Anglers are always keen to know the best hotspots, or the best patterns, but fish are fickle so this advice needs to be continually reappraised and updated. Each fishery has it’s own hot spots which we could list here, however they would quickly cease to be hotspots! They keep changing according to a multitude of factors, so it is probably best to fish the waters and compile your own list.

Use Common Sense

• Fish get spooked really easily so try to avoid scaring them!
• Dress in a sombre fashion
• Cast with utmost care at short range or in exceptional clarity.
• Wear polarised glasses. They will help you spot fish, and take most of the glare off the water, avoiding unnecessary eyestrain.
• Relax! Enjoying your fishing, and turn off your mobile!

Habitat and Behaviour

You will soon discover that trout are a species which prefer cool, flowing water, which is why Albury’s waters are so beneficial to trout fishing compared to many other waters in the area.

Water temperature is quite crucial, conditions beginning to become more difficult during the heat of summer when it is far better to concentrate on the cooler flowing waters of the Tillingbourne, which makes Vale End’s river fed site such an excellent choice of venue during a heat wave.

The clearer the water the easier it is to spot fish, this will enable you to see at what depths they swim, at certain times of day and the year. This will then dictate your choice of line, and retrieve speed. As the lakes have been purpose dug, there is always a deep section off any obvious promontory, so seek out those positions to begin with. Generally, you will be fishing in 2 – 3 metres of water, and a floating line will suffice for most months of the year but you can always lengthen the leader upwards from the standard length of 3 metres. Surface activity will also indicate that the fish are not too far down, and the type of rise form will also help to determine how deep you should be fishing, and at what speed.

If you go to the end of the lake where the wind is blowing, you will find a collection of nymphal shucks giving you a large clue as to the type and size of fly hatching off.

Wherever fish can feel secure, that’s where you will find them in general.

Weather Conditions

The effect of weather can have a dramatic effect on fortunes – so check out the forecast before your trip. It will help you greatly in fishing prowess and could also save you a soaking!

The best of the fishing is to be had at the temperate times of year – spring and autumn – where the water temperature is ideal, and fish feeding avidly. Please see our Winter and Summer sections for specific seasonal advice.

The following fishing poem is well worth remembering…………

When the wind’s in the east, the fish bite the least.
When the wind’s in the south, the fly is blown right into the fish’s mouth.
When the wind is in the west, the fishing is at it’s very best.
However, when the wind is in the north, the noble angler goes not forth.

In general, cloud is your best friend, and sun is your worst enemy. Remember that as trout do not have ears, they are unable to wear shades, so in bright weather they will be swimming at a much greater depth than normal. This would be a great opportunity to try out some heavily leaded flies you may have just tied up, but the fish will be much harder to spot, and tempt out to play.

Heavily wooded sections do not feature greatly on the lakes, but stands of mature trees at Syon and to a lesser extent, at Vale End will offer tremendous shade in hot bright weather, and can also be a good source of food, such as caterpillars. Casting may be a problem in the vicinity, but access will guarantee you fish which have not been fished over too readily.