Reports

Anglian Water Fisheries News - Week Ending 6 September 2010

Rutland Water
Fish week 280 (season 26,909)
Catch Returns 111 (7,295)
Rod average 2.52(3.68)

Rutland Water fished very well last week for both boat and bank anglers. The fishery was in outstanding form for the two day final of the Lexus European Championships last Friday and Saturday with over 1,500 fish caught by boat anglers during the practice days and finals. Bank anglers had great sport with quality fish taken down the North Arm.
Prospects look very good for the coming week with plenty of food available for the fish to feed on including buzzers, daphnia, stickleback, fry, corixa and snails. Some of the fry is up to two inches long, perch and roach, these will start to interest the big fish in the reservoir very soon. There are one or two sedge still around.

The WaterAid fly fishing challenge is on Friday 10 September with all boats booked.

Competition news
Lexus European finals 3 & 4 September
132 anglers representing 22 teams competed for a first prize of £2,000. It was an excellent match with good quality fish caught and every angler catching. Welsh team Tightlines finished the strongest to become European Champions for 2010. The team of Stewart Watkins, Phil Cotton, Scott Graham, Steve Winstone and Martin Burgess was captained by Keith Tanner. Fish were mainly in the top three feet of the water with the most popular method being ‘washing line’ style. Anglers were frustrated to find that fish were coming short and not taking flies properly. However, the reservoir was in stunning form, with anglers recording a match rod average of 5.48.
At the close of Day one Blagdon FF Bristol Water were in the lead with 45 fish for 93lb 9oz. Rio Masters were close behind with 45 fish for 92lb 6oz. Another team, also on 45 fish, was third placed Nymph a Maniacs weighing in at 88lb 9oz. Hungry Trout were in fourth position with 43 fish for 86lb 14oz. Tightlines held fifth spot with 41 fish for 79lb 10oz.
Day Two saw an outstanding performance by Team Tightlines weighing in 55 fish for 106lb 8oz, from second placed Rio Masters who netted 46 fish for 92lb 4oz. Team Loop UK took third slot on day two with 47 fish for 91lb 12oz, from consistent Nymph A Maniacs in fourth with 40 fish for 81lb 15oz. Fifth place went to Greys – G – Tec Stocks with 41 fish for 78lb 12oz. Day One leaders Blagdon FF Bristol Water could only manage tenth place on Day Two with 37 fish for 73lb 8oz.

Final result
1st Team Tightlines 96 fish for 186lb 2oz
2nd Team Rio Masters 91 fish for 184lb 10oz
3rd Nymph-A-Maniacs 85 fish for 170lb 8oz
4th Team Loop UK 86 fish for 168lb 15oz
5th Blagdon FF Bristol Water 82 fish for 167lb 1oz
6th RAF Fish Hawks 73 fish for 149lb 4oz
7th Greys G Tec Stocks 72 fish for 140lb 7oz
8th Seighford Sharks 70 fish for 138lb 15oz
9th Ospreys FFC 70 fish for 138lb 6oz
10th Hungry Trout 69 fish for 137lb 1oz

Best bag of the match (plus time bonus) was taken by Gareth Jones of Nymph A Maniacs with a total weight of 49lb 8oz. Dave Ogg fishing for RAF Fish Hawks weighed in the best Rainbow of the match at 4lb 9oz.

Best Rainbow: 7lb taken by Steve Baines of Oakham.
Best Brown: 5lb 3oz taken by T Harley.
Best boat areas: The main basin, sailing club across to Yellowstone and Inmans Spinney. Browns Island, bottom of both arms.
Best bank areas: Bottom of North Arm, Sykes Lane, Normanton, the Dam.
Best methods:
Bank – floating line with nymphs and dries. Fry patterns worth trying.
?Boat – As for bank but include various sinking lines with mini lures (blobs, boobies) gold and silver tubes.
Mid week boat winner: Robert Teasdale of Morcott, Oakham.

Forthcoming events:
Please remember that from May through to September boat anglers have to cease fishing by 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays only.
Wateraid charity match 10 September all boats booked.
Saturday 11 September all boats booked
Anglian Water Autumn Pairs 9 October
Pairs Rudder match for George Moore Memorial Trophy 23 October
Beginners courses: 11,15 & 18 September; 3,16 & 30 October.

Grafham Water
Fish week 808 (22,724)
Catch Returns 232(5,069)
Rod average 3.48 (4.48)
Grafham Water has continued to fish well this week for both bank and boat anglers with the vast majority of trout being caught in the top four feet of the surface. One of the best bags of the week was taken by Kevin Donovan of Shefford. Kevin caught and released 12 rainbows whilst bank fishing at the Willows on a floating line with diawl bachs and corixa in a four hour session. The best fish of the week was caught by Brian House of Letchworth. Brian caught a superb Rainbow of 5lb 3½oz whilst boat fishing at G buoy on an orange hotspot pheasant tail nymph on a floating line.
Boat anglers have had the best of the sport mainly on floating to sink tip lines with diawl bachs, corixa, crunchers, damsel nymphs, silver invicta and small cats whiskers. The main areas for the boat anglers have been the Seat, Sailing Club Bay, Sludge bank, G buoy, Rectory Bay and Lodge frontage.
Bank anglers have also had some good and consistent fishing from the Willows, G Bank, the Seat, Plummer Park and Pylon Point. The main method for the bank anglers has been floating lines with diawl bachs, crunchers, Ivan’s green and brown, damsel nymphs fished almost static.

Best Rainbow: 5lb 3½oz taken by B House of Letchworth.
Best Brown: 2lb 4oz taken by Chris Benham of Ringstead.
Best boat areas: The Seat, Sludge bank, G Buoy, Rectory Bay, Sailing Club Bay, Lodge frontage.
Best bank areas: Willows, the Seat, G Buoy, Deep Water Point, Plummer Park.
Best methods: See report.
Mid week boat winner: Paul Spackman.

Forthcoming events:
Please call the fishing lodge to check for boat availability 01480 810531
Lexus Individual final 13 September (all boats booked)?Beginners courses: 11,22 & 26 September; 9,24 and 31 October.

Pitsford Water
Fish week 399 (12,645)
Catch Returns 107 (3,648)
Rod average 3.7 (3.4)
Fish stocked 450
Anglers at Pitsford Water have enjoyed some excellent sport this week with many limits being taken.
Boat anglers have taken the most fish. Floating lines with small nymphs, diawl bach or dries when cloudy. Anglers fishing using the rudder have also been catching well.
Mr Smith from Essex enjoyed a good day from the boat catching three Rainbows, two at 3lb and one at 5lb along with a lovely Perch weighing just under 3lb.
Bank anglers have been catching on nymphs, diawl bachs or damsels, wading out and fishing along the weedbeds.

Best Rainbow: 6lb taken by Lloyd Chantrell of Raunds
Best Brown: 5lb taken by John Henton of Richmond, Surrey.
Best boat areas: Narrows, main bowl.
Best bank areas: Gravells, Rigbys Point, the Cliffs.
Best methods: See report.
Mid week boat winner: M Clark of Bruanston

Forthcoming events:?
Beginners courses: 8 & 25 September; 2,10 and 23 October. ?Pike fishing - boat fishing with lures over 18cm. Available daily excluding Saturdays.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir
Fish week 258 (10,131)
Catch Returns 117(2,260)
Rod average 2.2 (4.4)
Bank anglers have enjoyed some good sport at Ravensthorpe this week. The fish can be seen quite close in and have been taking damsels, diawl bachs, GRHE and ptn’s. Dries have been very good in the right conditions. S Kimpton of Northampton fished on Sunday morning and took 12 fish off the Platforms.
Boat anglers have been taking fish in all areas on dries and nymphs with fish still in the top few feet of water. Floaters and intermediates with small lures in brighter conditions have been taking some good bags. Mr Wardle of Rutland and his boat partner fished this week taking 21 fish between them all on dries.

Best Rainbow: 10½lb taken by M Sargent.
Best boat areas: Coton end, main bowl.
Best bank areas: Platforms 4-12.
Best methods: See report.
Mid week boat winner: D Hussey of Loughborough.