Grafham Water Fly Fishers' Association

Guidance for GWFFA Bank and Boat Matches

Please note if you have either:

• a high temperature
• a new continuous cough

You should not attend a club match or event but instead follow government advice and self-isolate for 7 to 14 days.

General precautions:

1. We should all avoid handshakes and limit contact to elbow bumps or foot taps (not kicks!)
2. Encourage anglers to fish individually (not share cars) and keep at a respectable distance from each other.
3. We need to avoid queues of anglers weighing in, keep minimum of 1.5m apart from each other.
4. Boat match boat draw to be published the day prior to the match with boat numbers.
5. Boat matches anglers should be encouraged to move quickly from car parks to boats and to launch them immediately to create more space between boats.
6. Keep our distance on the boat pontoon. 
7. Lunchtime get together will be cancelled.  Instead fish straight through but a reduced finishing time of 5pm.
8. Stagger entry into the shop re buying of tickets, keep minimum of 1.5m distance from each other in any queue.
9. Where possible pay for tickets in advance by phone.  The lodge have confirmed that this can be done, and you would not have to collect the physical ticket to fish.
10. For GWFFA Matches boat fees would be payable to the club by BACS prior to the day, GWFFA would then pay for the boats by phone.

Fish 255 Returns 51 Rod average 5.0

The past week at Grafham has seen plenty of fish caught from both the boat and the bank. The bays along the North shore have been particularly productive and many of the larger over wintered fish are being caught on snakes and other lure like patterns fished on a floating line with a midge tip leader. The dam is also producing plenty of fish with many bank anglers having good results whilst fishing a shammy fly on the bung. The action seems to be fairly constant throughout the day with no obvious peak times at the moment. However, with the mornings getting brighter and the days getting longer we fully expect dusk and dawn to really switch them on soon.

The biggest fish reported this week was a 5lb 6oz Rainbow and the rod average is a very respectable 5.0. The buzzers are now starting to hatch all around the complex so if you are planning a visit make sure you have buzzer patterns in the box.

Best Rainbow: 5lb 6oz.

Best Brown: 3lb 12oz.

Best boat areas: Wind dependent.

Best bank areas: G Buoy, the Willows, the Dam.

Grafham Water 

The opening weekend at Grafham has provided anglers with some fantastic sport and thrown up some bumper catches. The annual New Lodge trophy which is awarded for the biggest fish on opening day took place on Friday, and was won with a cracking rainbow of 4lb 15oz. The fish was caught by Danny Peet and was part of a 30 fish catch taken along the north shore. 

Bright blobs and black snakes fished a few feet under the surface are still producing the goods at the moment, but as the sun comes out and the water warms up we fully expect the fish to switch on to the buzzers that hatch in abundance all around the fishery. If you are planning a visit make sure you have buzzer imitations and other small nymphs in the tackle box, especially small green and black patterns. 

Bank fishing has been steady with plenty of fish getting caught at the Dam and along the north shore but please be aware the banks surrounding the fishery at this time of year can be very slippery so good non slip footwear is essential, especially along the Dam.

This week’s catch returns show that a lot of over wintered fish are getting caught with plenty of fish between 3-5lb being reported. The rod average at the moment is a very respectable 7.4 and we believe this number will continue to rise as the buzzers hatch and the fish begin to gorge themselves on this natural larder.

If you are planning a trip to Grafham give the lodge a call first to get further advice on best boat areas and methods as this can change daily and is often weather dependent; or you can always speak to one of the rangers when you arrive.

Best Rainbow: 5lb 3oz.

Best Brown: 3lb 4oz.

Best boat areas: Wind dependent – G buoy, the Dam, the Seat.

Best bank areas: G Buoy, the Willows, the Dam.

Fish stocked: 10,000 (season to date).

Forthcoming events
Scierra Pairs 12 March

Perch Mania 28 & 29 March

Anglian Water Rudder Match 11 April

England Qualifier 24 April

Snowbee Floating Line 2 May

Invicta Pilgrimage 21 May

Beginners courses: 15, 20 & 25 March; 4, 8, 17 & 26 April; 3, 10, 17, 23 & 29 May and other dates throughout the season. 

Boat handling courses: 28 April; 5, 18 & 26 May; 8, 16 & 23 June and other dates throughout the season.

A reminder to all paid up members that the Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 3rd March, commencing sharp at 19.30, followed by the screening of the film “CHALK” which explores fishing for wild brown trout in chalk streams unique to the UK.

All members will have received by now notice of the AGM, an agenda, plus a copy of last year’s AGM, by e mail. The chairman’s, treasurer’s and club captains’s reports will be presented on the night.

The committee look forward to welcoming you all on the night.