Walton Hall Fishery Report

Here at Walton Hall it looks like it is going to be a good autumn, after an extensive effort to thin out some of the pond weed during the summer months. We are already beginning to see encouraging results from our labours, with good populations of fish widely dispersed throughout the fishery. Although we will never totally rid the lake of all its weed, we will continue to manage it in a sympathetic way that allows us to keep its benefit of abundant fly life, whilst ensuring it does not impact on the fishing. The aim of this form of management is to keep these fringes of weed as permanent lake features that encourage the resident fish populations to live around these fringes, and feeding in as natural way as possible.

The lake's resident populations of fish have coped well with the heat of the summer months and are in perfect fighting condition and waiting for the start of the late summer hatches. This glut of late summer and autumn will see them in perfect condition to see out the winter months. Slowly as the year progresses and the days become shorter, the lake's resident trout feed more voraciously during these daylight hours. This means that for the visiting angler there is always the opportunity of catching a naturalised 10lb + fish that is fully finned, fit and in perfect condition.
At this time of year it is advised to look at fishing small fry patterns as the water cools. But don't rule out the use of the dry flies or nymphs as they too will always prove successful.