National Fishing Month is just around the corner and on Thursday 4 August we have a great day planned for young anglers
Rutland Water Fly Fishers to host a Juniors Day at Rutland Water
A boat fishing competition for youngsters in two age groups –
12-14 and 15-17 years
Each boat will be accompanied by an experienced RWFF boatman.
Entry forms from John Wadham 01572 771092 or Malcolm March 01780 722466.
Juniors Day at Grafham Water
Highly respected fly fishing coach, Peter Hartley, has put together a programme for young anglers interested in learning to fish.
Two identical sessions running from 10 am to 12.30 pm or 2pm to 4.30pm.
The programme will include tactics, casting some fishing and fly tying.
• 9lb 10oz Rainbow for Rick at Pitsford Water
Rick Barlow of Chorleywood takes the best Rainbow of the week
• Jason’s first cast lands him best fish of the week at Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Jason Cundy of Hemel Hempstead lands 8lb 3oz Rainbow on his first cast of the day
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 672(16,918) Returns 328 (4,929) Rod average 2.04 (3.43)
Recent unsettled weather has slowed sport down, however there have been good quality fish caught and plenty of limits.
Season ticket holders Roy Rayson, Rob Keeber and Richard Cooper all caught overwintered fish of note. Roy Rayson from Melton Mowbray had a fantastic brace of Browns fishing down the bottom of the South Arm, weighing in at 5lb 13½oz and 5lb 8oz respectively. Roy said “The fish were in excellent condition and fought really well.” Rob Keeber, of Leicester, has enjoyed another good week with overwintered Rainbows to 5lb plus from the main basin. Richard Cooper of Empingham netted a superb conditioned 5lb 12½oz Rainbow, also from the main basin.
Other areas yielding fish included the South Arm with drifts from Browns Island to Manton Bay proving successful. Fish have also been taken from the Main Basin, the aerators and along the Normanton bank.
Good numbers of overwintered fish are starting to show around the weedbeds, these fish are feeding on snails at the moment.
Competition news
Anglian Water Airflo International Northern final
Eleven teams fished the Northern final in hot pursuit of a top four place and qualification for the International final at Rutland Water in early October. Stuart Hume’s Team Vision romped to victory with 27 fish for 67lb 6¾oz. Stuart took two fish to the boat by 11.30am whilst drifting down the middle of the south arm from Berry Butts down to the Sailing Club, fishing a fast sinker with blobs.
As predicted fishing was hard with only two limits – these were taken by England Youth North team member James Atkinson and Team Vision’s Joel Beeney. There were several cracking Rainbows between 4-5lb with Pete Appleby (Team G Loomis) weighing in a superb Rainbow of 5lb 5/8oz and Andy Campbell (Chatton FF) a Rainbow of 5lb 4 5/8oz. There was only 1/8oz separating third placed Seighford Sharks from England Youth North in fourth.
1st Team Vision 27 fish for 67lb 6¾oz
2nd Team G. Loomis 16 fish for 48lb 8 1/8oz
3rd Seighford Sharks 17 fish for 40lb 11 1/8oz
4th England Youth North 17 fish for 40lb 11oz
5th Renegades 15 fish for 37lb 6 /78oz
6th Weardale Flyfishers 12 fish for 34lb 4 7/8oz
7th Stocks Weasels 12 fish for 31lb 2 1/8oz
8th Stocks Falcons 12 fish for 28lb 9 5/8oz
9th Chatton Trout Fishers 10 fish for 26lb 2 7/8oz
10th Stocks Barracudas 5 fish for 12lb 13¼oz
11th Stocks Harriers 4 fish for 8lb 14¼oz
Best fish – Andy Campbell, Chatton TF Rainbow 5lb 4 5/8oz
Best bag – Joel Beeney, Team Vision, 19lb 10 3/8oz.
Rutland Water continued
Tuesday Night Boat League week 10
Richard Cooper of Empingham won this week’s boat league match with five Rainbows including the biggest fish of the match at 3lb 5oz. Gaining 10 points for the win and two for the biggest fish, Richard is now on 70 points with Keith Jones, the current leader on 84. Richard is now in serious contention for the title.
1st Richard Cooper 5 fish for 12lb 2oz
2nd Dave Knapp 3 fish for 8lb 4oz
3rd Mike Netherclift 3 fish for 8lb 1oz
Best fish Richard Cooper 3lb 5oz Rainbow.
Best Rainbow 6lb
Best Brown 5lb 13oz taken by Roy Rayson of Melton Mowbray.
Best boat areas Middle and bottom of the South Arm and the main basin.
Best bank areas Normanton, East Creek to the fishing lodge, Sykes Lane, Old Hall.
Best methods Bank – floating lines with nymphs, dries, small fry patterns worth trying.
Boat – As for bank, include various lures/boobies and tube flies on sinking lines.
Mid week boat winner Ian Malpass of Consett.
Fish stocked 4,000
Forthcoming events:
Beginners courses 24 & 31 July; 6,17 &21 August and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
Anglian Water Over 50’s match 24 July
Rutland Water Fly Fishers Juniors Day 4 August
A boat competition for youngsters in two age groups – 12-14 and 15-17 years
Each boat will be accompanied by an experienced RWFF boatman.
Entry forms from John Wadham 01572 771092 or Malcolm March 01780 722466.
Anglian Water Help the Heroes pairs match 13 August
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 265 (15,273) Returns 126 (3,414) Rod average 2.1 (4.47)
Gary Barstow of Towcester took the biggest fish of the week – a fin perfect over wintered Brown of 6lb 8oz – the biggest Brown of the season so far. Gary was boat fishing at Gaynes Cove with a floating line with a size 16 pheasant tail nymph.
Variable weather conditions have made for challenging fishing at Grafham Water this week. Bank anglers have enjoyed the best sport at the eastern end of the reservoir. Good sport for bank anglers fishing floating lines with diawl bachs, pheasant tail nymphs, crunchers and gold ribbed hares ears at the Seat, Point of Gaynes, south Dam, and the G Buoy area. Reports from the bank anglers last week suggested that the trout were feeding around the margins on a mixture of food with pin fry, snails and shrimp seeming to be the main diet.
Boat anglers have found the fishing on the challenging side, however there have been some good catches. The most productive methods have been fast glass lines with tequila or orange blobs with diawl bachs, pheasant tail nymphs, crunchers, GRHE and black and green tadpoles. The best areas for the boat anglers have been the Seat and Sludge Bank, Gaynes Cove, G and L buoys and the lodge frontage.
Tuesday Night Boat League
15 Anglers took part in this week’s boat league catching 32 trout giving a rod average of 2.1. Gary How of Bedford was top rod on the evening catching 5 trout.
1st Gary How 5 fish
2nd Mark Searle/Richard Slater/Dave Burgess 4 fish
3rd Kieran Bonas/Paul Stevens/Dick Arbon 3 fish
Best Rainbow 5lb taken by Mr Sayles.
Best Brown 6lb 8oz Taken by Gary Barstow of Towcester.
Best boat areas Gaynes Cove, the Seat, G and L buoys, South dam, Sludge bank.
Best bank areas Seat, Gaynes Cove, South Dam, Point of Gaynes, G Buoy.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Dave Roswell of St Neots.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 22,27 & 31 July; 7,14 & 28 August and other dates throughout the season.
Juniors Day 4 August – National Fishing Month.
Highly respected fly fishing coach, Peter Hartley, has put together a programme for young anglers interested in learning to fish. Two identical sessions running from 10 am to 12.30 pm or 2pm to 4.30pm.
The programme will include tactics, casting some fishing and fly tying.
Pitsford Water
Fish week 541(10,637) Returns 205(2,999) Rod average 2.6 (3.5)
The England Youth Fly Fishing team had their final training session at Pitsford Water on Saturday prior to heading off to do battle at the Youth International in Scotland. The 16 anglers caught 44 fish which were all returned. As a former England Youth International and World Team member, Phil Longstaff, team coach/Manager, was on hand passing on his experience to the youngsters. Oscar Boatfield brought 7 fish to the boat in under two hours. Oscar fished hares ear nymphs on intermediate line but used a booby on the point of his cast to hold the flies up in the top two feet. Ryan Worker also caught well fishing his orange blob out in open water to good effect. Most of the group caught fish on a variety of methods, mainly pulling lures. They were hoping to catch on dry flies and nymphs to try to widen their armoury of fishing methods ready for the International on Saturday on the Lake of Menteith. We wish them all good luck and tight lines.
Rick Barlow, a season ticket holder from Chorleywood, caught a tip top conditioned Rainbow weighing 9lb 10oz from the Gorse Bank in an early morning session from the bank. He used a 5 weight rod and hoppers to take the big Rainbow and four other fish to over 4lb in weight. Rick commented on the number of fish moving on the surface at this time of day.
Bank anglers are still able to catch fish on cloudy days or late in the evening. Boat anglers are enjoying sport mainly on the drift rather than anchoring. Damsel hatches are not as prolific as they have been in recent weeks, so the damsel patterns are still worth a try.
Competition news
Alex Booth Fly Fishers fished their Chairman’s Trophy on Sunday.
14 Anglers fished catching 48 fish giving a rod average of 3.4 fish per rod. Top bag was caught by John Savage with 6 fish for 15lb 2oz. Vic Byrne took second place with 6 fish for 14lb 10oz. Third place was a tie between Rob Dobson and Mike Smith both with 5 fish for 12lb 4oz.
Best Rainbow 9lb 10oz taken by Rick Barlow of Chorleywood.
Best Brown 7lb.
Best boat areas Narrows, main bowl.
Best bank areas Stilton Point, Gravells, Sailing Club.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Gary Wilson of Bugbrooke.
Fish stocked 1,000
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 23 and 30 July; 3,13 & 27 August and other dates throughout the season.
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 118(8,604) Returns 42 (1,790) Rod average 2.81 (4.84)
The variable weather conditions have influenced sport this week. Anglers who are prepared to respond quickly to the changeable weather are enjoying excellent catches in the upper layers with fish coming to dries and emergers in ripple and cloud conditions.
The best fly patterns this week have been mini boobies, crunchers, bobs bits, klinks and GRHE with small wets fished short over the front of the boat close behind.
Jason Cundy from Hemel Hempstead made a flying start on Sunday hooking and boating a superb 8lb 3oz Rainbow on his first cast of the day anchored off the Island. Jason used a self tied jointed damsel nymph and went on to land four more fish before lunch time.
The dam wall and Platforms 12 and 13 are best from the bank with damsels and diawls the best flies. Dries and emergers are well worth a try with fish rising early and late.
Mr Calvert caught 13 fish from his boat on Wednesday evening fishing small hoppers and drifting into Catwalk Corner.
Best Rainbow 8lb 3oz Taken by Jason Cundy of Hemel Hempstead.
Best boat areas Main bowl and Catwalk corner.
Best bank areas Dam wall and Platforms 13 and 14.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner G Girdlestone of East Haddon.
