Saturday, 31 December 2011

New Years Day

Curley's will be open on New Year's Day.
If you get there early please start fishing and I'll catch up with you.
When I do you may have to speak quietly and very slowly!!

Weather forecast is pretty good - no rain and 7 degrees see here for more details.

To all those I don't see tomorrow please have a great time tonight and hopefully see you very soon in the New Year.

Saturday brief update

Fishing well, Mr Pat Brown on 5 fish to a black fritz, intermediate line.
White buzzers under a indicator also catching fish.
Weather isnt as bad as it looks! very fine mist/rain with next to no wind

Friday 30-12-11

Mr Steve Moffat (4hr 2fish ticket)
"Best days fishing, personal record of 10, 7 bows and 3 blues to the net, my arm is hanging off! Great Fishery"

Mr Roach (4hr sporting)
"3 On black fritz good days fishing"

Mr Ellis (4hr sporting)
"Good day, no fish but will be back!"

Mr Chris Brown (4hour sporting)
"2 Blues one 3lb Bow on a cats whisker fritz"

Tightlines,
Nathan

Thursday, 29 December 2011

Thurs 29th Dec

Another quite horrible day today but that didn't put some brave fly fishers from making the most of the Christmas break.
A strong Westerly made casting difficult but fishing is always possible from the embankment and the roadside pontoons

Everybody caught with the rod average being over 3 fish per session not a bad return given the conditions.

The forecast is much better for tomorrow with the best conditions likely to be in the morning.

Tactics are varied with everything from a floater and buzzers to a Di3 and large lure all working.

Tightlines

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

Wind and bows

Its rather windy at curleys today, but our regular member Mr McGinley had 3 trout between 8:30 and 10:20, he stated the fish are still within the first few feet of the surface, so floating line still usable, however to get through the wind i would op for a intermediate to take your flies through the breeze.

It was hard work for the anglers that got out on the water today, the wind was a little too much, Lets hope for a less Breezy day tomorrow

According to the metoffice the wind is going to ease off! I intend to fish curleys myself tomorrow, so intermediate line and single fly for me (less tangles!), cats whisker or a black and green fritz is currently the working pattern/s.


Tightlines
Nathan

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Todays catches

C.Crompton finished on 8 fish.
Matt Johnson had 11 to his net.
Paul Johnson landed 9 trout.
Mr Ginty netted 15.
Mr Hayes finished on 4 fish.
Mr GreenBank caught 3 fish.
D.Cadman had 12 trout.

Please if you can pop over to the Fishery Office to let the staff know how you got on, it would be greatly appreciated, although it isnt mandatory. This way we can keep our blog watchers informed. Many Thanks.
Nathan Jones.

Early start pays off

Curleys is still fishing exceptionally well, best time of day, was morning with both blues and rainbows taken to all sorts of lures. Getting down to Curleys early is always recommended, i opened up the new fishery office early this morning and will be opening up the office early on wednesday to allow anglers to wet a line that little bit earlier.
Catch rates are still high!!

A Young Johnson netted 9 fish over the course of 4 hours.
Stuart Landed 15 fully finned silver bars again within 4 hours.

Fishing exceptionally well to all sorts of methods and depths, black & green, white, orange fritz's all doing the business. However generally alot of trout are close to the surface as my good friend daniel lynam can tell you, who had 7 fish and it was only his 3rd fly session!

Tightlines all
Nathan

Monday, 26 December 2011

Sore Arm Syndrome

Boxing Day Report
A number of intrepid fly fishers came out today all of them catching.
The 2 standout results were Howard Croston with over 16 fish up to 6 lbs and Chris Brown with over 16 fish up to 7lbs.
Both significantly were fishing with flies they had tied themselves but were large lures.
Basically anything big i.e. up to size 10 long shank, patterns like zonkers, minkies, Cats on a long shank and I am sure Appetisers would also work.
If you are at a loose end tomorrow you know where the action is.......!!
Large selection of flies now available, 75p each or 10 for £6.50

Saturday, 24 December 2011

Christmas eve high catch rates

Merry Christmas all!

Currently fishing very well, with high catch rates!
Come check out the huge stock of flies we have on offer in the new Fishery Office.
Alot of blues coming out so hold on to your rods!

Floating line, long leader, weighted lure and you cant go wrong!
All pegs fishing well.

Tightlines!
Nathan

EDIT:
Curleys Member Dave caught 15 fish by 2pm!

Friday, 23 December 2011

Merry Christmas

Time to wish all of the fishery's clients a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
It's been great having your Company over the last 12 months and we hope to see you all again very soon.

Once you get fed up of all the festivities why not come along to Curley's for a bit of peace and do some fishing. We will be open everyday except Christmas Day.

The new shop is operating and is being used now for those buying permits and booking in for members and will be fully stocked early in the New Year.

Merry Christmas
Mike, Steve, Helen, Geoff and Nathan

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Update









Curleys is still fishing very well, Angler Phil Kennedy landed 8 fish yesterday (20th Tuesday).

Cats whisker is the current fish landing pattern, believe it or not fished on a floating line on a long leader, even at this time of year the trout at curleys can be reasonably close to the surface.
I wouldnt quite say it was dry fly weather but if your into your lures get either a Cats whisker, black tadpole, black & green fritz, orange fritz or the current deadly pattern at curleys pink minkie (or anything pink for that matter seems to do the job).
Again dont assume buzzers and nymphs wont catch fish at this time of year, as they most certainly do.

If i arrived at curleys on an overcast, slighty breezy cold day (typical at this time of year) i would opt for a intermediate line, with a decent length of leader, between 16-20ft with 3 flies, top dropper being a black or orange blob, middle dropper a cruncher or comorant and on the point another lure either dark in colour of bright depending on my top dropper choice (with a bit more weight in it to aid turn-over).

Tightlines,
Nathan.

PS. the tackle shop is looking good and im sure mike will pop on to announce its opening (its close!), be sure to pop in even if you dont fancy a bit of fishing on the day, as the selection of flies mike will have on display is very impressive!

Sunday, 18 December 2011

Frosty with a chance of fin perfect blues!

Sunday 18-12-11

Weather = Cold wind, not too strong. Still frosty but snow thawing.
(ANGLERS: Please take care around the lake as it is still very icy under foot)

Killing pattern = Orange fritz seemed to take most of the fish today, although the black and green fritz goldhead took a few.

I managed to get some fishing in and try the lake out for myself today, so i can bring you the working tactics and flies first hand. The majority of the fish caught today were blues, those that have caught blues in the past know of their excellent fighting strength. If you hook into one of these trout you will know about it!
Depth wise i would say between 5-10ft earlier on and as the temperature decreased between 10-15ft.

Tightlines,
Nathan Jones

Winter fishing at its best

Saturday 17-12-11

Weather = Cold, snowy spells and slight wind.
Killing pattern = black and pink goldhead // black tadpole

Cold and plenty of snow throughout the day, the fishing is still excellent! Ted Brown arrived at Curleys at roughly 9am and within an hour he had five fish to a black and pink lure. Five "perfectly conditioned" trout. Those that fished today did very well with a high rod average. All fishable pegs were cleared of snow making it easily accessible even in these conditions.

Black and green/pink lures doing the business.
A floating line can still be used very effectively at Curleys even at this time of year, but i do recommend sticking to a intermediate line to give yourself the option of fishing shallow or mid depth. Always at this time of year keep a sinking line to hand, as the fish can sit deeper.

Tightlines,
Nathan Jones

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Post correction

My earlier post referred to a guy called "Tony" -- Oops! Got his name wrong and an email from "Paul" correcting my mistake....


On a very serious note, your Sunday report names me as “tony” the fellow with the minkies! The names Paul (Tony indeed)
I moved up to the dam end later in the morning and found the fish about 15 foot down, on a static/very slowly retrieved black buzzer. The reward was a rainbow that touched nearly 5LB and there was I asking for bigger fish earlier on! Two other bows at about 2 1/2. I’m confident if i had been on full day ticket i would have easily doubled my catch. I will return. 
 
My apologies Tony , sorry I mean Paul!!!!

Monday, 12 December 2011

Sunday's report 12th Dec

Not a bad day in comparison to the past few days.  Rained hard in the morning and remained quite misty all day.
Quite a few die hards braved the worst of the conditions but were generally rewarded especially Tony who had 10 fish mostly to a yellow Minkie - last time he was at Curley's he had the same result but to a pink minkie!!! All other fly fishers had on average 3 fish over the day.

Minkies and Zonkers can work well at this time of year when the fish are determined to add a bit of protein to see them over the Winter and can be fry feeding obsessively.
Even if the fish are not fry feeding these types of flies work well because of the extra movement from the "tail" of the fly.  However you will almost certainly get some "takes" on the tail which will not result in hook-ups.  Normally we would rip a bit of the tail off to shorten it but unless you have a lot of minkies/zonkers at your disposal don't do this as it will ruin the movement and the reason why this fly is being taken in the first place!!

BTW both of these patterns will be available from the NEW tackle shop VERY soon!!!

Saturday, 10 December 2011

Ignore the cold! be rewarded!

Saturday 10-12-11
Weather - Cloudy, odd patch of rain and slight chilly breeze.
Killing pattern - Green and black fritz goldhead.

Frosty start to the morning, rather fresh, however the fish are on the hunt for their winter stock up, any available food source is being gorged upon. Quite a few fish were seen surfacing early hours in the morning, however the majority of the fish will be hanging around the thermocline layer where the oxygen is balanced and the water temperature is suited. Those that wrap up to face the winter conditions, and search the depths, are in for a good days fishing. Catch rates are excellent, one member had take after take. Plenty of trout in the lake this time of year. Dont forget when you pop down to do some fishing, sign up to our loyalty scheme which is going strong, and grab yourself a free days fishing when you reach 30 points. Ask bailiff for details.

So for those willing to wrap up, fish lures, from black and green fritz goldhead to cats whiskers, but dont rule out the nymphs and buzzers!

Tightlines,
Nathan Jones

Friday, 2 December 2011

Catch rate still good

More fish are being caught on a daily basis.
Our own Bailiff Geoff had a good time yesterday with 8 fish - serves me right for letting him have a day off!!!!

Floating line, long leader and cats whiskers and most flies with "pink" in them are doing the business but that could change as the water temperature drops.

Tightlines