Fished Bladon and Rough Piece for a couple of hours last night after work. Lovely night but a little gusty. Nothing taking small PTN's and nymphs but had 3 quite quickly when I moved further down and switched to a small damel fished just under the surface. Put on a few dries to try for last fish of my ticket and got one on a klinkhammer quite far out after missing timing about 5 takes. Biggest fish was on the klink, others were 2lb-ers. Good fight from these rainbows on my 5wt, lively for there size.

A few other guys out fishing but the layout means you feel like the only one there and less Joe Public than at weekends.

Told that a decent sized brown was caught and returned earlier. Going to try the bottom and top beats next time I go out there.

Fished Blenheim on Sunday for the last couple of hours of light. The water was a bit messy but i found clear water down the far end of the Linch. Tried a Wulf but no luck then changed to a Klinkhammer and managed two. Mayfly,Sedge and plenty of midge hatching.

Myself and Mrs. Grey fished Blenhiem today from approx midday to 5pm. Lousy wheather to start with but turned out nice at the end of the day.
Started at the bridge and had a few each and then went down to the Lince beat (which must rate as one of the most idillic settings of any trout fishery I've ever visited), found a small clearing on a run and caught our limit in about half an hour. All plump good condition 1.5lb'ers that fought and ran extremly well.
I fished a damsel, Mrs. G a cats whisker, but I think that they would have taken pretty much anything...
Plenty of localised surface activity which was more useful in determining location of fish than type of fly.
Mayfly are starting to come off as well as a small hatch of pond olives.
No one else fishing and according to the catch returns the water has been unfished for the last few days.

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

I spoke to the Headkeeper the other day i was there and it seems like some people are not remembering to fill in the catch returns and i guess some may just of blanked!!! I agree about the Lince Beat but don't tell everyone.A little difficult to fish but what a stalking beat with light tackel.By the way i was told that the fishery will be in the next issue of the Troutfisherman . Has anybody fished the Garden beat yet as i have not made it up there yet?

I've not fished the garden beat yet but would be very interested to give it a go. It's known locally as 'The Cascades' as it's where a quite impressive ornamental waterfall flows into a pool (for those that have boat fished the main lake, it's what’s below the very far end).
This area has always held a large population of coarse fish due to the heavily oxygenated water and as it's the furthest point up-stream on the fishery I'd imagine trout would have made their way up there. There's a bit of a flow of water so fishing could be quite interesting. The water here is also generally quite clear.


Cheers

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

Hi All, after a lot of scepticism from people (including myself) when it was announced that Blenheim was opening for Trout fishing it's fast becoming a talking point on what a fantastic place it is to spend a days fishing.
I now wish I had gone sooner as I am away working in Australia for the next 2 weeks but am definately going to visit as soon as I get back.
Can you guy's keep up the good work in posting feedback on how it's fishing please. Lee

I think that there is definitely a bit of a honeymoon period with this fishery. I hope that it lasts but at present the fish can be very easy to catch, most likely because there fresh stockies.
I will freely admit to be very sceptical about the fishery (basically more than a bit of sour grapes at having been deprived of one of my favourite pike fishing and casting practice venues...) but I do hope that it succeeds.
I think that it's going to be very interesting to see how it matures as the stock fish settle in and get onto feeding on the naturals. Encouragingly when I was there on Wednesday there was a lot of surface activity with fish rising to very small flies.
Certainly for the time being it's very productive and worth a visit.

Andy

__________________
GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

Had a few hours on the bank holiday weekend and it certainly is a lovely setting to fish in. There were only two other rods there, although there were huge queues for the Palace, and I had the Lince beat all to myself.
The head keeper [Grahame?] was very helpful and even gave me a fly to try. Around the Bladon beat it is best to check for walkers before casting, but in the woods you are behind a locked gate and it is idyllic.
If you drop the family off at the pleasure gardens, avoiding the queues and the long walk from the car parks, it makes for a great day out. I will certainly be back.

Two of us had a visit yersterday, only one other rod on the water, think I would be hard pushed to find a better looking fishery. A good selection of available water from open banks, to spots where only a roll cast will work, to poking a rod through a gap in the weeds. It could do will a few minor improvements but as the place has only been open 6 weeks I think these will come with time. We both had our limit for the day plus a crucian hybrid on a damsel nymph , biggest fish 5 lb. My initial concern was the apparant lack of any better sized fish, but then it is a huge water with lots of places for the fish to hide. I managed to find a productive spot under a tree and it was like looking into a goldfish bowl, hooked and lost 3 fish from about 5 - 8 lb, they fight like demons with them either taking me into snags of into the weeds. It will take a little time for the fish to find their favourite spots, but fish all over the lake in small shoals in most places. A fishery that I will return to, and hopefully better weather the next time. Fish caught on GRHE's, PTN's and damsels.

I was the other rod on the water that day and loved every minute of it, such a beautiful place to fish. I also had my 10 limit on a mixture of Damsels, montana’s and one on the dry. I took it easy for most of the day, just soaking in the surroundings, but I walked back to the car around 9 and the wind dropped right off (17mph winds on the day) the area by the bridge was bubbling like a cauldron (I’ve got a video of it which I’ll try and stick on youtube in couple of days) at any one time there was 10-15 rises on the go I’ll also try to put a couple of pictures up (but I’m in work now)
All my fish were the standard stock size, but they all fought like terriers and would put on a great run when first hooked. There’s a lot of coarse fish in there too and I had a small pike on a damsel. Fantastic day and well worth the trip over from London. The only thing I’d say is that if you take it really seriously you’ll hit your limit very quickly, like I said I just paced myself as I wanted a whole day mainly to see if there was an evening rise, which rewarded me with my first fish on the dry

I’ll be heading back soon…

Mintsauce