Fishery Reports and Catches

In this weeks Anglers Mail W/E 7th August page 5 there is a picture of an 8-10-0 chub from Dobb's Weir on the River Lea caught by Jerry Hammond. This fish is only 4 ounces off the British record It could weight nine and a half pounds come the end of the year. If you want to fish this water call Jerry on 01992 463656 .On page 4 there is a picture of David Wren with a big barbel from the Warwickshire's River Avon weighing in at 15-14-0 Simon Hartop a teacher from Isleworth Middlesex is pictured with a magnificent looking common carp from the river Thames. There are several pictures of big carp, eels and rudd. In the Anglers Mail you still get the saltwater fishery reports and other saltwater information, along with reports on freshwater fishing venues both still waters and rivers.
Plumbing and heating engineer Derek Green of Southport fishing the River Ribble set a new river record with a magnificent bream of 10lb 8 ounces, Liverpool builder Paul Robertson fishing the same river for barbel with halibut pellet had three good barbel including a double figure fish of 11-2-0. Seatrout fishing on the Rivers Hodder and Ribble has been quite good with the extra water. John Tomlinson of Castleford fishing the river Aire near the Keighley Golf course had a brace of bream of a bunch of gentles using a swim feeder rig. John's bream weighed 7-3-0 and 7-0-0 Graeme Cook a Civil servant from Lancaster has enjoyed some good chub fishing on the River Wyre and tench fishing at Bailrigg Lake Lancaster. This water is controlled by Lonsdale angling club Tickets available from Jerries of Morecambe

Rutland Water Warren Scott, from Corbridge near Newcastle, made his annual visit to Rutland and had a brilliant week, recording 43 rainbows and returning 22 browns. Most fish averaged 2lb with the best rainbow at 3lb and the best brown at 3lb 8oz. Warren also had three bank evening trips, accounting for thirteen of the fish already mentioned. Flies used were small hares ear, (whilst boat fishing he used mini lures), boobies and blobs in the bright weather, then a hares ear when it was overcast. Darren Watts, former assistant at the fishing lodge, had a day's boat fishing with his fiance's father, Keith Mortimer, last Thursday. They had a brilliant day recording sixteen fish, all taken on floating line. The pair started using nymphs, and then went on to catch the majority on dries. Fish were moving between Gibbets Gorse and Brown Island.
Warden Paul Friend, fishing the same day as Darren, also had a great day with eight fish taken on lures, fished mainly on a slime line. Paul said, "It was the best bag of fish I've had this season, with the best rainbow going 3½lb, with others averaging between 2¼lb and 3lb". Welsh anglers Ray Christopher and his boat partner Vince Williams, from Pontardawe in South Wales, shared a three day boat package to take 31 fish with rainbows to 4lb and browns to 4½lb. All of the fish fell to the favourite nymph at the moment, a plain version of the diawl bach. Ray commented that it was "full credit to Anglian Water for providing quality fish that fight well and are in great condition."
Boat anglers had a very good week, plenty of fish caught on many methods from mini lures to dry fly. Bank anglers have again had the best of the fishing in the evenings, season ticket holder Eric Wardle from Empingham managed five fish in the last two hours of the day. Fishing off Sykes Lane Eric used a single olive buzzer on a floating line. There have been plenty of fish moving in Whitwell Creek on ad off throughout the day feeding on fry.
At the moment the bank fishing is quite slow. However, one or two fish have been caught from Carrot Creek, Old Hall Point and Yellowstone. Most of the bank side surface action occurs after about 8pm. On Friday night John Wadham spent some time casting at stroppy, rising fish on the Old Hall Point. In desperation he changed to a black and green tadpole, this produced a result when put in front of the risers. Some of which proved to be small zander apparently taking sedges and charging into pin fry! There were rainbows with them but perhaps the zander were less choosey.One angler has had lovely rainbows up to 2lb 12oz, catching five one evening last week on buzzer patterns. So they are not impossible. Given more than one day of easterly winds, it will be interesting to see whether the fish arrive at the dam from the main basin or enter the Old Hall Bay from Brown Island where the boats are doing so well.
The main diet is still the same, buzzers and daphnia, but it is interesting to observe the presence of numerous hover flies. They hatch from rat tailed maggots that thrive in dung heaps and other areas of foul organic matter, e.g. rotting bank-side weed and are often taken by the rainbows in an offshore wind. best rainbow 4lb 2oz taken by Mr B Jelock of Essex best brown 4lb 8oz taken by Ray Christopher of Pontardawe best boat areas south arm around Browns Island, Manton Bay, fishing lodge frontage out in the middle of the reservoir. Fish are feeding on daphnia and small olive buzzer best bank areas Normanton, Sykes Lane, Old Hall, Whitwell front, Fantasy Island best methods floating lines with nymphs and dries on overcast days. Lures on sinking lines on sunny days. Bank fishing is best at night
Grafham Water John Wadham, of Oakham, had an interesting session on the south end of the dam using floating line and nymphs. He failed to provoke any action during 'ideal', dull, warm conditions but when the sun appeared he promptly took his limit! So much for the theories! Results from the boats have been interesting with the fish responding to a variety of methods. Conditions have often been dull with largely flat, calm or light winds. Dry flies have scored well in many areas throughout the day and evening. Leading patterns have included hoppers, bobs bits, drone flies and klinkhammers. The best technique has been to quietly search the wind slicks and cast to moving fish.
Grafham Water is now almost five feet below the top level exposing large areas of previously flooded lake bed and encouraging more bank anglers who are now able to reach deeper water.In contrast fish around the aerator boils have taken both lures and nymphs pulled at various speeds on sinking lines.best rainbow 5lb 2¼oz taken byAndy Cottam best brown 4lb 5oz taken by Peter Waterhouse best bank areas full length of the dam best boat areas mouth of savages through to hedge end and the north tower, dam tower (aerator) best methods floating line, diawl bachs, damsel nymphs, cats, tubes, boobies and minkies
Ravensthorpe Reservoir Anglers have enjoyed an excellent week at Ravensthorpe with plenty of fish in the 3-4lb bracket falling to dry fly and damsel nymphs. Buzzer, green diawls, orange backs, crunchers and raiders in small sizes fished on floating lines from a drifting boat being the most successful method.
Boat partners C England and A Plummer of Kenilworth used their fish finder to good effect on Wednesday, boating 40 plus fish to 5lb. Damsel and dries produced the most takes.Colin Markley of Hinckley achieved a lifetime best with a super 9lb 4oz overwintered rainbow taken on a size 10 daddy off the boils.
The tower area of the dam has produced consistent sport this week with damsels and small emergers taking most fish.best rainbow 9lb 4oz taken by Colin Markley of Hinckley from a boat with a size 10 daddy best boat areas Coton end and bank best bank areas tower end of dam
Pitsford Water Boat fishing continues to be good. Mike Barrat and Carl Peers travelled from Sheffield to catch 16 fish for 40lb, all falling to floating line and buzzers. The best fish went 2lb 12oz. P Faulkner and Graham Bayliss also had a good day's fishing. They fished the dam and caught 15 fish for 32lb.
Floating line and buzzers are catching plenty of fish but the best method on the cloudy days has been a size 12 booby on the point with red or green diawl bachs on the droppers. On the brighter days try this method with an intermediate or fast sink line. There are also one or two fish falling to minkies.
The Wednesday boat league fished well this week. 15 anglers caught 23 fish. Top spot went to Richard Slater with 4 fish plus two returned for 9lb 15oz. Second place went to Mark Fountain with four fish for 9lb 5oz. Mark also took the best fish at 3lb 5oz. Third place went to Mike Philpott with four fish for 9lb 1oz.
Bank fishing continues to be challenging, early or late are the best times to fish. Floating or slow sink are best with silver invictas or shipmans buzzers. The best areas have been the Holly Bush, Gravels, Stilton Point or the Gorse. best methods see report best boat areas main bowl best bank areas Holly Bush, Gravels, Stilton Point or the Gorse