Anglian Water Trout Fishing New Season Underway

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Latest News and Information from

Week ending 15 March 2020

• 6.17 rod average for Rutland Water’s Opening Day with a great start with some bank anglers reporting 10 plus fish and good sport from the boats

• Pitsford rod average 6.95

• 10lb 9oz Rainbow at Ravensthorpe

http://www.anglianwaterparks.co.uk

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
Welcome all to the new season! It has been a great start for both bank and boat anglers at Rutland Water this weekend with good catches being reported all around the reservoir. The rod average for opening day was 6.17.

On Friday morning bank sport was a bit hit or miss to begin with, some having great sport from the start and others a bit steady. As the day progressed and conditions improved so did the action! Multiple bank reports of 10 plus fish were recorded from Whitwell Creek and the Normanton Bank – from East Creek all the way down to Fantasy Island.

Boat anglers also had a good start, finding fish all around the shoreline of both arms with notable numbers of Rainbows in the Sailing Club, Barn Hill Creek, in front of the church and Dickinson’s Bay.

There was a decent buzzer hatch, and a few anglers successfully adopted the ‘match the hatch’ approach, proving fish are starting to switch on to them already. However, inevitably the majority of catches this weekend have been on lure patterns with humungus, snakes, black/green tadpoles, blobs and fabs doing well in particular.

Saturday saw more favourable conditions from first light, the Normanton bank fished exceptionally well on the south westerly breeze with many of the catch and release anglers returning good numbers of quality stocked fish, several rainbows were reported between 4-5lb. With good cloud coverage on Saturday the boats were finding the fish high in the water on intermediate and midge tip lines. Being brighter on Sunday, Di3 or Di5 lines were required to find the fish.

There were also some cracking Browns caught over the weekend; opening day saw one angler net a double figure fish and several others had them between 3-6lb. Please remember that Brown trout are out of season until 1 April, any caught before this date must be returned quickly and safely to the water. Early season restrictions are also in place until 1 April. Please refer to the maps and signs around the fishery or contact the fishing lodge/rangers if you are unsure of these locations.

Grafham Water
Fish 255 Returns 51 Rod average 5.0

The past week at Grafham has seen plenty of fish caught from both the boat and the bank. The bays along the North shore have been particularly productive and many of the larger over wintered fish are being caught on snakes and other lure like patterns fished on a floating line with a midge tip leader. The dam is also producing plenty of fish with many bank anglers having good results whilst fishing a shammy fly on the bung. The action seems to be fairly constant throughout the day with no obvious peak times at the moment. However, with the mornings getting brighter and the days getting longer we fully expect dusk and dawn to really switch them on soon.

The biggest fish reported this week was a 5lb 6oz Rainbow and the rod average is a very respectable 5.0. The buzzers are now starting to hatch all around the complex so if you are planning a visit make sure you have buzzer patterns in the box.

Best Rainbow: 5lb 6oz.

Best Brown: 3lb 12oz.

Best boat areas: Wind dependent.

Best bank areas: G Buoy, the Willows, the Dam.

Pitsford Water
Fish 431 (Season 697) Returns 162 (108) Rod average 6.95 (6.45)
Pitsford is on superb form from both boat and bank with a rod average for the week of 6.95. The rod average for the boats is 12.5 for the week.
The best Rainbow of the week was a nice fish of 5lb 8oz caught on a diawl bach. The best brown of the week was a mint conditioned fish of 7lb 10oz caught on a black and green fritz lure and safely released.

Successful spots included Brixworth and Cliffs and this area gave one boat pair a red letter day with over 30 fish to the boat. These fish were caught on blue flash damsel and later on with black buzzers. Another angler reported an enjoyable day catching 9 fish on black/green lures with the best fish being a Rainbow of 4lb 8oz. Other great catches included one angler with 16 Rainbows and two browns, with his best rainbow weighing 3lb 13oz and his best Brown 4lb 5oz. Another of our regulars paid two visits recording 24 fish. A 6lb plus Brown was also caught and released.

Over the weekend the buzzer hatches were incredible and anglers fishing teams of small black buzzers had a field day. We had reports of 15 fish taken in a short morning session and fish taken into double figures. One of our anglers fished on Sunday morning and caught over 20 fish on buzzers and diawl bachs.

Mid Northants Fly Fishers held their first bank match of the season on Sunday with 13 anglers catching 76 fish for a rod average of 5.9. All bank areas are producing and the best boat areas are Cliffs, Brixworth Bay, Stone Barn Bay and Pines.

Best Rainbow: 5lb 8oz.

Best Brown: 7lb 10oz.

Fish stocked: 2,500.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish 130 Returns 23 Rod average 5.6
Anglers are enjoying improved sport at Ravensthorpe with some amazing sport from both bank and boat. The water has now cleared with good visibility.

The trout have started to target buzzers. One boat pair had 14 fish to the boat with one over 10lb; caught down the Coton End near the Causeway using floating line and buzzer patterns. The fish are well spread out and are being caught all over the reservoir.
Bank fishing is also starting to pick up. Successful methods include snakes and black green lures from the bank and dam.

Best Rainbow: 10lb 9oz taken near the Causeway on a buzzer.

Best boat areas: Coton End, near Causeway, Island to Da, near air valve.

Best bank areas: Platforms 4-6, Domes, Dam.

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