On the Fly at Bushylease

While I was up visiting the in-laws in Gloucester over xmas I was treated to a day out fly fishing for trout....courtesy of Pops.
While I really only sea fish, I don't mind the occasional bit of trout fishing and when your miles from the sea, its the next best thing.
We arrived at Bushyleaze trout fishery in Lechlade at first light and looking out onto the 22 acre lake, it could have almost been the sea!! We both had a pass for the full day and a 4 fish limit each. After setting up we started our journey round the lake and stopped at the first 'fishy looking' spot. I took out my minimal selection of flies ranging from hairy marys, orange boobies, golden snatches, growllers and diving muff wobblers!!...and chose an old faithful white number.....(I may have made a few of those names up!!)

Within 5 minutes I had the first rainbow on the bank at just under 4lb...good start!

Next cast I followed with another.....this was going to be to easy I thought to myself but the following 3 hours of nothing and a full lap of the lake proved me wrong!
Pops was still mastering the art of casting and removing his flies from the trees behind but being a first timer he was catching on and getting the hang of it....the strong winds didn't make it easy!
After lunch we found a nice little deep part of the lake but with no room to back cast, I was adopting a barrel role cast and with the wind on our backs it was enough to do the job. This bought me two more fish to the bank taking me up to my fish limit for the day. So with Pops still on the starter blocks we set about trying to put a dent in his limit.
It wasn't long before Pops pulled into a fish and after a hard fight got it on the bank.......only for it to flip, spit the fly and roll back into the lake......never mind we still had time.
As the day wore out so did the fishing, with the light fading we headed back to the weighing station but had a last ditch effort off the adjacent pontoon. After 5 minutes here I had another and after some fast runs I had my fifth in the net . It was a good day and we both enjoyed ourselves. I think Pops will be getting in some practice to kick my butt when we return!