Week 31 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries
Season Total stocking to date: 24,000
We were glad to see a more settled spell of weather last week, with water levels starting to drop slightly again — which really helps the fishing!
Temperatures have now held steady at a constant 14°C, ideal for this time of year, and the clarity is improving day by day. The pH has also levelled off and, towards the back end of the week, we began to see small buzzers coming off — something we hadn’t seen the previous week.
On Saturday 27th, we held our friendly annual charity competition, The War of the Roses .
Anglers were in high spirits from the morning, fuelled by their complimentary bacon sandwiches .
The competition was split between bank and boats, with boats spread across both the main basin and the Derwent Arm. Overall, the reservoir fished well with a mix of methods working, including dries, washing-line, and pulling light lines high in the water.
Results:
• 1st place: James Lister (Glasgow) – 10 fish for 26lb. Won a £100 voucher from Mallon & Green.
• 2nd place: Richard Grainger (Derbyshire) – 12 fish for 22lb. Won a £25 Semperfli voucher and a £25 Wheatley Fly Boxes voucher.
• 3rd place: Kenny Whitehead (Glasgow) – 7 fish for 18lb 8oz. Won a £26 Semperfli voucher.
Largest fish: James Lister with a 10lb fish (returned), winning a fly-tying goody bag from Yellowbelly Fly Tying.
Team trophy: Derbyshire took first place, Rest of the World came second, and Yorkshire third. No anglers from Lancashire weighed in.
The event raised over £900 for the BDAA and Fishing for Heroes charities .
Decent fish are now being caught consistently week on week. The older residents are still showing first, but some of the belters we stocked back in July have been spotted around the lake. It won’t be long before another big one makes an appearance .
Don’t forget… Ladybower is the home of the big bows
Tuition & Guided Trips
Our fishery manager, Warren Langridge, is now offering tuition and fully guided fishing trips. Book via the office on 01433 659712 or online here: ladybowerfisheries.co.uk/tuition
Notable Catches This Week:
War of the Roses winner James Lister shared a boat with Kenny Whitehead — together they tallied 35 fish. Small dries and damsel patterns around the cages and up the Derwent Arm did the trick .
On Sunday 28th, Kenny went out solo and netted 20 on the same tactics . Fantastic angling!
Top Lines This Week:
• Floating Line
• 3ft Tip
• Slow Glass
• Fast Glass
Best Flies:
• Hoppers
• Cormorants
• Snakes
• Cat’s Whiskers
• Hot-Head Damsel
• Various Boobies
A Note on Rules
The new cages have a 50m exclusion zone (marked by buoys). Please respect this perimeter — it applies to everyone.
A reminder to all boat anglers: standing up in the boat to fish or motor is strictly prohibited. We’re still seeing a few isolated cases, but thankfully most have got the message. Safety is paramount, and these rules exist for very good (and sadly tragic) reasons from elsewhere. Please remain seated at all times. Thank you.
Discover premium fishing tackle and equipment at SKB Fishing Gear. Shop quality rods, reels, flies, and accessories for all anglers visit: https://skbfish.co.uk/
