Pic: Chris Halliday with the best brown trout taken at Rutland Water this week at 6lb 10oz.
Rutland Water
Fish week 508 (Season 16,672) Returns 230 (4,711) Rod average 2.2(3.53)
Chris Halliday of Bourne visited Rutland Water for the first time on Saturday guided by Cameron Neil. They ventured down the North Arm where Chris was rewarded with a specimen Brown weighing 6lb 10oz, not a bad first fish from Rutland for Chris and it was Rutland’s best fish of the week. A fine specimen, full tailed, Rainbow weighing 5lb 5¾oz fell to the rod of Mick Connor of Wetherby. Mick went down the South Arm, which is currently under rated, and used a suspender hare’s ear to great effect to land the best Rainbow of the week.
Matthew Holroyd recorded consecutive limits over the weekend, Normanton bank being his preferred area. Those anglers persevering with the bottom of the North Arm have had sport from quality fish from the boats and bank with dry fly being the method. It is important not to disturb the shallow water down here as these corixa feeding fish are easily spooked. So presentation and good watercraft are essential for success. In brighter conditions the washing line method with floating line and a fluorocarbon leader with small FAB’s in conjunction with small nymphs (12’s/14’s sparsely tied) have scored.
The main basin has provided the bulk of sport for anglers on the boats this week, with large numbers of fish congregated from Normanton Church all the way through to Fantasy Island, feeding hard on daphnia. The rudder has scored on days with more wind and these fish have been taken relatively high in the water with Di3 being most consistent and glass lines coming into their own when less wind has prevailed. Anglers fishing lochstyle have also successfully targeted the Normanton bank, mostly with Di3 and combinations of blobs and small boobies doing the damage. Yellowstone has seen fish taken within casting range of the bank with a midge tip/nymph attack scoring well.
Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League
Week 9 of the league
An excellent return for the anglers fishing the Tuesday Night Boat League last week with 11 Anglers recording 33 fish. Top rod on the evening was Toff Crowther with 7 fish for 13lb 12oz, in second was Keith Jones with 6 fish for 12lb 4oz and in third Mick Bennett with 5 fish for 9lb 3oz. The biggest fish of the evening fell to Chris Binley at 3lb 12oz. This week’s result saw Keith Jones overtaking Richard Cooper at the top of the league with 47 points to Richard’s 42.
Information for all anglers
An invasive species of shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus), commonly known as DV, has been found at Pitsford Water reservoir in Northamptonshire.
The species was discovered by a keen-eyed member of Anglian Water staff at Pitsford Water on 17 July, and following testing at the company’s laboratory in Huntingdon was confirmed the next day, 18 July. Confirmation was also given by Environment Agency ecologists on 21 July.
The presence of this species in the water does not pose any threat to human health. Water from the reservoir is treated to a very high standard before being supplies to local homes for drinking.
It is important that anglers continue to follow the Check, Clean, Dry procedures in place for the preservation of our environment and sport.
Best methods See report.
Best Rainbow 5lb 5¾oz taken by Mick Connor of Wetherby.
Best Brown 6lb 10oz taken by Chris Halliday of Bourne.
Best bank areas Tim Appletons – Stockie Bay.
Best boat areas Yellowstone, Manton Bay, Main Basin, Church to Fantasy.
Mid week boat winner B Street of Loughborough.
Fish stocked 4,300.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 1,13 & 16 August;5,13 & 27 September; 4,10,24 & 31 October.
Tuesday Night boat league commenced 12 May
Anglian Water Over 50’s Match 1 August
Anglian Water Rudder Match 8 August
Anglian Water Loch Style 4 Man team 12 August
Scierra Pairs Final 5-6 September
WaterAid 18 September
Anglian Water Rudder match 19 September
AWAI Final 5-7 October
Anglian Water Pairs non rudder & rudder 10 October
Fry Feeders Match 18 October
Grafham Water
Fish week 834(season 14,852) Returns 220(3,534) Rod average 3.79 (4.2)
Grafham Water has continued to fish well for both bank and boat anglers with a good summer’s rod average of 3.79 and 30% of all trout caught weighing 3lb or over.
Bank anglers have enjoyed some good sport, particularly on the Dam and the most effective bank methods have been fishing floating lines with shrimp patterns, GRHE, crunchers and diawl bachs. However, when the wind direction has been favourable, Deep Water and Pylon Points have also produced good catch rates. Season ticket holder Johnny Johnson caught a superb over wintered Rainbow of 5lb 2oz on a floating line with a GRHE whilst fishing the Dam early morning.
Boat anglers have also had a good week with plenty of bag limits taken from a number of areas on the reservoir particularly G,B and I Buoys, south Dam, Rectory Bay, Deep Water Point, Arthurs Cove and Gaynes Cove. The best boat methods have been to fish floating or fast glass lines with fab’s, blobs, nemos, crunchers, GRHE, diawl bachs and cormorants at a steady or slow retrieve.
Competition news
AWAI Midland Final 20 July
Six teams of six anglers fished the Midland final catching 223 trout for an impressive rod average of 6.19. Three places in the International final at Rutland Water in early October were up for grabs. The winning team on the day was Rio Masters who caught 44 trout for 95lb 5oz. Top individual on the day was Graham Pearson (Rio Masters) from Leicester who caught 14 trout for 28lb 13oz. Graham’s method on the day was to fish a fast glass line with a Fab, cruncher, blob and a nemo at G buoy. The heaviest fish of the match was caught by Ian Whiteside (Greylags) – a superb over wintered Rainbow of 4lb 2oz.
1st Rio Masters 44 fish for 95lb 5oz
2nd Reservoir Dogs 43 fish for 91lb 8oz
3rd Elinor 40 fish for 84lb 9oz
Invicta Tuesday Night Boat League
Keith Gilchrist was top rod in this week’s boat league, catching five trout from Sailing Club Bay on a Di3 line with a booby and a blob.
Information for all anglers
An invasive species of shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus), commonly known as DV, has been found at Pitsford Water reservoir in Northamptonshire.
The species was discovered by a keen-eyed member of Anglian Water staff at Pitsford Water on 17 July, and following testing at the company’s laboratory in Huntingdon was confirmed the next day, 18
July. Confirmation was also given by Environment Agency ecologists on 21 July.
The presence of this species in the water does not pose any threat to human health. Water from the reservoir is treated to a very high standard before being supplies to local homes for drinking.
It is important that anglers continue to follow the Check, Clean, Dry procedures in place for the preservation of our environment and sport.
Best Rainbow 5lb 8oz taken by John Vincent.
Best boat areas Rectory Bay, G,I and B Buoys, Gaynes Cove, Deep Water and Pylon Points.
Best bank areas Dam, Gaynes Cove, Deep Water and Pylon Points.
Best methods See report.
Mid Week Boat Winner Rick Barlow.
Fish stocked 2,000
Forthcoming events
Grafham Water Summer Fishing Club every Tuesday to 1 August.
Beginners courses 2,9 and 23 August; 6,16, 20 (Pike) & 25 September; 3 & 18 October.
Sierra Pairs 2 August
Lexus European Individual Final 12 & 13 September
Troutmasters Final (fishing closed to non competitors) 21 September
Bob Church Classic 27 September
Anglian Water Rudder Match 3 October
Fry Feeder Match 17 October
Pitsford Water
Fish week 262 (season 8,553) Returns 71(1,773) Rod average 3.7(4.82)
Pat Flynn caught and returned over 60 fish in three visits to Pitsford Water fishing with nymphs on floating lines. Mr D Finch-Noyes has enjoyed some excellent evening bank fishing, taking fish of 5lb 4oz, 4lb 8oz and 3lb 12oz, along with several other smaller fish.
The rod average continues at a healthy 3.7 for the week. Although it has been a mixed a week at Pitsford with some anglers finding the fishing easy whilst others have struggled. Fish are still in the margins and floating lines and imitative patterns are the best. Fish are of excellent quality, full tailed and fighting fit. The best areas are Gravels, Gorse, the Flats and Brixworth Bay.
The predator fishing is still consistent with reports of plenty of fish being caught. Predator anglers are reporting fish around the margins, but not out in deep water.
Information for all anglers
An invasive species of shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus), commonly known as DV, has been found at Pitsford Water.
The species was discovered by a keen-eyed member of Anglian Water staff at Pitsford Water on 17 July, and following testing at the company’s laboratory in Huntingdon was confirmed the next day, 18 July. Confirmation was also given by Environment Agency ecologists on 21 July.
The presence of this species in the water does not pose any threat to human health. Water from the reservoir is treated to a very high standard before being supplies to local homes for drinking.
It is important that anglers continue to follow the Check, Clean, Dry procedures in place for the preservation of our environment and sport.
Best boat areas Sailing Club bank, Brixworth Bay, Bog Bay, Stone Barn Bay.
Best bank areas Northfields Shore, Stone Barn Point, Gravels, Rigby’s Point, Sailing Club Bank, Duffers Reach.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner A Ferguson.
Pitsford Water continued
Forthcoming events
Pitsford Summer Fishing Club
5.30pm until dusk every Tuesday evening until 11 August.
Beginners courses 31 July; 8 & 22 August; 4,9,19 & 26 September; 11,17 & 25 October.
Second Saturday of each month Pitsford will be offering fly tying tuition, casting coaching and general fishing advice. Call the fishing lodge on 01604 781350 for more information.
Anglian Water Rudder match 22 August
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 267 (Season 10,407) Returns 55(2,340) Rod average 4.8 (4.4)
Mark Draper had a fantastic day on Friday using floating line and a team of three damsel nymphs. Drifting across the main bowl Mark caught 20 fish on Thursday, all on dries from a drifting boat.
A mixed week of sport at Ravensthorpe this week. Some days the fish have been up in the water feeding well and on other days fish have been harder to tempt.
Best methods have been floating line with dries such as hoppers or daddies, small nymphs or damsels fished washing line style.
Keith Bowen won the boat club again on Thursday evening with Mick Griffin second again. Most anglers caught on diawl bachs or dries.
Information for all anglers
An invasive species of shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus), commonly known as DV, has been found at Pitsford Water reservoir in Northamptonshire.
The species was discovered by a keen-eyed member of Anglian Water staff at Pitsford Water on 17 July, and following testing at the company’s laboratory in Huntingdon was confirmed the next day, 18 July. Confirmation was also given by Environment Agency ecologists on 21 July.
The presence of this species in the water does not pose any threat to human health. Water from the reservoir is treated to a very high standard before being supplies to local homes for drinking.
It is important that anglers continue to follow the Check, Clean, Dry procedures in place for the preservation of our environment and sport.
Ravensthorpe Reservoir continued
Best Rainbow 3lb.
Best boat areas Main bowl.
Best bank areas Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner J Reid of Watford.
Forthcoming events Thursday evening Boat fishing club starts 6pm.
