April 24th @ Manningford Trout Fishery
The Dalkia Day
The day started well with a nip in the air and all the mentors and guests were warmly welcomed with hot sausage rolls / T&C.
With H&S lecture and fishery protocol completed tackle was dispensed and it was off to the waterside. The fish were sporadic in their appearance, and it became obvious that stalking would be required and over the next few hours it proved very fruitful for several guests with some very large fish coming to the net to be weighed in.
The camaraderie was flowing along with the banter as everyone settled into a comfortable rhythm of cast and retrieve then move a few yards and start again.
By midday the weather had warmed appreciably but the fish still proved very elusive with a quiet spell then an odd one took a fly then another quiet spell. This gave those in the know a good reason to keep on the move as the fish were obviously shoaling. It appeared that if you did not put the fly across their noses, they would not chase it, so the “Stalkers” were busy when they spotted a fish. Frustration levels rose when the fish followed the fly and turned away at the last moment.
I later learned that the fishery team had stocked the previous evening, so it confirmed our thoughts that they were shoaling which often happens after a fish stocking. The fish I mean not the fishery team.
A superb lunch was served with all the usual comments of what we could and should have done but then hindsight is 20-20 and that’s why it is called fishing and not catching.
A few guests regrettably blanked, and their mentors promptly came up with the ususal round of excuses, but the smiles made it obvious a good time was had by all and the praise and thanks from the guests was vociferous.
The Mentors and the Fishery team did a superb and I cannot speak highly enough of them all.
– Biggest Fish of 7lb 5ozs ( A Brownie) went to LCpl Georgina Hide. Mentor Richard Hughes.
– Biggest Bag of 3 Fish@ 16lbs 12ozs went to AB Thomas Brayford. Mentor Neil Mundy.
– Smallest Fish @ 3lbs went to LH Finnian Malone. Mentor. Robin Odell.
Photos by Mike Edward
The day started well with a nip in the air and all the mentors and guests were warmly welcomed with hot sausage rolls / T&C.
With H&S lecture and fishery protocol completed tackle was dispensed and it was off to the waterside. The fish were sporadic in their appearance, and it became obvious that stalking would be required and over the next few hours it proved very fruitful for several guests with some very large fish coming to the net to be weighed in.
The camaraderie was flowing along with the banter as everyone settled into a comfortable rhythm of cast and retrieve then move a few yards and start again.
By midday the weather had warmed appreciably but the fish still proved very elusive with a quiet spell then an odd one took a fly then another quiet spell. This gave those in the know a good reason to keep on the move as the fish were obviously shoaling. It appeared that if you did not put the fly across their noses, they would not chase it, so the “Stalkers” were busy when they spotted a fish. Frustration levels rose when the fish followed the fly and turned away at the last moment.
I later learned that the fishery team had stocked the previous evening, so it confirmed our thoughts that they were shoaling which often happens after a fish stocking. The fish I mean not the fishery team.
A superb lunch was served with all the usual comments of what we could and should have done but then hindsight is 20-20 and that’s why it is called fishing and not catching.
A few guests regrettably blanked, and their mentors promptly came up with the ususal round of excuses, but the smiles made it obvious a good time was had by all and the praise and thanks from the guests was vociferous.
The Mentors and the Fishery team did a superb and I cannot speak highly enough of them all.
– Biggest Fish of 7lb 5ozs ( A Brownie) went to LCpl Georgina Hide. Mentor Richard Hughes.
– Biggest Bag of 3 Fish@ 16lbs 12ozs went to AB Thomas Brayford. Mentor Neil Mundy.
– Smallest Fish @ 3lbs went to LH Finnian Malone. Mentor. Robin Odell.
Photos by Mike Edward
