Nice bag from Arlington Reservoir

Had a free day yesterday so decided to visit Arlington reservoir. I splashed out on a 8 fish ticket and a boat with a motor which turned out to be well worthwhile. It was a fine and mostly sunny day with a fresh southerly blowing across the lake. It took me about 2 hours drifting and cruising around to locate my first trout. The battery was then starting to lose power so decided, best to get back to the fishing hut for lunch and a fresh battery. These electric engines are nice and quiet and better for stealth but don’t last long when exploring a reservoir like Arlington in search of fish. After a lunch I set off Again and with no takes or fish rising I put on a fast sinking line and a weighted Minky. I cast out and let the whole fly line sink and started to row around the the middle section of the lake close to where I took my first fish. With the reel resting behind the boat seat and the drag set I was able to control the speed and depth of the fly by slowing and speeding up my rowing. This also saves the life of the battery, keeps you warm and is good for ones health (so they say). It wasn’t too long before the rod jerked forward and line started tearing off the reel and I was into my 2nd rainbow. Bingo I’d found a shoal of fish and by rowing around the same area I was lucky to get my limit. It wasn’t  that easy though. It took 8 hours to catch 8 trout when many anglers blanked that day so I was ecstatic.

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Fly fishing Sussex. The picture says it all.

ImageThis lovely evening was captured by local photographer Clair Peters. She was like me taking advantage of one of Shoreham’s fabulous sunsets. Except I was after the mullet. You can just see them moving just over 2 rods lengths out. Although I was fishing amongst maybe a dozen fish I had a few takes but never managed to connect with a fish. None the less it’s always very exciting when site fishing for mullet. Many thanks Claire.

Carp On the fly Jenny’s Lake

Another day out with the Fly Dressers Guild (Sussex Branch) This time at Jenny’s lake, Newdigate. It was a fine day and most anglers seemed to kick off the day with a fish almost straight away. Then the carp seemed to wise up to our biscuit flies and things went quiet until after lunch when they came on the feed again. I had to leave at 4.30 but managed 5 fish for the day and glad to say the 2 biggest a 9 and a 10 pounder fell to my own tied black beetle flies. Again, the afternoon into the evening seemed to be the most productive.