I fished my first day of 2011 at SB on Friday 18 March.

A miserable day weather-wise with a cool NE breeze and persistent rain up to early afternoon. But the fishing made up for it. Started in the NE dam corner with the heavier outfit using a black and green leadhead lure. I caught 2 rainbows fairly rapidly and a third about an hour later, then sport dried up and I went further round to the sailing club bank where it seemed pretty quiet - I only saw one fish caught between 4 anglers. Back to my original spot around mid-day where I caught a 4th fish, again takes dried up so after lunch I went to the lodge bank where there was more action, and I got my 5th and final fish on a damsel nymph in the early afternoon.

The best fish, from the NE corner, was an overwintered 5lber which I was pleased with...considering the winter we've had it's condition was quite good.

It seemed as if anglers who braved the conditions and fished into the wind on the south bank did equally as well or better, particularly on the bank opposite the sailing club where the "arm" starts.

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

Fished my second Sutton Bingham day from the bank on Saturday 2 April.

I went to the NE corner, where I was able to reasonably easily get a line out and across the westerly breeze. I caught the first two fish on a black and green leadhead lure, including the best of the day at 3lb 6oz. More importantly, I also lost 2 fish, which I took as a hint from the fish to downsize everything. So I switched to nymph tackle and took one apiece on a Damsel nymph, a black Classic FM and a small black and green Nomad. The fish appear to be quite well up in the water, all 5 were taken on floating lines and with a relatively short sink time for the flies, ie between 10 and 20 seconds.

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

Hi John, I am a novice fly fisher and am looking forward to testing my new 40th Bday outfit there Easter weekend, 22nd! Sounds like you had a good recent result. Can you offer me any pointers on location, fly's technique so i get the most out of my day please? I have a boat booked, to allow me to cover more ground, but am sure when i arrive, I will not know which is the best direction to row! My other concern is what size leadder to use, do you think i will be ok with a 5Ib? Cheers, Paul

Hi selleyp.

If I was you I would take the advice of the bailiff on the day, Ivan and other guy who works there are both very helpful and want you to catch fish and return to the fishery. There will also be some updates on flies and techniques on the whiteboard in the lodge opposite where you sign in !

In a nutshell I'd say that most of the main basin should fish well and it will be worth a look "up the arm" as the locals say; first choice flies will be black, green, or black and green, both nymphs and lures; and the fish may well not be down too deep.

I use good old Maxima Ultragreen for reservoir leaders - 5lb point for nymphs, 6lb for most lure fishing and 8lb for very deep fishing or extra large flies. Maxima has never let me down - you could almost tow a car with it.

One other thought, if you can get a copy of the November 2010 FF & FT, there's an interesting article by Charles Jardine about Ivan and the lake.... http://www.flyfishing-and-flytying.c...k_issues/2010/

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

I fished Sutton Bingham from a boat on Friday 22 April, which was a good day for a walk on the beach or for lounging in a pub garden but perhaps less so for fishing. There was enough high cloud on the breeze veering between east and south to make it worth a go, though. In the first couple of hours I had a number of tap takes on buzzers and one huge pull that led to a breakoff, I assume something grabbed the dropper and sped off at a tangent. Stuck at it through the late morning and boated two fish, with a couple of follows and takes on the drop that didn't develop, fishing a team of montana and buzzer off my midge tip line. After lunch sport died down and I left mid-afternoon. Not the greatest day this year, but no day when you catch a reservoir 4 pounder is bad.

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

Hi John, Many thanks for your advice. It was very helpful in my selection.We arrived 08.30 on the 22nd, Ivan very kindly showed the three of us fishing the basic casting & presentation technique and off we went in our boats. Had a take, and lost it after just two casts, then caught another two smallies in the afteroon 2- 2.5Ib's. The family turned up early afternoon, you might have noticed the rabble, by where the boats are moored?? You should have come and said hi and had a glass of my 40th bday shampers! You are right, Ivan was a great bloke, very helpful indeed, he added to our days enjoyment, thanks Ivan if your reading this.

I saw you all there - it was me who gave either you or your mate some advice about the various retrieves - figure of 8, draw and pause, slow and fast strips, and FTA !!

I fished SB again, this time from the bank, on Saturday 7 May. Seemed a pretty tough day for everyone there with fish coming in ones and twos, can only assume the rapid overnight change in the weather and thunderstorms in the South disturbed the fish. I tried various spots on the south bank, and into the stiff breeze in the north-east dam corner, and didn't have a pull all morning ! In the early afternoon I returned to the south bank near the big willow, and hooked and landed 2 fish from the only 2 takes I had - one each on a Woolly B***** and a Damsel, both allowed to sink for 20 seconds and retrieved steadily. Both nice clean rainbows, best 2-4.

I am sure it will fish well again once the weather settles down to another steady pattern.

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

Fished the Loch On tuesday from the bank.(North bank) had a great day with floating line and buzzers.slow retreive.had 6 fish for 15.5lb lost a few others at the net.great quality fish.that fought really well.also got smashed by a big fish.
Highly recommended.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I fished SB from a boat on Saturday 11 June.

Almost tempted to say "see my last 2 posts". I had a fishless morning anchored in 2 different spots, at the top of the arm and then about 50 yards off the sailing club bank. I had a couple of little pulls when using a damsel / diawl bach team off my midge tip, and one swirl at a wake fly I tried for a few minutes.

In the afternoon I switched to the main basin and anchored just downwind of the tail of the aerator stream that now goes straight out from the valve tower for about 200 yards. I found some fish and caught rainbows of 2-14 and 2-4 on a team of Cove PTN and green diawl bach fished shallow off a floating line. Then takes dried up again, and I left mid-afternoon ahead of an approaching rainstorm (wimp).

That will probably be it for my fishing at SB in 2011, as usual I'll be switching to Farmoor for the rest of my reservoir fishing season.

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