JULY LAKES REPORT

Hello fellow game fishers,

It looks as if we are going to be in for a long hot summer. July saw continued dry and warm conditions across Dorset, with below average rainfall and above average temperatures. It has impacted all our waterways, lakes and streams.

This means already that the lake levels are dropping like a stone and conditions are not going to get any easier for the foreseeable future. Surface weed growth has increased due to the heat, affecting oxygenation and our ability to cast a fly.

Winterbourne Zelston

So, I am hoping like many of you for a few decent downpours to freshen up and fill our lakes. Rain dance please!

Looking ahead continued evaporation and lack of inflow may lead to further lake shrinkage.

Fish stress and reduced oxygen levels could affect catch rates and increased mortality risk, especially in our stocked waters.

Work Party

A work party was carried out this month to clear around the walkway at WZ. This is in preparation for replacing the vertical posts holding the structure. Once this commences, we will be closing off access to the walkway whilst this is in progress.

Rawlsbury As expected, Chapmans lake, is gradually filling but it looks as if the weather conditions are not helping to speed up this process. The good news is that Mike has written to Justin the owner and agreed a further 6 week extension on our season this year.

Cowleaze and Viners are still available and we have carried out clearance work during the month.

Some of you have been fishing this month and your reports are outlined below:

• A spur of the moment trip to WZ this evening. Perfect conditions with the smallest of chops across the lake. It was great to cast a line in such peaceful surroundings. Plenty of follows for my Montana but no takes. A change to a buzzer again brought some action but nuthin’ doin’ . Another change to a size 16 gold head grhe combined with a move to the opposite side of the lake finally brought results. 2 casts 2 fish. No 1 came in at 2 13. No 2 at 3 12. Both fish in excellent condition. The lake is showing symptoms of hot weather with vegetation sprouting at an alarming speed. There are however, still plenty of available swims. Thanks to the work parties for keeping us fishing.

• From the western jetty with a shrimp and, unusually an orange wool indicator. The produced no result! But, got a follow and I wound in to change flies. So put on an orange bead head Woolly bugger. 2nd cast with that on a slow retriever produced a 4 pounder. Contained nothing but a single tiny buzzer. Has a chat with a body or two and went back to start to fish again. Didn’t take long before I had another take on the orange bead head. That second fish was just under 7lb. Powerful fin perfect fish. Fought well. Managed to drop my landing net in the water, couldn’t reach it, and was mighty glad of the assistance from SB!

I had four, all on my little 3wt I built earlier this year. One hell of a lot of fun. 2lb 2.5lb 3.5lb and 5.2lb.

They all fell to a hot head damsel fished deep and slow on a sink tip.

• Paul = got there rather late, about 11.30. Actually, was only going to fish dependent on water temperature, so heaved the thermometer in. Unfortunately, the thermometer bit sailed on, separate from the bit on the string! However, the string and cover, which were retrieved seemed fairly cool, and below 18-20, so not too warm so gave it a go. Trying a new fly, which has proved deadly over my last 3 or 4 fishing days – a size 12 leaded GRHE spider, with a fluorescent yellow tag. They prefer the yellow tagged version – a red tagged one has been useless. Anyway, deepish for the cooler water, off the west bank. I had seen a fish rise so cast to it. 3rd cast it took, and I was attached to a 6 pounder. However, that fish contained nothing that the spoon found, so clearly not the same fish. So tried again and 3 casts later another fish took on the drop. That one contained small surface beetles/terrestrial. No more rises. No more ticket neither! About 3 lbs. I think these spiders are very effective – that small hen hackle must look like small insect legs, and as the fly sinks, they wiggle enticingly? Been lethal recently, just fished on the drop. And not just at WZ So there we are – one at 6, one at 3. Incidentally they didn’t fight as expected, so I’m guessing the water is warming or deoxygenating? Or starting to.

All the best and enjoy your holidays if you are going away.

Tight lines

Paul