Directions to Drayton Resevoir

[yorkshirepudding]

Going to sample the delights of this so called Mecca!
But lost before I've even set off

Can anyone give me some simple directions, from I presume the M1.

Oh I, and any tips on how to tackle the place.

Cheers

[Deleted]

Simple Mate:

-M1, come off junction 18.
-Go right at roundabout, 3rd exit I think back under bridge.
-Turn left at next roundabout.
-Its either straight on or left at the next roundabout but it should be signposted as Daventry.
-follow this road for about 4-5 miles and Drayton is on the right hand side before you reach the built up area. Note use the furthest gate as the entrance and the nearest gate as the exit.

[Deleted]

Tips?

Baggin wag and white boilies, lots of groundbait e.g 50:50 white crumb and ringers bag up.

OR

Candle/controller float and dog biscuits

OR

Method feeder and dead maggot/pellet/meat etc

Best Pegs are the boards 43A-H, with H being the flier, Dam Wall 30s and 40s good also, and also 29-30 etc before boards

[BOF]

Wow thanks Fisky.
Now thats what I call precise info.
I just wish more match lads would part with even remotely similar stuff, on waters that come up on our pages from time to time.
BOF

[Deleted]

No probs BOF

Forgot to mention do not use the same baggin wag mix for the method as that is a cloudy mix designed to break down as soon as the wag hits the water. Use a harder, stickier mix for the method feeder.

You want heavy rods but not so heavy that you end up pulling the hook out, a barbel rod around 1.5lb t/c is about right. The fish in this place fight like nothing youve ever felt before, it has to be seen to believed. unfortunately their mouths are not in the best of conditions so if you find yourself pulling out of fish it might be an idea to step down a hook size or too. Line should be in the region of 10-12lb minimum.

Dont be tempted to fish close in to the boards with anything less than 20lb line as these are real lumps and no exactly where and how to snap the line on the wooden posts!!

IF youve never fished with a bagging waggler before they take a bit of getting used to but the most important thing is not to overload the feeder itself as this seriously hampers casting. Dont put too much feed on, smooth the edges and cast regularly to create a constant cloud in the water. The fish often back off and you often have to cast up to 60-70m to reach them, infact when I last fished this about a year ago I ended up casting an empty waggler about 80-90m and letting the splash attract the fish. The bailiff sells some good streamlined bagging wagllers from his car at drayton itself which cast really well.

Last tip is probably the most important....

Do not, under any circumstances, let go of your rod!! (When you get a bite you will see what I mean)

[yorkshirepudding]

Thanks for all that, wasn't going to take the feeder gear, cos whenever you see anything on the place it's always this baggin wag mentioned, will set the heavy tip up as a second line now.

How deep is the resevoir?

I've also seen bits of write ups mentioning the use of waders at certain times of the year, do you know if thats true Fisky?

[Deleted]

I havent been for ages so dont know the level of the water, it may be very low in which case you can sit right next to or in the water,, but it would be better to fish off the platform of the peg as these are higher and will enable you to cast further.

Depth varies, its deepest on the dam wall but generally about 6-10' on the pole line, Id guess its at least double/triple that in the middle of the resevoir.

[humhx]

This weeks Angling times has an article by one of the Ringers on fishing the baggin wag, my try it myself some time.

Have been seeing some guys on Lambwath lakes using a candle as a float, think they pull the wick out and lob it out.

[thecarpcrew3]

Does anyone know how big the carp go to? and is there any bans as regarding rigs and baits.

Not knowing anything at all about the res, just wondered if it was popular with the carp anglers.

< ' } } } ><

[bigladwigan]

I fished drayton on thursday and omg the carp are beasts. I started on baggin wagg and had sod all. But wasnt getting the distance. I was on peg 98 and had around 300 lb of fish in my margin by 2pm. I just couldnt get a hook into one. However guys to my left were catching fish from 10 -15lbs every 10 minutes or so on the method at around 70 yds. I had no method gear sadly. They were doing well with marine meaty bites hair rigged. When we were all packing up i had them visit my peg adn look at the carp soup i had managed to create. I did manage to hook 2 of these beasts at 11lb and 12lb respectively and trust me they really do hang on. Oh by the way if you want the pegs fisky recommends then book them we got there at 7.15 and most of the best pegs had gone. Take a lot of corn if you are on pegs 98 99 or 100 and tip about 20 pints straight in the margin. I have never seen so many big carp in 2 square feet before.


Ady