Caption: Ollie Harnwell shows off a 7lb 12oz Rainbow he caught at Ravensthorpe this week. Ollie was fishing alongside his Grandfather using on a floating line with a black buzzer.
Week ending 13 April 2014
• Sensational sport with all four fisheries buzzing!
• Grafham Water rod average of 7.74
• Rod average at Rutland Water 6.42
• Buzzer hatch at Pitsford Water the best for years
• Twelve year old Ollie lands cracking Ravensthorpe Rainbow of 7lb 12oz
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 589105Recreation Dept Anglian Water 01572 653021
Rutland WaterFish week 2,184 (season 5,678) Returns 340 (833) Rod average 6.42(6.81)
Rutland Water is in fantastic form with a rod average of 6.47. Fish are coming from many areas of the reservoir – from the top of the North Arm right through to Fantasy Island at the Dam End. Overwintered fish are showing with some quality Rainbows between 2 and 5lb. Browns are being caught between 3 and 6lb.
Mr S Burton recorded a Brown of 5lb 2oz. Cameron Neil netted a 6lb 1oz Brown and a 5lb 4oz Rainbow in a bag of four fish for 16lb 11oz. Phil Longstaff took a cracking 7lb 3¼oz Rainbow whilst fishing in the Lexus – this superb fish was the best Rainbow of the week at Rutland.
The extensive buzzer hatches have again been occurring with swarms all around the reservoir. Most of these buzzers are tiny. The first signs of bloodworm in the trout diet will see the larger varieties of buzzer appear shortly afterwards. Corixa, daphnia and the odd fry (Roach and Perch) are also showing up.
Tactics have been varied with lots of fish falling to buzzer patterns fished on floating and midge tip lines. Whilst lure anglers are using a variety of coloured mini lures, black/green, cormorants, blobs, boobies etc. Tube flies have also worked for those who fished the rudder.
Prospects are again excellent with fish showing in many areas, fly hatches are huge (but small in size), daphnia and corixa are available, to go along with last year’s fry.
Water temperatures are a lot higher than normal due to the mild winter and there have already been signs of this year’s fry half an inch in length showing in the Harbour. Another 6,000 fish will be stocked this week including 1,500 Browns, which will bring the season’s total to 27,000 fish.
Best Rainbow 7lb 3¼oz taken by Phil Longstaff.
Best Brown 6lb 1oz taken by Cameron Neil.
Best boat areas Sykes Lane, Normanton, top of the North Arm, Old Hall, Yellowstone, fishing lodge frontage, Armley Wood.
Best bank areas Normanton, Sykes Lane, Old Hall, Finches, Tim Appletons, Armley Wood.
Best methods Bank – floating line with buzzers and small lures.Boat – as for bank and include various sinking lines with mini lures and tubes.
Mid week boat winner Brian Bonner
Fish stocked 2,000Forthcoming eventsBeginners courses:19 & 26 April; 3,10,24 & 31 May and other dates throughout the season.Please note week commencing 21 April the fishery will be very busy, please book boats well in advance.Anglian Water Airflo International – Northern Heat 27 AprilTuesday 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 WaterFish week 1,378 (season 4,685) Returns 178 (642) Rod average 7.74 (7.29)
Grafham Water has continued to fish in fantastic form for both bank and boat anglers with a tremendous rod average of 7.74. Amongst those anglers enjoying some superb sport was season ticket holder Steve Jones from St Ives who caught and released 81 trout over three visits this week. Steve fished a floating line with black and olive buzzers. The best fish of the season so far – a whopping Rainbow of 9lb was caught and released by R Watterson of Waterlouville.
The bank anglers have yet again enjoyed excellent sport with the vast majority fishing the South Bank with the Seat, Gaynes Cove, Harbour and Mander car park frontage producing the most consistent catch rates. The most prolific method for the bank anglers has been to fish floating lines with black and olive buzzers, pheasant tail nymphs, Gold Ribbed Hares Ears or diawl bachs fished almost static.
Boat anglers have also had a bumper week’s fishing with plenty of bag limits being taken. The main methods from the boats have been to fish floating or sink tip lines with black and olive buzzers, diawl bachs and crunchers or to fish Di5 lines with gold and silver tubes. The most consistent areas for the boat anglers have been generally from around the margins with Valley Creek, Seat, Gaynes Cove, Hedge End, G and N buoys and the Dam.
Competition newsSpring Rudder MatchFished on Saturday 12 April this was the first rudder match of the season. Five boat pairings caught 80 trout for a rod average of 8. The best fish of the match, a Brown caught by Mr Porter, was a fin perfect specimen of 8lb 1oz. This Brown was taken with a gold and silver tube from off the Seat. Another splendid Brown was taken by Mark Haycock, a warden at Grafham. Mark took this fine specimen from Sanctuary Bay. The best Rainbow of the match was an excellent conditioned fish of 4lb 13oz taken by Lloyd Chantrell. 1st Messrs Porter & Teesdale 16 fish for 51lb 6oz2nd Messrs Chantrell & Young 16 fish for 48lb 15oz3rd Messrs Haycock & Sweeney 16 fish for 47lb 10oz
Troutmasters fish offChris Bobby will be representing Grafham Water in this year’s Troutmasters final which will be fished at Grafham Water. Andrew Bell will be representing the fishery in this year’s Junior Final.
Best Rainbow 9lb Caught and released by R Watterson of Waterlouville.
Best Brown 8lb 1oz taken by Mr Porter.
Best boat areas G and N buoys, Hedge End, Gaynes Cove, Seat, Valley Creek, Dam.
Best bank areas Lodge Bank, Harbour, Seat, Gaynes Cove.
Best methods See report.
Mid week boat winner Paul Cooper of Brentwood.
Fish stocked 2,000.
Forthcoming eventsBeginners courses:17 & 27 April; 4,18,25 & 29 May and other dates throughout the season.Bob Church Open (Frank Cutler Memorial Trophy) 19 April – 01480 810531GWFFA vs EDFA 27 April 01480 810531Evening boat league starts MayLexus European Individual Qualifier 3 May – 01761 490367Lexus European Team Qualifier 4 May – 01761 490367
Pitsford WaterFish week 345 (season 2,541) Returns 142 (652) Rod average 2.4 (3.8)
Pitsford Water has continued to fish well this week. Mild conditions have produced some of the best buzzer hatches seen on the water for years. These hatches have continued throughout the day making for some great buzzer fishing. Among those anglers making the most of the conditions was boat angler Angus McFazdean who took 27 Brown Trout while fishing off the Cliffs.
Fish are now moving out into the deeper water and boat anglers are starting to get the better catches. The best methods continue to be floating or midge tip lines and teams of buzzers, diawl bachs, crunchers – also try damsels or small black and green lures. The best bank areas to try are Gorse, Sailing Club bank and the Cliffs. Boat anglers should try the Small Half, Bog Bay and the Narrows.
Last Sunday the East Midlands Fly Fishers held a bank match attended by 16 anglers. 64 fish were caught for a rod average of 4.0. The best methods were static buzzer or damsels on intermediate lines.
Best Rainbow 6lb plus.
Best Brown 4lb returned by S Drayton of Leicester.Best boat areas Bog Bay, Small Half.
Best bank areas Gorse Bank, Sailing Club Bank.
Best methods Floating lines, buzzers under the bung or fished slow. Intermediate lines, black/green
Mid week boat winner Bob Ayres of Cambs.
Fish stocked 1,250.
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.
Forthcoming eventsBeginners courses: 25 April; 8,11,17 & 30 May and other dates throughout the season.
Ravensthorpe ReservoirFish week 907 (season 4,123) Returns 98(452) Rod average 9.2 (9.1)
Ravensthorpe Reservoir continues to be in top form with a rod average of 9.2 which says it all.Twelve year old Ollie Harnwell fished the bank on Wednesday with his Grandfather and landed a cracking Rainbow of 7lb 12oz. Ollie fished a floating line with a black buzzer – well done Ollie. Ravensthorpe regular Geoff Makin took a boat out during the week and fishing floating line and buzzers he landed and returned a Rainbow of 8lb 9oz. Geoff also had two other Rainbows between 5 and 6lb. The best fish of the week fell to David Brady who landed a superb Rainbow of 9lb 4oz. Again it was floating line, buzzers and diawl bach fished from a boat that did the trick.
John Sturge and George Lafrate took advantage of a three day boat holiday package and had some arm aching sport. Between them they netted 108 fish, with the best fish a 7lb 4oz Rainbow. They also had fish of 6lb 6oz, 6lb 2oz, 5lb 1oz and 4lb 2oz. Most of their fish fell to floating lines with nymphs and buzzers.
Mid Northants fly Fishers held their annual floating line match for the Hector Woolnough Trophy on Sunday. A northerly wind made the fishing tricky but 27 anglers caught 215 fish giving a rod average of 7.9. Top spot went to Paul Gayton with two fish for 5lb 2oz and 11 returned. Second place was taken by Stuart Eggleton weighing in at 5lb 2oz with 9 returned. Mick O’Farrell was third weighing in at 5lb and 8 returned.
Best Rainbow 9lb 4oz taken by David Brady.
Best boat areas Mongers, Island, front of Lodge.
Best bank areas Platforms 1 – 12.
Best methods Buzzers under the bung.
Mid week boat winner Geoff Grave of Bletchley.
Fish stocked 500.
