FLY FISHING - BRISTOL Water Fisheries report changeable weather this week.

FLY FISHING - BRISTOL Water Fisheries report changeable weather this week.

Some days have been bright and sunny, others cloudy with rain. Winds have varied from fresh westerlies to light breezes from the north. Much cooler especially at night when there have been some ground frosts locally and this has cooled the water giving surface temperatures of about 12?C. This has also helped a little in clearing some of the algae at most of the waters.

Similar story to last week at Chew Valley with bank fishermen often outfishing boat anglers. The trout are finding food in the shallowest water at present which often makes for difficult boat fishing. Bank fishermen have found the best fishing from the North Shore and Picnic Areas, Woodford and Villice and Nunnery Point.

The fish seem to be feeding on many things so general patterns such as Diawl Bach, Pheasant Tail and Crunchers are good flies to try. A bright or flashy thorax or tag often works well. Boats have found fish in the same areas plus around the Island. Because the fish are in such shallow waters they do disappear quite quickly in the brighter conditions. One area that has fished well is around the jetties where there have been plenty of fry feeders.

Sunday saw two wonderful fish taken. Dave Minall took an 11-12 brown trout on a grizzle zonker while Bristol Water Ranger Paul Sheppard captured a rainbow of 7.10 on a pink minkie.

Boat fishing at Blagdon was again tough this week. As at Chew the fish have been close to the banks much of the time and bank fishermen have had some excellent sport. Depending on wind direction many of the shallower areas at Blagdon have been worthwhile.

Pegs and Rugmoor produced plenty of moving fish earlier in the week and dries and emergers worked well in the cloudy conditions. This weekend saw Green Lawn as the best spot. Here Martin Burgess took four fish for 12lb 3oz on a washing line with boobies and hoppers. This was enough to win him first place in the BRFFA bank competition, just beating Martin Cottis, who also had four fish from Holt Bay on brown bits emergers.

Fishing well most of the time at Barrow from all three tanks. Small flies on floating lines accounted for the best catches.

The rain has started to fill the Upper Lake at Litton now, making it more easily fished. The Lower Lake is still fishing well with nymphs, mini lures and bright gold heads as the best patterns.