Good day.
Have booked myself in for this Saturday at Avington and any advice on how to get the best out of my day would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,colin.

Couple of suggestions;

1. The general advice on the fishery website is sound...they want you to catch fish and come back;
http://www.avingtontrout.com/tactics.html
http://www.avingtontrout.com/stalking.html

2. Hope that Browniebasher or Neil Maidment spot this and send a more detailed reply. Both those fine chaps are regular and very successful Avington fishers. Also;

3. There's regular posts about Avington on here, have a search. This was a good one ... Avington today

Personally, I really enjoy my one or two trips there each year, it's a real "Rolls Royce fishery". But to get the best out of it you need to stalk, and mid-May to mid September is prime time for that part of the game, so that's when I go.

__________________
"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

Thanks John, and Coloboro, his advice is sound!

As John says, you're alittle early to see Avington at its prime, as the light is a little low for stalking, but the water should be clear, and with a bit of luck a decent day should help you spot the fish!

Most of the biggies will probably be fairly deep at the moment, and you should fish a fly capable of getting down to them, quickly. I prefer heavy flies with decent length marabou tails in green or black at this time of year. Get the fly down to, or below the fish and then retrieve. don't retrieve over their heads, it's rare for them to come up far in the water.

KEEP moving. DO NOT stand rigid and cast blind. if you do, you may get a good fish, but youre far more likely to get into the stockies.

Try the hotspots. if you imagine the 'bottom' of each lake is the car park end and the 'top' of each lake to be the furthest from the car park, try the following:

Lake 1: The top half always fishes better than the botom half, although big fish can be anywhere! try the left hand bank, between the trees at the top half and right at the top where the water comes in. prime territory.

Lake 2: The fish can really be anywhere here, but i've found the best places are: The far bottom is a small bay. there are always a few fish here, and sometimes a surprise!
The Left bank, about half way up has a couple of trees and a bench. ALWAYS look here by the trees as i've had a LOT of doubles from this spot on the other bank is a huge oak, the fish hide under the shadow of its branches so go and have a look. the Top end is also always good. very good in fact.

Lake 3 The bottom end is the deepest and tehre's always a big fish here whether you can see it or not. looking down the lake, look under and between the bushes on the right at the bottom. stay here a while and a big fish usually glides by. it's deep so fish can be deceptive. i remember a decent 8 odd pounder taking my fly here, off the bottom. i nearly let him spit the fly out, but something made me strike. 10 mins later i netted him at 16lb!! the top end of lake 3 is also very good.

Tight lines,

Alex

JohnH/BrownieBasher.
Thank you very much for your advice,it has been read and printed.I shall be the one walking around Avington with a sheet of A4 paper reading and trying to put your very good avice into practice.
Thank you,Colin.

Have a great day and let us know how you get on, Colin

__________________
"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

Good luck for Sat mate. looks like you might just hit it perfectly!

BBC Weather | Winchester

light sou-westerly, bright sun. you should be laughing. remember, keep on the hoof, and only dally when you spot your target fish. look for one that's swimming slowly, mid water, and steadily. possibly in a circuit. ignore any fish that looks distressed, swims too fast, or turns away the second your fly hits the water. if he comes for your fly, resist the temptation to retrieve straight away, give the fly a tweak as he gets close and he'll often nail it twice as hard. my favourite tactic for a following fish is to increase the speed of the retrieve until he's just about to take, then pull the fly forward a foot or so. he'll then inhale it for sure. Rememeber, Avington doubles are strong fish. don't messs around with 4 weight rods and 4lb line. fish a 7 weight and 8lb flouro.

If you don;t tie your own, get some at the shop. they do a 'down and dirty' damsel which is an excellent fly. get some in the biggest size available in the light yellowish green and some in black. some heavy GRHEs are also a good shout.

Cheers
Alex

I was fishing down at Avington 2 weeks ago with a friend: it was my first trip to the fishery. The day started cold but bright. The water on Lakes 1 and 2 was still carrying a little colour and it was not possible to stalk. We started by targetting the deep water at the top end of lake 2. The key to success on the day was to cast out and allow the fly to sink (I was fishing a 12-15ft flourocarbon leader on a floating line) for about 20 seconds before starting a slow fig-8 retrive with a glass bead bloodworm pattern. After each catching a couple out fo this area, we moved on to the middle-top section of Lake 3 on the left bank. The water in Lake 3 was a lot clearer and it was possible to see individual fish cruising around and target them. Again the bloodworm and a black buzzer with a short chartruse shuck (of rabbit fur) did the trick on the day. Hope you have a successful day on Saturday.

Hello.
Fished Avington today a very cold and frosty morning to start, Lake 1 was coloured,lake 2 a little colour,lake 3 very clear. Spent the morning walking around all 3 lakes and having the occasional cast to no avail. Tried different flies on all lakes started with Down&Dirty then Sid Nights Firebird,Gold Head Bloodworm,Cats Whisker and evetually following advice from the young lad in the shop an Orange Nomad (i think).About midday the weed floating up from the bed of lake 2 made it very difficult to fish,there were very few fish to be seen in lake 3 so settled in the top end of lake 1. Caught 2 Rainbows both
5lb 4oz. The young lad in the shop did his best to make sure i caught,suggestions on Fly,location,depth,retrieve, he even improved my casting so top marks to him.As was said earlier it was probably too early to go stalking and would be better from May onwards.Thank you for the advice given i do appreciate it.
Colin.