The new season at Grafham Water began last Friday where 2012 ended with plenty of good quality over wintered fish showing.
Retired detective Dave Summers, 51, got off to a cracking start landing the best fish on the day – a stunning 8lb 2oz overwintered rainbow trout (pictured).
Dave, who fishes for Orvis Team Rutland and now lives in Southampton, was fishing from a boat off G Buoy. He hooked this huge rainbow on a 12 foot leader of Orvis Mirage 2x fluorocarbon and a Di 7 competition line.
“We took the boat out at 9am and headed off to the G buoy area as the wind direction was good for a drift there,” he said. “We pulled over to the left and threw the drogue out. It was really windy and the water was coloured up so I put on a Di7 competition special and a home tied black and green tadpole on a 12 foot leader.”
Dave had a rainbow of about 3lb on the first drift and on the second drift he hooked into the ‘biggy’.
“There was a hairy moment when the fish came to the surface and I realised how big it was and I wondered if it would fit into the landing net! The big trout took me about five minutes to land…”
Dave was awarded the New Lodge Trophy for the biggest fish landed on Opening Day.
The boat anglers enjoyed success from the Seat and Sludge bank, Plummers and G-Buoy with the fish tending to be fairly close in but deepish. The bank anglers also enjoyed success in the same areas too.
Sunday saw the first of the rising fish in the warmer spells of the day which looks good for the coming season already. The rod average for the opening weekend was 4.54 with plenty of quality rainbows in excess of 3lb.

Forthcoming Events At Grafham Water 2013
Beginners courses: 24 March; 6,13,17 & 28 April; 5,19,26 and 30 May and throughout the year.
EYFA Youth Development Day 30 March
Anglian Water Spring Rudder match 13 April
Bob Church Open 14 April.
Lexus European Indivudal Qualifier 26 April.
Lexus European Team Qualifier 27 April.
GWFFA vs EDFA 28 April.
Anglian Water Airflo International Individual Final 11 May