Use a floating or intermediate line with a Gold Head Damsel or Montana Nymph, fish a Black Epoxy Buzzer or Diawl Back on the dropper and fan your casts to maximise water coverage. Blood worm imitations are also well worth a try as they tend to account for a lot of overwintered fish, early on the season.

Regular Eyebrook fishermen will head for known hotspots such as the Bell, Hawthorns and around the Island area, not forgetting deep water areas like the Dam Wall, The Three trees and Robbo’s Cabin. All of these are capable of producing numbers of quality fish, but for the discerning angler who isn’t into the numbers game but would rather catch a lean overwintered specimen, Stoke Dry or the Cowshed might just be the right place to be.

The use of Black or Natural C.D.C Emergers fished in the surface can be devastating throughout the season, as can Hoppers and small Dries. The Bung or indicator method, (like it or hate it), also accounts for good numbers of fish. Black Buzzers or Diawl Back on long leaders are also the undoing of many quality trout during long, hot and bright days.

On more overcast days blessed with a nice ripple try traditional Wet Flies; Silver Invicta, Wingless Wickham and Soldier Palmer are firm favourites, whilst Bibio and Kate Mclaren will also take their fair share of fish.

Possibly the most deadly form of fishing on the “Brook” is the Nymph. In its many guises such as the Damsel Nymph, Pheasant Tail Nymph and the Timeless Gold Ribbed Hares Ear Inched back with a slow figure of eight retrieve, it can be irresistible to selective feeding trout.

Late C.D.Cs will still be high on the trout menu, Daddy Longlegs and Muddlers fished over open water from drifting boats will be met with heart stopping takes but as the reservoir begins to cool the fish will again begin to move into the margins to pile on fat reserves to carry them through the winter months. Fry will be the quarry, a rich a food source. Once located, fry feeders can be targeted with patterns such as Ethafoam Fry, Spondoolies, or Minkies.