Week 6 - 2026 Fly Fishing Report – Ladybower Fisheries
Season Total stocking to date: 7,700
BEETLE BONANZA
The highlight of this week has, without doubt, been the epic fall of Heather beetle we have seen on the water, starting Tuesday afternoon and carrying on through the warmer spells in the week!
It's an incredible sight to see with large pods of fish feeding heavily together on them around the edges of the reservoir, where the beetles have been blown of the surrounding fields.
Now although the fish are readily feeding on these, you must get your tactics right. Accurate casting is essential and intercepting a fishes rise is paramount. They are relatively small beetles when you see them up close so a size 14 or biggest a 12 is useful to remember.
When the beetles aren't out the usual pulling or bung tactics are still catching plenty of fish. Di3 to 5 with damsel, cats, snakes all find fish if they are not right up on the surface and the bung set between 3 and 8ft still remains consistent.
Buzzers are now also starting to come in to play. Often first thing in the morning a good hatches of small buzzer are out, bigger ones will start to show as the weather warms. Black or olive are best choices.
Top areas for the boat have been around the jettys and all down the roadside bank in the basin, Grainfoot and in front of the houses on past Millbrook. Noticeably, fish remaining close in the the banks for now, however, with the more settled, warmer weather we do expect fish to start to spread out across the reservoir more in the coming weeks. It should make for another epic season on the dries from now onwards
Top returns
Season ticket holder John Kirk had a fantastic day on friday. He netted 37 whilst boat fishing the main basin. The dam close in on beetle patterns along with the bung accounted for his fish.
Ben Robertson and George Carters had over 50 to their boat on Wednesday! Making the most of the warmer day we had they fished floating or midge tips with the washing line. Cormorants and FABS were the flies well done lads
Top bank areas :
• Jetty
• Pickles
• Grainfoot
• Millbrook
Top boat areas:
• Grainfoot
• Millbrook flats
• Basin - Roadside and dam wall
• Ladybower bay
Must have flies:
• Blobs
• Boobies
• Buzzers
• Damsel
• Mop flies
• Snakes
For boat bookings, you can now do this quickly and easily online using this link - https://www.ladybowerfisheries.co.uk/boat-fishing
Don't forget, when you hand a correctly filled out return in to us, its automatically entered in to the monthly draw for a free C+R ticket on your next visit so what's there to lose! Keep your eyes peeled on our page for this months winner
A reminder that our fishery manager, Warren Langridge, is now set up to offer tuition and fully guided fishing trips. You can book via the office on 01433 659712 or by using the link on this page of our website: https://www.ladybowerfisheries.co.uk/tuition
