Rutland Water
Fish week 677 (11,716) Returns 207 (3,148) Rod average 3.27(3.72)
John Glanfield, Chris Curtis and Richard Powlesland made their annual bank fishing pilgrimage from Exeter to Rutland Water this week. They had a fantastic time netting 140 fish in the process. The Devon trio used buzzer and diawl bach on floating lines and long leaders. John and Richard have visited every year since Rutland Water’s opening day in 1977. Over the years they have caught fish in almost all areas commenting, “the fish just seem to get bigger”.
Boat anglers continued to catch fish in the main basin, with various lures catching Rainbows feeding on daphnia. When winds strengthened boat anglers on the rudder had the best sport.
Strong easterly winds returned towards the end of the week making things difficult over the weekend. The settled conditions earlier in the week saw both bank and boat anglers take fish in many areas.
Fish are feeding on sedge, caenis, buzzers and pin fry where there has been a tremendous hatch this year around many areas of the reservoir. Settled weather is a must for consistent sport. Calmer conditions will encourage fish to move to the middle of the south arm stretching from Yellowstone to Old Hall and Berrybutts and Gibbets Gorse.
Don’t miss the Anglian Water floating line boat match at Rutland Water on Saturday 11 June. This match is fished to loch style rules – drifting boat with fly size restrictions (hook size no bigger the 5/8 inch and maximum fly length of 15/16 inch). To book or find out more please call 01780 686441 or 01780 686442.
Competition news
Tuesday night boat league
Keith Jones won the fourth week of the league with Richard Cooper close on his heels in second place. 16 anglers took 35 fish, mainly in the main basin on lures and nymphs. As the winds dropped anglers reported good numbers of fish on the surface, some feeding on buzzers and sedge pupae and others on this year’s pin fry. Keith also managed the biggest fish – a Rainbow weighing in at 2lb 13oz.
Results week four
1st Keith Jones (Wales) 5 fish for 10lb 10oz
2nd Richard Cooper 5 fish for 10lb 7oz
3rd Mike Netherclift 5 fish for 9lb 1oz
League position to date
1st Keith Jones (Wales) 38 points
2nd Richard Cooper 23 points
3rd Chris Evans 18 points
4th` Malcolm March 7 points
5th Mick Bennett 6 points
Rutland Water continued
RWFF Cutting Trophy 3 June
This members only bank match was fished in very difficult conditions with bright blazing sun and a very strong north easterly wind which put white horses down the lake and limited fishing areas. Most people headed for the dam and the bank between Sykes Lane and Whitwell Creek. Despite the tough conditions an average of 1.7 fish per rod was achieved.
The winner, Chris Evans, caught near the entrance to Whitwell Creek where he was casting to a lot of moving fish. There were some nice silver fish caught with Steve Crowder taking the prize for the best fish – a perfectly conditioned 4lb 1oz Rainbow taken on a small green nymph. 12 year old junior member Graham Hayward caught a lovely 2lb Brown from Whitwell Creek on a Montana and floating line. Second placed Peter de Kremer took his fish from the dam on very deep, fished almost static nymphs. On behalf of RWFF John Wadham thanked the wardens John Seaton and Mike Brooksby for their help, especially at the weigh in. The evening concluded with fish and chips delivered from Sid’s of Stamford, washed down with Fosters under the Fishing Lodge forecourt spotlights – very welcome after a hard evening’s fishing.
Weardale Flyfishers
A two day match won by Eddie Forster with a combined total of 6 fish for 21lb. Eddie fished across the middle of the south arm.
1st Eddie Forster 6 fish for 21lb
2nd Dermot Speight 5 fish for 19lb 2oz
3rd Carl Malpas 7 fish for 17lb.
Best Rainbow 4lb 8oz taken by Ian McRoberts of Stamford.
Best Brown 4lb 8oz taken by Kevin Davis of Brentwood.
Best boat areas The main basin, Yellowstone, Spud Bay, Old Hall.
Best bank areas Whitwell, Sykes Lane, the Dam, Yellowstone, Inmans Spinney.
Best methods Bank – small nymphs and dries.
Boat – As for bank but include blobs, sparkler/tubes.
Mid week boat winner Richard Powlesland of Crediton.
Fish stocked 1,375
Forthcoming events: Beginners courses 8,12,19 and 25 June; 2,10,17,24 & 31 July and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
Anglian Water Floating line match 11 June
Anglian Water Rudder Match leg 2, 2 July
At this time of year the fishery is very popular so please call the fishing lodge on 01780 686441 to check for boat availability before making your journey. Please note on Monday and Wednesday from May until September boats to be returned by 8pm.
Grafham Water
Fish week 1,307 (11,895) Returns 328 (2,351) Rod average 3.98(5.05)
Grafham Water is fishing well with the north shore producing the most consistent catch rate.
Boat anglers have enjoyed the best of the sport mainly due to the brisk westerly winds that have dogged the fishery over the past week, making it hard for the bank anglers to find a fishable area. The two most popular methods used by boat anglers have been floating or sink tip lines with buzzers (black or olive), crunchers, diawl bachs, or di 5 lines with orange or tequila blobs and a cats whisker booby.
The most productive boat areas have been Savages Creek, Sanctuary Bay, Deep Water Point, Pylon Point, G buoy and the Seat.
Bank anglers have had some good sport this week when the winds have allowed – mainly at Hill Farm, Gaynes Cove and the Seat. The best bank tactics have been floating lines with buzzers, diawl bachs and hares ears.
Competition news
Anglian Water Airflo International
Midland heat 4 June 2011
1st Team Frog Hair 41 fish for 85lb ¾oz
2nd England Youth (Anglia) 31 fish for 65lb 4 1/8oz
3rd Pitsford Pirates 28 fish for 61lb ¾oz
4th Soldier Palmers 28 fish for 60lb 7oz
5th Team Rio-Draycote Fliers 31 fish for 60lb 3oz
Best fish Kevin Appleton 3lb 13 7/8oz
Best bag Paul Kitchen 19lb 12oz
Invicta Tuesday Boat League.
20 Anglers fished this week’s boat league catching 51 trout giving a rod average of 2.55. Top anglers on the evening were Mark Searle and Adam Worker who both caught 7 trout.
1st = Mark Searle and Adam Worker 7 fish
2nd== Dave Burgess and Richard Slater 6 fish
3rd Alan Briggs 4 fish
Best Rainbow 4lb 9oz Damian Paddon
Best Brown Two at 5lb taken by Bob Saltmarsh and Eddie Baynham.
Best boat areas Savages Creek, Sanctuary Bay, Deep Water and Pylon Points, G Buoy, Sailing Club Bay and Gaynes Cove.
Grafham Water continued
Best bank areas Hill Farm, Seat, Gaynes Cove.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Alan Dimmock from Ridgemont.
Fish stocked 2,000
Forthcoming events
Tuesday Night boat league
Beginners courses: 11, 23 and 26 June; 3,16,22,27 & 31 July and other dates throughout the season.
Beginners course for Pike 16 July
Pitsford Water
Fish week 817 (6,940) Returns 206 (2,006) Rod average 3.9 (3.4)
Paul Dickie of Northampton took the heaviest fish of the week a Rainbow of 8lb 3oz. Paul, who bank fished for the evening only took the one fish, but he said it was worth it.
Lorrenzo Serrano of Leicester boat fished last week and took his 6 fish limit home, including a 4lb 2oz Rainbow and returned five other fish.
Tim Gordon of Dumfries was down fishing at Pitsford taking advantage of the Anglian Water holiday package. A delighted Tim had a day to remember, taking 8 fish. His total bag weighed 25lb with most taken using the washing line and nymph method.
Peter Tanner of Kirkintilloch also had a great day as part of the holiday package deal. Peter caught 6 Rainbows and two Brown trout. One of his Rainbows was over 3lb, with the rest all over 2lb. Peter two Browns weighed 3lb 14oz and 4lb 6oz.
Best Rainbow 8lb 3oz taken by Paul Dickie of Northampton.
Best Brown 4lb 6oz taken by Peter Tanner.
Best boat areas Sailing Club Bay, Narrows.
Best bank areas Bog Bay, Stilton Point, Gorse bank.
Best methods Floating/intermediate line, nymphs, diawl bachs (red or green), damsels, washing line if cloudy.
Mid week boat winner Alan Foster.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 18 and 22 June; 2,13,23 and 30 July and other dates throughout the season.
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 208 (7,036) Returns 90 (1,376) Rod average 2.31 (5.11)
Conditions have been more challenging with recent northerly winds. Despite this there have been some good fish caught. Best fish of the week fell to Dave Adams from Cinderford. Dave caught a superb 13lb 8oz Rainbow on a size 14 green diawl bach and a floating line from the boat. Another boat angler took a lovely fish of 10lb 7oz. Brian Perrymon caught the fish on a girdle bug and floating line close to the aerators.
Best tactics this week have been nymphs fished just sub surface with red or green diawl bachs and GRHE being favourites. Small dries and emerger patterns can work well when cloudy or in the evening when fish are rising regularly. Tactics for bright, sunny conditions that have scored are blobs fished either very slow on a fast sinker or stripped through the surface on a floating line.
Best Rainbow 13lb 8oz Rainbow taken by Dave Adams of Cinderford.
Best boat areas Off Monger Point out from the Domes, cotton End and middle of reservoir.
Best bank areas Platforms 13 and 14, wading behind the island, Platforms 11 and 12.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner P Cockings of Raunds.
Fish stocked 500