Whitebridges Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 (edited) We got away at a nice time, it took about an hour and 20 minutes to get to Grafham. We pulled up in the car park and horses were coming off the top in a stiff 20mph nor-wester. A quick visit to to lodge to pay for the boat and our tickets and we were tackling up and watching the other boats going over to the far side. It was lumpy and they were getting wet. I hoped I could get away with a floating line and buzzers where it was sheltered. I put on 20ft of leader and one dropper with a black carp hook buzzer on the point and an olive green epoxy buzzer on the dropper. Craig decided on a two dropper set up with a heavy buzzer on the point and two diawl bachs. We hoped we might catch on immatitive patterns rather than have to resort to fluff chucking and the rolly polly. We loaded the boat, donned the lifejackets and headed straight over in to the wind for Hedge End. There was a fair bit coming in the front, but we'd dry out quickly enough once we we over the other side. We joined three boats about 60 yards from the bank, set the anchor and we were ready to start. Craig peeled his line bit by bit, made a couple of false casts and dropped everything in a nice straight line. WAM! He was in first chuck, jammy beggar a rainbow of about 2lb had taken his middle dropper. After a spirited fight our first fish was in the bag. We spooned the fish and it was stuffed with daphnia with a smattering of small olive buzzers. It was an hour before we got the next fish which took my carp hook buzzer, after a cracking scrap with a few spectacular leaps, I netted an over-wintered fish of about 4lbs. We moved to Pig Bay where there were several other boats and decided to dry some shallower water, as it was nearing mid day and there was a chance of a hatch. The fish were taking our flies on the drop and we were now getting them on smaller sizes 14's and 16's. closer to the surface but not on top. We have always done well off the G buoy early season and moved round there mid afternoon. I had a fish first cast and we caught steadily, with several missed pulls. We finished with 6 fish each with several in the three and a half pound bracket, all caught on nymphs and a floating line. I've prepared mine and they are now soaking in brine and a little whisky ready for the smoker. The best of the buzzer fishing is yet to come, and i'm already looking forward to the next trip. Cheers all. Edited April 19, 2009 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Nice going! That brine/whiskey preparation sounds good for the smoker too. Must try that... A shame you didn't say you were coming out that way... I am just down the road from Grafham and you could have had a cuppa before heading home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Well done W, nice write up too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) Nice going! That brine/whiskey preparation sounds good for the smoker too. Must try that... A shame you didn't say you were coming out that way... I am just down the road from Grafham and you could have had a cuppa before heading home! Thanks for the kind offer, just a splash of whisky helps with the flavour. I'll put them in after work today. Have you been catching? Edited April 20, 2009 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Well done W, nice write up too Cheers Stuart, have you been out much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Nice write up I work about 4 miles from Grafham as it happens. ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Not been out yet this year unfortunately and my fly fishing gear is somewhere in a box in my garage... Given that it has taken over four months to find my GPS (yes, I know the irony behind that statement), it could be the autumn before I find all my flies and the reel. I think I know where the rod is though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 (edited) Not been out yet this year unfortunately and my fly fishing gear is somewhere in a box in my garage... Given that it has taken over four months to find my GPS (yes, I know the irony behind that statement), it could be the autumn before I find all my flies and the reel. I think I know where the rod is though... Lol re GPS, you should have set a way point where you last left it! Dig the stuff out mate, it's been fishing pretty well. Just got 'em ready for smukun'! Should be about right in 12 hours. Booger it i'll have to get up in the mornun'. Edited April 20, 2009 by Whitebridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Nice write up I work about 4 miles from Grafham as it happens. ZB Cheers Zapp Lucky you. Do you go trouting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantidgwell Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 big water that is ! not too many big waters that close to me norfolk got some great fishing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 big water that is ! not too many big waters that close to me norfolk got some great fishing Grafham is in Cambridgeshire. Norfolk has several big waters RT and has fantastic fishing but no reservoirs stocked with trout. Hickling and Barton are among the largest but they hold coarse fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantidgwell Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 hmm you dont got a postcode for that grafam have you by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantidgwell Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 nvm found the place only a couple of hours drive down there .. is this the place Matt Hayes on tv was fishing for Pike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Lucky you. Do you go trouting? No, never been fly fishing in my life, though I used to coarse fish. ZB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Cheers Stuart, have you been out much? Hardly at all, I had a couple of disapointing trips to small stillwaters earlier in the year, and then a couple of better ones (somewhere else) I have been getting the house fixed up so I can spend more time doing what I should be doing with my spare time We are off to Devon for a quick weekend fish next month, and then back to Croatia for a week in May, but other than that, and as the saying goes 'I need to get out more' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted April 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Hardly at all, I had a couple of disapointing trips to small stillwaters earlier in the year, and then a couple of better ones (somewhere else) I have been getting the house fixed up so I can spend more time doing what I should be doing with my spare time We are off to Devon for a quick weekend fish next month, and then back to Croatia for a week in May, but other than that, and as the saying goes 'I need to get out more' Sorry to hear you are a bit "stuffed up" Stu , we all go through domestics. Anyway you are hatching plans that sound terrific. Good luck. From those venues it sounds as though you are more of a river man. I'm a river man but enjoy a day on open water after piggy trout lard assing it in a boat. The smoke was successful. The more you do it the more you learn. With fish you need to get a lot of the moisture out of the fish. Getting the brine (salt and sugar) mix right is critical. The fillets need to rest and the dampness wiped away. You need to get sheen/glaze before they are ready to go in and the flesh should feel firm. In my experience trout is one of the hardest fish to smoke properly and I had a few disasters. Just thought i'd pass this on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyduck Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 (edited) it wasn't you that parked yourself right in the middle of our race course on Sunday was it Good catch though! I noticed lots of fish being landed, don't normally see that Edited April 21, 2009 by hairyduck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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