Anybody else noticed - but havn't really seen fish "on the fry" this year at all ....
last few years they were mental - like flaming "JAWS on speed" but this year nowt.......

Climate change ?????

Fry time at Grafham Water

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Brian

When I was much younger... in the 80's I remember that every season from September onwards would see the fish would be hard on the fry....though maybe my memories are slightly tainted as I often viewed the world through "rose coloured glasses" at this time

Every year now it seems to be different, fry feeding could start from July (as happens at Grafham on occassion) to November.

But I think it's down to a NUMBER of factors rather than just one thing.... weather is playing an important part.....it's warmer and the fish are feeding on daphnia for longer prefering to stay out in the open water, rather than to come in close to the banks for food.

The constant fluctuations in water level at our reservoirs mean that many of the weedbeds don't get the chance to become established as the once did (although this year this is not the case) meaning that the fry will not hug the banks.

Anglian Water used to stock a significantly higher percentage of Browns that would be more aggressive and turn to the fry for food....they are simply not there in the numbers they once were !

Also as I recall in the late 1980's Anglian Water pumped in a lot of chemicals to treat the algea..... this in turn killed a lot of the fly life and so the trout had to eat the fry or starve....(although I could be wrong)

Finally....and this will upset some of you.......I personally think that the amount of Pike and Zander in Grafham and Rutland is having a significant effect. The preditor fry hatch earlier that the course fish (usually by a week or two in June) so they have grown enough to have a plentiful food source when the course fry hatch.....now there must be absolutly 1000's of Zander in Grafham and Rutland if they all eat the fry there will be very little left for the trout to eat..
The reason I'm saying that both Rutland and Grafham are over populated with Zander is that on recent Anglian Water "pike days" boats have been catching 50-60 zander all between 4-10lb.... this is a fact and the Pike anglers want it keeping quiet so they get the best sport... On the Fly I've had 20 Zander in a morning up to 14lb.

I don't think our waters can sustain this number of predator's as it will upset the natural balance.

Add to this the impact of the cormorant (150+ on Grafham every day), who will also gourge themselves on the fry and our stock fish and it's easy to see why everything is messed up !

However there is a flip side to all the points above......everything seems to happen in cycles....one year it's Grafham that's fishing well the next Pitsford, perhaps we just have to accept that fry feeding will not happen every year on every reservoir, and as with anything in nature we must just wait our turn, for the right combination of factors to stimulate the trout at our water...

Until then I'll just keep fishing which ever water is best at the given time.

I sympathise with you, Rob, regarding zander.We don't have them on the Cumbrian rivers --- or does someone know something I don't want to know; but we did have the man who was said to have introduced them to the country as the first fishery officer of the Cumberland River Board, later FO of NWWA, Rivers Division. He used to be FO in East Anglia I believe. We got him shortly after zander arrived, 'Dahn Sarff'. Sorry about that. TC
PS Mr McKenzie was appointed about 1967 in Cumberland, so zander have been around quite a long while.
PPS Just another example of some silly beggar introducing an alien creature to our country. It don't work to our advantage very often!!

I must admit i have not been able to fish our club water for the last 2/3 weeks due to the weather ( pi**ing down ) but managed a few hours today and was happy to see the fish hammering into the margins chasing fry . Ended the day with six fish all caught in 2/3 foot of water . Old trusty comorant does the buisness again..

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[SIZE="4"]BRITISH BY BIRTH , SCOTTISH BY THE GRACE OF GOD..[/SIZE]

Just thought I'd let you all know that I fished Grafham on Sunday, from the boat. Fishing wasn't easy but those that were caught were in excellent condition.

I had six Rainbows all from 2.5lb to 3lb 12oz all on a size 8 Green Minkie or on a Gold & Silver Tandem....The Lodge frontage, Inlet and the Dam proved the hot spots.

Line choice was a Fast Sinker when out over the deeper water and an intermediate when over weedbeds

PS I also had a 26lb Pike and a 7lb Brown

pictures at http://www.guideflyfishingonline.co.uk/page.asp?id=2865


Cheers Rob