May 2019

In May we hosted the winner of the Wild Trout Trust Auction. He caught well on the lake and caught browns and a some coarse fish in the river.
 
Mayfly hatches came on towards the end of the month and should continue through June which is our usual time for mayfly - so if you haven't given the river a try yet, now would be a good time.

April 2019 

A promising start to the season, with good levels and flows. During the first week or so catches came to nymphs (ptns and corixa patterns) but towards the end of the month small emerger patterns were proving successful.

May is looking good although levels could do with some rain. No mayflies yet, but there have been some good hatches of olives. Try cdc emergers fished in the film.

October 2018

Not as good a rod average this month as we have seen up to now this year, but nevertheless a respectable result.  Don't forget the AGM on Tuesday 20th November 2018 at 7.30 for 8.00 pm at the White Oak Indoor Bowls Centre, Garrolds Close Swanley.

September 2018

The exceptionally good weather we enjoyed throughout the summer seems to be continuing as we move into Autumn and the performance on the water has also remained exceptional with another month producing a rod average above four fish per visit.  The final stocking of the year will be on Thursday 25th October rather than the date previously advised on the boat house notice board.

August 2018

Once again a superb month with the highest number of fish caught in August for many a year - rod average 3.2.  Stocking has recommenced for the back end of the season and a big thank you to all who turned out on August 30th to help with the delivery.  During the coming month try a lure instead of something more delicate - the experts are suggesting a hot-head damsel.

July 2018

An exceptional July in terms of rod average, up from 1.5 in the same period last year to 4.2 this time and the best for many a year - but with a similar number of angler-visits as July in previous years.  Although this may to some extent have been due to the later stocking in June, nevertheless it was outstanding when compared to top commercial waters such as Elinor, which really struggled during the heatwave.

On the river heatwave, hot and near-drought conditions made for very difficult fishing and little activity.  At the time of writing (8th August) the forecast is for more temperate weather for the next couple of weeks, so fingers crossed for August?

June 2018

Rod average was back up to an outstanding level of 4.3 per visit - way above the same month last year.  Some good hatches of Mayfly were reported earlier in the month and with the warm sunny weather looking set to continue for a while, late evening may be the best time to fish.

Stocking has now been completed for the first part of the season and the next one is scheduled for August 31st.  Any possible changes to this will be posted in the boathouse.

The River:  Towards the end of the month the heatwave started, levels started to drop and fish were to be found in the shaded stretches. Water levels are beginning to assume summer-time low levels so those who caught did so on long leaders with lots of stealth. June wasn't a month for rising fish unfortunately, but emergers and spider patterns performed well, with catches of two small (less than 6") juvenile wild fish taken on sawyers nymphs.

 For July - long leaders (as long as you can manage), small unweighted nymphs and spider patterns should work well.

May 2018

The Bibury fish have been up to their usual excellent standard and catch rates are slightly up on the average.  There is one more stocking before the July/August break.

Would members please remember that fishing is prohibited in front of the house at Lullingstone - from the boathouse to the lower weir - when open to the public.  This is normally on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

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Tony Paras reports:  We started the month with conditions coming back to near-normal. Then around the middle of May some huge downpours and storms brought the river back up to just short of flood conditions. Angling-wise we had to almost start again with weighted nymphs in the eddies and backwaters. For a good week the river was unfishable, but slowly some good coarse fish and the trout came back on.

During May we hosted the winner of the Wild Trout Trust Auction on the lake and the river. He caught well on the lake and also caught brown and rainbow trout in the river along with some coarse fish. 

Mayfly hatches have been slow so far, but trout and a few good chub have been coming up to dries. June is more the time for our mayflies and through the month they should improve. For flies, instead of large mayflies try some smaller spinner-type patterns or a yellow humpy often brings them up.

April 2018 

We seem to have spoken too soon about the change for the better in the weather - will it ever stop raining?  We were fooled by two or three days of balmy spring days before the cold and wet returned with a vengeance.  Nevertheless members are still turning out in good numbers and the rod average has, after an exceptionally high March, remained at normal levels for the time of year.  If you haven't yet been to York's Hill I am told by Mick Lee that it is fishing very well at the moment with lots of buzzers around.  It is in a beautiful setting and well worth a try.  The rod average there for April was just over five fish per visit.

Please note that there will be some changes to stocking dates during May and June - further details can be seen on the noticeboard in the boathouse.

And Tony Paras reports from the river....  At the start of last season we were hoping for water. Not the case at the start of this season with levels higher than normal and at one point just a few centimetres below flood conditions. Needless to say the browns stayed down, although we did have a fine 5"-6" wildie from mid-beat. Those who caught fished the eddies and back currents with weighted nymphs, with browns, the odd escapee rainbow from the lake causing fun on light tackle and chub. The turbid water for much of the month seemed to keep the coarse fish down.

At time of writing May is looking good and more in keeping with the season. No mayflies yet, but soft hackle dries, adams and humpies should get them up.

March 2018 

Apologies to all for the late posting of the March catch returns.  Members made fewer visits than in the opening month of last year and no doubt the continuing inclement weather was a factor.  Nevertheless the rod average, at 4.8, was higher than we have seen in any one month for some years.  As I write this in the third week of April the weather has at last taken a turn for the better as we approach what I regard as the best time of the year for fly fishing.

Lullingstone Catch Returns 2017