Latest News and Information from

Week ending 6 July 2014

• New at Pitsford Water – lure fishing for trout
During July and August we are offering lure fishing for trout with a fixed spool reel. This spinning is on a trial basis – read the Pitsford report to find out more

• 8lb 3oz Ravensthorpe Rainbow for Pat Flynn
Best fish of the week for Ravensthorpe regular Pat

• New car park for anglers at Rutland Water
This is for bank anglers fishing the southern corner of the dam at Fantasy Island and the lower section of the Normanton bank. Full details in the Rutland report

http://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 568 (season 20,591) Returns 248 (4,744) Rod average 2.29 (4.34)

Anglers at Rutland Water have taken fish on a number of different tactics this week ranging from off the top with dries through to nymphs, mini lures, boobies or tube flies. Many areas have fished but each day has been different with the most successful anglers – both boat and bank having to go looking for fish – especially the ones on this year’s fry.

Boat anglers fishing the Main Basin have taken a good number of fish over the aerators and drifting in between them, providing a steady mixture of early season and recent silvered up stock fish.

On the big fish front there’s not been a week gone by recently without Peterborough’s Keith Jones being mentioned. So it was no surprise to see Keith taking not only the best Brown of the week weighing in at 5lb 8½oz, but also the best Rainbow at 4lb 14½oz. Both specimens came from the North Arm, the Brown falling to a lure and the Rainbow to a dry fly.

There is plentiful food available in the reservoir at the moment with dry, damsel nymphs, corixa and daphnia and a few sedge. Buzzer hatches are few and far between with only very small varieties hatching off. The water level has dropped nearly a metre over the last few weeks which in turn is exposing the steady growth of weed that’s appearing around the shoreline and it won’t be long before the fry, corixa and snails etc start colonising these spots.

New car park
There is a new car park available to bank anglers to fish the southern corner of the Dam at Fantasy Island and the lower section of the Normanton bank. Access for season ticket holders is by the anglers ‘silver key’ padlock, which allows you to park right down at the draw off shaft section (tower). Please drive slowly as there is a footpath for pedestrians at the bottom. Day permit anglers also have access with a combination padlock with a four digit code available from the tackle shop and the ticket huts at Normanton and Whitwell.

Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League
England Youth team member Toff Crowther of Oakham won the ninth week with seven fish, using lures and taking fish by alternating from aerator to aerator throughout the evening. Keith Jones took the best fish a Brown of 5lb 8½oz.

1st Toff Crowther 7 fish for 14lb 8½oz
2nd Graham Hayward 6 fish for 11lb 14½oz
3rd Tom Cooper 4 fish for 9lb 3oz

English FFA versus RAF 3 July
This match saw the RAF land a total of 58 fish for 115lb 4oz with the EFFA weighing in 45 fish for 86lb 15oz. Si Gaines (RAF) took the best bag at 16lb 6oz. David Moore for EFFA took the best fish at 3lb 8oz. Top rod for EFFA was John Mees with 8 fish for 15lb 6oz.

Best Rainbow 4lb 9oz taken by Richard Baker of Leicester.

Best Brown 5lb 8½oz taken by Keith Jones of Glinton.

Best boat areas The main basin, bottom of both arms, New Zealand Point.

Best bank areas Armeley Wood to Carrot Creek, Barn Hill Creek.

Best methods Bank – floating line with nymphs, dries, daddies.
Boat – As for bank but include various
sinking lines with mini boobies, blobs.

Mid week boat winner C Richardson of York.

Fish stocked 3,000.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 13 & 27 July; 2,14 & 17 August and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night Boat League This year’s boat league 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.
Anglian Water Rudder match 12 July
RWFF Youth Flyfishing Day 13 July http://www.rutlandwaterflyfishers.co.uk

Grafham Water
Fish week 587(season 17,900) Returns 284 (3,321) Rod average 2.06 (5.38)

Bank anglers have enjoyed a good week, particularly at the South End of the Dam which has produced the most consistent fishing. The most effective methods from the bank have been to fish floating lines with small nymphs such as diawl bachs, pheasant tail nymphs, shrimp patterns, GRHE, black or brown buzzers, hoppers and damsel nymphs fished almost static and close to the margins.

Boat anglers have found fishing more challenging with some fish coming from the south end of the dam, with Gaynes Cove, G, P and J Buoys producing the best sport for the boat anglers. Fast glass and midge tip lines with tequila blobs, hoppers, diawl bachs, cormorants and sparkler boobies are producing the best results.

Competition News
Regional Qualifier Federation of Midland Fly Fishers (Anglia) Round 2
This match was fished on 29 June with 24 anglers taking 88 trout for a rod average of 3.67. Top rod on the day was Tom Davies who caught 8 trout for 20lb 11oz, including the best fish on the day – a fine Rainbow of 4lb 10oz. Tom fished a midge tip line with tequila blobs and diawl bachs from a number of areas on the south shore. Top individual over the two matches was Chris Bobby of Great Staughton. Chris gained first place at Rutland Water and took second place at Grafham Water for a combined bag weight of 43lb 4½oz.
The following anglers have now qualified for the National Final – Chris Bobby, Paul Wild, Mark Mcleod, Ron Gent, Andrew Smith, Tom Davies, Peter Hartley, Ed Smith, Norman Rushton, Geoff Makin.

Best Rainbow 4lb 14oz taken by John Timothy.

Best boat areas South Dam, Gaynes Cove, J,P and G Buoys.

Best bank areas South and bowl of Dam, Gaynes Cove, G Buoy, Deep Water Point.

Best methods See Report.

Mid week boat winner Malcolm Wright of Bottisham.

Fish stocked 2,000.

Forthcoming events
Beginners courses:12,18,20 & 24 July; 3,10 & 24 August and other dates throughout the season.

Pitsford Water
Fish week 213(season 7,955) Returns 79 (1,912) Rod average 2.7 (4.16)

Anglers have enjoyed a good week at Pitsford Water with more fish being caught on imitative flies.

During July and August we are offering lure fishing for trout with a fixed spool reel. Fishing is available from a day boat only and the usual boat price will apply. This spinning is on a trial basis with the results being reported back to the confederation meeting in November. The rules will be displayed at the Fishing Lodge – please make sure you read them carefully.

Competition news
One of the highlights of the week was the AMFC match on Saturday. 30 anglers fished to a rod average of 4.4. The match was won by Team Rutland with 33 fish. Soldier Palmers took second place with 30 fish. Fish Hawks took third place with 23 fish.

Top rod was Graham Pearson with 8 fish for 19lb including time bonus. Paul Kitchen, Graham’s boat partner, came a close second with 18lb 1oz.

The winning method was fishing a midge tip or fast glass with 2 fabs and 2 diawl bachs/crunchers in the middle. The best fish weighed 3lb 1oz.

Best Rainbow 5lb 6oz.

Best boat areas Dam/Flats

Best bank areas Stone Barn, North Shore Points.

Best methods Midge tip/fast glass, fabs and diawls/crunchers.

Mid week boat winner Jim Ferguson

Fish stocked 1,001.

Forthcoming events
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.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses: 9,19 & 26 July; 1,9 and 23 August and other dates throughout the season.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 102 (season 10,439) Returns 47 (1,478) Rod average (2.2)

Pat Flynn took the biggest fish of the week at Ravesnthorpe – an 8lb 3oz Rainbow taken on a small green diawl bach. With the water warming up fishing has been more challenging, but in the right conditions there has been some fantastic top of the water sport. The fish are moving more freely when it is overcast and can be caught on dries such as Bobs Bits, Klinkhammers and small hoppers. Morning and evening are proving the best time with the odd fish being taken through the day.

The Boils has switched on with water temperatures reaching 20C in the margins. Drifting the aerators at certain times and casting a team of small wets or nymphs across just sub surface can prove very effective.

There are plenty of big fish to have a go at as we have stocked some lovely double figure fish this week.

The bank is still well worth a go on the right day also with anglers such as Jim Ferguson landing 8 fish, including one of 6lb and Bob Draper catching 5 fish from the Dam. Damsel nymphs, P.T.N and buzzer on floaters have been the best methods from the bank.

Best Rainbow 8lb 3oz taken by Pat Flynn

Best boat areas The Boils, Coton end, Main Bowl.

Best bank areas Platforms 3-8, the Dam.

Best methods See report.

Mid week boat winner Mr Thomas.