- Superb sport at Pitsford Water with a rod average of 5.4.
- Rutland Water hosts Dave Hodgson Memorial
Steve Peart wins and Tom Davis takes second place despite an eventful disembarkation from his boat at the pontoon.
- Don’t miss Evening boat leagues
Thursday evening boat club Ravensthorpe
Summer fishing club at Pitsford Water. Tuesday evenings from 12 May to 11 August
Grafham Water Summer Fishing Club with Invicta starts Tuesday 12 May and runs to 11 August
Rutland Water Tuesday Night Boat League starts 12 May
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 660 (Season 6,769) Returns 250(1,579) Rod average 2.64 (4.28)
Ady Naylor of Uppingham will be representing Rutland Water at the Trout Masters finals at Grafham Water in September. Adi fished brilliantly last Saturday having to contend with a very strong west wind that was battering the reservoir’s shoreline. Ady started off very well with a 5lb 11½oz Brown on his second cast in Whitwell. When things fell quiet Ady moved to another area and quickly added seven fish (all Rainbows). These fish all fell to small black tadpoles and then buzzers, he ended up with a good bag limit of eight fish for 18lb 12¼oz. Ady’s 5lb 11½oz Brown was the best fish of the week. John Horsey took the best Rainbow of the week at 4lb 5oz.
We haven’t seen many overwintered Rainbows in bags so far this season, but season ticket holder Al Owen and holidaying boat partner John Slavin from Scotland, took a good number of fish around the 3-3½lb mark last Sunday. The pair found fish well out in the deeper parts of the main basin using fast sink lines and lures to good effect. Al said that all the fish had been feeding heavily on the plentiful supplies of this season’s daphnia.
Boat anglers have fared best, apart from very windy days. Bank anglers need settled conditions to locate fish with a few fish just starting to move on some settled evenings. Fly hatches remain very good and there are now good numbers of Hawthorn flies about. Once fish spot these we should see some surface action. 2,000 Rainbows were stocked around various parts of the shoreline last Thursday bringing the total stocked so far this season to 31,200.
Competition news
Dave Hodgson Memorial 10 May
26 anglers turned out last Sunday, with conditions far better than the previous day when anglers had to endure strong westerlies during practice. The southerly wind and overcast conditions on Sunday were more favourable and 113 fish were caught giving a rod average of 4.3 for the day with all anglers fishing to Davy’s favoured fly line (midge tip).
Top rod was Osprey’s team captain Steve Peart who managed eight fish weighing 17lb 10½oz. Tom Davis took second place with eight fish following an eventful disembarkation from his boat at the pontoon. Tom’s freezer box fell apart as he climbed from the boat and one of his eight Rainbows fell into the harbour. After a few minutes with his landing net he managed to ‘fish’ it out and claim second spot.
Third was Steve Smalley, fourth Paul Wild and fifth Richard Hood.
Top lady rod was Scarlett Hodgson, Davy’s daughter. Gary Wright took the best fish a 3lb 1oz Rainbow.
Organisers Steve Smalley and Hywell Morgan gave a big thank you to everyone for taking part in this match in memory of Davy. Huge thanks also to sponsors Rio Flylines, Sonik Rods and Diawa.
Best methods See report.
Best Rainbow 4lb 5oz taken by John Horsey.
Best Brown 5lb 11½oz taken by Adi Naylor of Uppingham.
Best boat & bank areas See report.
Mid week boat winner Richard Chambers of Peterborough.
Fish stocked 2,000.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 23 & 30 May; 4,14,20 & 25 June and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league commences 12 May
Anglian Water Rudder Match 16 May
Spring Loch Style International 26-29 May
Anglian Water Rudder Match 6 June
Scierra Pairs 7 June
Anglian Water Floating Line Competition 13 June
Grafham Water
Fish week 609(season 5,178) Returns 195 (1,256) Rod average 3.12 (4.12)
Grafham Water is fishing well with a healthy rod average of 3.12. Stephen Battle, a season ticket holder from Bedford, caught the heaviest bag of the week, a cracking eight fish limit for 27lb 3oz. Stephen fished static buzzers on a sink tip line from Hedge End. His fish ranged from the heaviest, a fin perfect Rainbow of 4lb 2oz, down to a Rainbow of 3lb 1oz.
Boat anglers have caught bag limits when the weather conditions have been favourable. There have been two main methods for the boat anglers either sink tip lines with 20-25 foot leaders with black or olive buzzers, fished almost static or Di8 lines with boobies and blobs fished slowly with most of the takes coming on the lift. The best boat areas have been Valley Creek, L and G Buoys, Hedge End, Pylon and Deep Water Points, Willows and the Seat.
Bank anglers have again found the fishing a bit challenging with the Harbour Arms, Gaynes Cove and the Seat producing consistent sport. The most productive bank method has been to fish floating or sink tip lines with damsel nymphs, GRHE and Diawl Bachs with a very slow retrieve.
Competition news
Snowbee Interclub Floating Line 9 May
18 Four man teams fished this event on a very windy day. This match was fished with floating lines only from a drifting boat with no weighted flies. With the weather conditions and reservoir restrictions in place due to the wind this was a great effort by all. Top team on the day was Tunbridge who managed to catch 11 trout for 22lb 13oz. Top individual on the day was Ashley Cooper who caught 4 trout for 10lb 9oz. All competitors were restricted to fish Valley Creek and the Lodge frontage.
1st Tunbridge 11 fish for 22lb 13oz
2nd Rutland North Arm 7 fish for 16lb 11oz
3rd Late Arrivals 6 fish for 16lb 4oz
Best individual Ashley Cooper 4 fish for 10lb 9oz.
Best fish Simon Sells 5lb Rainbow.
Important information for all anglers
There are new restrictions around the Dam Tower. These are marked by buoys. Please do not fish or anchor beyond the buoys, there are underwater pipes and equipment which need to be protected.
Best Rainbow 5lb taken by Simon Sells.
Best boat areas Hill Farm, Pylon and Deep Water Points, Valley Creek, Lodge Frontage, G and L Buoys, Willows.
Best bank areas Gaynes Cove, Harbour, Seat.
Best methods See report.
Mid Week Boat Winner Simon Gaines of Stockton on Tees.
Fish stocked 2,000.
Forthcoming events
Grafham Water Summer Fishing Club commences Tuesday 12 May
Beginners courses 17,24 & 28 May;6,18,21, & 27 June and other dates throughout the season.
Lexus Team Heat 18 May
EYFA Youth National 24 May.
Ladies National 1 – 4 June
Pitsford Water
Fish week 399 (Season 2,538) Returns 73 (659) Rod average 5.4(4.1)
As the weather has improved there have been large buzzer hatches which have encouraged the fish to the surface. Many anglers using floating lines with midge tips have had some good catches this week and the rod average has risen to 5.4. On Saturday Pat Flynn had 53 fish to the boat in Bog Bay using orange blobs, but other anglers have had success fishing green/black lures and teams of buzzers. As the temperatures have fallen again the fish have been deep but there have been plenty to find in Bog Bay, Stilton Point and off the Cliffs.
Congratulations to Martin Nelson and Fabien Lepine who both landed beautiful 4lb plus Brownies and Graham Pearson who with several others had good sized Rainbows this week.
25 Anglers contested the MNTFA Bruce Richardson Trophy on Sunday. 169 fish were recorded for a rod average of 6.7. Congratulations to Chris White who bagged up to win the trophy weighing in at 18lb 8oz, Grant Gibson came a very close second with a weight of 18lb 7oz and Mark Jeyes took third weighing in at 18lb 4oz.
From 16 May anglers will be able to fly fish for predators from the boat. We have a 10% introductory offer on our range of Savage Tackle with Savage rods available to try. There will also be demonstrations of fish tracking equipment on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May.
On the second Saturday of each month Pitsford Water will be hosting fly tying tuition, casting coaching and general fishing advice. Call the fishing lodge on 01604 781350 for more information.
Unfortunately high winds forced the EDFF to postpone their match scheduled for Wednesday 6 May. Pitsford Water looks forward to welcoming them for a rescheduled date in the next couple of weeks.
Best Rainbow 4lb plus.
Best Brown 4lb plus.
Best boat areas Bog Bay, Stone Barn Bay, North Farm Bay, Brixworth Bay, Sailing Club Bay.
Best bank areas North Fields shore, Stone Barn Bay, Gravels, Duffers, Stilton Point, Gorse and Cliffs.
Best methods See report.
Fish stocked 1,500
Mid Week Boat Winner Mr A Kimpton of Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
Forthcoming events
Pitsford Summer Fishing Club
Join us at our weekly fly fishing club for an evening of boat fishing from 5.30pm until dusk every Tuesday evening from 12 May to 11 August.
All anglers are extremely welcome, especially beginners.
Beginners courses 16 & 29 May; 7 & 19 June and other dates throughout the season.
Anglian Water Rudder Match 23 May.
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.
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 403 (Season 6,217) Returns 86 (737) Rod average 4.6(8.4)
Ravensthorpe continues to be in top form. Mick Griffin and Graham Smith had a great day on Sunday bringing 32 fish to their boat. Their tactics were to fish floating line with a FAB on the point, buzzers and diawl bachs on the dropper. Mick and Graham were very complimentary about the superb condition and fighting spirit of the fish we are stocking. Season ticket holder Gordon Alleyne, of Wansford, also commented on the great quality of Ravensthorpe’s fish and the helpfulness of the fishery staff.
David Brady fished in the week with floating lines and buzzers accounting for 26 hard fighting Rainbows. Mark Salt also had a great day’s boat fishing taking 29 fish.
The Dam is the place to fish from the bank with either early or later in the day being the best time on bright days. Floating lines and buzzers are accounting for the majority of fish.
The Thursday evening boat fishing club is now under way, starting at 6pm.
Best boat areas Coton End, Catwalk Corner.
Best bank areas Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner S Robson of Hitchin.
Forthcoming events Thursday evening Boat fishing club starts 6pm.
