Arrived at about 7.30 a.m. and, with the wind generally northerly, settled on No Fish Point where the birds were feeding low over the water. Having tried nymphs fished in conventional style, I set up with a bung and proceeded to catch and release a small and badly pike-damaged rainbow and a little jack pike.
A few fish showed through the middle of the day but mostly well out. Later I took two well conditioned rainbows of 2lbs 8oz and 3lbs. The first took a 14s Blushing buzzer, the second a Black Seal Fur Buzzer, both fished on a washing line set-up.
As evening drew on, steady rain led me to shelter in the car. Later I braved the wet and was rewarded with a 5lbs 8oz rainbow which took the Black Seal Fur Buzzer. Unfortunately this fish was recovering from a pike mauling so did not really "punch its weight". Judging by the scars, the guilty pike was not especially big.
The fish seemed to want the flies fished really slowly and quite near the surface.
During the afernoon I was privileged to see an osprey fly right over me - a real thrill.

Mugsy

Sounds like you had a good day in those conditions mugsy.I have noticed a lot of pike activity at Pitsford recently, I think they must have finished spawning early this year and are now feeding hard.There seems to be huge numbers in the small half- I may spend a day targeting them when the season opens.I have only caught them accidentally, am I right in thinking you have to use flies 100mm plus if you are fly piking?
GM

Not sure what the rule is regarding pike lures, GM. I never fish for them on the fly.

You mention the small half, and I know it has been fishing well recently, but in the match yesterday, all the boats were concentrated at the other end of the reservoir. Haven't heard how they got on, though.

Mugsy

Hanningfield won the AWFM at Pitsford with something over 80lbs amongst the 6 man team. Not sure where they fished it but I know they found some big fish in practice on the Friday.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Sounds like you had a good day on Saturday Mugsy, it's remarkable how much can change in a day.

We initially targeted the Picnic Bank at about 9.15am, passing four or five boats anchored up along the Pines. There was a fairly blustery but manageable ENE wind of about 10mph with Swifts and Martins hammering the surface so we were in good spirits despite the heavy rain. However, on inspection we couldn't discern any decent hatch in progress.

Between 9.30am and 1pm we scoured the whole area of the saddle at Picnic Bank, the mouth of Pitsford Creek and the point at Table Bay with no result bar a couple of tentative plucks. The wind had changed to almost due easterly and had strengthened considerably so we decided to try Sailing Club Bay, only changing our minds when we got close and found 12+ inch white caps running into the shore. Shelter was the order of the day now so we headed for Ash Tree Bay and dropped the brick.

Despite very heavy, wave flattening gusts and constant rain I managed three fish, the largest of which was a spade tailed 3lb10oz Rainbow. The other two were 2lb 10oz and 2lb 4oz. All three fell to a size 10 red quill ribbed black buzzer on the point of a 22ft leader with dead slow fig 8 retrieve. The fish contained virtually nothing but a trace of Daphnia and the odd small buzzer. We were off the water by 4pm.

I think the mixture of two serious competitions in one week, a complete 180 wind direction change and a drop of some 6 degrees air temperature has combined to put them down a bit and certainly curb their appetite for a couple of days.

Anyone fished Pitsford since Midlander's report on the 27th?I'm fed up of the job I'm doing at the moment so it is another four day week again!
Will report back.
GM