Paul Grisley secured victory in Wistlandpound Clubs April Trophy at Blagdon Reservoir. His eight fish limit bag of rainbow trout totalled 21lb 3oz. Colin Combe was runner up with 8 for 17lb 8oz and David Eldred third with 8 for 16lb 12oz. The biggest trout of the day was a rainbow of 4lb 6oz to the rod of Paul Grisley.
I shared a boat with Matt Kingdom who gave a lesson in how to catch trout completing his eight fish limit by lunch time and going on to add another ten trout. I fished similar tactics and even scrounged a couple of Matt’s successful flies to land a brace of trout. Sometimes the difference between success and failure is due to a subtle difference in technique or tackle. Blagdon is a truly historic trout water that can provide exciting sport especially at this time of year as the trout feast on the thousands of buzzers that hatch from the lake when conditions are right. In a few weeks time it will be thrilling to hear the pleasing screech of the swifts as they swoop across the lake. The first swallows should be showing any day soon.
After many years I have replaced my old trout fishing bag with a new one. The Snowbee XS – Bank & Boat Bag is highly recommended with numerous practical and functional characteristics. www.snowbee.co.uk
Steve Edmunds won the first leg of Wistlandpound Fly Fishing Clubs Winter Challenge Match held at Exe Valley Fishery with a four fish bag totaling 13lb 4oz. Runner up was Colin Combe with four for 11lb 8oz and third Paul Grisly with four for 11lb 6oz.
