#5. All aboard with the lure master...

With the dry conditions continuing and the rivers still not on there best form, I felt this week I fancied something a bit different fishing wise. With the weather forecast looking favourable, a number of options were on the cards. Do I head north and go for some bream, with the chance of another special fish, or try the canal on the drop shot for some of the larger resident Perch or have a day out on the boat on a reservoir. Well, a quick call to my mate Lee Garner and it was decided that option 3 was to be the decision. A day out on the boat after Perch and Zander seemed the way forward. We both decided there was one place where we felt we might have a good chance of a good day and so the boat was booked and off we went. ⚓️🛥

The chance of a fine Zander or Perch here

We arrived at the reservoir early in the morning. The sun was out with a few clouds in the sky and not to much chop out on the water due to the light breeze. First things first we went to the onsite cafe and had a full English breakfast and mug of tea. Pukka it was and would set us up nicely for a day afloat. I asked Lee to provide the tackle and rods for the trip as he's got some of the best lure set up I've seen and is arguably one of the best lure lads in the uk. He's even represented the UK in lure fishing competitions so I was in safe hands. With the gear sorted we donned are Anglian water life jackets, loaded the boat and with Garner at the helm we set off into open water. 🚤💨

Style Icons ...

With the knowledge Lee has of the venue we were soon heading out to a specific area of the reservoir. He had brought some sonar equipment we were going to use to help find the areas to target but sadly this failed on us. So we only had previous knowledge to go on. I felt we were in the right place as a number of other boats soon arrived in the area. As many of you know, most of the fishing at Grafham is done drifting using a drogue to slow the drift down. This was the approach we took to cover the ground to try and locate fish. 🎣🐟

Set up was fairly straight forward as Lee was providing me with everything for this trip. I was using a custom lure/jig rod Lee had brought from America. It was stunning and coupled with a beautiful Abu Garcia reel it was the absolute dogs! We were using various coloured jigs from black and silver ones to bright green and yellow. Lowering them down to the bottom, once on the deck just lifting them up and down slowly and occasionally leaving it there and allowing the rock of the boat to do the work. 🌊

Brighter lures got more interest this time

It wasn't long, I think about our 3rd drift that Lee got the first enquiry on his rod, a sharp bang, typical of a Zander, followed by a couple of thuds. He was quick to stike but sadly there was nothing there. Annoying this was but gave us confidence we were in the right area. It wasn't to long after this I got my first bite. It arrived at the time I was on my phone so I was slightly late striking but I did and the fish was on. I played it well and it was heading to the surface. Lee was getting ready with the net and at that point the line went slack and the fish as off. It was hard to tell what it might of been, I initially thought perch but I will never know. 😒😑😅

Not an easy water at all ... 

We moved on and drifted several other parts of the water, covering as much ground as we possibly could. We both had a few more bites each but again nothing would come of them. We chopped and changed lures and tried different approaches to seek out the fish which was proving hard. Speaking to other friends we had out there on other boats the going was tough. Not much if anything was being caught at all. Even the Trout boys seemed to be struggling. 😤

With time in the day getting on we settled in another area that was to be are last patch to try for a fish. The area was calm and if anywhere was gonna produce I was confident it would be there. And sure enough it did. On the second drift, Lee 's rod bent over and he was into a fish. At last. It wasn't to long that a Zander broke the surface and was on board. Not the biggest but the first I had seen in person. Impressive looking predator with some serious teeth. 😬

One for the future but a welcome fish

The fish was quickly returned and that proved to be the last action of the day. By now the water had a bit of a chop on so annoyingly we got slightly soaked on the way back to the jetty. I didn't care as it had been a great day out in the boat with a good mate and a good experience for me to further my lure skills from the master. We are hopefully going to try another reservoir in a couple of weeks again on the boat and I hope then to be able to break the Zander duck. Though for now, It's Grafham that's holding all the cards, until next time.... 🎣🐟

I will return Grafham ...