Pic: A 5lb 3½oz taken by Vincent Howley of London from Rutland Water, the best of the week.
• Grafham Water’s 50th Birthday celebrations
We are delighted to share the exciting news that his Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will be visiting Grafham Water on Wednesday 25 May. The Duke of Edinburgh’s visit will mark the launch of Grafham Water’s 50th Birthday celebrations. Members of GWFFA and Invicta and the local angling community are contributing on this special day and more details will follow.
We are looking for any interesting stories and photographs from when Grafham was first opened to the present day so if you have any suitable stories or photographs to share please get in touch as soon as possible by emailing fishing@anglianwater.co.uk
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 1,264 (Season 2,951) Returns 228(543) Rod average 5.54 (5.43)
Rutland Water is in outstanding form with a rod average for the season to date of 5.54. Lots of limits have been recorded. A wide variety of methods are working, ranging from nymphs down to a mixture of lures. Fish are feeding well on the numerous small buzzer hatches, daphnia and shrimp.
The best fish of the week was a Brown estimated at around 6lb caught and returned by Richard Friend. Richard, from Edith Weston, was fishing with his son Jack and his father Paul. Paul who is a former Rutland ranger used his extensive knowledge of Rutland Water to ghillie for Richard and Jack who both recorded limits.
The best Rainbow of the week fell to London angler Vincent Howley who netted a mint conditioned 5lb 3½oz specimen which fell to a buzzer fished on a floating line.
Simon Guthrie treated his son Elliot to another visit last week. The pair had planned to fish for three days but were thwarted by strong winds which prevented boats going out last Wednesday. However they still caught plenty of fish with 45 fish coming to their boat, including Browns to 4lb 5oz and Rainbows to 3lb 5½oz.
Nigel Savage and David Murray are old friends and enjoyed a terrific afternoon out on a boat last Friday managing 20 fish, all of which were returned. Their haul included two overwintered Browns around 3½ to 4lb and included a number of overwintered Rainbows up to 3lb.
Local guide Al Owen took ‘Paddy’ Patmore and his son Adam out on Saturday and the father and son team had a great day with top quality stock fish amongst a good number of overwintered Rainbows around 2½ – 3lb.
Bank anglers have not missed out with Normanton Church Bay right down to Fantasy Island providing plenty of fish, again overwintered fish at 2lb have been showing. On the opposite shoreline Whitwell Creek has seen really good numbers of fish with Stockie Bay to the Monument also fishing very well.
Prospects look very, very good with the fish feeding hard. There has been some fish movement on top on more settled days and last thing at night, especially along the Normanton Bank, with fish less than a couple of rod’s length out. However, not many anglers have stayed to witness this and have already headed home!
Best Rainbow 5lb 3½oz taken by Vincent Howley of London.
Best Brown 6lb taken by Richard Friend.
Best boat areas The main basin, middle of the South Arm, Yellowstones, bottom of the North Arm, Barnsdale.
Best bank areas Normanton, Sykes Lane, Whitwell Creek.
Best methods Bank – Floating lines with nymphs, nymph/lure combination.
Boat – as for bank and include various sinking lines, boobies, snakes, tube flies.
Mid week boat winner G Bird
Fish stocked 2,400.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 16,23 & 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 1,187(Season 3,666) Returns 153(604) Rod average 7.75 (6.06)
With a rod average of 7.75 for the week Grafham Water is in amazing form.
Bank anglers have been taking plenty of bag limits from the North shore with Hill Farm, Stumps, Deep Water and Pylon Points, G Buoy and the north end of the Dam giving the most consistent catch rates. The best method for the bank anglers is to fish black buzzers, damsel nymphs, Pitsford Pea, crunchers and diawl bachs on a floating or sink tip line.
Boat anglers have enjoyed a tremendous week with plenty of anglers catching and releasing 20 plus trout. The best methods from the boats are to fish black buzzers, diawl bachs and ptn’s on floating or sink tip lines, or fast sink lines with tequila blobs, damsel nymphs and black and green dog nobblers. The most productive areas for boat anglers have been Savages Creek, Stumps, Hill Farm, Pig Bay, Deep Water Point and the north end of the Dam
Competition news
Anglian Water Rudder Match 9 April
Yvonne Webb and Simon Lehane took top spot with a bag of 37lb 6oz. Second place went to Messrs Crowder and Porter with 34lb 11oz. Third slot was taken by Messrs Binley and Naylor with 33lb 14oz. The heaviest fish was caught by Matt Bedford – a superb over wintered Rainbow of 4lb 6oz. The heaviest Brown weighed 3lb 7oz and was taken by Mr Gill.
Best Rainbow 4lb 10oz taken by R Bryant of Tring.
Best Brown 4lb 8oz taken by A Chisholm of Battisford.
Best boat areas Deep Water Point, Pylon Point, Hedge End, Stumps, Willows, North Tower, Savages Creek, North Dam, Pig Bay.
Best bank areas Deep Water Point, Pylon Point, Hill Farm, Willows, Dam Stumps.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner R Sherriff of Hertford.
Fish stocked 2,900
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 14 & 24 April;1,26 & 29 May; 5,11,18 & 30 June and other dates throughout the season.
Bob Church Open (Frank Cutler Memorial Trophy) 17 April.
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
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 679 (Season 3,021) Returns 58(331) Rod average 11.7(9.13)
Ravensthorpe has been fishing very well this week with 679 fish being taken. Boat anglers have been catching very well throughout the reservoir but the greatest number of fish have been caught down near the Coton End.
The bank is still fishing well on Platforms 1-10 and the Dam is now starting to produce fish. Flies that have been catching are nymphs, buzzers, black or brown. Floating line is catching well this week when used on the washing line method.
Best boat areas Coton End.
Best bank areas Platforms 1-10, Dam and the Causeway.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Mick Spencer.
Pitsford Water
Fish week 470(Season 1,499) Returns 115(347) Rod average 4.08(4.3)
The challenging weather conditions this week have not deterred our keen anglers and a number bagged up when they found the fish, including David Jones from Cambridge who said that he had a “great day out”. Mark Bradbury also enjoyed a great sporting day on Tuesday and had 20 fish to the boat.
We were also pleased to report on a lovely 2lb 6oz brownie caught on a yellow headed nymph by Bill Cooper from Northampton. Bill is returning to the sport after 15 years away. Jason Kirby of Brixworth recently caught and returned a superb Brown of 6lb 3oz.
Competition news
40th Anniversary Match for Invicta Fly Fishing Club
On Wednesday, with a very unpleasant weather forecast, we were delighted to welcome the Invicta Fly Fishing Club from Cambridge. 14 boats left the jetty at 10am for the start of their anniversary match.
Most boats anchored at regular intervals between Gorse Bank and Duffers Reach near the Causeway. This was the most sheltered part of the lake and provided some relief from the very strong and cold wind. A good number of fish had been caught before lunch and when fishing resumed at 2pm, the catches improved through the afternoon, with most fish coming to deep buzzers on midge tips or cat boobies on di5 sweep lines. A 6 fish limit was caught by 13 competitors with the largest fish weighing in at 4lb 4oz by Chairman, Andy Newman. He also had the best bag of 6 fish for 15lb 4oz. Second was Peter Hartley with 6 fish for 14lb 12oz and third was Stephen Otteridge with 14lb 5oz.
Best Rainbow 5lb plus taken by Chris Butcher of Brixworth.
Best boat areas Bog Bay, Stilton, Pigstream.
Best bank areas Bog Bay, Stilton, Pigstream, Gorse.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Tom Nicoll of London.
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 15 April; 12,15 & 21 May and other dates throughout the season.
Anglian Water Rudder Match 7 May.
