Latest News and Information from

Week ending 6 April 2014

• Mike’s Brown wins the day at Rutland Water
6lb 9¾oz Brown clinches Mike Barrett the Independence Day Trophy

• Season’s best so far at Grafham Water

7lb 10oz Rainbow for Steve Jones
9lb 6oz Brown for Bob Wallinger

• Bill’s 6lb 4oz Rainbow is best fish of the week at Pitsford
Octogenarian Bill McColl takes superb specimen Rainbow

Rutland Water
Fish week 1,667 (season 3,494) Returns 241 (493) Rod average 6.91 (7.08)

Anglers have enjoyed a very good week at Rutland Water with a notable increase in overwintered fish being caught and fish coming from many areas. With the winter restrictions being lifted last Tuesday, allowing access to the bottom of both arms, it was no surprise to see specimen fish being netted. The best Rainbow of the week fell to Phil Welbourne of Market Deeping. Phil caught a superb conditioned 7lb 4oz Rainbow from the North Arm with a cat’s whisker on a floating line.

The Independence Day trophy was fished on Saturday 5 April. Long time season ticket holder Mike Barrett of Sheffield was the victor with the biggest fish on the day – a 6lb 9¾oz Brown. Mike boat fished the middle of the North Arm, using a sinking line and lure to net his fish. Keith Jones of Werrington also ventured down the North Arm and caught and returned 5 or 6 Browns using sinking lines and lure tactics. Fish estimated around the 6lb mark were returned.

The South Arm was a lot quieter than the North Arm due to the easterly winds that had been prevailing for a number of days, putting a bit of colour in the reservoir at the far end.

Other notable fish taken during the week included a 7lb 3½oz Rainbow for Phil Longstaff. Anglers fishing in the East Yorkshire Fly Dressers match last Friday accounted for some good fish with a Rainbow that nearly went to 6lb for Steve Goldthorpe and a 5lb ¾oz Brown for Jim Foster. Other over wintered Browns have been caught and released.

Many methods seem to be working with good numbers of fish falling to buzzer patterns fished on floating and midge tip lines, however, there were a lot of match anglers out across the weekend with various sinking lines and lures scoring well. Prospects look excellent with fish feeding hard on buzzers in general, with corixa and some even feeding on last year’s roach and perch fry. Fish have been moving on top on some days – sheltered spots away from the wind in the calmer water are the place to look.

Competition news

Lexus Individual event
This match was fished on Saturday with local angler Leon Smith winning. Another local angler doing well was season ticket holder and Leicestershire angler Paul Kirkup who came fourth.
1st Leon Smith 16 fish for 34lb 12oz
2nd Neil Deakin 16 fish for 34lb 3oz
3rd Chris Cook 16 fish for 33lb 14oz
4th Paul Kirkup 16 fish for 33lb 9oz
5tH Laurence Foster 16 fish for 33lb 0oz
6th David Hoppe 16 fish for 32lb 8oz
7th Chris Guthrie 14 fish for 28lb 3oz
8th John Hood 11 fish for 21lb 5oz
9th Richard Hood 11 fish for 21lb 0oz
10th Mark Thomas 11 fish for 20lb 10oz

Lexus Team event
The Sharks are on the hunt again! last year’s winners Seighford Sharks got off to a winning start on Sunday with team captain Craig Barr leading the way for the team being their top rod and taking second place as an individual behind Mark Rose fishing for Renegades.
1st Seighford Sharks 82 points 75 fish for 150lb 4oz
2nd Flash Attack Sharks 99 points 71 fish for 139lb 9oz
3rd Tannahill Raiders 113 points 64 fish for 131lb 8oz
4th The Renegades 129 points 58 fish for 115lb 11oz
5th Fish Hawks 134 points 59 fish for 116lb 0oz
6th Foremark Cormorants 153 points 50 fish for 97lb 14oz
7th Defenders 193 points 36 fish for 70lb 8oz

Best Rainbow 7lb 4¼oz taken by Phil Welbourne of Deeping
St James

Best Brown 6lb 9¾oz taken by Mick Barrett of Sheffield.

Best boat areas The main basin, bottom of the North Arm, Old
Hall, fishing lodge frontage, Church Bay.
Best bank areas Normanton, Transformer to Armley Wood.

Best methods Floating midge tip lines and nymphs. Various sinking lines with mini lures and tube flies.

Mid week boat winner Kevin Barsby of Whittlesey.

Fish stocked 2,500.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 9, 19 & 26 April; 3,10,24 & 31 May and other dates throughout the season.
Anglian Water Airflo International – Northern Heat 27 April
Tuesday Night Boat League This year’s boat league commences on Tuesday 6 May and runs through to the 15 August – a total of 15 weeks. Anglers meet at the Fishing Lodge between 5.15 and 5.45 p.m. with the draw for boat partners taking place at approx. 5.55pm. The match starts at 6pm.

Grafham Water
Fish week 1,416 (season 3,307) Returns 187 (464)
Rod average 7.57 (7.12)

Anglers are enjoying a great season at Grafham Water with a tremendous rod average of 7.57.

Season ticket holder Steve Jones from St Ives caught the biggest Rainbow of the season so far – a superb overwintered 7lb 10oz specimen. Steve caught this personal best Rainbow on a floating line with a black and green buzzer whilst bank fishing from The Seat. He also caught and released another 11 trout in a 2½ hour session. In four visits over the week he caught and released 57 trout.

Bob Wallinger from Leicester caught the biggest Brown of the season so far whilst boat fishing at N Buoy. Bob caught an excellent conditioned Brown of 9lb 6oz on a Di5 line with a gold and silver tube.

The bank anglers have had a superb week with most areas on the reservoir producing good consistent catch rates. The most productive method for bank anglers has been to fish floating lines with black and olive buzzers, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, crunchers, diawl bachs and pheasant tail nymphs fished slowly. The best areas have been banks at Deep Water Point, G Buoy, Marlow Stones, Gaynes Cove and the Seat.

Boat anglers have also enjoyed an excellent week with the north shore being the most prolific. Most consistent methods from the boats have been sink tip or medium sink lines with black and olive buzzers, crunchers, pheasant tail nymphs, black and green lures (large) and orange blobs and boobies. The main areas for the boat anglers have been Hedge End, Deep Water Point, G and N Buoys, The Seat and Gaynes Cove.

Best Rainbow 7lb 10oz taken by Steve Jones of St Ives.

Best Brown 9lb 6oz taken by Bob Wallinger of Leicester.

Best methods See report.

Best boat areas G and N Buoys, Hedge End, Gaynes Cove, Deep Water Point, Seat.

Best bank areas Hill Farm, Deep Water Point, G Buoy, Gaynes Cove, Seat, Marlow Stones.

Mid week boat winner John Noad.

Fish stocked 2,000.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 12, 17 & 27 April; 4,18,25 & 29 May and other dates throughout the season.
Anglian Water Rudder Match (leg 1 of 9) 12 April.
Bob Church Open (Frank Cutler Memorial Trophy) 19 April – 01480 810531
GWFFA vs EDFA 27 April 01480 810531
Evening boat league starts May
Lexus European Individual Qualifier 3 May – 01761 490367
Lexus European Team Qualifier 4 May – 01761 490367

Pitsford Water
Fish week 507(season 2,195) Returns 123 (510)
Rod Average 4.4 (4.3)

Pitsford Water has continued to fish very well in the mild conditions. With a further stocking of 1,250 fish in the week, making a total stocking of 8,250 so far this year, there are plenty of fish in all areas of the lake at the moment.

Bill McColl, 85 years young, had the best fish of the week, a lovely over wintered Rainbow of 6lb 4oz, while fishing a single size 12 black buzzer on a floating line. Mick Foster fished the Ash Tree Bay and had around a dozen fish on buzzers, the best a Brown of between 4-5lb which he returned to fight another day.

There have again been large numbers of buzzers on the water and the best methods have been floating lines with teams of buzzer and diawl bachs, either straight line or under the bung.

The best bank areas have been Stilton, Grose Bank, Duffers and Stone Barn. From the boats try Bog Bay, Ash Tree Bay and Brixworth Bay.

With the bank fishing so well, entries for the new bank match on 13 April are being taken. Get your team entries to Chris at the fishing lodge.

Tuesday 13 May sees the start of the Tuesday Night Boat League at Pitsford Water. Fishing will be from 6pm with a weekly prize for a free boat and the overall winner of the league receiving tackle vouchers.

Best Rainbow 6lb 4oz taken by Bill McColl.

Best Brown 4lb 1oz taken by Dave Robus of Wellingborough

Best methods Floating lines, buzzers and diawl bachs.

Best boat areas Bog Bay, Ash Tree Bay, No Fish Point.

Best bank areas No Fish Point, Stilton, Gorse Bank, Duffers.

Mid week boat winner S Payne.

Fish stocked 1,250.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 13 & 25 April; 8,11,17 & 30 May and other dates throughout the season.
Four man team bank match 13 April (no other bank fishing) for more information please call 01604 781350

Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 596 (season 3,216) Returns 85 (354)
Rod average 7.01(9.08)

Anglers continue to enjoy some fantastic sport at Ravensthorpe on floating lines with buzzers and diawl bachs. The biggest fish of the week was a 5lb 8oz Rainbow taken by Kevin Dakin from the bank using a black buzzer and floating line. Although cold winds have slowed the sport slightly the rod average for the week is still over 7 fish per rod.

Boat anglers are catching well between the Island and Catwalk Corner with fish taking black or red buzzers fished static.

Bank anglers are also finding that fish are on the buzzers with Platforms 2-8 fishing well.
Best Rainbow 5lb 8oz taken by Kevin Dakin.

Best methods See report.

Best boat areas Coton End, Island to Catwalk Corner.

Best bank areas Platforms 2-8.

Mid week boat winner Mr Foster of Buckingham.

Fish stocked 500.