LAKES have been fishing well. On Windermere, charr anglers in the south basin have been catching up to eight charr to 1lb plus in a session and the quality of these fish is now improving.

A few olives and mayflies are trickling off on Ullswater with boat anglers recording some good catches of wild brown trout on wet flies.

Visiting angler Jonathan Simmonds landed and safely returned 24 to just under 1lb in a day on wet flies with mayfly and olive patterns the top scorers.

In conditions that were often bright with a cool bite to the wind, one of the secrets of this loch style angler was changing patterns as conditions altered.

RIVERS have been in better condition. With heavy rain on some days, the Eden has risen and was running with a tinge of peat.

Spring salmon have been caught at Warwick Hall, Wetheral and Lazonby Estate, where in an evening session Edwin Tailford, the waterkeeper, landed one of 17 lb on a dark cascade fly, together with two of 14lb and another of 15lb on a black & gold toby spinner.

On the Kent some brown trout have been caught on nymphs, one sea trout has been reported landed but there are no reports from any salmon anglers that may have been out.

TROUT stillwaters have generally fished well despite the unsettled weather.

At Bigland the rainbow trout have been feeding avidly on buzzers and during the day on the last of the hawthorn flies and the first of the damsels.

There have also been some good evening rises and some tremendous catches. Best returns were by Charles Dunnery and Walter Fritters with 21 each on buzzers and damsels. Others have caught on bibio, small black beetle patterns, c-d-c's and cat's whisker.

East Bay Lake at Kentmere continues to fish very well with brown trout to 2lb.

At Esthwaite Water the rainbow trout are now well spread out and continuing to hold very high in the water although there has been little surface feeding.

Good catches include Steve and Ralph Bland with 40 plus fishing sinking lines with an orange blob on the dropper and a diawl bach on the point.

The third heat of the ninth Shakespeare-sponsored Esthwaite Water Open Pairs was fished by 10 anglers who landed 54 fish for 85lb. 4oz, including time bonus.

Bob Swann and Colin O'Brien won with 12 fish for 24lb. Just behind in second place was Cliff Charlton and Winston Collinge with 11 for 23lb. 8 oz. Both pairs qualify for the final in September.

The Lakeland Fly Dressers Guild held their annual boat competition, recording 45 Rainbows on dries, nymphs and lures. John Hesketh with eight to 4lb.

A junior tuition free half day will be held on Saturday, June 9. Juniors must be accompanied by an adult (contact the fishery on 015394 36541.

Representing Esthwaite in the final of the Troutmasters Competition at Grafham Water, Mike Laycock came an impressive third, competing against 150 others from all over the country.

COARSE fisheries have continued to perform well, not been unduly affected by the unsettled weather.

At Ratherheath there have been good catches of smaller carp, roach, skimmers and rudd on pole with maggot.

There have also been; tench to 5 lb. and bream to 7lb.

Unless overcast, early morning or late evening have been the best time at Holehird for the occasional carp on boillies or hard pellet.

There have been more good catches from Bigland with John Scott landing two carp to 17lbs and six tench to 7lb. all on boilies also Geoff Beamer still in the limelight with two carp to 14lb and five tench to 6lb. on boillies while John Edwards had a bag of roach and perch weighing 17lb 8oz.

Boat ussers on Windermere have caught plenty of small pike to 10lb and the occasional ones to low doubles on mackerel and herring deadbaits. From the ban pike to 19lb have fallen to sea deadbaits.

At Coniston there have been pike to 18lb on mackerel and herring deadbaits, while on Grasmere boat anglers have recordedplenty of small pike to low doubles on lures.

At Rydal Water there have been plenty of pike to 14lb on mackerel and herring deadbaits also small deadbaits such as sand smelt.

Ulverston Canal has been producing carp to 24lb on floating dog biscuits, tench to 5lb. and bream to 4lb. on legered sweetcorn also pike to 6 lb on small lures.

Just the occasional carp to low doubles on boillies has been taken from Sandhall Ponds.

The second round of the Kendal and District Anglers Summer League was fished by 10 competitors at Whins Pond. Chris Sodo won with 20lb. 6oz including three bream of about 5lb each and a tench of 4lb 8oz. together with small roach. Second was Grahame Hall with 12lb 3oz and Alan Walsh was third with 6 lb 12 oz.

SEA FISHING continues to be slow with just the occasional flounders from Greenodd, Canal Foot, Priory Point and Kingfisher on lugworm. Bass to 2 lb have been caught at Priory Point on lugworm and from the north and south ends of Walney bass to 4lb on crab. Boat anglers have also been catching bass to 4lb. on 35630.

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