Trout Fishing to Beat Those Winter Blues

With Christmas upon us, time to go fishing can be limited, add to that the very short days and a few hours is all most people can manage. Fly fishing on my club lake is a quick fix for me at this time of year, travelling light with one rod, tactics are a slow intermediate line, an 8lb fluorocarbon leader and a single lure.

I had tied some 3’’ snakes which I was keen to use, these lures seemed to be doing the business on other small lakes, tied with olive rabbits fur, the brilliant action of these flies would surely be irresistible to any hungry trout.

I arrived at the water around 11am, the day being one of those rare winter days with no wind and a bright sky. After only two casts a trout hit my lure, playing these winter trout on a light 5# rod is very enjoyable and the fish was netted and returned to the water in tip top condition. Moving around the lake produced another six rainbows plus a small brown trout. Great quick fix fishing!

Below is a list of good trout fishing venues that are open this winter. Get out there and give it a go! 

Cameley Trout Lakes BS39 5QA, Burton Springs Fishery TA51QB, Jacklands Fishing Lakes BS21 6SG, Avon Springs SP4 8HH, Mill Farm Trout Lakes SN10 5UW, Lechlade Fishery GL7 3QQ and Farmoor Reservoir OX2 9NS

A very colourful winter rainbow

 

2013 - A Great Year for Fishing!

I've managed a few days out since my last post and have caught perch to 2lb 3oz, a few small whiting and a decent sized silver eel. Last week I enjoyed a few hours on the River Chew and tempted some nice dace, roach and a grayling. With the year coming to an end I've found myself looking back through the photographs and have concluded that 2013 has been a very good year! One of my best in fact! River Wye barbel to over 9lb, a waggler caught chub of nearly 5lb and some big dace were all very welcome, during a dry summer in which water levels were dangerously low and the fishing pretty tricky. The hot weather also allowed me to spend time targeting surface feeding carp on the lake and I was lucky enough to catch my first ever 20lb plus fish off the top, a 20lb 1oz mirror and smash my grass carp personal best twice, with fish of 19lb 4oz and a monster weighing 27lb 13oz. I've had success sea fishing too. Personal best wrasse, pollock and my first ever bass were all caught this year. My trip to Norway produced some cracking cod and new species in the shape of ling, coalfish, torsk and a 10lb halibut. January of this year also saw me catch my first ever fly caught fish, a brown trout, on my first time of trying. All very pleasing. It's been great to see friends and family enjoy good catches too. Friends like Dave, Corin and Baz have caught personal bests that include cod, catfish, barbel and carp, to name but four. Dad has had a good year and I've been there to watch him land barbel to nearly 10lb, 5lb plus chub, large carp and tench, as well as a 10lb 8oz bass, a 12lb pollock and his biggest ever fish, a 110lb catfish, during our trip to Spain. It's been a good year in the shop with things now picking up after a slower couple of years and both Dan and Toby have found time to get out fishing, enjoying success of their own which you can read all about on this blog. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what 2014 holds in store. Until next time Cadbury Angling wishes all who support us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.