APRIL LAKES REPORT

Hello fellow game fishers,

 

April heralds the beginning of the fly-fishing season for our rivers. It is a time of increasing fly life and provides both interest and pleasure in predicting what flies we should use. Matching the hatch is a fascinating part of our game fishing whether we are successful or not!

 

Rawlsbury

 

The wet March has prevented us from restocking Cowleaze however, apart from that all lakes are fishing well and providing some cracking fish. A number of you have mentioned the hatch of Alder flies this year, particularly on Chapmans. Last time I was there even though there appeared to be only a few rises I found that using a dry spider or similar drawn across the surface in quite jerky movements created some slashing takes.

 

 

Winterborne Zelston

 

A number of us attended the work party last Friday and I must thank all the volunteers for their hard work. A large amount of marginal weed was extracted, the grass was mowed and edges strimmed. The whole place is really looking in fine fettle and with the water so crystal clear it really is a superb venue.

 

 

 

Whilst there Colin tested the water which provided us with a good overall result, as follows:-

 

 

PH test for acid/alkalinity  7.8 marginally higher ( slightly alkaline) than previous years but still normal for  WZ.

Nitrate NO3   13ppm  Normal for spring test. Fractionally high.  As this is always higher than Autumn.  Agriculture etc.

Nitrite  NO2    Normal 0.5pm

Ammonia NH3      0.2ppm     Normal but still in there. This could be a by- product of Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer but remains a slight mystery.

KH Buffer test. 7 drops perfect.  The test used to demonstrate 'water fitness’ The ability to buffer dissolved acids in solution is a big feature of Zelston and a safeguard against potential hazardous decaying and decomposing acids as a result of bacterial action. The chief cause of poor water quality and sludge from algal blooms.

 

Please find some of your reports for the month below:-

 

• Had a fantastic couple of hours today on Zelston had two fish 4lb and 3.5 lb one on a bloodworm nymph and the other on a what I can only describe as a rabbits foot! The bloodworm nymph was taken earlier by a nice brownie.

 

• 2 nice fish 4 lbs and 3 ¾. Same detail: buzzer four feet down. Lovely fish, fought really well.

 

• I took Jack and a friend of his to Rawlsbury yesterday. Frosty start soon warmed to a very pleasant day, with light winds and occasional sun. Knowing the lakes hadn't been stocked since the opening day we were looking forward to a challenge and as usual were not disappointed. First hour or so on Chapmans with no luck worried us slightly but moving to Cowleaze allowed Jack to fish his favourite spot and relatively quickly caught his two of 4lbs 12 and 3lbs 13. Rory and I continued to fish as Jack tried Sandys all with no luck. Following a bite to eat and back on Chapmans Rory caught and landed the first fish he has ever managed on his own and got a lovely 4lbs 10 which dragged him all over the place in his desperation not to put too much pressure on it. Funnily enough Jack hooked at the same time and he landed a 2lbs 12, which we marked as my first. As Jack and Rory weighed their fish I caught my second of 4lbs. Shortly after their return Rory caught and landed his second of exactly 3lbs. All were taken on gold heads, mostly very plain of pink or green. A couple were taken on a red zebra midge pattern. We tried Sandys where like last month I used a basic gold head on a very slow retrieve and managed two very nice browns of between 3 and 4 lbs.

 

• 2 nice fish. 4 ½ and 3 lbs + Both on the little drab buzzer, fishing the downwind side.

off, he changed to a silver flashy thing and actually managed to hook the large pike. Only for about 20 seconds though before it managed to spit him out.

 

• caught relatively easily a 2 14 and 3 5. Another great few hours on a great lake.

 

• My guest Tony Wells and I had a very enjoyable visit to Chapmans. There was a strong Easterly wind making casting from the far bank tricky but the fish seemed concentrated in

the upper section by the field gate., which was the windward end.

 

• 5 Rainbows between us at 5 1/2, 4.2,4, 3 1/2 and 2 1/2. 4 on blue flash damsel and 1 on a nymph. As usual the fish are in excellent condition and fought like tigers.

There were a few rises and Alder fly about which suggests a dry Alder might work later on.

 

• I had my first trip to WZ on Thursday, taking a long-standing friend as a guest. The weather was utterly foul ! Driving heavy rain & cold wind. It made no difference to us as we both REALLY loved the fishery ! I was struck by the gorgeous gin-clarity of the water.....it it spring fed ?? Oddly, never saw a cruising fish all afternoon (1400 to 1700 fished), but they were head & tailing at buzzers all through the heavy rain and it was brilliant fun enticing them in the top 6'' on size 10 red buzzers amongst the ripple. I have had hundreds of trout on the fly & was pleasantly amazed at how those fish fought! They simply did not give up & one fit fish actually took line down to the backing .....fabulous fun. I took rainbows of 4lbs 6oz & 4lbs 10oz on buzzers & my friend had them to 4lbs 4oz & 4lbs 8oz...also on red buzzers.

 

Wimborne and District Angling Club Game Fishing Open day Saturday 13th May 2023.

 

The first two sessions are now fully booked. There are 6 spaces left in the afternoon so if you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible.

Enjoy your fishing,

 

 

Tight lines,

 

Paul

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