The annual trip for 2017 was organised for fishing Eyebrook and Rutland reservoirs. Unfortunately an unplanned for spell of high wind (upto 40 mph) and heavy rain (2ins/h) arrived which ensured that no boats were permitted to venture out.

After a hearty breakfast at the Holiday Inn, Corby, we all arrived at Eyebrook Reservoir and took the opportunity for some retail therapy at the excellent, predominantly fly tying material, shop in the lodge. Whilst the majority of our party decided to return home directly and cancel the trip, Keith Allison and Stuart Foulds were determined to at least try to fish from the bank or shallow water in the lee of the wind for one day. After a “doom and gloom” prediction from a number of visiting anglers (all the fish are in deep water!) but mild encouragement from the staff, Keith and Stuart set off.

They headed initially for Mucky Bay, a shallow bay in which it is possible to wade and which was sheltered from the strong wind. Keith was soon into a fish when fishing a green diawl bach. This was followed by a second after losing one. Stuart meanwhile was having no luck by fishing too deep with midge tip (floating line on spare spool had been replaced by Di7 ready for deep water!). They moved to the Island Point where Keith caught 4 more (and lost a few) and Stuart landed two on green buzzer. Several torrential downpours did not dampen their spirits nor the willingness of fish to take the fly.

They returned to the car for lunch to find John Goldie admiring the weather after experiencing a morning of extensive retail therapy. Stuart decided to put his 6wt floating line on his 7wt/10ft rod – not ideal but useable.

After lunch, Keith and Stuart headed for Sam’s Dyke where it was shallow and sufficiently sheltered for casting a team of flies. As Keith approached the shore line, he noticed the tell tail surface disturbance of fish moving along the shore line about 15 – 20 metres from the shore. So they decided not to wade but to fish from the bank! Straightaway, Keith was catching on diawl bach and FAB but was also getting broken and losing flies as the aggressive and very hard fighting rainbows tested his kit. Stuart similarly was soon catching on green buzzer and FAB. The fish were in excellent condition, mainly stockies of around 2 – 2.5lb which fought extremely hard in the shallow water, occasionally going down to several metres of the backing line.

In mid- afternoon, the wind slowed to 10 – 15 mph, the sky turned blue overhead and the awesome sight appeared on the far side of the reservoir of intense primary and secondary rainbows arching from The Dam to The Seat against a grey sky background. The fish continued to feed, moving up and down the shore line with FAB being the most attractive fly followed by diawl bach and buzzer.

At the end of the day, Keith finished with 20 fish and Stuart with 21, the latter after a period of catching 4 fish in 4 casts as a shoal patrolled offshore. So the “nay Sayers” were proven wrong again and a tough but productive day’s fishing was enjoyed in this most picturesque of settings.