I went up to Hanningfield yesterday, sharing a boat with one of the top local anglers there, Alan Stern. There were quite a few boats out with a beginners day and a few practising for the Lexus next week and word was that it had been hard but was improving.

There was strongish Westerly blowing into the dam and showers on and off but not bad conditions really. If I tell you that, by 1pm neither of us, nor Lloyd Pallet and Gary Morris who were also out had a fish in the boat it was certainly proving hard. We had tried most of the well known spots and Alan had a couple of takes but nothing solid. Strangely, buzzers were hatching everywhere but an hour of bung fishing from me resulted in no takes, while everyone else stuck to pulling.

Eventually we found a small pod of fish and both had two, Alan's coming in a double hookup and me getting one at the same time - clearly they are tightly shoaled. Basically, all the fish we caught were packed with daphnia and so coming to lures. One other guy, backdrifting had seven.

Hopefully, as it warms over the next few weeks they will move onto the buzzer.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

I Fished Hannigfield earlier in the week and the fish were gorged with green water fleas and black and orange buzzers. The pontoon is swarming with the water fleas that are about the size of a swan vesta match head. I had 6 fish but many in our outing bagged. Fish were tight on the bottom. Some buzzer fishing along the lodge bank and into ahall bay took fish at anchor with long leader and super glue buzzers.
I autopsied my fish whilst gutting them and there had been a move from the fleas onto the buzzers. There was as you experienced a prolific hatch but nothing moved all day on the surface.
We took on black and green boobies, white and orange boobies.
Out of the 120 fish caught by 31 anglers there were only 4 over wintered fish.
Most fish were caught on Atlantis. I suspect the sheer qunatity of water fleas is probably down to the lack of over wintered fish feeding on them.
Lots of the fish were coming short on short tied boobies. Most anglers in fairness were back drifting as this was really the only way to catch on the day.
Piscator

Fished much better today. I had eight and was fifth in the Lexus, just making the final. Four fish average across 31 anglers so pretty good but not so easy that everyone bagged.

Boobies on Di7's were the method - Dam area and School Bay were best. The fleet seemed to gather around the Peninsula and that is where the four who had 10 fish limits caught but we stayed in School Bay and caught odd fish all day on orange or white boobies fished close to the bank.

Still loads of buzzers hatching but fish are on daphnia.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Had reason to be out in Essex today, and had some fishing equipment in the car so thought I'd try out Hanningfield for the first time. Nice fellah in the lodge shop was a wee bit reticent when asked what the chances of catching were for a relative novice fishing from the bank. I think I know why. Sorry, I don't know the names of the areas on the reservoir, but all the way along the concreted bank that has the platforms to fish off, the story was the same; all methods tried, nothing being caught and all the locals I spoke to were very disappointed with the season so far, especially a season ticket holder I was chatting with. In the end, I had one (small but perfectly formed and a fluke; my phone rang and I wasn't concentrating) on a black and green booby close to the bottom. The catch returns when I put mine in were something like 7 or 8 blanks and 3 or 4 single fish.
I think I'd like to have been informed in the shop how difficult it was proving to be, but still had a lovely day in the sun, saw some wonderful bird life and wasn't working!! I'm sure I'll try again quite soon.

Del.