Rutland Water

fish for week 393 (26630) returns 183 (8283) rod average 2.14 (3.21)

Tom Cooper of Empingham fished at Rutland twice this week, catching 18 fish.  Tom caught eight in the main basin area on Tuesday night to win this week’s boat league.  Later in the week he caught ten more fish, including a couple of browns.  Tom was using a di 3 line and a single blob.

Bank anglers have not been out in force, though one or two fish have come out on the peninsular, Normanton and East Creek.  Weather conditions have again been varied with light winds on some days with Saturday very warm and flat calm for most of the day.

Rutland Water is hosting the two day Lexus Team final and all boats are booked 23-26 August inclusive.

Competition news

Tuesday Night Boat League

Richard Cooper of Empingham has secured victory in the 2007 boat league with one week still remaining and without casting a line!  Richard injured his arm and was unable to fish on the night, however, his nearest rivals were unable to take advantage of his absence and close in on him.

On a bitterly cold evening Richard’s brother Tom took the honours with eight fish off one of the aerators, whilst their dad, Gary Cooper, came second on the night with three fish and Ian Whiteside took third with one fish.  With the fourth and final week looming there remains one prize that is still up for grabs, which is for the biggest fish in the league, currently held by Malcolm March with a 5lb 5¼oz rainbow.  All the final details will be in next week’s report.

Results week 13

     1^st        Tom Cooper                8 fish for 17lb 13¼oz

2^nd       Gary Cooper               3 fish for 6lb 10oz

     3^rd        Ian Whiteside  1 fish for 3lb 11¼oz

League placings

     1^st        Richard Cooper          54 points

     2^nd       Tom Cooper                41 points

     3^rd        Si Gaines                    36 points        

     4^th        Keith Jones                 33 points

best rainbow                           3lb 11¼oz taken by Ian Whiteside during the Tuesday Evening boat league

best boat areas                      main basin, East Creek to Normanton Church Bay

Rutland Water continued

best bank areas                     Normanton, Sykes Lane, fishing lodge frontage, Normanton Church Bay, New Zealand Point, the Finches

best methods                         bank – floating lines with nymphs, diawl bach, hares ear, pheasant tail, fry patterns worth trying.

                                               Boats – as bank but include various sinking lines out in the deeper water with various lures.

mid week boat winner            Mr Pridham of Waterlooville

forthcoming events                Anglian Water Loch Style 4 man team 15 August cancelled due to severe weather warning

Lexus Team final all boats booked 23-26 August

Tuesday night boat league

Beginners courses 22 August 2,16,19 and 30 September & other dates throughout the season

                                               Junior & accompanying adult taster sessions – 23 August free (in partnership with England Youth Flyfishing Association) call Lodge on 01780 686441 to pre book

Grafham Water

fish for week 345 (15089) returns 72 (4061) rod average 2.42(3.71)

During hot, sunny, still periods fish have been more central between J and X buoys and a fair way down out of the sun’s rays. The most prolific area continues to be around buoys B,K and G between the north shore and the middle and from G buoy to I buoy and down towards the dam.  Most anglers have used a variety of methods.  The most common has been a slow sinker with a washing line using a booby on the point with nymphs on the droppers.  Blobs and tube flies presented on di3 have succeeded as have floating lines carrying slowly fished nymphs such as diawl bachs, pheasant tails, and crunchers.

Competition news

Invicta Tuesday Night Boat League

The Tuesday Night Boat League had its best turn out of the year so far with 31 anglers taking part.  Graham Bodsworth caught the most fish, taking 4, whilst fishing down at Q buoy.  Bob Brooks and John Johnston both had two apiece and 14 others catching a single trout each.  It was a good evening’s fishing followed by supper at the Wheatsheaf.

Grafham Water continued

best rainbow                           3lb 12oz taken by D Konrath from Suffolk

best brown                             3lb 3oz taken by S Gaynor from Cambridge

best boat areas                      I,K,Q B and G buoys, central drifts, dam

best bank areas                     the seat, Sludge bank

mid week boat winner            Mr P Proctor

forthcoming events                Beginners courses 19 & 22 August, 9,23 & 26 September, 6 & 21 October, 4 November

                                               Tuesday evening boat league

                                               Junior & accompanying adult taster sessions – 22 August free (in partnership with England Youth Flyfishing Association) call Lodge on 01480 810531 to pre book

                                               John Watts Trophy 25 August

                                               Boat course 7 September

                                               English National 22 September

Pitsford Water

fish for week 238 (11189) returns 103 (4019) rod average 2.3(2.5)

Anglers have enjoyed some exceptional sport at times from the boats.  John Caldwell and Graydon Smith caught a fantastic 40 plus to their boat on Saturday 4 August.  All of the fish were released and came to buzzers fished under an indicator.

During the days when there has been sufficient cloud cover using dries and wets anglers have been having plenty of surface action with many fish feeding freely in the surface.

Large numbers of fish have been reported in the main bowl area especially near the Dam and aerators, but also in the Narrows and between the Causeway and Stone Barn Bay.  The wardens have also reported that plenty of fish have been showing in the small half of the reservoir – which is often bypassed by anglers eager to fish the main water.

Bank anglers are still finding fishing to be difficult with early and late times best.

Pitsford Water continued

Competition news

The RAF Central League fished a match on Monday 6 August.  Twelve anglers saw plenty of action from drifting boats in the main bowl area with 69 fish giving a rod average of 5.75.  The best fish weighed in at 3lb 5oz and the total match weight was 120lb 6oz.

best rainbow                           3lb 5oz

best brown                             2lb

best boat areas                      main bowl, Brixworth Bay, Pines, Dam and aerators (Causeway to Stone Barn worth a try)

best bank areas                     Gravels - Sermans

best methods                         boat fishing has been very good at times with plenty of bag limits and catch and release recorded.  Drifting with dries and pulled wet flies.  Anchored boats are getting plenty of action to buzzers and diawl bachs

mid week boat winner            Martin Smith of Birmingham

forthcoming events                Wednesday night boat league

                                               beginners courses  23 August, 1,13,15 & 29 September and other dates throughout the season

                                               Junior & accompanying adult taster sessions – 25 August free (in partnership with England Youth Flyfishing Association) call Lodge on 01604 781350 to pre book

                                               Pitsford Individual Rudder match Wednesday 12 September 9am to 5pm.  8 Fish limit best brace wins.  To include barbecue and refreshments.  Call Lodge on 01604 781350 to book

Beginners club Sunday 16 September.  A morning’s bank fishing for beginners with experienced anglers to help.

Pike - boat fishing with lures over 18cm only at Pitsford alternate weeks Monday to Friday commencing Monday 18 June.  Call Pitsford Fishing lodge on 01604 781350 for details

Ravensthorpe Reservoir

fish for week 566 (season10747)  returns 92 (2131)  rod average 6.15 (5.04)

Peter Ingram lead a party of seven from the Neptune AC down from Scotland on Friday for a three day package holiday.  Sport was fast and furious all members taking fish off the top of the water on dries and nymphs to record a total of 70 plus Rainbows for the day.  C.d.c.’s, snatchers, hoppers and diawls took most fish.

Young Joshua Clayton, son of Pitsford’s Senior Warden Nathan, caught his first trout on a fly from a boat on Ravensthorpe on Saturday.  It weighed 1lb 14oz and he caught it on an orange blob on a floating line from a boat.  Ian Tearle took 20 plus fish on GRHE and diawls including a 6lb 2oz Rainbow.

Steve Johnson caught 20 fish on Wednesday whilst drifting from a boat across the Coton shallows. His boat partner, Suzy Boyall, took 10 fish including a brace weighing 7lb.  All fish were taken on dries and nymphs on floating lines.

A high percentage of Ravensthorpe’s rainbows are surface feeding on damsel nymphs when conditions allow.

best rainbow                           6lb 2oz taken by P Tearle with a green buzzer from a boat

best boat areas                      Coton end and Ravensthorpe bank

best bank areas                     dam wall

mid week boat winner            Mr D Daniels of Bedford

fish stocked                            560