Two Days at Cobbinshaw

On Monday, March 18th, I embarked on my first day of the fishing season at Cobbinshaw Reservoir. 

As a new member, I was eager to get out and get to know Cobbie.

I had booked a four-hour slot on one of the excellent Coulam boats.

The wind proved to be a formidable opponent but despite my initial enthusiasm, the southwest wind and strong gusts made for challenging conditions. Positioned in the north-east corner of the reservoir, I found myself battling against the elements, struggling to maintain control of my drifting boat even with the drogue set up.

After a series of fruitless drifts, I made the decision to relocate to the south-west  part of the reservoir. 

Here I found refuge from the exposed main body of water and felt more at ease navigating the slower drifts. Equipped with my sink tip line, I fished deep in search of trout.

Throughout the day, I made various changes of flies. 

It wasn't until the final hour that I struck gold, or rather, lime green and black. Opting for a single, eye-catching lure proved to be the correct choice for fooling a trout.

As my time on the boat ended, I reflected on the day with a sense of satisfaction. 

Despite the challenges posed by the wind, my maiden voyage at Cobbinshaw Reservoir had been a good one.

With the promise of future outings on the horizon, I eagerly awaited the next opportunity to visit Cobbie.

Ten days later it was a little different at Cobbie.

Weather conditions were much better as the wind wasn't as strong.

My day is best described as sitting in a boat waving a stick at invisible trout whilst listening to an audio book titled “ Standing in a river waving a stick” by John Gierach.

It was a very enjoyable day all the same and it was good to meet  a couple of fellow anglers when I got back to base. Although they too found it a little tough they actually managed to catch a couple of trout. 

I'm already looking forward to my next day out at Cobbie.