Rutland Water
Fish week 337 (Season 22,951) Returns 126 (5,025) Rod average 2.67 (4.56)
Dan Pitcher of Langham netted the best fish of the week, a superb 5lb 14½oz Rainbow. This fine specimen fell to a minky fished on a floating line off the peninsula shoreline last Sunday. The best Brown of the week was recorded by Jim Watts of Ryhall. Season ticket holder Jim netted a big tailed 5lb 2½oz fish which fell to a diawl bach fished on a midge tip off Lax Hill. Jim shared a boat with Robbie Winram and the pair netted 7 fish in a half day session.
Ketton’s Paul Wild had a good day boat fishing up the South Arm on Sunday. Paul took seven Rainbows weighing 2½ – 3lb, all on cdc’s. Will Earland, making the most of his school holidays, had a nice brace of Rainbows at 3lb 9oz and 3lb 2oz on dry fly whilst fishing with Rob Waddington.
It has been a testing week with cooler temperatures encouraging more bank and boat anglers. However, whilst the water temperature remains high the clearest water for boat anglers is up both of the arms. Patience and skill have rewarded some anglers with quality Rainbows and Browns; with dries followed by nymphs working best.
Fishing around the aerators in the warmer temperatures has been common practice and moving from one to another has brought the best results as the number of fish around each aerator has varied.
A few anglers have been on the bank and some of the weed free spots around the reservoir have produced fish – one example was Dan Pitcher’s 5lb 14½oz Rainbow. Food items have included corixa, shrimp, snails (some very big), fry and an increasing number of sticklebacks.
Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League – week 11
Empingham’s Gary Cooper won week 11 of this popular league. Gary took 5 fish for 11lb 1½oz, beating his son Richard into second place with four fish for 9lb 7½oz. Hilary Tomlinson took third place with three fish for 5lb 10oz. Chris Evans won the prize for best fish on the night with a 3lb 2oz Rainbow.
Anglian Water Over 50’s Match 30 July
16 anglers fished this match which saw some good fish around the 3lb mark caught up the arms, despite it being hard going at times. Alan Stern and Nigel Angus won with six fish for 14lb 7¾oz from the Normanton Church area, including the best fish a quality brownie of 4lb 1oz (caught near the end of the day). A special mention goes to Patricia Lambert and Christian Jadouille, on holiday from Belgium, the pair included the match in the itinerary of their 3 day boat package.
Rutland Water continued
1st Alan Stern & Nigel Angus 6 fish for 14lb 7¾oz
2nd Dave Porter & Mick Connor 3 fish for 9lb 1½oz
3rd Tug Lawson & Steve Cranson 3 fish for 6lb 1½oz
Prospects look good with plenty of food available. Quality overwintered/grown on fish are coming from the top of the arms around the weed beds with dries and nymphs working best. Lures are working in the main basin around the aerators. Bank anglers are using dries/nymphs; fry patterns are starting to work.
Best Rainbow 5lb 14½oz taken by Dan Pitcher of Langham.
Best Brown 5lb 2½oz taken by Jim Watts.
Best boat areas Aerators for stock fish (lures). Bottom of both arms for big fish, dries and nymphs.
Best bank areas Normanton, Carrot Creek to Barnhill Creek, Sykes Lane.
Best methods Bank – Dries, nymphs and fry patterns starting to work.
Boat – As for bank, include various sinking lines with nymphs, boobies, mini and large lures.
Mid week boat winner Peter Davis of Oakham.
Fish stocked 2,000.
Forthcoming events
Sizzling Summer Sale 30% off all rods, clothing and reels* at Rutland, Grafham and Pitsford tackle shops
*Offer does not apply to items currently within a multi buy deal; items showing a reduction greater than 30% will be sold at that offer with no further discount; offer excludes Hardy reels
Beginners courses 7,13,25 & 28 August; 11,17 & 25 September and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
Fly fishing for Pike from 16 May (subject to boat availability).
Anglian Water 4 man team Loch Style 17 August
Lexus European Team Final 18-21 August
Predator lure fishing 1 – 30 September
Anglian Water Rudder Match 17 September
Grafham Water
Fish week 512 (Season 16,654) Returns 114(2,914) Rod average 4.49 (5.71)
Some fantastic hard fighting fish have been reported, including some lovely Brown trout. Two brownies tipped the scales at 4lb 4oz this week with Nick Evans and Mr Cooper taking the honours. Not forgetting the cracking 5lb Rainbow taken by Andrew Cox. Andrew Wiles took one of the best bags of the summer, catching 24 fish.
It was another good week all round at Grafham Water with some anglers producing fantastic bags and others catching and releasing up to 27 fish in a single session. The fantastic catch results are predominantly coming to boat anglers, although the bank fishing is starting to pick up in certain areas. This week’s rod average is 4.49 and is likely to pick up with the forecast for more cloudy conditions. In addition to the great fishing on offer we also have a Summer Sale with 30% off most clothing, rods and reels.
Popular boat areas have been Sludge Point, Gaynes Cove, the Dam, Willows, the middle (drifting), the Seat, West bank within the weed beds and plenty of bagging up at the Boils. Methods fishing well include tubes on intermediate lines, di7’s and di8’s with buzzers, diawl bachs and lures and floating lines (washing line style) with buzzers or diawl bachs (fishing long leaders). The dry fly is making a come back this week so make sure you have some in the fly box, particularly over weedy areas.
The dam is again by far the most popular spot on the bank this week and certainly a good area to fish a hare’s ear for shrimp feeding fish. The wind tends to blow into the dam making it an ideal place to cast a line out and let it drift around in an arc towards the bank. The takes seem to be very close in, only 1-15 feet, with the south side being the better spot at the moment. Other areas that may be worth a try include wading from the Seat and Plummers Car Park, the fish are not too far out at these spots.
Lots of Perch up to the 4lb mark have been reported this week, although generally the predator fishing has been tough. Savages seems to be holding a lot of coarse fish, with the predators no doubt close behind, this may be a good area to start.
If you enjoy a good breakfast before fishing then pop into the Harbour View before you start your day. This can be found above the fishing lodge in the Mander Car Park.
Competition news
AWAI Midland Final 25 July
1st Flash Attack Reservoir Dogs 52 fish for 112lb 3oz
2nd Pitsford Pirates 40 fish for 89lb 2oz
3rd Greenwell Persuaders 35 fish for 78lb 11oz
4th Iain Barr Fly Fishing Team Costa 32 fish for 72lb 15oz
5th The Renegades 28 fish for 64lb 8oz
6th Elinor 25 fish for 60lb 12oz
7th Rio Masters 24 fish for 55lb 3oz
8th Mid Northants Saints 22 fish for 54lb 1oz
9th Soldier Palmers 23 fish for 53lb 9oz
The top three teams go through to the International Final at Rutland Water and 4th and 5th placed teams have qualified for the Grafham Water Championship.
The best fish weighed 4lb 1oz and was taken by Phil Shaw-Browne. Charlie Abrahams took the best bag at 27lb 15oz.
GWFFA Casting Skills Coaching/ Boat Fishing Skills
Saturday 27 August 1.30pm at Grafham Water Fishing Lodge
Grafham Water Fly Fishers (GWFFA) is hosting a free skills refresher afternoon on Saturday 27 August at the Grafham Water Fishing Lodge. In addition to GWFFA members the club would welcome interest from previous Anglian Water Beginners course attendees who would like to refresh their skills, and members of the public who are interested in taking up the sport.
It’s a great opportunity for those new to the sport to learn the basics of how to cast. Improvers can enjoy coaching on casting style and technique. Mark Brinkman of GWFFA says “We will also have a selection of rod sizes, weights and line styles for you to try your hand with. Different casting styles are often needed to get the best out of the rods and lines. If you have your own tackle please bring it as we can complete a line/balance check for you. It is also good to try out new techniques on the equipment you normally use”.
In addition to the above there may be an opportunity to go out with an experienced GWFFA member for an afternoon’s boat fishing skills coaching. This though will be on a limited basis and dependant upon demand. There will be a small charge of £5.00 as towards the cost.
As GWFFA wishes to give personal tuition in small groups the numbers are limited.
Please book your place by emailing chairman@gwffa-grafham.co.uk with you name, contact details and if possible give an idea of the skills coaching you would like. Confirmation of your reserved place will be emailed to you.
Best Rainbow 5lb taken by Andrew Cox.
Best boat areas West bank, Sludge Point, Gaynes Cove, the Dam, Willows, B Buoy to G Buoy (drifting) and the Seat.
Best bank areas The Seat and north and south Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Nick Evans of Ramsey, Cambs.
Forthcoming events
Sizzling Summer Sale 30% off all rods, clothing and reels* at Rutland, Grafham and Pitsford tackle shops
*Offer does not apply to items currently within a multi buy deal; items showing a reduction greater than 30% will be sold at that offer with no further discount; offer excludes Hardy reels
Beginners courses 14 & 21 August; 4,18 & 28 September and other dates throughout the season.
Boat handling course 9 August
Fly fishing for Pike from 16 May (subject to boat availability)
Predator lure fishing 1 – 30 September
Lure Anglers 1 September
Lure Anglers 4 September
EYFA Youth National 11 September
Troutmasters Final 19 September (no bank or boat fishing available for non competitors
Lure Anglers 25 September
Pitsford Water
Fish week 223 (Season 11,894) Returns 67(2,023) Rod average 3.3(5.8)
Anglers have appreciated a break in the very hot weather and although the fish have stayed deep, more fish have been caught using a variety of patterns including dries if conditions have allowed.
Early morning bank angler Bob Collins was pleased to report sizeable trout coming to the net. Bob took several at 3lb and bagged a 4lb specimen, he also reported one fish full of shrimp.
Nick Nicholson had a nice 3lb Rainbow close in to the bank on a hares ear and Peter Proctor had a nice bag of Rainbows from a boat on a Di7 using crunchers and buzzers fishing along the dam wall.
Conditions were good last Tuesday with Mark Bradbury enjoying a great day’s boat fishing, taking 16 fish. Congratulations to Charlie Watts who won the evening boat club with 6 fish.
Predator angler Bill Gutheridge had a great day targeting Perch on Monday. Bill took a Perch of 3lb 9oz, along with seven others.
Pitsford Kayak Grand Slam 6-7 August
For something completely different enter the Pitsford Kayak Grand Slam on 6-7 August. This match is set to be England’s biggest freshwater kayak fishing event of the year – with the added twist that it is lure fishing only. All you need to do is catch the biggest Pike, Perch and Trout to get the ‘slam’ (fish are measured in length). The top prize is the ultimate predator kayak, an Old Town Predator 13.
Bring your own kayak and kit. Advance registration is essential. For more details and official registration email dane@bramptonvalleytraining.co.uk
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 Sailing Club Bay, Pitsford Creek, Flats,
Holly Bush, Gravels, Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Stephen Tomalin of Northampton.
Sizzling Summer Sale 30% off all rods, clothing and reels* at Rutland, Grafham and Pitsford tackle shops
*Offer does not apply to items currently within a multi buy deal; items showing a reduction greater than 30% will be sold at that offer with no further discount; offer excludes Hardy reels
Pitsford Water continued
Forthcoming events
Evening Summer Fishing Club – Tuesday evening
Lure fishing and fly fishing for Pike from 16 May
Lure fishing for trout (boat only) July & August
Beginners courses 6,12 & 27 August; 3,16 & 21 September and other dates throughout the season.
Boat handling courses 5 August
Pitsford Kayak Grand Slam 6-7 August
EFFA Match 1 September
Round 5 AMC Group 1 4 September
EFFA Match 8 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 136(Season 9576) Returns 39 (1274) Rod average 3.4(7.5)
Fantastic dry fly sport is still to be had at Ravensthorpe.
Although challenging at times, dry fly has proved very effective in overcast conditions. Long drifts right across the reservoir have yielded the best results with the best patterns to try being crippled midge, shipmans buzzer, bob’s bits, hoppers and cdc buzzer. Favourite colours are claret, brown and orange.
Harvey Smith and his boat partner brought 18 fish to the boat on small dries on Tuesday. The Duffy duo had the best sport, fishing claret hoppers in the wind lanes on Wednesday. On Friday Steve and Pat from Blithfield took 36 fish on claret dries.
Another method working at present is the washing line with a small booby on the point and crunchers or diawl bachs on the droppers.
The bank fishing continues to present a challenge, although Bob Draper and John Smith are still managing to winkle out a few fish.
Best Rainbow 8lb approx.
Best boat areas The main basin, middle of reservoir, boils.
Best bank areas The dam, platforms 4 and 5.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner P Wingrave.
