- Anglers celebrate Grafham’s
50th Birthday in style
Pairs match is a big success
- Fish of the week at Rutland Water 7lb Rainbow for Tony Machin (pictured)
5lb 7oz Brown for Simon Ashton
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 606(Season 19,046) Returns 167(4,000) Rod average 3.62 (4.76)
Rutland Water is in excellent form with both boat and bank anglers enjoying great sport. None more so than Sleaford angler Tony Machin who bank fished the Normanton shoreline last Thursday, casting to rising fish just ten yards out from the bank. Tony hooked into a superb conditioned overwintered 7lb Rainbow that proceeded to run off all his fly line along with the majority of his backing as well. This was the best fish of the week and fell to a size 14 hares ear that was on the verge of being straightened out from the fight.
The bank fishing itself has been very productive along the Normanton Bank, especially in the blue pipes area which is holding a tremendous amount of fish at the moment. Elsewhere, East Creek to the Fishing Lodge, Sailing Club to New Zealand Point and Carrot Creek to Barn Hill Creek has produced fish.
Boat anglers have again caught well in the Main Basin in and around the aerators and along the respective Normanton and Whitwell/Sykes Lane shorelines. They are catching well fed Rainbows that are putting weight on due to the enormous amount of food available this year which includes daphnia, shrimp, small buzzers, snails, pin fry, with sedge and corixa also starting to show up.
The bottoms of the Arms have been fished by a few. Paul Friend of Edith Weston (previously a Rutland ranger), fished alone down the South Arm and had a great day fishing cdc emergers, taking five fish – the two best being 4lb 8oz and 3lb 8oz Rainbows. Paul mentioned that they had been feeding well on corixa and a few pin fry.
Simon Ashton was delighted with the 5lb 7oz Brown he took whilst boat fishing up the North Arm on Thursday using a shrimp pattern. Match angler Dave Norbury caught a 4lb 10¾oz Brown during the England Qualifer. Scottish angler John Slavin took a 4lb 10oz Brown. John started his seven day holiday fishing alongside guide Al Owen for three days and the pair recorded limits each time. On the Sunday the fishing was very brisk with 16 fish caught by one o’clock.
Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League – week 7
Damp conditions kept some people away from this week’s league match. Once again anglers elected not to fish the aerators. England Youth International Graham Hayward, of Empingham, won week 7. It was a close call with Graham’s eight fish weighing 10lb 2¼oz, just ahead of Ziggy Lesiakowski with 8 fish for 10lb 1¾. Keith Jones was third with three fish for 7lb 4oz. Sharing Keith’s boat was Chris Evans who took the best fish on the night, a good conditioned 2lb 15oz Rainbow, to win the free mid week boat.
Prospects look very good with plenty of food available. Fish are coming from many areas of the reservoir. The water is at top level at the moment, the highest for years with the bank fishing very well. Many methods are working from nymphs to large flies, so as with Tony Machin’s specimen Rainbow, don’t be afraid to fish small flies to catch a big fish.
Best Rainbow 7lb taken by Tony Machin.
Best Brown 5lb 7oz taken by Simon Ashton.
Best boat areas The Main Basin, Sailing Club, bottom of the Arms, Carrot Creek to Barnhill Creek.
Best bank areas Normanton (blue pipes), Church Bay, East Creek, New Zealand Point, Sailing Club, Barnhill Creek to Carrot Creek.
Best methods Bank – Floating line with nymphs & dries.
Boat – As for bank but include midge tip and various sinking lines with mini lures and tube flies.
Mid week boat winner M Hearth.
Fish stocked 2,000.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 10,17 & 23 July;7,13,25 & 28 August and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
Fly fishing for Pike from 16 May (subject to boat availability)
AWAI North of England Final 11 July
Anglian Water Over 50’s Match 30 July
Anglian Water 4 man team Loch Style 17 August
Lexus European Team Final 18-21 August
Grafham Water
Fish week 432 (Season 15,495 ) Returns 100 (2,731) Rod average 4.32 (5.67)
Thank you to all of those anglers who supported our 50th anniversary match held on Sunday the 3rd July. It was a fantastic day’s fishing with a rod average of 7.6 and there were some great bags. In first place winning £500 were Messrs Pearson and Hubbard with 16 fish for 58lb 11oz. Second place went to Messrs Rowson and Deakin with 16 fish for 55lb 4oz winning £200. Messrs Edmonds and Cooper took third place with 16 fish for 51lb 5oz. All weights include a time bonus. Biggest fish went to David Moore. The day included a barbeque and was a great way to celebrate Grafham’s big Birthday. Well done to all who took part, we will be holding another new pairs match on 24th September.
Some settled weather has seen a great week’s fishing at Grafham Water, with large fish being caught and plenty of others making an appearance.
The weekly average is 4.32, with good fishing from the bank and boat, especially towards the end of this week. The fish are feeding on the pin fry, particularly in the morning and evening, shrimp (around the dam) and snails off of the weedy areas.
Boat fishing is particularly rewarding at the moment, with areas around G Buoy, Deep Water Point, B Buoy, the dam and the Willows being the hot spots and fish showing off the Seat, Hill Farm and plenty in the middle of the reservoir. Fish are being taken on varying methods and depths though most commonly deep down on tubes, snakes and lures. When the wind picks up back drifting can be a deadly method and sometimes can pick out the better fish.
Bank fishing has been vastly improving, predominantly around dawn and dusk, and still in areas harbouring fry. The dam has been producing the best fish this week, with a fantastic specimen taken on a fry pattern by Mr Roland Dean, which weighed in at a fantastic 6lb 1oz (photo on Facebook). Although Tom Finney seems to be the rod to watch at the moment, producing plenty of fish and landing rainbows up to 5lb 2oz. An early or late start seems to be the secret!
Predator anglers have had a tough week, although those perch are still coming to the trout fisherman regularly. The aeration tower, dam, pipeline and boils are good areas to begin at if you are fishing for the predators, with red lures picking up the odd fish. Large pike have been reported patrolling around Savages this week, so let’s hope to see one come out soon.
With the conditions stabilising we expect to see plenty of fish this week, so we wish you all ‘tight lines’ and look forward to seeing you soon.
Fly of the Week: Red Snake
Best Rainbow 6lb 1oz taken by Roland Dean.
Best boat areas 100 yards off North Shore, Dam and Hill Farm. Fish being caught in deeper water.
Best bank areas Deep Water and Pylon Points, Hill Farm and north and south Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Alan Burns of Welwyn.
Fish stocked 2,200.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 9,22,29 & 31July; 14 & 21 August and other dates throughout the season.
Fly fishing for Pike from 16 May (subject to boat availability)
Scierra Pairs 9 July
AWAI Southern Final 18 July
AWAI Midland Final 25 July
Pitsford Water
Fish week 218 (Season 6,820) Returns 60 (1,463) Rod average 3.6 (4.6)
Anglers are rising to the challenge thrown at them by changeable weather conditions. Dick Osborn, Nick Nicholson and Mark Bradbury have each caught consistently during the week.
The fishing club on Tuesday night saw several fish caught. Charlie Watts and Terry Mitchell fished together on the Small Arm, using blobs, crunchers and diawl bachs. Charlie had two fish and lost two! The majority of anglers headed down to the Sailing Club end and Barry Jones had the best bag.
Peter Proctor and John Gamon faced challenging conditions on Thursday, but nonetheless, John had four 3lb Rainbows and a 4½lb Brown (unfortunately this had been speared by a Cormorant). Pip Jeffs enjoyed “One of the best morning’s fishing ever!” with four fish caught on crunchers and many more lost. Dave Newens also had a great morning off the Gravel Bank and landed himself a 4lb 12oz Brown.
Edward Haum became a new season ticket holder and headed straight to the Sailing Club Bay on Saturday where he had a lovely 3½lb Rainbow on his first cast! Needless to say he was really thrilled and we wish him all the best for the rest of the season.
The back end of the week has produced the most fish and they have been found close in to the bank early in the morning and moving just out of touch for some bank anglers as the weather brightened up.
On Sunday Pitsford Water welcomed the England Youth Team who joined us for a training day on the boats. Many struggled to catch but it was good practice using different methods to find the fish.
The trout have begun to gorge on the shrimp and many fly patterns have proved successful including hares ears, ptn’s, invicta, small diawl bachs or brown nymphs and there have been plenty of fish showing, especially in Sailing Club Bay and off the Gravel Bank.
Dates for your diary include Pitsford’s popular Evening Summer fishing club which runs every Tuesday up to 9 August.
Mid Northants Trout Fishers Association meets at Pitsford Lodge on the second Saturday of the month with fly tying, casting tuition and friendly advice on all fishing matters.
Best Rainbow 5lb plus.
Best boat areas See report.
Best bank areas See report.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Stephen Tomalin.
Forthcoming events
Evening Summer Fishing Club – Tuesday evening
Lure fishing and fly fishing for Pike from 16 May
Beginners courses 16 & 30 July; 6,12 & 27 August and other dates throughout the season.
Mid Northants Trout Fishers Pairs Match 23 July
EFFA Match 1 September
Round 5 AMC Group 1 4 September
East Midland FF Match 11 September
Polish Lure Anglers Match 17 September
Lure Anglers Society Match 8 October
MNTF Match 9 October
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 165(Season 8,886) Returns 46(1,105) Rod average 3.5 (8.0)
Ravensthorpe continues to fish well from both bank and boat. Fraser Duffy Jnr had some great sport fishing from a boat. Fraser opted for small dries on a floating line, drifting across the main bowl. He landed 15 hard fighting Rainbow trout. Liam Holdshaw also had a great day from a boat. Liam fished damsels on the washing line method with a very slow to no retrieve and the trout were very keen.
Several anglers have done well from the bank, particularly platforms 4,5, and 6. Most popular methods are damsels on a floating line or a big bushy dry. The dam is responding better to buzzers and diawl bachs – again on floating lines.
Best boat areas Main bowl.
Best bank areas Platforms 4,5,6 and Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Alan Duffin.
