Keith Allison and Stuart Foulds, after hearing about John Goldie’s and John Poote’s spectacular session at Draycote Water the previous week, decided to try their luck on Wednesday, 8th August.

The previous day’s fishing log showed the fishing to be very difficult with numerous single fish or nil returns. So with some trepidation, they set off to Rainbow corner. The weather forecast for the day looked good – overcast sky and moderate south westerly wind. Initially the boat was anchored in Rainbow Corner followed by drifting to A buoy. With a team of buzzers, crunchers and Diawl Bachs on floating or midge tip neither Keith nor Stuart had any takers at all! With a few fish showing on the surface, on went the Big Red, Midas and Shipman’s, but no luck!

With no fish to the boat they decided to try the boils. There were clearly fish moving in the boils. Keith, with a midge tip, caught 2 rainbows in quick succession on an Al Owen’s buzzer followed by several others on green Diawl Bach. Stuart, with a floating line, had no takers but by putting a heavy bead head black nymph on the point to get the flies deeper, was soon catching on the black nymph, Al Owen’s buzzer (#10), red Diawl Bach (#10) and even Daddy Snatcher (on the top dropper).

Fishing the boils with a drogue, is a constant merry-go-round. Fortunately, initially, there were only three boats and they were well spaced. However, as it became clear to Keith and Stuart where the fish were feeding and what they were most interested in, and obvious to the other boats that they were catching on almost every drift, the merry-go-round became a little more congested.

As the day progressed, the takes became a little more subtle and several fish were lost. As the number of boats in the boils grew in mid-afternoon, Keith and Stuart headed back to Rainbow Corner to try again. After a restful period of no takes whatsoever, a change in wind direction to westerly and fewer boats on the boils, Keith and Stuart headed back to the boils.

It soon became apparent that the fish were taking high up in the boils (in the top 2 feet) and on the surface. Keith and Stuart caught on the first drift on the north side of the boils – on Al Owen’s buzzer. Keith added another 6 fish to his previous 10, and Stuart added another 5 fish to his previous 9 giving a total to the boat of 30. Keith lost several fish, two of which took part of his leader!

All told a “good day at the office” and a red letter day for Draycote in the boat.