Latest News and Information from
Week ending 17 April 2016
• From a 30lb Pike to a 13lb Rainbow Ravensthorpe had it all last week!
• Rutland Water hosts the first heat of the 2016 Anglian Water Airflo International
Winners Northern Drifters plus 4 other teams make it through to the regional final on 11 July
www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure
Rutland Water 01780 686441; Grafham Water 01480 810531;
Pitsford, Ravensthorpe & Hollowell 01604 781350,
Taverham Mills Fishery 01603 861014; Alton Water 01473 589105
Recreation Dept Anglian Water 01572 653021
Rutland Water
Fish week 1,596 (Season 4,547) Returns 275 (818) Rod average 5.8 (5.55)
Despite the inclement weather last week, which included snow showers in addition to more than our fair share of rainfall, anglers enjoyed good sport. The rod average for the week was 5.8.
Most areas of Rutland Water are crystal clear, although at times the bottom of the South Arm has shown some colour, albeit not substantial. Buzzer hatches are frequenting most areas of the lake at present; tempting stocked fish to soon convert to natural food items. Snail and shrimp are amongst buzzer on the trout’s menu at Rutland with many gaining weight rapidly.
Boat anglers have enjoyed sport using a variety of methods, mostly fishing from a drifting boat; either casting lures fished on intermediate and higher density lines, or fishing imitatively with buzzers be it using the bung/indicator or straight lining with floating lines. Those employing the rudder technique have also done well when substantial winds persisted.
The banks have witnessed higher footfall of late and as maintenance work on the peninsula track resumes, anglers are reminded that hazard lights must be used at all times when in transit on the peninsula (Please also remember to use the anglers’ car parks provided).
With the exception of the use of sinking lines, tactics and methodology has been very similar for the bank anglers. Floating lines with buzzers or brightly coloured lures have been successful at times with again a mobile approach necessary.
Areas seeing the most action this week have been the ever faithful Normanton Church to Fantasy Island, Whitwell frontage and Creek mouth has shown decent fish including overwintered brown trout.
Old Hall Bay has had a good concentration of fish alongside Dickenson’s Bay and the Green Bank. Armley Wood, an area not seeing much boat pressure has also held fish in the past week too.
Season ticket holder Adrian Baggaley enjoyed some peace and quiet interrupted by 5 nice fish at the top of the South Arm this week; all fish were between 2½ and 3lb and overwintered. Former Rutland Ranger Paul Friend guided novice angler Kenneth Merriden to three nice fish from the South Arm on an uncharacteristically warm and calm day mid week. Regular Ken Salmon enjoyed sport on the same day landing a limit on the bung along the Normanton bank.
Rutland Water continued
2500 fish stocked in the week, split between the north and south arms.
Competition news
Rutland Water hosted the first of the Anglian Water Airflo International heats on Monday 11 April. Rules for the day were to be a 4 fish kill with a further 8 to be caught and released.
Conditions were forecast to be tough but proved to be kind to those taking part, with 54 anglers catching 503 fish at a rod average of 9.31. The five teams qualifying for the regional final were Keilder Dabblers, The Old Youth, Ospreys, RAF Fish Hawks and the winners of the heat the Northern Drifters. The top team caught 69 fish for a total weight of 147lb 3oz. Best fish of the heat was caught by Kin Green with a specimen of 4lb 7oz. Well done to all involved, we shall see you back here at Rutland for the Regional Final on 11th July.
Best Rainbow 5lb 3½oz taken by Vincent Howley of London.
Best Brown 5lb 8oz taken by Roger Marshall of South Luffenham.
Best boat areas See report.
Best bank areas See report.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner David Murray of London.
Fish stocked 2,500.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 23 & 28 April; 8,14, & 28 May; 4,9,17& 19 June and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league commences in May
Dave Hodgson Memorial 15 May
Anglian Water Rudder Match 21 May
Grafham Water
Fish week 1,431 (Season 5,097) Returns 169 (773) Rod average 8.46 (6.59)
Grafham Water continues to provide excellent sport with a rod average of 8.46 for the week. Bank anglers enjoyed great sport, particularly along the north shore and the dam. The most prolific areas along the north shore have been Hill Farm, Pig Bay, Deep Water and Pylon Points, G Buoy, Willows and the north end of the Dam. Bank anglers are using floating or fast sink lines to good effect with buzzers, crunchers, damsel nymphs, Pitsford Pea and black and green boobies.
The boat anglers have had a great week with the north shore giving the most consistent sport. The best boat areas have been Stumps, T and G Buoys, Hill Farm, Pig Bay, Hedge End, Deep Water Point, Willows and the north end of the Dam. The best method has been to fish floating lines with black buzzers under the bung or fast sink lines with damsel nymphs, black and green boobies, tadpoles, snakes and tequila blobs.
Competition news
Troutmasters Fish Off
Rob Edmunds won the Grafham Water Fish Off on 10 April with 8 fish for 20lb 8oz, his best fish weighing 3lb 9oz. Rob fished a Di8 line with a black and green booby, fishing from Hill Farm in the morning and the north end of the Dam in the afternoon. Rob will represent Grafham Water in the Troutmasters Final, hosted by Grafham, on 19 September.
Police Match
30 anglers fished this match, catching 201 trout for an excellent rod average of 6.7. Top four man team was Norfolk A, who caught 32 trout for 78lb 14oz. John Sudlow from Norfolk A was top individual with 8 trout for 23lb 5oz. John also took the heaviest fish of the match with a cracking over wintered Brown of 5lb 6oz. The most productive method of the match was to fish buzzers under the bung at Hill Farm and the Willows.
Best Rainbow 4lb 4oz taken by R M Robertson.
Best Brown 5lb 6oz taken by John Sudlow.
Best boat areas Deep Water Point, Pylon Point, Hedge End, Stumps, Willows, North Tower, North Dam, Pig Bay.
Best bank areas Deep Water Point, Pylon Point, Hill Farm, Willows, Dam, G Buoy.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner N Rushton.
Fish stocked 4,000.
Grafham Water continued
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 24 April;1,26 & 29 May; 5,11,18 & 30 June and other dates throughout the season.
England Eliminator 29 April
Invicta Floating Line 7 May
England Eliminator (Odds & Sods) 22 May
Bob Church Classic 12 June
EFFA ProAm 16 June
AWAI Midland Heat 18 June
Pitsford Water
Fish week 449 (Season 1,948) Returns 75(422) Rod average 5.9(4.0)
The buzzer fishing at Pitsford Water is even more impressive this week. The rod average is a very good 5.9 and the huge clouds of buzzer around the water are testament to the hatches that are coming off. Either straight line nymphing or fishing under an indicator has produced fish from most areas of the water. The only downside has been a slowing down of bank sport due to the fish gorging on buzzer in slightly deeper water.
Mark Draper from Hollowell had a superb day taking 8 fish for 22lb and returning another 33. Elizabeth Breare had her first visit to Pitsford since completing an Anglian Water Beginners course and had a nice 11lb 8oz Rainbow from the bank. Neil Young and Lloyd Chantrelle boat fished along the Narrows taking 16 trout, two nice Browns and a Pike of 22lb. Alex Lees and boat partner Gordon Whyte from Scotland, fished on a three day holiday package. They had a great day on Ravensthorpe followed by two days on Pitsford. They had 13 fish and returned 52 over the two days.
The best bank areas are Duffers, Bog Bay, Stilton and Gorse. Boat anglers have found fish in Bog Bay, Stone Barn and Brixworth Bay.
Mid week boat winner Brian Coleman of Northampton.
Fish stocked 1,500.
Forthcoming events
Saturday 23 April Pitsford will be open for fly tying tuition, casting coaching and friendly advice on all fishing matters organised by members of the Mid Northants Trout Fishers Association – everyone welcome.
Beginners courses 12,15 & 21 May;3 & 12 June and other dates throughout the season.
Anglian Water Rudder Match 7 May.
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 678 (Season 3,699) Returns 66(397) Rod average 10.2(9.3)
It’s been a very busy week at Ravensthorpe and anglers have enjoyed some excellent sport.
The fishery hosted Mid Northants Trout Fishers Association with 22 anglers catching 217 fish for a rod average of 9.8. Top rod was Ashley Cooper with his best fish (out of a total bag of 22) weighing 9lb 5oz. Pete Webb took second place and Terry Bayes came third.
Rob Edmunds caught a 30lb Pike during the week on a tadpole fly with his two weight rod! It took Rob about 40 minutes to land it.
Arnold Haddon had the biggest fish of the week a superb Rainbow of 13lb taken on a black buzzer in the Coton End. Mr Watson caught a Rainbow of 11lb 4oz on a black buzzer and his boat partner Mr James took a Rainbow of 11lb on a diawl bach. The pair landed 42 fish on buzzers at various depths.
Best Rainbow 13lb taken by Arnold Haddon.
Best boat areas Coton End, Boils, in front of Platforms 4-6.
Best bank areas Dam, Platforms 1-8.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Frazer Duffy.
