Toft Newton Reservoir
Toft Newton Reservoir is set in Lincolnshire and somewhat secluded, the road can be difficult to get there as the single track roads are challenging. Nevertheless a challenge worth persevering with as it is another of hidden fisheries. It’s a concrete bowl which is better known for its bank fishing but now charges 4 or 5 brand new boats equipped with electric engines that are both eco friendly but also silent and easy to operate. It was my intention to try one of these boats and see how I got on. Having heard some great stories from others who were talking about them, I was not disappointed.
So getting there was a bit of drag, and the weather was overcast and cold, I arrived around 930am and by the time I got the boat box and tackled up, it was around 1015am. The water is Gin clear at Toft Newton and the Fly Fishing is consistent.
The other two boats were out and anchored up, one was fish for predator’s, perch as I later found out.
There were loads of bank anglers and some fish being caught, as always when alone in a boat. I set up two rods. The first using a floating line with a washing line set up, a tequila booby at the point and two nymphs 5ft apart, so a 15ft leader in total from the fly line. The second was a Fast Glass line with two flies 6ft and 6ft apart, dropper being apps worm and point fly a chartreuse beaded chain bead with a green straggle body and black rabbit fur.
You can check my guide on leader setup in this post.
Loch Style Fly Fishing
I started free-drifting towards the south bank as it was light wind and had a few tentative takes on the snake, the takes were fairly high as I was roly polying the line and then doing a figure eight. Promising start, as it gives you an indication that you are on the right depth and team of flies.
So about 20 minutes in a solid hook up on the snake, landed the fish and released it in the net without taking it out of the water as least harm is caused. I’m a big believer in this and adhere to this at all times, unless in match mode and dispatch the fish then. Several other takes followed and I lost a few fish, before I decided to go for a DI3 slighter faster sink rate than the fast glass but now changing the point fly to a White Cat’s whisker Snake Booby.
Almost immediately bingo, a solid take and another fish landed, followed with several more coming to the boat. They came to both the apps bloodworm and the booby. I felt the fish were tighter in but due to the bank anglers it was not possible to get in tighter as they were just on the edge of their cast.
I met with Ian Whitcombe, someone I’ve met on social media, he had arrived and decided to boat fish with a friend. We had a quick chat re what we had both discovered and I decided to fish the other areas of toft after a quick bite of lunch and a nice hot cup of green tea.
It’s always nice to take time out to review the fishing. I fished along the shore, giving a quick 15 or 2o mins to some areas with little if any interest, it was obvious that the fish were on the south shore.
So I motored back, worth having tried other areas as you never know, and it was a pleasure days fishing. Had a spot of tea and some more sandwiches and started the drifts along the south shore, getting the odd take.
I decided to anchor up and give this a go, trying the washing line for about 25 mins with no joy. It was time to go back to what was working. Always consider moving after 20-25 minutes or change lines or flies as I explain in the post of how to increase your success rate in catching trout.
Out came the Di3 and almost immediately a whacking take on the apps bloodworm about a foot under. I was now catching steady but lost a few fish that were well hooked and decided to check the snake (the culprit fly) after about 4 hookups and loses.
Well, shouldn’t have surprised me but the hook had gone awol, just shows always check your flies when you lose a fish and don’t leave it too late. I would have checked these after the second loss in a match but one gets in enjoying the day and chilling, checking flies becomes less of a priority.
The weather picked up and this is always a good sign, as it becomes more enjoyable and it seems to switch the fish on. This spell of about one and a half hours or two hours was the most prolific, I had plenty of action and fish landed, even two double hooks, landing them both. It’s never easy, luckily they weren’t big and having landed the first, I hand lined the second ones into the net.
It was now getting to almost sunset time but the fish were there still hitting the flies, I had to make the painful decision to head back in. As I had to allow for time to put all my tackle away and empty the boat, it would be dark. So it turned out, I had the luxury of finishing the remnants of lunch and a nice cup of green tea before setting off on the journey home.
It had been a nice day, the boats were excellent, some of the anglers were brilliant, one helped me with my overloaded boat box that has everything bar a kitchen sink.
I would recommend you try this fishery. I’m told that it’s open all year. The only downside, the fish were not massive but there are big fish in.
The sport was superb so I can’t complain. Will await the next trip with eager anticipation.
Toft Newton Reservoir (https://www.tofttrout.com/ )is worth the trip as both bank and boat are consistent.
Please see my review and rating for this fishery here, ratings are important as they give you a guide about how and what’s on offer at the fishery.
