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Last week there was a stark contrast between the lakes and the river. The river level was high and no trout were caught. The lakes were very productive and fish were caught from all of the club’s lakes.

Lakes – last week members visited the lakes on 34 occasions and caught 21 trout. Most of the fish came from Little Bognor. This afternoon trout were shoaling in the shallow water at Great Springs and could be caught on nymphs just under the surface.

River – Despite the heavy rain and the high water, members visited the river on 5 occasions last week. No trout were caught. The river level is erratic and can be monitored on the Environment Agency website by clicking the ‘River Level’ icon.

September was a month of varying weather. At the start of the month the chilly nights helped to reduce the temperature of the water in the lakes. The heavy rain at the end of the month made the river rise and the high winds made casting difficult. The lakes have all been stocked and the fishing should improve in the last two months of the season.

In the first week of September all of the lake caught trout came from Little Bognor. The fish were rising for buzzers and this selective feeding made them difficult to tempt. The middle Beats on the river were the most productive, fish were taking Daddy-Long-Legs.

In the second week of September the water temperature in the lakes and river dropped to 17 degrees. The fish became more active in the rainbow lakes. During the day the trout in the river retreated under the trees and into the weed beds but in the evening the fish rose in open water. Successful flies were Sedge patterns and dry Pheasant Tail.

The third week of September was more productive. Little Bognor produced all of the lake caught trout including a four pounder which was returned to the water. The river produced a lot of fish, they were rising for dry flies throughout the day.

The last week of the month saw exceptionally wet and windy weather. Members visited the lakes on 41 occasions and caught 18 trout, mainly from Little Bognor which is sheltered from the wind. The lakes have all been stocked. The fish are once again feeding well and rising nicely on the rainbow lakes.

Well done to junior member George on catching your first trout.

The temperature of the water in the lakes will continue to fall during October and catch numbers will increase. The lakes offer a variety of different fishing conditions. Water clarity, weed, depth, tree cover and exposure to the autumn winds vary depending on the lake chosen. Good fishing conditions can be found somewhere on the estate whatever the weather conditions.

The river always performs well at the end of the season and the recent high water will have scoured the gravel beds and cleaned out some of the dying weed. The trout will be hungry after several days of high water and actively looking for food throughout the day.

 

Last week the river was very productive and the water temperature in the lakes stabilised at 17 degrees.

Lakes – members visited the lakes on 45 occasions and caught a total of 21 trout, all from Little Bognor. A fish of 4lbs was caught from the lower lake and was returned. Successful flies were Daddy-Long-Legs, Grey Wulff, Black Buzzer, Black Gnat and the usual nymphs.

River – last week the river fished very well, members fished most stretches and caught 21 trout on 22 occasions. Most of the fish, 19, were caught from the lower Beats, Rotherbridge and the Fish Pass. The most productive flies on the river were similar to those used on the lakes.

This afternoon fish were rising around Rotherbridge and could be caught on a dry fly. The last month of the season is often the best time to fish the river.

The cold nights have reduced the water temperature, the river and lakes are in good condition and are producing more fish.

Lakes – the water temperature at Great Springs is 17 degrees. The temperature should continue to fall and encourage the trout to be more active and feed.

Last week members visited the lakes on 29 occasions and caught a total of 14 trout, 12 of which were caught at Little Bognor. A couple of trout were caught at Great Springs where active fish can be seen over the deeper water.

River – last week the trout were rising for midges in the evening but were also taking sedges and crane fly imitations.

Last week members visited the river on 22 occasions and caught 15 trout from the middle Beats.

During the day fish can be found under the trees and around weed beds using a nymph. In the evening the fish are prepared to rise in open water and can be caught on a dry fly.

Adams, Pheasant Tail and Walker’s Sedge are all good dry fly patterns to use at this time of year.

Flies – a selection of dry flies and nymphs for members to buy is kept in the fishing hut at Great Springs. If members wish to buy their own flies direct from the clubs suppliers, their details are below.

The barbed flies are bought from the Glasgow Angling Centre . . .

https://www.fishingmegastore.com/view.php?module=productsnew&search=flies

. . . and the barbless flies are bought from Flymail Fishing Flies, Aberystwyth . . .

http://www.flymailflies.co.uk/categories/41-barbless-wets-nymphs-drys/cat_42.html

 

Autumn poppies at Stag Park and a bumper crop of blackberries. The weather is a lot cooler and the chilly nights should soon reduce the water temperature in the lakes.

Lakes – last week members visited the lakes on 24 occasions and caught 9 trout, all of which came from Little Bognor. Six of the fish were returned.

This afternoon the trout were rising freely at Little Bognor, head-and-tailing for emerging buzzers.

River – last week members visited the river on 15 occasions and caught 9 trout from the middle beats, Keepers Bridge and Rotherbridge. Five of the fish were returned.

Crane fly (daddy-long-legs) imitations are worth trying at this time of year. They might bring a reluctant trout up to the surface.

A trout caught this afternoon on a Daddy, cast amongst the leaf debris on the surface of the lake and left to drift in the breeze.

Rotherbridge

The extreme weather conditions during August made the fishing very difficult. Heavy rain and record August Bank Holiday temperatures caused the river level to rise and fall and the water temperature in the lakes to rise beyond 20 degrees.

In the first ten days of the month the weather was wet and windy but members continued to visit Little Bognor. The river level rose and the water was coloured but several fish were caught.

During the second week of August there was more heavy rain and strong winds. The fishing was slow. A sea trout was caught from the Fish Pass.

In the third week of August the river had dropped back to a normal summer level and the lakes looked beautiful but the record high temperatures over the Bank Holiday weekend made it very difficult for both the trout and the members.

Today the lakes looked beautiful in the Autumn sunshine and several members were fishing at Great Springs. In the last week of August members visited the lakes on 37 occasions and caught 7 trout, all from Little Bognor.

In early September the nights will be cooler and the temperature of the water in the lakes should drop, it was 20 degrees at Great Springs today. Lower water temperatures will make the trout more active and they should start to feed.

Last week members visited the river on 17 occasions and caught 6 trout. Several sea trout over 5lbs have been seen jumping. This afternoon trout were rising around Keepers Bridge and could be caught on a dry fly.

The river always fishes well at the end of the season and if the weather holds, catch numbers will rise. The river is well stocked and fish will hopefully be active throughout the day.

Lat week the river level dropped back to its normal summer level and was not coloured, it looked good. The exceptionally bright, hot Bank Holiday weather made it uncomfortable for both the trout  and the angler.

Lakes – last week members visited the lakes on 34 occasions and caught 21 trout, 17 of which were caught at Little Bognor. A lot of the fish were caught on buzzers.

Buzzers or midges (Chironomidae – non biting midges) have two life cycle stages that interest the angler. The larva or bloodworm and the pupa. Pupa rise and fall in the water column and hang under the surface film before hatching.

 

The pupa is imitated by a variety of patterns which should be small, size 14 and under, and fished on a long leader. If the buzzer is allowed to sink slowly, without retrieving, the trout will gently take the fly and the tippet will move. A Klinkhammer or an Adams are good imitations of the emerging pupa and adult fly respectively.

River – members visited the river on 12 occasions and caught 3 trout, two of which were caught on a Pheasant Tail Nymph. The water is clear enough to be able to see feeding trout and the late evenings are the most productive time. Trout are also rising very early in the morning, around 7:00am.

The weather last week was very wet and windy, not good for fly fishing. The fishing was slow as one would expect for mid August.

Lakes – last week members visited the lakes on 28 occasions, mostly at Little Bognor where there is feeding activity at all times of the day. Members caught 11 fish. Well presented small dry flies and buzzers will catch fish if good use is made of the cover along the banks.

River – the heavy rain at the start of the week caused the river level to rise and although the level quickly dropped, further rain at the end of the week and over the weekend,  brought the level back up again.

Members visited the river on 17 occasions and caught 4 fish. A sea trout of 2lbs was caught from Beat E, the Fish Pass. The rain has encouraged the sea trout to move up the river and there is a chance of a good fish on all beats. There is no heavy rain forecast and the river should drop back to its normal level towards the end of the week.

Last week the wet and windy weather discouraged members from visiting Little Bognor and the river.

Lakes – members visited the lakes at Little Bognor on 33 occasions and caught 20 fish. The springs that feed the lakes are keeping the water temperature down and fish were rising for buzzers.  The recent cooler nights and heavy rain should lower the water temperature and the leaf debris will encourage the trout to explore the surface for food. A quiet approach and a long leader enables fish to be caught from the margins where there is cover.

River – the river level rose on Friday night and the strong winds during the week made casting difficult. Members visited the river on 18 occasions and caught 8 trout. The heavy rain last night has coloured the water but the water level should drop quickly.

The Environment Agency gauge at Halfway Bridge is not giving accurate readings and it is best to check with Andrew for advice on the river conditions before leaving home.

The weather in July was extreme, the hottest month ever recorded including 38.7 degrees on 25 July. Nearly two inches of rain fell, spread over 10 days but the hot nights kept the water temperature in the rainbow lakes high. The fishing was difficult and the trout were only active in the early morning and late afternoon/evening.

During the first week of July members caught 42 trout from the lakes including a fish of 4lbs 4ozs from Little Springs. A few mayfly could be seen along the river but the trout had ample food on the river bed and had no need to chase flies on the surface. A kick sample was taken from the new riffle above Rotherbridge which showed plenty of shrimps, olive and stonefly nymphs.

In the second week of July the water temperature in the rainbow lakes reached 22 degrees and the trout were difficult to tempt, 9 fish were caught. The water temperature at Little Bognor, where the lakes are spring fed, was 17 degrees and the fish rose well for buzzers. Nine fish were caught from the river including a grayling. Nymphs fished deep in the late evening accounted for several trout.

Heavy weekend rain in the third week of July saw the river rise and then drop back to its normal summer level. The majority of the lake caught trout came from Little Bognor. The water temperature in the rainbow lakes increased to 25 degrees. The trout in the river were quite spooky, a careful approach and a well presented fly was essential. Ten fish were caught during the week on a variety of dry flies and nymphs.

Towards the end of the month 17 trout were caught from the lakes, all except one from Little Bognor. The successful flies were Pheasant Tail Nymph, buzzers and Adams. There were 10 trout caught from the river and the fish were rising for dry flies at dusk. In the last week of July and a few days into August, members visited the lakes on 47 occasions and caught 29 trout, all from Little Bognor. The river was fished on 23 occasions and a total of 11 trout were caught mainly from Beat E, the Fish Pass.

If the hot, humid and thundery weather continues through August the best fishing will be found at Little Bognor and the river. Flying ants were swarming on Thursday and it would be good to have a couple of imitations in your fly box. Crane flies will hatch from the water meadows along the river and there will be hatches of sedge in the evenings.