It’s not very often you head to Farmoor and see posted on the wall that there was just ONE fish caught between 4 anglers from the bank the day before. The boat statistics were better though, with 70 odd fish caught, but with the weather taking a turn for the worst, the ranger called and canceled our boat we had booked just as we were arriving. Not feeling the need to turn around and go home, Dean and I thought it would be better to jump on the bank and try our hand.

They weren’t wrong! The fishing was tough, the water had seemed to have risen to maximum capacity and with so much fresh water being pumped in the fishing tends to die off for a few days until the fish get used to the temperature of the new water and move in closer to the banks.

Each cast Dean and I made from the bank, our flies would get completely engulfed in weed, so it seemed with the water being so low for spell and no frosts to kill the week back, it thrived and grew at a very specific distance out. Now the water was higher, the weed bank was further from the shoreline than we anticipated, keeping the food out beyond most peoples range and only a BIG cast would reach the other side and put your flies anywhere near the fish. Fortunately I managed to get 4 good casts in throughout the day and nailed a fish each time. I finished up with four and lost another two at extreme range.

Each fish took the Fenton Cat Booby on a 15ft leader.

Farmoor fly fishing video here: