- · Cameron nails both the best Brown and the best Rainbow at Rutland Water
Specimen Brown of 5lb 7¾oz and a 4lb 14oz Rainbow for Cameron Neil
- · Don’t miss Grafham Water’s Big Birthday
Wednesday 25 May HRH The Duke of Edinburgh will visit Grafham – all boats will be half price and will muster in the harbour at 1pm
Sunday 3 July – 50th Anniversary Boat Pairs Match with a terrific prize pot
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 1,594 (Season 10,600) Returns 303 (1,982) Rod average 5.26 (5.34)
Rutland Water anglers have enjoyed a very high rod average with 5.26 achieved for the week and fish coming out from many areas of the reservoir.
Overwintered fish have featured again with Rainbows and Browns falling mainly to nymphs (black buzzer etc).
Season ticket holder Cameron Neil recorded specimen Browns at 5lb 7¾oz and 4lb 14oz, along with a 4lb 11oz Rainbow from the bottom of the South Arm, all caught on nymphs. Cameron was rewarded with both the best Brown and the best Rainbow of the week.
Proving that there’s nothing to beat experience when you go fishing, good friends Peter Gover, Gary West and John Jones took ten fish to their boat recently. The trio have amassed 248 years between them and were celebrating John’s 94th Birthday.
Fish are coming out from many areas of the reservoir from the top of both Arms right through to the Main Basin.
The weather wasn’t particularly kind last week with conditions ranging from hot on the Monday through to colder temperatures at the weekend via an absolute deluge and torrential rain on Tuesday.
Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League
Week 1
Well done to the nine anglers who braved heavy rain just prior to the boats leaving the pontoon for the first match of this year’s popular league. Richard Cooper, last year’s champion, continued his excellent form to win on the night with 8 fish; second place went to Adi Naylor and Sean Hillaby took third. The first winner of a free mid week boat for the best fish on the night was Adi Naylor with a 3lb 13¾oz Brown.
With great numbers of fish being caught, along with extensive buzzer hatches, prospects look excellent. A further 1,500 Browns were stocked last week, along with 2,000 more Rainbows. More Rainbows will be stocked this week.
Best Rainbow 4lb 14oz taken by Cameron Neil.
Best Brown 5lb 7¾oz taken by Cameron Neil.
Best boat areas Many areas fishing well from the bottom of the Arms, through to the main basin.
Rutland Water continued
Best bank areas Old Hall, Sykes Lane, Normanton, Barn Hill Creek.
Best methods Bank – Floating/midge tip lines with nymphs.
Boats – As for bank, but include various sinking lines with mini lures, snakes, tube flies.
Mid week boat winner R Cooper of Darwen.
Fish stocked 3,500.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 26 & 28 May; 4,9,17 & 19 June; 2,10,17 & 23 July and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league
Fly fishing for Pike from 16 May (subject to boat availability)
Anglian Water Rudder Match 21 May
Anglian Water Floating Line match 11 June
England Eliminator ‘Odds & Sods’ 26 June
AWAI North of England Final 11 July
Anglian Water Over 50’s Match 30 July
Grafham Water
Fish week 1,313(Season 10,716) Returns 294(1,620) Rod average 4.46 (6.61)
Grafham Water continues to fish well for both bank and boat anglers with a weekly rod average of 4.46.
The best sport for bank anglers has been to fish mainly floating lines with buzzers, diawl bachs, GRHE, damsel nymphs and large black and green lures. The most consistent bank areas have been Hill Farm, Deep Water Point, Marlow Stones, Willows, South Dam and the Seat.
Boat anglers have had great results by fishing either black buzzers and diawl bachs on floating lines or by fishing fast sink lines with tequila blobs, vivas, snakes, cats whisker booby and damsel nymphs. The best boat areas have been Hill Farm, Hedge End, Deep Water Point, G Buoy, Willows, South Dam and the Seat.
Rob Edmunds and his boat partner Martin had a great day boat fishing on 12 May. Martin and Robert caught and released ten Browns between 4lb 8oz and 6lb 12oz. Their favourite methods were floating lines with black buzzers fishing from G Buoy and the Willows.
Don’t miss Grafham Water’s 50th Birthday celebrations
On Wednesday 25 May boats will be half price. All boats must be in the harbour at 1pm to greet HRH the Duke of Edinburgh who is visiting Grafham Water to launch the 50th Birthday celebrations.
On Sunday 3 July we are hosting a pairs boat match with a terrific prize pot
This pairs boat match will celebrate 50 years of fly fishing at Grafham Water. There’s a fantastic prize pot with £1000* going to the winner plus many more prizes. *Subject to the number of entries.
This event will take place on Sunday 3rd July to coincide with the official 50th anniversary week of activities at Grafham Water. This friendly fly fishing competition is to be fished to relaxed international rules (no anchoring or back drifting, any size fly is acceptable) with an 8 fish limit plus time bonus (2lb per hour).
Competition news
Anglers World Holidays Fly Fishing Championships 14 May
39 anglers fished this heat catching 144 trout for a rod average of 3.69. Top rod on the day was Dave Eames who caught 10 fish for 18lb 4oz. Al Gamble took the heaviest trout at 3lb 15oz.
1st Dave Eames 10 fish for 18lb 4oz
2nd Pascal Boulmier 9 fish for 17lb 15oz
3rd Simon Gaines 8 fish for 15lb 12oz
Best Rainbow 4lb 1oz taken by Martin Webster.
Best Brown 6lb 12oz taken by Martin Glennie.
Best boat areas Deep Water Point, Willows, Hill Farm, G Buoy, South Dam, Seat.
Best bank areas Deep Water Point, Hill Farm, Willows, Marlow Stones, Seat.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner R Cornell of Bishop Stortford.
Fish stocked 2,000.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 26 & 29 May; 5,11,18 & 30 June; 3,9,22,29 & 31July and other dates throughout the season.
Fly fishing for Pike from 16 May (subject to boat availability)
Angling Trust: Team England Qualifier 22 May
25 May Half Price boats – celebrating Grafham’s 50th Birthday
Bob Church Classic 12 June
EFFA ProAm 16 June
AWAI Midland Heat 18 June
Grafham 50th Birthday Pairs Boat Match 3rd July – terrific prize pot
Scierra Pairs 9 July
AWAI Southern Final 18 July
AWAI Midland Final 25 July
Pitsford Water
Fish week 456 (Season 3451) Returns 84 (721) Rod average 5.42 (4.78)
Pitsford Water has been in excellent form with a rod average of 5.42.
Eight anglers fished a rudder match on 7 May, catching 63 fish. Di3 fast glass and tube flies were the order of the day. The best Brown weighed 4lb 7oz and the best Rainbow 4lb 9oz. Boat pair Roy Bartrum and Chris Binley won with a total weight of 38lb 8oz.
On Sunday 8 May Mid Northants Fly Fishers fished the Bruce Richard Trophy. This match was well supported with 26 anglers catching 269 fish. Seumas Halliday took first place. 50% of the anglers fishing caught 10-22 fish each. Most popular methods were ghost and sink tips, floating lines. An assortment of flies came into play with Pitsford Pea, buzzers and tequila blobs proving popular. Grant Gibson caught 22 fish with Pip Jeffs landing the biggest fish at 3lb 5oz.
The Arnold Haddon Charity match was fished on 10 May. 36 Anglers fished this match in support of the Arnold Haddon Cancer Charity. Chris Butcher took the best bag with 8 fish for 24lb 9oz.
Dates for your diary include Pitsford’s popular Evening Summer fishing club that starts on 10 May and 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.
Forthcoming events
Evening Summer Fishing Club starts Tuesday 10 May and runs weekly until Tuesday 9 August.
Lure fishing and fly fishing for Pike from 16 May
Beginners courses 21 May;3 & 12 June; 1,16 & 30 July and other dates throughout the season.
Predator Season starts 16 May
Anglian Water Airflo International Midland heat 4 June
Mid Northants Trout Fishers Beginners Day 11 June
Mid Northants Trout Fishers Pairs Match 26 June and 23 July
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 647 (Season 6,756) Returns 69 (696) Rod average 9.3 (9.7)
With a rod average of 9.3 Ravensthorpe is in terrific form. Boat anglers are catching most of their fish near the Domes and Coton End. Both floating and sinking lines have been effective with fish taking diawl bachs, buzzers, blobs and some dries.
Bank anglers have started to take fish off the Dam and Platforms 4-6.
Mick Griffin had his floating line match with over 300 fish caught, (around 200 of these were returned). The match ws won by Peter Webb with 111lb worth of fish. R Kerrison took second place for 102½lb and Chris Young was a close third with 102lb.
Best boat areas Coton end – Domes.
Best bank areas Platforms 4-6, Dam.
Mid week boat winner Mike Osgood.
Best methods See report.
