The Complete Fisher Forum

[Officer Clipboard]

Hi all

It's been a while and we've had to put Socials on the back burner whilst this pandemic has been around. But Ed has agreed we can hold our Social at Elinor again!!!

So, Thursday 26th May to Sunday 29th May.

Fish from bank, boat or float tube, camp on the bank, bbq in the evening. For those coming on Thursday, pub dinner.

Lastly, the Bank Holidays in May are different this year. Normally, the Monday after the Social is a Bank Holiday but this year, that has been cancelled and replaced with Thursday and Friday following the Social due to the Queen turning 100.

I've created a similar post on the Complete Fisher Forum Facebook page as well. 13 said yes from there with 8 maybes.

Add your names here or on the Facebook page.

Cheers all!
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/completefisher/

[RogB]

Well done Nigel. I shall pencil it in for the weekend.
Cheers Roger

[Officer Clipboard]

UPDATE

As many of you know, Ed Foster has retired from owning the lease at Elinor.
As from March 2022, the new leaseholders are Brad and Jo and I been in touch with them with regards to our Social in May.

They have confirmed that our Social is in their diary and they are looking forward to welcoming us all!

Fishing prices remain roughly the same and for those who use a float tube, we can still launch them.

I'd like to wish the new leaseholders all the very best for the future and I'm sure they will do just as well as Ed Foster used too.

So, there is still time to add your names!!
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/completefisher/

[blondie]

That is good news Nigel I hope Ed has a great retirement and the best of luck to the new couple on there taking over of Elinor
Im sure Alan will be up for it Im really hoping to make this with him. I wont know for a while yet ,due to an ongoing health problem .Could be a last minuite decision.Hope thats ok Nigel
Thanks for the good news and organisation Regards.Steve.

[Officer Clipboard]

Hi all

Please can those of you who have said they are coming along confirm which days and for how long & if you need to book a boat.

Please also note that you'll need to bring your own food and drinks.

There is still plenty of time to add your name as well!

Cheers!
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/completefisher/

[Allrounder]

I am planning to attend and will send you a PM, Nigel.

Alan
_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello!

[cowboy]

Put me down for all 4 days please Nigall.will be nic.e to catch up with everybody .

[Officer Clipboard]

Our Spring Social is less than 4 weeks away.
If anyone else is interested in coming along, please let me know.

Also, there is a Complete Fisher Forum Facebook group page which is free to join and has a few more details.
You'll need to be added to the group by one of the Admins first:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/completefisher/?ref=share

And then, once you've been added, follow this link and add your name if you prefer to use Facebook.

https://facebook.com/events/s/elinor-spring-social-2022/1015447682579878/
_________________
https://www.facebook.com/groups/completefisher/

[blondie]

You have a p.m Nigel.Cheers.Steve.

[Allrounder]

I got back from the Elinor Social last night and as usual it was a brilliant weekend. I arrived on Thursday afternoon and after setting up the pop up tent it was soon time for the traditional Social evening meal at a local pub. Normally the pub has been very good but the ravages of Covid meant that they had no real ale on draft although the alternative Italian lager was fine , as was my meal, although I need more practice at taking panorama pics on my phone ...

No fishing that night and after a catch up around the fire with a number of old friends and some I had just made it was time for bed.


Friday
I was up with the larks on the first day but after a fairly uncomfortable night under canvas I fancied a cup of tea and a breakfast before making my way to the lake for the morning rise. Elinor is a well stocked 50 acre spring fed gravel pit where for me the attraction is the abundance of free rising fish so I only brought my #5 weight and a box of dries and nymphs for the trout. As I got to the bank the only other person caught a fish which is always a good sign but few fish were rising and the light onshore wind made turning over dries difficult so I reverted to nymphs. I landed one on a Damsel but had nothing else before it was time to pick up my boat which go out at 7am with Mike Rowe, a Bristolian who posts on the FB site and often shares a boat with Arkle on this forum on the Bristol ressies. Mike said he is fairly new to trout fishing so as there weren't many boats out we decided to drift, fishing loch style but as the wind got stronger it got increasing difficult especially as we didnt have a drogue. Mike had one on a Daddy but it was hard work and I couldnt get any of few takes I got to stick, including one where I actually saw the fish come up, open its mouth and take the fly.

After a break for a few hours at lunchtime we went back out and spent some time looking for more sheltered water to drift but it was hard work again and I confess I got a bit frustrated trying to cast the #5 and present my dries properly in the strong wind. I even abandoned the dries and went on an inter and nymphs but only got one tentative tug. As evening approached we spotted some fish rising close in so decided to drop the hook. That was a good move because as the evening wore on a good hatch of Sedge developed and we were both spoiled for choice at which fish to cover. But try as we might we couldn't find the key and when the boats came off at 9pm we were both fishless. Thank God for my fish on the Damsel and Mike's fish on the Daddy earlier in the day. A blank on Elinor is unthinkable at this time of year!

Saturday
Saturday was predicted to be the best weather of the weekend with lighter winds and cloud cover. It was also a very cold night to be under canvas with temperatures down to 5 or 6 degrees so I was up early but again decided a few cups of tea to warm up was more important than an early start! Eventually I made my way to a bay I knew that usually harbours a few fish early on and sure enough, they were there within casting range as I hoped. I fished dries again but the fish seemed shy, often having a look but refusing to commit. I realised I wasn't rubbing my leader with fullers earth and that seemed to help with two fish finally falling to a Klink.


The boats go out at 7am on Elinor but Mike elected to fish the bank instead (I don't blame him after the day before!) so I was out on my own. As recommended by Brad from the Fishery I bought a couple of Yellow Owl shuttlecock flies which he assured me would do the business and I also decided to fish a lighter 6lb copolymer leader as I found the fish weren't as brutal as Bristol Water fish I was used to. The plan was to drift from the same spot across the lake and then drop the hook when I saw rising fish in front of me and I didn't have to go far before the hook was deployed. It soon became clear that the Yellow Owl would work and I took two fish on it before I wondered if I had any more Shuttlecock flies in my box and I did! I deployed a Black shuttlecock buzzer on the point with the Owl on the dropper and that led to a glorious mornings sport covering rising fish ending up with 8 to the net and probably as many again pricked or lost on the take. The best fly was the black shuttlecock and I ended up fishing two on my cast. The fish loved them to pieces - literally! ....

After lunch I came out again for a few hours expecting more of the same but someone else was parked in my place. It didn't seem to matter though as the wind had picked up and lake was very quiet so I added no more to my total. I should have delayed my lunch for a few more hours! Later I spoke to Brad who told me he had sold out of Yellow Owls in the Lodge.

Sunday
Saturday night turned out to be the coldest of them all with 5 degrees forecast but fortunately I put on all the fleeces I had so it wasn't so bad. However I decided to sleep on as the sun rose to warm the tent so didn't get up until after 8am. Normally I leave Sunday morning but after watching the lads on the bank and tubes and noting the rising fish I decided to get a C&R bank ticket. It seemed a good idea at the time but although the float tubers made hay, I found it much tougher from the bank. After losing 2 fish to a dry Daddy and a pulled wet Hopper I eventual got my fish thanks to a trusty Black Klink after the Shuttlecocks proved strangely ineffective. After that I decided enough was enough and it really was time to go so I said my farewells to the lads at 3pm.

Elinor is a 340mile round journey for me but after the obvious attraction of meeting friends I know from the Forum/ CF Facebook, the main reason I am willing to make the trip are the free rising trout. I don't think I have ever fished there when nothing has been rising and so if you like dry fly fishing but get frustrated when you see nothing rise all day (like me) then it is the perfect venue at this time of year. Best fish for me was around 4lb although I think a fish of around 7lb was caught by someone from the Forum

Many thanks to Brad and his wife who made us very welcome and for Brads sound advice and obvious expertise and to Nigel (Officer Clipboard) and Kevin (zimfisherman) for the loan of the fully charged battery and electric motor. I would have struggled without them that's for sure, especially on Friday! Also to everyone who stayed or dropped by over the weekend. It was fun, despite the cold nights!

Alan
_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello!