This is a long post, but stay with me...
I know that I’m probably opening myself up for a lot of abuse here, but if there is one anchorman who as a result of reading this is tempted to give it a try, then it’s worth the abuse.
Grafham is fishing it’s nuts off at the moment and as a result all of the boats are getting booked on a regular basis. This is a good thing for both the fishery and the anglers who frequent it.
In my opinion Grafham is probably the best loch-style water in the country. Usually by early June the fish are spread across the whole of the reservoir and long drifts right across the middle can produce fantastic bags of quality fish.
During the early part of the season the fish tend to shoal more tightly and hug the edges. Herein lays the problem.
I fished Grafham on Saturday and conditions were perfect for a day’s drifting. There have been a lot of good fish lying off the west bank of the reservoir from Savages Creek, past the Nature Reserve and all the way into Valley Creek. On Saturday the 10mph breeze was blowing mainly from the North allowing a nice long drift all the way along the west bank over the highest concentration of fish sitting approximately 70-80 yards off the shore.
When we got out on the water at about 9:30am there were already 2 boats anchored up on this line but far enough into Valley Creek to still be able to get a good drift starting from the Nature Reserve. As we carried out the first drift a couple of 3-man boats motored out from the lodge and dropped in behind us. The dreaded sound of anchor chains running over the gunnels (why do they have to lower them that way?) was carried down to us on the breeze.
After picking up a few nice fish on the first drift we headed back upwind to start another, but were basically unable to do so due to the slalom course of anchored boats that would have to be negotiated. We attempted a couple of small drifts but were unable to get more than about 50 yards without having to adjust our position with the motor so as not to encroach too near to the static boats.
By this time there was a full ring of anchored boats about 80 yards off the bank all the way from the Nature Reserve to the Lodge. Impossible!
We motored up to Savages but there was the same problem there. A lot of boats were on the drift but were constantly balked by just a couple of anchored boats positioned directly over the highest concentration of fish.
We didn’t feel like joining in the crush and so motored down to Gaynes Cove. The wind was coming more from the west here and, joy of joys, just 4 or 5 boats about 100 yards off the southern shore, but ALL on the drift. We joined the back of the line and shared a few hours of top quality sport straight lining buzzers over the front of drifting boat, along with the others who were sharing the bay.
Unfortunately though, by about 4:30pm a couple of the anchor brigade had joined us and dropped the hook half way along the bay, directly in line with the drift we were all on. Not long after this we gave up and went in.
I’ve got a few observations to make.
Some people will say that these people have payed their money and are perfectly entitled to anchor wherever they want. The same people would probably moan about a bank angler at a small water fishery, hogging the only spot on the pond where there are any fish. To my mind this is the same thing; those that dropped the hook at Grafham on Saturday were preventing ANYONE ELSE from having a try for those fish.
Now I realise that some of them probably don’t fully appreciate the effect of them dropping the hook is having on other anglers, but one of the rules attached to every Grafham boat is ‘Don’t anchor in another boats drift’.
Now in this situation where the fish are only along a certain line, another boat’s drift should include the water they need to drift over to get to where they are. Ie. You shouldn’t prevent them from be able to carry out the same drift again and, an important point here, prevent ANYONE ELSE from carrying out that drift, because this is the beauty of fishing from a drifting boat - It gives EVERYONE an equal chance at the fish.
Now these observations only apply to those days when the wind is light enough to allow comfortable drifting. If it’s blowing a Hooley, I’ve no problem with anglers anchoring to keep out of the wind; after all, we do this for pleasure don’t we?
Another point is that if you consistently fish from a drifting boat you WILL catch more fish as the season progresses, as the fish spread out into the middle and, will probably get more pleasure from it. At least you’ll get to see more of the water, rather than just the 50 sq yards you are anchored in.
Now I know I’m going to get a lot of stick for this post. Words like ‘elitist’ and 'holier than thou' will probably be banded about, but this is not what I’m trying to be. It’s often difficult to put over exactly what you mean when communicating by email or on a Forum, but all I’m trying to say is just GIVE IT A GO. You can buy a drogue at any Anglian Water fishery for little more than the cost of a spool of nylon and a few flies.
I appreciate that anglers new to fishing over the front of a drifting boat can initially struggle, but I guarantee that if you persevere you will become a better angler and will reap greater rewards in the future.
Even if you don't take to it, at least you'll have more of an appreciation of what the boys on the drogues are trying to achieve, and perhaps be more mindful of where you drop the hook?
If there is anyone reading this who fishes Grafham from a boat, but who has only ever anchored and wouldn’t know where to start with fishing the drift. If you want to try something new and fish on the drogue, then drop me a PM and I will gladly spend a day with you on Grafham and teach you the ins and outs of loch-style fishing.
Now I can’t say fairer than that, can I?
Dons tin hat crouches in trench...
Graham
Buy a Drogue and Broaden Your Mind!
FW, in the PNW the practice you've discribed is called "Low Holeing."
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