All day motor boat hire reduced by £2 and single manned by £1

Call the fishing lodges to book a place

Boat fishing with lures & dead sea fish over 18 cm 

Pitsford Water until 25 November

Rutland Water until 31 October

Grafham Water until 25 November

Ravensthorpe 29 October - 25 November

Ardleigh Reservoir 1 May – 28 February

Boat anglers are enjoying very good sport with the Rutland challenge Match averaging over four fish per man – see report under Competition News.  Bank fishing is slowly picking up with fish being taken in a few areas.  Bank anglers were catching well in the fishing lodge harbour area last Tuesday and Wednesday, using a variety of lures.  Paul Wills of Sleaford caught seven rainbows to 3lb 8oz from East Creek using a floating line and black and green Lure.

Fish continue to feed hard on daphnia with various lures working well including black and green, coming back into play at this time of year.  Fry feeding is minimal but Barnsdale could be worth having a look at, however, the situation could change if the daphnia dries up.

The Rutland Challenge, fished to reservoir rules, was the last boat match of the year and fished extremely well with quality rainbows being boated and a very close finish for the top thee places.  Keith Jones and Bob Barr won the match with 12 fish from the top of the North Arm.  Second place went to Rutland’s senior warden, John Seaton fishing with Jim Watts. Phil Brown and Jamie Weston came third.  Most anglers in this match, apart from the winners Keith and Bob, took fish in the South Arm in the Manton Bay, Lax Hill and Browns Island area with gold/silver sparklers.

26 anglers caught 110 fish giving an excellent rod average of 4.2.  The average size of fish was excellent and well in excess of 2lb.  John Farnsworth caught the best fish a 5lb 4oz rainbow.  Winner Bob Barr took the best brown at 2lb 12oz.

Anglers are reminded that Brown trout are out of season after 29 October. From now on Browns need to be returned to the water as soon as possible in good condition.  Also under reservoir rules no fishing is permitted beyond the sailing limits in the North and South Arm from 1 November.

Rutland Water’s popular annual Fur and Feather match is on Sunday 2 December.  Please phone the fishing lodge on 01780 686441 for more information and to book.

There will be a limited number of boats available during November please phone the fishing lodge to check availability.

Best rainbow 7lb 14oz taken by Stuart McNaughty

Best brown 8lb 1oz taken by Darryl Grimason

Best boat areas bottom of the south arm, Tim Appletons, east creek to the church, Barnsdale

Best bank areas east creek, finches, Barnsdale, Tim Appletons, fishing lodge to Normanton church

Mid-week boat winner G Anthony of Whittlesey

Fish stocked 1,250

Beginners courses 11 & 24 November 

Pike boat fishing with lures and dead sea fish over 18cm (excludes Lamprey) 8 October – 31 October

Fur & Feather Sunday 2 December please call the fishing lodge on 01780 686441 to book

Boat anglers have also been enjoying some good sport with both boat and bank anglers fishing in Gaynes Cove and the south end of the dam.  A variety of methods are working with the fish still high in the water so either floaters or intermediates are the lines of choice.  Flies are mainly either minkies or diawl bachs fished very slowly.

Grafham Water hosted the annual Fur and Feather match on Sunday.  Anglers found fish in the corner of the south end of the dam and on to Plummers Bank with a rod average of 2.3.  The best fish went to Mick Loy – a fine brown of 6lb 3oz.  The anglers had only to weigh in their best brace.

1st Mick Loy 9lb

2nd Gary Edmunds 6lb 9oz

3rd Peter Andrews 6lb 1oz

4th Mick White 6lb

Best brown 6lb 3oz taken by Mick Loy

Best boat areas I,K,G,C and A buoys, Savages Creek, Central drifts

Best bank areas the Harbour Arms, south dam, Plummers

Forthcoming events

Beginners course  4 November

Pike boat fishing with lures and dead sea fish over 18cm (excludes Lamprey) 15 October – 25 November

Brown trout are out of season after 29 October. From now on Browns need to be returned to the water as soon as possible in good condition.  

Floating lines are working well for both bank and boat anglers with fry patterns best around the weed beds.  Drifting boats are getting the best results.

Best rainbow 4lb 5oz

Best brown 6lb 5oz

Best boat areas Brixworth Bay, the Narrows

Best bank areas Gravels/Sermans

Mid week boat winner Alan Joss of Chippenham, Wiltshire.

beginners courses  10 November

Pike - boat fishing with lures and dead sea fish over 18cm (excludes lamprey) 1 October – 25 November

Fur & Feather (bank) 25 November please call 01604 781350 to book

Members of Mid Northants  Flyfishers fished for the Bob Church Cup on Sunday.  The winner was Paul Hesley with 6 fish for 12lb 14oz.  Top boat pairs were M Philpot with Paul Gayton and M Frost with John Clarke.

Intermediate and sinking lines fished slowly from anchored or drifting boats are taking the most fish.  Minkies, blue tailed Damsels, Orange Blobs and Cormorants are the most successful flies.

A few platforms are now weed free and fishing well together with the top three swims at the Coton car park.  Try Boobies and Corixa on floating lines.

Pike anglers will be in action at Ravensthorpe from Monday 29 October with trout anglers welcome to boat fish until 25 November when Ravensthorpe is open for bank fishing only until the season ends on 31 December.

Best boat areas all areas fishing well

Best bank areas Coton car park swims

Mid week boat winner Adrian Boucher of Willenhall

Forthcoming events     

Pike - boat fishing with lures and dead sea fish over 18cm (excludes lamprey) 29 October – 25 November.