Fishery News Week ending 15 June 2008
· David’s more than happy to be back at Grafham Water!
David Moore, now retired from his post as Anglian Water’s Recreation and Access Manager, is top rod and lands best fish in EFFA versus professionals match
· Scots are the first to win places in Anglian Water Fulling Mill International final
Incredibly close fought qualifier with Neilston Flyfishers missing out on a place in the International final by just 2oz
· It’s tight at the top in Rutland Water Tuesday Night boat league
Tom Cooper of Empingham wins this week with Keith Jones taking overall lead by just one point from Stamford’s Chris Evans
Rutland Water
fish week 1070 (season 17603) returns 416 (4682) rod average 2.57 (3.75)
Amongst limits taken last week were Mr Rowson and Mr Angell from Brigg who boat fished last Saturday. Both caught their limits with all the fish over 2lb including four over 3lb, the best just over 4lb. Fish continue to feed on buzzers but there has been an increase in hatches of sedge and caenis. Good numbers of fish are now showing in the surface to this year’s pin fry, in areas like Normanton to Fantasy Island and the Sailing Club. The hotter weather at the beginning of last week affected sport on Monday and Tuesday with temperatures reaching nearly eighty degrees. Prospects remain good with fish starting to show on the surface to this year’s pin fry which can be challenging to difficult! A pattern that has worked in the past for bank anglers is a single fly on a short (twelve foot leader) with the following – pearl/silver pheasant tails, invictors, wide gold ribbed hares ear (ie something with a bit of flash) plus c.d.c. dries/emergers. All hook sizes 12/14. Boat anglers can try similar methods but include small boobies as well, in all cases cover the fish in the best possible way with a medium figure of eight often the best retrieve.
Competition News
Tuesday Night Boat League week 5
Tom shows the way in week 5. Empingham’s Tom Cooper showed the rest how it’s done taking an eight fish limit in just over three hours. Seventeen anglers fished on an unseasonably cold evening. The cooler conditions influenced the catch rate. Leon Smith took second spot with four fish and Keith Jones took third place.
1st Tom Cooper 8 fish for 16lb 12oz
2nd Leon Smith 4 fish for 9lb 11oz
3rd Keith Jones 3 fish for 7lb 13½oz
Keith Jones has now taken the overall lead, with a single point separating him from Chris Evans
League table following week 5
1st Keith Jones 25 points
2nd Chris Evans 24 points
3rd Gary Cooper 17 points
4th Leon Smith 15 points
5th Mick Brooksby 12 points
6th Richard Cooper 10 points
Best methods Floating line with diawl bach, black/green buzzers, pheasant tail. Lures with sinking lines, orange black, gold/silver
Best rainbow 7lb taken by G Thrall of Melton Mowbray
Best brown 4lb 8oz taken by Andy Flitcroft of Oakham
Best boat areas Normanton, Barnsdale, Gibbets, Old Hall, Sykes Lane, Yellowstone, Manton Bay, New Zealand Point
Best bank areas Normanton to Fantasy Island, Old Hall, Yellowstone, Dickensons Bay, Sailing club, New Zealand Point
Mid week boat winner Philip James of Northampton
Fish stocked 6,200
Forthcoming events Tuesday evening boat league Book in from 5.15pm
England Eliminator ‘Odds & Sods’ 22 June
Scierra Pairs 5 July
EDFF fishery Rule competition 9 July
Anglian Water Over 50’s match 12 July
Anglian Water Loch Style 4 man team 20 August
beginners courses 21 & 28 June; 5,13,20,27 & 30 July and other dates throughout the season
Grafham Water
fish week 1,296 (season 9,713) returns 338 (2,661) rod average 3.83(3.65)
In June 2007 Anglian Water said goodbye to David Moore and wished him well for a long and happy retirement. David worked with Anglian Water for over 30 years and was involved at Rutland Water from the time it opened in 1977. 12 months on David fished for England Fly Fishers against the Professionals last week at Grafham and was top rod on the day with 8 fish for 16lb 10oz. He also caught the best fish of the match, a superb over wintered Rainbow of 4lb 13oz “The eight fish included my personal best trout of 4-11, largely thanks to a great practice day with Grafham Water Warden Ray and then a very skilful boat partner, Richard Slater who lead the way and I just copied but got the bigger fish.” Said David modestly.
Grafham Water is continuing to fish well for both boat and bank anglers with the majority of fish being caught in the top five feet of water on a mixture of small nymphs or lures, buzzers, diawl bachs, damsel nymphs, crunchers, boobies and blobs.
Bank anglers are still having some tremendous sport along the north shore with G buoy, Willows and Hill farm the best areas, fishing floating lines with small nymphs fished almost static.
Boat anglers are still catching consistently throughout the day on midum sunk lines (di3’s and 5’s) with a blob on the top dropper, a booby on the point with a couple of small nymphs in between them using a varied retrieve.
Competition news
Invicta Tuesday Night Boat League
Cambridgeshire angler Mark Searle won this week’s boat league. Mark caught six fish on a sink tip line with buzzers and diawl bachs fished static.
EFFA versus the Professionals.
Former Recreation and Access Manager David Moore was top rod on the day by catching 8 fish for 16lb 10oz. David also caught the best fish of the day a superb overwintered Rainbow of 4lb 13oz. David caught his fish with a booby on the point and a blob on the top dropper and a damsel nymph in between. Even with David’s mammoth effort the Amateurs (EFFA) could not manage to defeat the Professionals. 30 Anglers fished the match catching 143 fish for a rod average of 4.7.
Professionals 75 fish for 142lb 2oz
EFFA 68 fish for 125lb 3oz
Best rainbow 6lb 8oz taken by D Pollard of Cambridge
Best boat areas G,I,D,N and B buoys, Central Drifts, north dam
Best bank areas Hill Farm, G bank, Marlow Stones, Willows
Mid Week boat winner John Binge of Sawtry
Forthcoming events English Youth National 5 July
beginners courses 22 & 25 June; 6,20 & 25 July and other dates throughout the season
Tuesday Evening Boat League
Ravensthorpe Reservoir
fish week 287 (season 7,881) returns 66 (1,284) rod average 4.3(6.1)
When some anglers were struggling to catch, brothers Dave and Trevor Heseltine from the West Midlands, had a great day at Ravensthorpe bringing 32 hard fighting fish to their boat. The pair used floating lines in quite blustery conditions, they fished various nymphs on long leaders and as slowly as conditions allowed which kept their attention for most of the day. Tim Moss from Oady, Leics, had 17 fish (returning 15), his best weighed 4lb 2oz. Clive Eames from Wigston, Leicester, caught 22 fish on catch and release. Bank angler Bob Draper also had some good sport from Platform 11 taking several quality Rainbow on dries (hoppers).
Damsel flies are hatching well – with plenty of surface activity during the mornings and again later in the evening. Some olives and buzzers are active during the day. Best flies are damsel nymphs, diawl bachs, GRHE’s, mini muddlers and Soldier Palmers.
Best methods Floating line with long leader – Diawl Bachs, crunchers and damsel nymphs fished slowly.
Best rainbow 4lb 2oz taken by Tim Moss of Oadby, Leics
Best boat areas Far side and Coton end
Best bank areas Mongers to Platform
Mid week boat winner Simon Exton of Catworth, Huntingdon
Fish stocked 280
Anglian Water Fulling Mill International
Scotland is the first region to complete its heats and the Scottish finals were held on 12 June at Lake of Menteith.
Scottish Day Final
The top three teams in the day final have qualified for the International final at Rutland Water 30 September and 1 October. It was an incredibly close fought contest with Neilston Flyfishers weighing in 21 fish for 50lb 2oz - missing a place in the International final by only 2oz.
1st Perth RASC 25 fish for 62lb 13oz
2nd Heron Fly Fishers 20 fish for 54lb 1oz
3rd Change Fly Fishers ‘A’ 21 fish for 50lb 4oz
Scottish evening final
Five teams fished the evening final with the top two winning places in the International final. Menteith Ospreys won the evening heat and continued in winning form to take the evening final
1st Menteith Ospreys 20 fish for 45lb 13oz
2nd The Grizzlecats 16 fish for 34lb 12oz
Northern heats
Stocks Reservoir hosted two Northern heats in June. At the heat on 7 June the rod average was an incredible 7.10. Billy Thompson, fishing for Stocks Hawks, took the best fish at 12lb 14oz. This will be very hard to beat and will be in strong contention for the WaterAid Trophy awarded to the heaviest fish of the entire competition. The top three teams have won places in the North of England final at Rutland Water on 21 July.
1st Stocks Harriers 58 fish for 119lb 0oz
2nd Stocks Weasels 55 fish for 114lb 2oz
3rd Stocks Hawks 44 fish for 91lb 3oz
In the second Northern heat at Stocks Reservoir on13 June, Friday 13th proved lucky for some. Eight teams fished for a place amongst the top four and qualification for a place in the Northern final. The top four teams had a convincing lead over the remaining four.
1st The Herring Boys 45 fish for 93lb 15oz
2nd Stocks Falcons 40 fish for 86lb 3oz
3rd Ospreys 37 fish for 81lb 8oz
4th Greys G-Tec Stocks Team 32 fish for 66lb 4oz
Pitsford Water
fish week 375 (season 7,509) returns 152 (2,421) rod average 2.4 (3.1)
Boat anglers have had some great sport this week with some nice sized fish being caught. John Hicky took a lovely Rainbow of 8lb on a gold head damsel using floating line. He also took another four fish giving him a bag weight of 18lb 4oz. His friend Arnold Haddon also took three fish for 9lb 8oz on a damsel nymph. They were fishing in their club outing with the other members of Bull Flyfishers catching some nice fish.
Evening is still the best time to fish from the bank with the fish coming up in the water when the sunlight starts to fade. Floating lines with small nymphs, buzzers on dries are working best.
Best methods See report
Best rainbow 8lb taken by John Hicky
Best boat areas Dam, Boils, Pitsford Creek
Best bank areas Bog Bay, Gravels, Gorse Bank
Mid week boat winner Adrian Fairey of Dallington, Northampton
Fish stocked 1750
Forthcoming events beginners courses alternate Saturdays from 25 May until the first week of November.