Trout and Coarse Fishery Reports October 11th 2004

Trout Fishing Waters




Rutland Water The fishery hosted the prestigious final of the Anglian Water Fulling Mill International last week (see report). Rutland Water is in outstanding form and big fish are on the move. Nearly 4,000 fish were recorded over the last week, a tremendous achievement for the time of the season, giving a weekly rod average of 4.68. The best brown of the week weighed 8lb 7¾oz and was taken by Warren Scott from Corbridge in Northumberland. Warren latched on to the specimen fishing in the main basin. He used a Di5 line and silver tube to secure the fish which fought doggedly for many minutes. Hot off the press today (11 October) is news of Oakham’s Brian Bonner taking a cracking brown hen weighing 6lb 4oz. This was taken on a Nomad fly on a floating line. Brian bank fished Whitwell Creek, where there are good fish showing throughout the day. Simon Smith from Glaston took the best rainbow of the week at 4lb 11oz. Simon, a season ticket holder, took the fish from the fishing lodge harbour on a minkie.

Rutland Water bank reportIt is good to report that the fish are now coming into the banks in places other than the Old Hall Point and Gibbets Gorse. They have been caught pretty widely: although a great many of those caught have been browns. Best places during the week seemed to be Whitwell Creek, Whitwell car park front, The Mound, also New Zealand Point and the Lodge Harbour Wall. One angler caught numerous fish here – mainly browns. He did however bring up a “croc”– estimated at 12lb. This harbour wall is, in the absence of extensive weed beds, one of the few places where fry seem to congregate and are taking a real bashing from the browns here. There are some fry chasing going on in Whitwell creek where one gentleman from Grantham took a lovely 4½lb Rainbow. Best patterns are minkies in all colours – although the grey seems to attract most attention- suspended or fished down. Diawl bachs are still working well and seem to achieve better takes: more offers than fish being had on minkies. The rainbows are mainly grazing on Daphnia and may be found on the lee shores with a gentle facing wind.


Grafham Water has enjoyed an excellent week. Mark Lindsay, retail assistant at the tackle shop, managed five fish from the boat using a floating line. Mark fished a short afternoon session using a pearly thorax pheasant tail. All the fish were fantastic hard fighting, full tailed rainbows and were full of corixa. Mark fished Savages in a gentle south westerly. Early in the week the Seat, Sludge lagoon and Gaynes fished well from the bank and boat. Diawl bachs,buzzers and hopper all accounted for fish. Local season ticket holder Jerry Hamilton had a cracking brown weighing 4lb 7oz on a daddy as well as another brown and six rainbows all between 2 and 3lb around the north tower. On Thursday the wind turned north easterly and all of the north shore became fishable and fished extremely well from both boat and bank. Bank anglers have enjoyed great sport all along the north shore and along the length of the dam.


Grafham has been improving steadily each week as the water temperature drops and the clarity improves. This year anglers can look forward to a really good back end to the season with lots of fish still to be caught. Best bank areas The willows, G bank, Pylon Point, deep water point, hedge end, hill farm and bowl and south end of the dam, seat, plummers, sludge bankand savages.Best boat areas rainbow point, mouth of savages, K to G buoy, hedge end to M buoy and bowl of dam. best brown 4lb 7oz taken by Jerry Hamilton best methods floating/intermediate lines, diawl bachs, pheasant tail nymphs, crunchers and hares ears fished washing line style. Medium sink lines, boobies, cats whiskers and appetisers. forthcoming events 16 October – 30 November Pike fishing


Ravensthorpe Reservoir The only thing that has been difficult at Ravensthorpe this week is choosing which big fish to report on. Apologies to any anglers catching big fish who fail to get a mention. Last week Northampton’s Mick Griffin topped the big fish list. This week his 8lb 8oz rainbow, taken from a boat on a black minkie, is quite a long way down the ‘heavy’ list. Northampton’s Nathan Reilly landed a 10lb 4oz fish whilst bank fishing from the dam. Hereford’s Roger Allsebrook managed an 11lb 5oz specimen. Darren Palmer went a little better with an 11lb 9oz fish and top of the shop was Ravensthorpe regular Dick Haynes with a 12lb 9oz rainbow on Sunday. The jury’s out on the biggest fish this week as Rugby rod and lifelong Ravensthorpe regular Jim Ferguson returned a rainbow well in excess of 12lb and easily a personal best for Jim.Generally fish seem to be spread around the reservoir with no hot spot other than all over the reservoir! Both bank and boat anglers are scoring well and both nymphs (PTN, GRHE, Diawl bach) and lures (minkies) are catching. Olives are still to be found in good numbers around noon though the hatch is coming towards an end. There is no fry activity but more corixa are being found. Best rainbow 12lb 9oz taken by Dick Haynes Best bank areas all areas fishing well Best boat areas all areas fishing well



Pitsford Water Peter Bills has been enjoying some fine sport this week. On Tuesday he caught 8 fish on silver tubes on a lead line. He fished off the Pines in his usual style of the rudder. Pete’s limit weighed 27lb 8oz and it included a rainbow of 7lb 12oz. Peter said he had been having some cracking sport and reported 20 brown trout returned between 2 and 3lb. Peter fished again on Sunday. He caught 5 fish for 15lb 9oz. Travelling angler Martin Watson from Consett near Hexham not only won the match at Rutland on Saturday but he knocked out all the locals at Pitsford and won this Sunday’s Autumn boat league match as well! He caught his fish on a slime line whilst drifting from Bog Bay to the Gravels using a brown minkie. His four fish weighed 8lb 15oz. Local angler Robert Allen, season ticket holder from Northampton, boat fished on Sunday and caught and released a brown trout of 6lb 12oz. Rob said it measured 27 inches in length.







Coarse fishing Waters



Taverham Mill With the summer well and truly over now we come to the end of this Year’s Wychwood Challenge. This year has seen some exceptional weights over the summer but the best and overall winner is Jamie High with a mirror carp of 28lb 10oz. As well as already winning his month’s category he now also wins a season ticket for Taverham Mill lake for next season, so well done Jamie. Now the Grey's carp Winter 4X challenge has started for 20 of our season ticket holders, who have been split up into teams of 4 with the first week of the competition started we have seen four 20lb plus carp being banked and all the teams are now off the mark! This weekend’s carp fell to season ticket holder Andrew Weir with a 20lb 8oz mirror and Mathew Playford bagging a 14lb 6oz mirror.





Ardleigh The pike fishing is now in full swing with both boat and bank anglers reporting excellent sport. Martin Brewer had fish of 10lb, 13lb and 17lb whilst fishing from the bank in the deeper water towards the dam. Also from the bank, Connan Soanes matched Martin with three double figure fish and, also like Martin, found dead sea baits to be the winning method. Best fish of the week however was a 22lb specimen caught from the boats by Malcolm Stokes. Malcolm was fishing near Noah's Ark and had several good perch amongst his catch. Good silver fish sport is also being reported by anglers fishing the western arm of the reservoir. There are still a few places for the match on the Butterfly pond on 31st October. Any angler interested must leave their name on 01206 230642 as pegs are very limited.



River Teme With a rise in the water last week some excellent catches of barbel have been made, All baits it seemed were successful, Geoff Wiles of Coventry fishing rolling meat after the river had dropped but still had some colour had 7 barbel the best at 9-10-0 Birmingham angler John Bannister fishing a legered smelt bait caught two big pike 18lbs and 22lb 8 ounces. The Teme is certainly an excellent river with a good stock of chub. Its a river that could turn up a 7lb chub to some lucky angler. Five pound fish are quite common. Birmingham Anglers Association control much of the river and much of this prime water can be fished on a day ticket. Prince Albert AS also control some good fishing on the river at Ham Bridge.



River Kennet Wasing Fisheries This syndicate water can certainly turn up some surprises 15lb plus barbel and 7lb chub, but of course these fish do not get caught every day. This is certainly a value for money syndicate water. I have found most of the other permits holders to be friendly and helpful. Sadly one or two members have been leaving litter. The bailiffs are certainly helpful and will willingly answer permits holders questions.



River Loddon This Berkshire river certainly holds some excellent chub and barbel, John Bryant of West London fishing a boily wrapped in a Cotswolds Bait Creations paste caught a chub that most of us dream about weighing 7lb 2 ounces I have fished this river on several occasions taking chub to 6-5-0 An excellent stretch of water is Dinton Pastures Country Park which can be fished on a day permit. The local council must be congratulated on running an excellent fishery.



River Ribble The river is now back to its normal level with an average water temperature of 48 degrees F. Anglers fishing pellet bait in conjunction with a feeder, packed with small pellets have been catching small barbel. Mick Holgate had five barbel in a short 2 hour session. There is an uncomfirmed report of a 26lb pike from the Church deeps. A salmon angler float fishing with 2 lobworms at Ribchester had three barbel best at an estimated 8lbs.



River Aire With the water level dropping after being bank high last week, I fished a short session on the Keighley AC water with meat and crust baits taking three nice chub, two at 4lbs plus and a nice fish of 5-2-0. Downstream of the Keighley AC Bradford angler Micky Price fishing a swim feeder rig and double caster on a size 16 hook to 3lb bs line had a good catch of chub. 11 fish for an estimated weight of between fifty and sixty pounds. This is one of the best catches of chub this season. Bradford City AA have released several thousand small trout into their fly only water. Lets hope the cormorants don't get them. In the past two weeks I have seen several cormorants on the river Aire. In the past I have only seen the odd fish eating bird.