens for business on 10th March, while Chew Valley opens a week later on Thursday 17th March 2016.

The Winter so far has been mild, wet and windy - although we have had nowhere near the huge amounts of rain experienced in the North of England, Scotland and Ireland.  In fact, neither Chew Valley or Blagdon are overflowing yet, but they are only a couple of feet below top water so we expect them to be full within a few weeks and certainly before Opening Days.

Book now for Guided Days

I am now actively taking bookings for Guided Days in 2016 on both Chew Valley and Blagdon Lakes.  Fish for quality Brown and Rainbow Trout on either lake and of course there is the opportunity to target massive pike on the fly at Chew. 

If you fancy a lake to yourself, then why not try Litton Lakes with me from a boat.  It is possible to have not one, but both lakes to yourself for the day, along with exclusive use of the Fishing Lodge where we can barbecue lunch in a truly peaceful environment.

Just drop me an email on my "Contact" page and we can get a day or two arranged for the coming season.

Chew Spillway
Herriots Bridge
Enrico Pini and I with his 40:08 fly caught Chew pike last March

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