Special summer offers across all of our trout fisheries Enjoy the last hours of the day from the bank or a boat this Summer!
- Sunset Boat £10
- Sunset Permit (1 fish + c + r ) £10
Offer available from 4.30pm. Permits available at lodges between 4 and 5pm and from the rangers after 5pm (cash only)
Terrific Summer sale at our tackle shops
Up to 30% off the marked price on rods, reels and clothing
There’s never been a better time to upgrade your kit.
Rutland’s 40th anniversary 15 & 16 July
- Reduced prices on bank & boat permits
- Win a 2018 Gold Season Ticket in our 40 tagged fish competition.
Charity Auction in aid of Air Ambulance and Cancer Research (6pm)
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 1,155 (season 27,681) Returns 264 (4,562) Rod average 4.37 (6.06)
There have been good numbers of quality Browns showing at Rutland Water with the best one recorded by holidaying angler Paul Clydesdale who returned a super conditioned specimen of 7lb 8oz. Paul fished a fry pattern from his boat down the South Arm.
Regular boat partners Frank Sumnall and Dave Critchlow from Stoke on Trent hooked around nine Browns each weighing between 3-4lb last Saturday. Dave enthused about these quality fish in Rutland. There were also reports of fish around the 4-5lb mark caught last Tuesday, all of which were returned.
Bank anglers have been enjoying great sport fishing the margins (sometimes in less than two feet of water), landing Rainbows around 3-4lb with dries and emergers.
Boat anglers fishing down the arms (particularly the North Arm) have picked up fish with cdc’s working for most. Season ticket holder Martin Hearth fished the rudder up the middle of the arms and had around 6 Rainbows averaging 3lb fishing quite shallow over 30-40 feet of water. Martin almost lost his brand new rod over the side as a fish made off with his fly as he momentarily put it down for a few seconds.
4,000 Rainbows were stocked last week, but very few showed. But on the other hand some of the fish stocked early this season put in an appearance during the Tuesday Night Boat League, they were silver and fighting fit.
Competition News
Tuesday Night Boat League
Richard Cooper is in excellent form. For the second consecutive week Richard won both the match on the night and the prize for best fish. Anglers enjoyed plenty of action with fish following flies in the main basin.
Prospects look good with settled weather. Fish are feeding on daphnia, corixa and shrimp fry. This season’s perch fry are around 1½ to 2 inches already. Very small, light olive buzzers seem to be doing the trick. We are also finding fish that are feeding on crayfish.
Traditionally at this time of year boat anglers have opted to fish the aerators. However, these are switched off for maintenance. Fish are still showing in the main basin but are widely spread out with quite a few being caught just sub surface.
Summer sale at our tackle shops
Up to 30% off the marked price across our Rods, reels and clothing ranges! Get in quick as the sale ends 31 August.
Enjoy the last hours of the day from the bank or a boat this Summer!
Sunset Boat £10
Sunset Permit (1 fish + c + r ) £10
Offer available from 4.30pm
Best Brown 7lb 8oz returned by Paul Clydesdale.
Best boat areas The main basin, bottom of the arms.
Best bank areas Bank side shallows around the reservoir.
Best methods Bank – Dries, nymphs, small fry patterns worth a try.
Boat – As for bank, but include blobs, fabs, tube flies on various intermediate/slow sinking lines.
Mid week boat winner Mr Bailiss of Leicester.
Fish stocked 4,000.
Rutland Water 40th Anniversary Fishing Weekend 15 & 16 July. Grab yourself a couple of days fishing at reduced prices along with the chance of winning a Gold season ticket.
- Boat and bank permits £10 (2 fish C&R)
- Day boats £15 (8am to 5pm)
- Win a 2018 Gold Season Ticket in our 40 tagged fish competition.
Also on Saturday only
- ‘Have a go’ Fly fishing sessions (10am to 4pm)
- Fly tying demos
- Commemorative cake cutting – 6pm
- Charity Auction in aid of Air Ambulance and Cancer Research (6pm)
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 9,16 & 22 July; 6,12 & 27 August and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
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 265(season 12,593) Returns 66 (1,902) Rod average 4.0(6.62)
Some good conditions at Grafham Water this week have brought fish up in the water allowing most anglers a better chance of catching their bag and this is reflected in the rod average which is a very respectable 4.0.
The best method for boat anglers is to start fishing 200-300 yards off the bank, drifting towards it or fishing close in and drifting away. Many fish are still within the top five feet of water and can be targeted with a variety of lines or styles. The fast glass has been working well when conditions have been overcast, along with floating lines. In bright sunshine anglers are opting for midge tips, intermediates and Di 3’s and 5’s. Pulling has worked well this week, especially with blobs, fabs and boobies. Some anglers are still doing particularly well on dry flies and nymphs. Although the buzzer fishing is tailing off, they are still being found, although these are very small indeed, other food items include pin fry, snail and shrimp.
Bank angling has picked up and is best at either end of the day. Large specimens are frequently seen in the channels amongst the weed with most feeding on pin fry or shrimp. The majority of shore caught fish are full of shrimp so it’s time to dust off your waders and dig out GRHE’s. Good shrimping areas include around any weedy areas, rocky areas and the dam. Plummers, Pylon, Deep Water Point and off the Willows can be hot spots on the right day and are well worth a go. When retrieving shrimp patterns try pausing and letting the fly drop straight down to tempt more cautious fish into taking. This mimics the movement of migrating shrimp and can be very effective.
There have been a few predators showing this week, particularly around Savages and hidden amongst the weedbeds, although it’s the Seat where solitary big zander are again showing. Mr Lehane fished a tube very successfully and managed a fantastic 17lb fish. This specimen was an absolute corker and it was a huge achievement to take a fish like this on a fly rod. Grafham Zander are in a league of their own and are potential record breakers.
With the shrimp returning to the margins please remember the importance of using the wash down facilities at the end of all sessions. It’s essential that all anglers ensure that all equipment and clothing is checked, cleaned and dried.
Summer sale at our tackle shops
Up to 30% off the marked price across our Rods, reels and clothing ranges! Get in quick as the sale ends 31 August.
Enjoy the last hours of the day from the bank or a boat this Summer!
Sunset Boat £10
Sunset Permit (1 fish + c + r ) £10
Offer available from 4.30pm
Competition news
GWFFA boat match 2 July
Martin Brocklebank writes “16 GWFFA club members fished this match for a rod average of 4.8, finding plenty of fish, particularly at the west end of the lake. A cloudy morning saw fish feeding on the surface on tiny buzzer and some snail. Anglers used floating lines and various blobs and fabs. Some nice quality fish were caught just off the weedbeds, with lots of fish caught around the 3lb mark. Top rod was Steve Jones who fished blobs and fabs.
The best Rainbow of the match was a fine specimen of 3lb 13oz caught by John Vincent and the best Brown was caught by Peter Hartley, weighing 3lb 10oz”.
1st Steve Jones 8 fish for 18lb 1oz
2nd Chris Bobby 8 fish for 17lb 11oz
3rd Charlie Abrahams 8 fish for 17lb 4oz
Martin also has a tip for anglers trying to keep their catch fresh during the hot weather. “Fill a couple of empty ice cream containers with water and freeze. Pop these inside a cold box and they can be used as ice blocks. When you catch a fish put it in the cool box along with a scoop or two of lake water and this will keep your hard caught fish in top condition until you get it home to the fridge or freezer.”
Best Rainbow 3lb 4oz taken by John Vincent.
Best Brown 5lb 7oz taken by Mr Socha.
Best boat areas Rainbow Point, the Seat, the Dam, open water drifting particularly west side of the reservoir, Pylon Point, Dee Water Point, Hill Farm.
Best bank areas Pylon Point, Deep Water Point, Hill Farm, South Dam and the bowl.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Bill Vincent of Girton.
Forthcoming events
Tuesday night boat league in conjunction with Invicta
Runs to 15 August. 5.30 pm start – 10pm finish
Beginners courses 8,21,28 & 30 July; 5,11,20 & 26 August and other dates throughout the season.
Scierra Pairs 8 July Phil Dixon
Rutland Water 40th Birthday celebrations 15 & 16 July
AWAI Southern Final 17 July
AWAI Midland Final 24 July
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish 293 (season 8,811) Returns 47 (1,228)Rod average 6.2(7.1)
A good week for dry flies and emergers at Ravensthorpe with a rod average of 6.2 fish per angler. The stamp of fish this week has been very good with many anglers reporting silver mended fish of 3-4lb to the dries. 13 fish of this size were caught this week and many more released.
If you enjoy fishing up in the top of the water then Ravensthorpe is the place to be. Prolific hatches of damsels and midges have the fish looking up and actively feeding. In the morning small cdc emergers have been working well for many anglers on the bank and boats and the fish are feeding in the margins and at the shallower Coton end of the reservoir. During the day the
fish are preoccupied with mating and spent damselflies and can be taken on blue adult damsel fly patterns or foam daddies. This can be fairly challenging fishing.
In the evening the water comes alive with various midges, caddis flies and caenis. Size 12,14 and 16 crippled midge, bobs bits and shipmans buzzers really work well at this time and larger sedge patterns can also score as the sun drops away. Bank fishing is still well worth a go, although the weed growth means that flies need to be presented high in the water.
Ravensthorpe is hosting its popular Thursday Evening Boat Club from 6-9pm
Enjoy the last hours of the day from the bank or a boat this Summer!
Sunset Boat £10
Sunset Permit (1 fish + c + r ) £10
Offer available from 4.30pm
Best Rainbow 6lb 2oz returned safely to the water by Andrew Rogers.
Best boat areas Coton End to Island, Domes to Tall Willows.
Best bank areas Platforms 11 and 12, corner of Causeway.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Bob Midmer.
Fish stocked 1,000.
Pitsford Water
Fish 123 (season 7,042) Returns 68 (1,454) Rod average 1.8 (4.8)
The better weather this week has encouraged more anglers. Jim Watts caught the best Rainbow of the week – a fine specimen of 4lb 7oz.
Bank and boat anglers are catching on shrimp by the Cliffs and Brixworth Bay. A lot of fish are feeding on pin fry. Floating and midge tip have been the best methods. Anglers can spin for trout at Pitsford during July and August – more catch reports on this method next week.
Summer sale at our tackle shops
Up to 30% off the marked price across our Rods, reels and clothing ranges! Get in quick as the sale ends 31 August.
Enjoy the last hours of the day from the bank or a boat this Summer!
Sunset Boat £10
Sunset Permit (1 fish + c + r ) £10
Offer available from 4.30pm
Best Rainbow 4lb 7oz taken by Jim Watts.
Mid week boat winner Mr Barker.
Fish stocked 1,500.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 15 & 29 July; 13,18 and 24 August and other dates throughout the season.
