Rutland Water
Fish week 197 (Season 28,399) Returns 99 (7,933) Rod average 1.98 (3.57)
Rutland Water visitors Simon Guthrie and his son Elliot returned to Manton Bay following a very successful catch there in August. The pair excelled again netting a bag of 8 fish for 25lb with two exceptional fish –a 5lb 7oz Rainbow for Simon and a 4lb 3oz Brown for young Elliot. Specimen hunter Simon Ashton caught his best fish of the season with a cracking 6lb 7oz Brown, this was the last of the big Brown trout to be taken out of Rutland Water this year as our season for Browns ended on 29 October. Any caught from now on must be returned to the water alive.

With the winter restrictions looming a number of both bank and boat anglers headed to the bottoms of the arms last week to try for something special, with some reaping rewards and others enjoying the scenery.

Fishing has not been easy. Fish have been seen to feed steadily on corixa, shrimp and fry around the lake with patterns mimicking those feeds producing best. Whilst boat fishing has had the slight edge over bank fishing, sport has been found to both methods. Boat anglers employing fish and move tactics with lures and tubes resembling fry are having some success. Finding actively feeding fish has been the key to success. Although not easy to employ, this strategy has also worked for bank anglers who have enjoyed good fishing along the Normanton bank and from the peninsula through the week.

Winter restrictions commenced on 1 November. No bank fishing from Barnsdale Road end around to the transformer of the North Arm and from Old Hall Point to the most western part of the Green Bank. Boats are now limited to the sailing restriction buoys at the bottom of both arms.

Best methods Floating lines, minkies/lures, small dries/hares ear.

Best Rainbow 5lb 7oz taken by Simon Guthrie.

Best Brown 6lb 7oz taken by Simon Ashton

Best boat areas Mid water in front of lodge, Old Hall Bay, Yellowstones, Fantasy Island, Normanton.

Best bank areas Normanton bank – church to Barnhill and Carrot, Fantasy, Old Hall.

Fish stocked 500.

Forthcoming events
Fur & Feather (bank) 6 December
The end of season sale is now on and ends on 15 November with 20% off all stock and up to 50% off selected items.
Shop opening times are now 8am to 2pm.

Grafham Water
Fish week 855 (season 26,056) Returns 222 (6,255) Rod average 3.85 (4.16)
Grafham Water has continued to fish well for both bank and boat anglers with a good rod average of 3.85 with 32% of all trout caught weighing 3lb and over. Bank anglers have had great sport from the Dam, Seat, G Buoy, Willows and Deep Water Point – all of these have given good consistent catch rates with floating lines and shrimp patterns, GRHE, diawl bachs, claret hoppers and small sparklers being the best methods.

Boat anglers have had a great week with the vast majority of fish being caught from around the margins. The best boat areas have been Sanctuary Bay, G Buoy, Willows, Seat and the Dam. The best boat methods have been to fish fast glass or slime lines with tubes, snakes, GRHE, minkies and cats whiskers.

Predator anglers have also enjoyed good sport with Pike caught up to 22lb, Zander 17lb and Perch to 3½lb. The best areas for predator anglers have been North and Dam towers, Sludge Bank and Central areas where the depth is around 40 feet.

Important notice to anglers
The Brown trout season ended Thursday 29 October. Please ensure any Browns caught are returned safely to the water.
As from 1 November the western end of the reservoir is out of bounds until 1 April. Boat restrictions are now in place along the western shore of the reservoir.

Best Rainbow 4lb 7oz taken by Steve Cochrane.

Best boat areas G Buoy, Deep Water Point, Seat, Willows, Dam, Sanctuary Bay.

Best bank areas Deep Water Point, G Buoy, Willows, Dam, Seat.

Best methods See report.

Forthcoming events
Fur & Feather (bank) 29 November
The end of season sale is now on and ends on 15 November with 20% off all stock and up to 50% off selected items.
Shop opening times are now 8am to 2pm.

Pitsford Water
Fish week 165 (season 11,151) Returns 57 (2,371) Rod average 2.9 (4.7)
Fry, shrimp and snails are on the menu for the trout at Pitsford Water this week and the fish have been very obliging with lots of nice specimens being taken from both boat and bank. The rod average for the week is 2.9.

North Farm shore is still fishing very well from the bank with fish taking shrimp patterns fished close to the shore.

Boat anglers are catching through the Narrows and Brixworth Bay areas and the fish have come to various methods from floating line and nymphs all the way down to DIY and tubes/minkies.

The Small Half of the reservoir is now out of bounds until next April.

The end of season sale is now on and ends on 15 November with 20% off all stock and up to 50% off selected items.

Information for all anglers
An invasive species of shrimp (Dikerogammarus villosus), commonly known as DV, has been found at Pitsford Water. 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 supplied 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 4lb plus.

Best Brown 4lb plus.

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.

Forthcoming events
The Brown trout season ended Thursday 29 October. Please ensure any Browns caught are returned safely to the water.
Fur & Feather boat match Sunday 8 November.
The end of season sale is now on and ends on 15 November with 20% off all stock and up to 50% off selected items.
Shop opening times are now 8am to 2pm.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 366 (season 12,735) Returns 72 (2,927) Rod average 5.0 (4.3)
Ravensthorpe continues to be in top form from both bank and boat. Platforms 3-11 and the Dam are the areas to try from the bank. Floating lines and black and green lures or red diawl bachs and black buzzers. Alan Duffing caught 10 Rainbows this week from Platform 5.

Competition news
Fur & Feather (boat) 1 November
21 anglers enjoyed Ravensthorpe’s annual Fur and Feather match fished on Sunday 1 November. The match fished to a rod average of 3.8.

1st Frazer Duffy Snr & Frazer Duffy Jnr 17lb 8oz
2nd Vic Byrne & Ian Footman 17lb 2oz
3rd Stuart Payne & John Smith 16lb 8oz