- Devon duo make it 40 in a row to coincide with Rutland’s 40th anniversary
John Glanfield and Richard Powlesland enjoy their annual visit as Rutland Water celebrates forty years of fishing - Popular evening boat leagues
at Rutland and Grafham on Tuesdays
and Ravensthorpe on Thursdays
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 1,427 (season 24,928) Returns 306 (3,880) Rod average 4.66 (6.42)
Devon duo John Glanfield and Richard Powlesland made their 40th visit to Rutland Water recently. That’s a trip to Rutland from Devon every year since Rutland Water opened! These two gentlemen have lost none of their angling skills and managed an incredible 75 fish off the bank, returning 61 of these. They took Rainbows to 4lb 4oz. All of their fish fell to nymphs on a floating line.
A number of visiting anglers have enjoyed Rutland including Martin Campbell from Newport in Gwent who fished alongside guide Al Owen for four days. Martin had anticipated a floating line and nymph trip, however it was sinking lines with blobs that proved the only effective method in the strong winds. Al guided Martin to 64 fish with Rainbows up to 3½lb.
The week was dominated by very strong winds and unfortunately on Tuesday no boats could go out on the water.
Boat anglers have found that the main basin is the best place to be with fish feeding on this year’s daphnia with various mini lures in different colours being used. The fish have not been feeding excessively deep with Di3 lines popular. Some boats did go up the arms trying to fish nymphs/dries with very little reward (swirling winds making presentation difficult) and hampered by the coloured water stirred up by the winds. Anglers fishing on the rudder fared pretty well with the usual cast out and hang on with no to little retrieve working.
Competition news
Scierra Pairs
Five boats fished in this match on Saturday 10 June, taking 38 fish. Mark Rose and Keith Jones won with 15 fish for 34lb with second place going to Alan Stearn and Nigel Angus who took 14 fish.
The Association of Major Fly Fishing Clubs hosted a Group 1 match on Saturday 10 June
1st Tunbridge Wells 6 points
2nd Invicta 5 points
3rd Fish Hawks 4 points
4th Rutland Water 3 points
5th Bewl 2 points
6th Soldier Palmers 1 point
It was a great result for Tunbridge Wells’ team members Vince and Sean Brooks, Bob Holland, Andrew Green, Bob Shaw and Mark Tremain-Coker, they managed a very creditable 35 fish in blustery conditions. Andrew Green took the best fish of the match – a specimen of 3lb 7½oz.
Bank anglers have had to contend with blustery winds. However, fish were caught with Bill Coppin of Norfolk taking 8 fish with nymphs (and returning others) from the Normanton bank. Fish are feeding on this year’s pin fry
Rutland Water continued
around the shoreline. It can be frustrating when fish are feeding in a few feet of water right under your rod tip. Small dries and nymphs covering fish repeatedly works well for the patient angler.
Best Rainbow 5lb 8oz taken by Tom Daly of Fordham.
Best boat areas Main basin, Bottom of the arms (in settled weather).
Best bank areas Normanton, north arm (peninsula), sailing club to New Zealand Point.
Best methods Bank – floating lines nymphs, dries. Good number of fish moving (pin fry) but also late evenings adult buzzer and sedge/caenis.
Boat – sinking lines, blobs etc.
Mid week boat winner E Forster of Stanhope.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 18 June; 1,9,16 & 22 July and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
EDFF 5 July 01780686441
EFFA 6 July Steve Ottridge 07788 605016
AWAI North of England Final 10 July
Rutland Water 40th Birthday celebrations 15 & 16 July
Anglian Water Over 50’s Match 29 July
Anglian Water Loch Style 4 man team 9 August
Grafham Water
Fish 213 (season 11,568) Returns 59(1,673) Rod average 3.6 (6.91)
Despite the tough weather conditions we have seen a few over wintered fish caught at Grafham with good reports of Rainbows over 3lb and large brownies. Mr Garratt managed a good Rainbow of 3½lb. Pitsford Ranger Bob Aves took a fantastic 6lb Brown at Grafham – returning the fish for another day. It was a superb specimen taken on one of the toughest days of the season so far.
The recent strong winds have made conditions difficult for both bank and boat anglers – in spite of this the rod average for the week was a very respectable 3.6.
Throughout the week fish have been up and down and feeding sporadically for short spells before seemingly disappearing again. As the weather has
calmed down the fishing has improved with anglers managing limits and more. The best methods are currently di5’s and di7’s fished with blobs,
boobies and snakes, particularly in open water with a fast retrieve. Some anglers are having success fishing buzzer on a midge tip with a figure of eight retrieve and many others are succeeding on fast pulled lures.
Some good fish are beginning to come off the Harbour arms again, particularly into the evenings with most methods working well. Other areas fishing well have been the south side of the dam, Plummers and along the south shore line. Once the wind has subsided the north shore will be a lot easier to fish and we expect to see a few shrimp around in the rockier bays, so don’t forget your shrimp patterns. Some anglers have begun to spot this year’s coarse fry in the margins so look out for fry feeding fish in the coming weeks. Most fish from the bank are falling to lures, with the black humungous being the fly of choice for many, however recent success on buzzer and diawl bach is hard to ignore.
Best Rainbow 3lb 8oz taken by Mr K Garratt
Best Brown 6lb taken by Bob Aves.
Best boat areas Perry Point, south dam, Gaynes Cove, the Seat, Sailing Club Bay, West Bank, Rainbow Point, drifting in open water.
Best bank areas South dam, Plummers, Harbour Arms, Perry Point, the Seat.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Mr K Garratt of Saffron Walden.
Fish stocked 1,000.
Forthcoming events
Tuesday night boat league in conjunction with Invicta
Runs to 15 August. 5.30 pm start – 10pm finish
Beginners courses 17 & 29 June; 2,8,21,28 & 30 July and other dates throughout the season.
EFFA ProAm 15 June 01480 810531
Anglian Water Airflo Midland Heat 17 June 01572 653021
Scierra Pairs 8 July Phil Dixon
AWAI Southern Final 17 July
AWAI Midland Final 24 July
Pitsford Water
Fish 351 (season 6,587) 89 Returns (1,252) Rod average 3.9 (5.3)
Weather conditions have hampered the fishing this week with high winds restricting the fish and colouring the water.
In spite of this the rod average for the week is 3.9 and again plenty of fish between three and 6lb have been reported, the best being a Brown trout of 6lb caught and returned by J Pearson. Another good brown of 4lb 8oz was taken by S Cooper.
Best methods are still to fish imitative nymphs/buzzer patterns on floating or midge tip lines. The best areas are Stone Barn, Narrows and the Dam.
On the match scene Pitsford hosted a Loch Style national qualifier on Sunday 28 May. Twenty anglers fished with the top six going through to the two day final in September. 73 fish were caught for a rod average of 3.65. Top rod was Del Spry who had 8 fish for 19lb 10oz including time bonus. The other qualifiers were, in order, Clive Collier, Rob Allen, Peter Hartley, Jim Wright, and Mark Mathieson. Del Spry caught his fish in Stone Barn Bay using a midge tip and buzzers.
Best Brown 4lb 8oz taken by S Cooper; 6lb specimen returned by J Pearson.
Mid week boat winner Colin Faiers of Swaffham.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 24 & 30 June; 15 & 29 July and other dates throughout the season.
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish 146 (season 8,033) Returns 37 (1,087)Rod average 3.9(7.3)
The best fish of the week at Ravensthorpe was a 5lb Rainbow taken by Alan Duffin. Alan was fishing a washing line with a f.a.b. on the point and small buzzers from Platform 12 last Tuesday morning. Alan had an excellent morning’s sport taking six fish and coming back for more on Thursday, taking five fish.
It has been a week of mixed sport. The fish have sometimes been tricky to catch on a variety of methods. Floating line with diawl bachs, crunchers and small nymphs have been working; small dries like bob’s bits, hoppers, cdc’s and washing line with black or olive buzzers are also worth trying.
Ravensthorpe is hosting its popular Thursday Evening Boat Club from 6-9pm
Best Rainbow 5lb taken by Alan Duffin.
Best boat areas Coton End.
Best bank areas Platforms 11 and 12.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner S Nixon of Bedford.
