Hi all, thought I would let you all know how I got on recently at Westlowe mere.

Started the day of around 9:30, it was slightly overcast and a few other people fishing there.

Started on the far bank in the deeps. After several fly changes, eventually managed my first fish on a small black buzzer. About 3ft down. Very slow retrieve. Nice fish, just under 2lb in weight. Clean, no scars and full fins. Gave a good fight to start, but then came in like a sack of spuds. One down one more to go!! (2 fish ticket) continued at the same point for another 30mins with not a bite. So decided to move round. Changed to gold head hare's ear to see if I could get deeper. Again not a bite so kept moving round, about 3/4 way round the deep pool, got a hit on the goldhead, bang, felt like a nice fish but never managed to land it :-( Oh well, kept going for another hour without a bite. So sat down to eat some lunch and studied the water. Fantastic fun, watching what looked like olives hatching on the surface and quickly being taken by a trout (They may have been mayflies, but looked more like olives through my shades) Trout were taking then within 2ft of the bank. Plentyfull supply. so decided to try my trust dawsons olive. and tried and tried and tried. Not a bean. Though, quick change of tactics and went for a coch-y-bundi and diawl bach combo. Had many follows and a couple of half hearted takes but still managed nothing to the net. Moving on around the lake, got to the shallows. tried the gold hear hares ear again, not a knock.... Walked on, chatted to some guy on the bank and he said he had managed a few. Noticed a guy on the opposite side, hit quite a few fish in succsession... thought, oh well, will work my way round and see what he's catching on. (Always good to have a banter at westlowe, not met anyone yet that has not been happy to chat and share knowledge) Anyway, got to the corner of the shallows and thought I would try the old dawsons olive there. Within 3 or 4 casts, bang the fish was on. Felt like a good fish. Some youngsters opposite said, wow, looks like you got a good fish there, and on them saying that, the fish acrobatically jumped, double back flip with tuck.... and I thought to myself, jesus, that is a good fish!!! Gave a real good figh, took about 28ft of line, had some backing out ready as I was not sure how long this would go on for... Went deep too, at times like this you realise just how deep the water gets. Anyway, after about 10mins of a fight, got him to the net. Nets get heavy when they are wet, but had to use both arms to pull this one out. Not the longest trout I have caugh. (That would be the 4lb 2oz beasts I got, filled the sink corner to corner) However, it was the biggest lump of trout, looked like a proper greedy ******. Bang over the head and he hung from my digital scale. 5lb 6oz of sheer muscle. That's a PB for me. (Still dreaming of landing a double figure one) But boy did that make my day. Next cast, heart still racing and within about 1.5 meters of the bank another strike, but no take, so decided, got my two fish, time to call it a day. So off I went back up to the lodge. Of course, its a bit of a climbe up the path. By the time I got to the lodge, totally out of breadth. Showed off my prize catch. (Note to self, big trout have sharp teeth, watch my fingers.) Noticed as I was leaving (Around 430 -5) Many people were just arriving.

So, a good day at Westlowe. Will try and post photos when I get a chance.

Chris 2 Westlowe 2

I fished wetlow the other week and had a great day,I'm relatively new to fly fishing and got my self a pair of polarized glasses and until I put them on that day never realized how many fish follow the fly to the bank! I spent the day stalking fish close in with a may fly nymph and may fly as the hatch coming of the water was untrue.Finished the day with 10 took two.As you say the anglers at westlow are very friendly and will always stop for a chat,bit embarrassing when they ask me what I'm catching on and I have no clue and have to show them and ask what fly it is all part of the learning curve I suppose.

My buddy and I fished there for the first time a few weeks back. Only a few mayfly were hatching and the trout didn't seem to be fully on them but we had good sport fishing a couple of diawl bachs very slowly. I had 10 to his 16 and lots of plucks and missed takes.

We were very impressed at the water clarity and, as you say how close in the fish are happy to feed. We were somewhat suprised however that quite a few of the locals were happy to chuck out a fast sinker and rip lures back at breakneck speed for no reward when the fish were up near the top all day. Each to their own of course, didn't make sense that's all.

A very good fishery though and at a tenner for c&r an absoloute bargain. We are having a day out on Tuesday and at the minute its still a toss up between westlow and thornton - weather depending.

Mat

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P.B's on fly
Rainbow-13lb Arnfield,Brown-8lb 2oz Rutland,Golden Rainbow-3lb Bellflask, Blue-5lb 11oz Stocks