Rutland Water
Fish week 912 (Season 11,642) Returns 277 (3,076) Rod average 3.29(3.78)
Anglers have enjoyed a good week at Rutland Water with fish being caught in many areas both from the bank and boats. A good number of over wintered fish are being taken by boat anglers. A cracking 7lb 6oz Brown taken during the Tuesday Night Boat League was the best fish of the week. There were many reports of fish (some of them very big!) moving on top down both of the arms at the weekend in the wet overcast conditions on Saturday and the very low cloud cover on Sunday.
Many methods worked last week from nymphs all the way through to tube flies, with the wind mainly in an easterly direction bank anglers caught very well off the Dam, Normanton, Sykes Lane and Yellowstones through to the Old Hall. Nymphs worked very well fished virtually static with the odd fish falling to dry fly.
Fish moved in the evenings with the wind being in the east. On the evenings when there was little cloud cover and temperatures dipped, fish were reluctant to show.
Overwintered fish showed best down the South Arm with Manton Bay in particular recording Browns up to 5lb and Rainbows up to 4lb with boats fishing at anchor having the most success. A number of anglers were taken unaware by strong fish. Boat anglers also caught in the Main Basin along the Normanton bank all the way through to Church Bay. Others caught around the aerators, drifts along Sykes Lane, the Finches, Dickensons Bay and Tim Appletons in the North Arm. For the first time this season the Sailing Club produced a good many fish, with boats at anchor having the better results.
Jim Forsyth and George Ross, on holiday from Scotland, recorded 34 fish during three days boat fishing. Their best specimen was a Brown estimated around 3½lb. David and Sarah Graham from Liverpool caught four quality fish on their day trip to Rutland, taking Rainbows of 4lb 1oz, 4lb, 3lb 4oz and a 3lb Brown.
2,500 Rainbows were stocked all around the reservoir last week with a further stocking planned for this week, bringing the total for the season to 46,800 fish.
More fish are showing on the surface, including some big specimens. Supplies of food are plentiful with various sized buzzers, damsels, daphnia, snails, shrimp and sedge starting to come off. Fish are well distributed around the reservoir and prospects are very good.
Competition news
Tuesday Night Boat League
A cool evening with a steady east wind blowing saw 13 anglers leave the Harbour with everyone heading for the main basin.
Keith Jones won the night with four Rainbows including a good specimen of 4lb 2½oz – but even this wasn’t the heaviest fish of the night.
Over the years the boat league has accounted for some of the biggest fish of the season and yet again this was the case when Rob Teasdale, one of the last to weigh in on the night, tipped a superb 7lb 6oz Brown onto the scales. This had fellow anglers off their seats in admiration. Rob caught the fish drifting off Sykes Lane, using an intermediate line and black and green tadpole. Sharing Rob’s boat on the night was holidaying angler John Mylchreest who also had a nice Brown that went 2lb 11oz.
1st Keith Jones 4 fish for 11lb 10oz
2nd Graham Hayward 4 fish for 7lb 9½oz
3rd Rob Teasdale 1 fish for 7lb 6oz
The result has pushed Keith into first place in the league with 24 points, Rich Cooper is currently second with 19 points and Adi Naylor in third with 15 points.
Anglian Water Floating Line Competition 13 June
Four boats took part on a very soggy Saturday. Mick Connor won with four fish for 8lb 3oz. Mick fished dries up the North Arm. Dave Porter took second place with three fish for 6lb 5oz and third was Steve Crowder with three fish for 5lb 13¾oz. The best fish of the match was a specimen Brown of 5lb 3¼oz taken by Paul Wild from the South Arm.
RWFF Loch Style Competition 14 June
This Loch Style Competition was fished in perfect conditions with 5 boat pairs leaving the harbour. Most headed for the main basin and two boats quickly bagged up early on with some fantastic fishing on dries and subsurface nymphs. At the weigh in John Lee and Pete De Kremer came out top pair with 16 fish and Dave Porter and Steve Crowder came in a close second with their 16 fish. Chris Evans caught the best fish of 3lb from the top of the North Arm on washing line and Diawl Bachs where he was fishing with Mick Connor, the only boat to venture there. The 10 anglers managed to boat 45 fish between them and many of the anglers reported lots of offers in addition. Rutland on song! Thanks to the AW Wardens (Andy and Mick) for looking after us today.
The next RWFF event is the ‘evening bank meeting’ on Thursday evening from 6pm either at Old Hall/Green Bank or Transformer, depending on the Wind.
Best methods Bank – Floating line with nymphs and dries.
Boat – As for bank but include mini lures, boobies, cormorants, blobs and gold/silver tubes.
Best Rainbow 4lb 2½oz taken by Keith Jones.
Best Brown 7lb 6oz taken by Rob Teasdale.
Best boat areas Main Basin, Church Bay, Sailing Club, Finches, bottom of both arms.
Best bank areas The Dam, Normanton, Sykes Lane, Yellowstones to Old Hall.
Mid week boat winner R J Wheeler of Herefordshire.
Forthcoming events
Beginners courses 20 & 25 June;5,10 & 26 July; 1,13 & 16 August and other dates throughout the season.
Tuesday Night boat league commenced 12 May
Army Championships 19-21 June
EDFA 8 July
Anglian Water Rudder Match 11 July
Grafham Water
Fish week 1,154 (season 10,054) Returns 245 (2,308) Rod average 4.71 (4.35)
Anglers have had some terrific sport at Grafham Water this week with a rod average of 4.71 and a lot of fish over the 3lb mark. Plenty of bag limits have been taken by bank anglers. The most productive bank areas have been the entire Dam, Willows and G Buoy. The best bank methods have been to fish floating lines with buzzers, crunchers, diawl bachs and shrimp patterns almost static.
Both the heaviest Rainbow of the week and the best Browns were taken by bank anglers fishing the Dam. James Day took a superb over wintered Rainbow of 5lb 10oz and K Newsham caught and released a fin perfect Brown of 6lb. Another good sized Brown, estimated between 6 and 7lb was caught and released by Dunc Ayre fishing a practice day for the emergency services match. Dunc says “I caught and returned a nice brown off the dam wall on Tuesday using a Di 3 single red diawl bach. I’m
guessing it was between 6 and 7 lb. It’s a cracker of a fish. I don’t think I’ll get another like that for some time!”
Season ticket holders Brian Calvert and Mick White have both had exceptional weeks with Brian catching and releasing 33 trout in four visits and Mick catching and releasing 49 trout in four visits. Both anglers took their catches from the Dam on floating lines with buzzers.
Boat anglers have had a great week’s sport with plenty of good catches coming from a variety of places on the reservoir. The most productive boat areas were the North and bowl of the Dam, Willows, G Buoy, Sanctuary Bay, Valley Creek and Pylon Point. The best boat methods have been floating or sink tip lines with buzzers, crunchers, FAB’s, tequila boobies and damsel nymphs fished at a slow retrieve.
AMFC Group 1 13 June.
Six teams of six anglers fished this competition catching 179 trout for an excellent rod average of 6.0. Top individual on the day was Steve Laws from the Soldier Palmers who caught 8 trout including time bonus for a weight of 23lb 2oz. The heaviest fish was caught by Mike Barrett from Rutland Water FlyFishers – a lovely Rainbow of 4lb 3oz
Invicta Tuesday Night Summer Fishing Club
11 anglers took part this week, catching 15 trout. Top rod on the evening was Alan Briggs who caught and released 5 trout. Mick Facey and Graham Bodsworth tied for second place with 3 trout each. Fish Hawks were the top team on the day.
1st Fish Hawks 38 fish for 96lb 8oz 6 points
2nd Queen Mother 40 fish for 94lb 0oz 5 points
3rd Soldier Palmers A 35 fish for 87lb 14oz 4 points
4th Grafham A 34 fish for 87lb 2oz 3 points
5th Rutland 33 fish for 81lb 4oz 2 points
6th Bewl A 32 fish for 73lb 11oz 1 point
Best Rainbow 5lb 10oz taken by James Day
Best Brown 6lb released by K Newsham.
6lb plus released by Dunc Ayre.
Best boat areas Pylon Point, Valley Creek, G Buoy, bowl and North Dam, Sanctuary Bay, Willows.
Best bank areas Marlow Stones, Willows, entire Dam, G Buoy.
Best methods See report.
Mid Week Boat Winner J Adams.
Fish stocked 2,000
Notice to all anglers
There are 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.
Forthcoming events
Grafham Water Summer Fishing Club every Tuesday to 1 August.
Beginners courses 18,21, & 27 June;11,17,19 and 23 July; 2,9 and 23 August and other dates throughout the season.
AWAI Midland Heat 20 June
England Qualifier ‘Odds & Sods’ 28 June
AWAI Southern final 12 July
AWAI Midland Final 20 July
Sierra Pairs 2 August
Pitsford Water
Fish week 468 (season 6,712) Returns 156 (1,168) Rod average 3.0 (5.75)
Despite the variable weather this week many of our anglers have reported catching and releasing some fantastic, sizeable over wintered fish using a variety of methods. There seems to have been a particularly large number of decent sized Browns taken as they have been nearer the top, while the illusive Rainbows have stayed deep. Terry Barley from Wellingborough had a great day with us fishing from the bank. He had two lovely Rainbows one weighing 4lb 8oz and the other 3lb 8oz. He was surprised to land a 7lb Tench which took his fly!
Bob Aves had a fantastic morning’s bank fishing on Sunday catching seven superb over wintered Rainbows from the Sailing Club. Bob really rates Pitsford as a great sport water, particularly at this time of year.
There is an abundance of buzzers hatching and the fish are rammed full of large black buzzers.
Best Rainbow 4lb 8oz taken by T Barley of Wellingborough.
Best boat areas The Gravels, Bog Bay, Stonebarn Bay, North Farm Bay, Brixworth Bay, Sailing Club Bay, the Dam.
Best bank areas Northfields shore, Stone Barn Bay, Gravels, Duffers, Stilton Point, Gorse and Cliffs, the Sailing Club.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner M Morris of Luton.
Fish stocked 1,500.
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 until 11 August.
All anglers are extremely welcome, especially beginners.
Beginners courses 19 June;4,8,18,25 & 31 July; 8 & 22 August and other dates throughout the season.
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 339 (Season 8,696) Returns 59(2,045) Rod average 5.7(4.2)
Anglers have enjoyed top class top of the water sport at Ravensthorpe this week. Fish have been up and feeding most days this week on clouds of small green midge coming off the water. Dries, emergers or fishing the washing line with a popper hopper and diawl bachs have been the most effective methods. Fishing from a drifting boat has definitely been more successful than being sat at anchor.
There are numerous fish all around the reservoir but the better fish seem to be congregating at the Coton End of the water at the moment.
On overcast days with a breeze try fishing olive or claret snatchers with a small muddler on the top dropper for good results.
Patt Flynn and Brian Coleman had a fantastic day’s sport on Wednesday. Mr Draper had a great day fishing Soldier Palmers and damsel nymph patterns from a drifting boat across the main bowl.
The bank fishing at Ravensthorpe is still well worth a go with Mike Osgood catching 10 fish on his switch rod from Platform 14. John Smith and Alan Duffin continue to have success from the Dam.
Don’t miss Ravensthorpe’s Thursday evening fishing club – 6pm to 9pm
Best boat areas Coton End, the Island, the Domes.
Best bank areas Platform 14, the Dam.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Mr Lewington.
Forthcoming events Thursday evening Boat fishing club starts 6pm.
