Big Fish Column: Young Theo lands brown trout while Will bags a beast

A marked cooling off and the first frost of the year, in most areas, did have an impact on local angling last week but prospects remain particularly good for the time of year and sport is brisk as we head into November.

Reservoir perch

We start off this week on one of the best local trout fisheries, Farmoor Reservoir, but it is not trout that have excited local anglers but the predators that the venue holds.

In an enlightened policy for trout fisheries Thames Water, who control the fishing at Farmoor, allow predator fishing throughout the winter months and the opening of the season on the venue has seen some exceptional fish come to the bank already with pike to just under 30lb and perch to over 4lb hitting landing nets.

It was the perch that interested Wokingham angler Will Barnard and despite bright, sunny conditions making the fishing very tricky he used lures to great effect to net two stunning perch, scaling 3lb and 3lb 14oz. Big fish by any standards but Will is convinced the water could throw up some seriously large fish.

Predator fishing at Farmoor is strictly regulated with only sea deadbaits and lures over 4in permitted, but this is by no means a handicap to catching and although it can be difficult at times the venue is probably offers the best chance of 30lb pike and 4lb perch locally.

Stillwater trout

Moving swiftly along, this time to trout at a trout fishery, and congratulations go to 12-year-old Theo Reid-Cane who fished a damsel nymph to land a terrific 4lb brown trout from Haywards Farm Lake at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre. Theo also landed five other trout, including two off the top on dry flies – his first ever to fall to surface presentations.

Theo’s dad, Mark, told me, “You can see by the look on his face just how excited he was to catch, he can’t wait to go again!”

Haywards Farm Lake remains in great shape at present with returns for the week showing a good rod average of 4, with the best fish of the week a stunning blue trout of 8lb 1oz to Rod Horner who fished a Black Montana pattern.

With the forecast suggesting a return to slightly warmer conditions and a degree of consistency to the weather, both coarse and trout anglers should see some good sport over the next few days.

Any anglers wishing to report catches may contact me at ian@bigfishtrail.com