John's Fishing Blog

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.

Blagdon opens in just 11 days time and with the lake overflowing for weeks and the water crystal clear, the early season looks like being superb. Fin perfect rainbow and brown trout are the target for fly anglers from all over the World who make a pilgrimage to World renowned Blagdon Lake.

Why not get your season underway and book a day with me to show you the top areas on Blagdon's 440 acres?  For the last few seasons, floating lines and teams of nymphs have worked really well, both on the drift and at anchor.

Alternatively, if Chew Valley is your preferred venue, you will only have to wait another week until opening day on the 14th March.  Once again, quality rainbows and browns abound in Chew's 1200 acres, but getting the right drifts and areas can be a bit daunting.

If you fancy booking a day on either lake, then simply get in touch via the "contact" area of my website.

Pike on the Fly

Some of you might prefer to target pike on the fly rather than trout.  Chew Valley is without doubt the top pike water in the UK and with at least twenty seven 30lb pike and two over 40lbs coming out in the recent set of pike trials, expectations are high that the pike fly fishing this season will throw up a lot of monster fish - perhaps even a new record!

If you don't have the right gear to tackle these toothy critters, then I can supply top of the range hardy Rods and reels plus all flies for the job; free of charge.