Anglian Fishery News

Rutland Water The best brown of the season was taken this week by Eric England of Langham. Season ticket holder Eric took the cracking 6lb 8oz conditioned specimen from the bank, fishing on the north arm. “The fish was in perfect condition and like a fresh run sea trout” Eric enthused. Eric used a floating line long leader with a small black tadpole, the fish was taken from a wind lane close in.
There has been a steady number of over wintered fish being taken with rainbows around the 3lb mark on average, in excellent condition and fighting fit. Lincoln’s Malcolm Cole took a 4lb fish plus two others around 2-3lb, to make up his eight fish limit. As with the previous week Malcolm boat fished the main basin using a slow sink line and tube fly.
Junior anglers Alec Askew from Lincs and Ben Savage from Milton Keynes also took over wintered fish. Alec took a 3lb 3oz rainbow and Ben scored with a 2lb 2oz fish.

Season ticket holder Dave Porter from Oakham took the best rainbow of the week at 4lb 8oz. 25,000 rainbows have been released into Rutland Water so far this season with more stocking planned this week.

Junior International at Rutland Water 2006 The England Youth Fly-Fishing Association has selected Rutland Water as the venue for next year’s Home International Championships to be fished 7-9 August. Young anglers who want to fish in the England team must enter this year’s National Youth Championship which is fished at Grafham Water on 10 July. Details are available in Hooked! magazine or by writing to Dennis Footman, 16 Larkswood , Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester LE8 OSB. The events are fished in pairs with a boatman and the entry fee is £25.

Anglian Water’s Recreation Manager, David Moore, said,‘’This is great news and having sponsored the England Youth National at our Grafham Water reservoir for many years we are thrilled to have the International at Rutland Water in 2006. The skill of these youngsters is amazing and I am sure they will enjoy some great fly-fishing sport on our reservoirs in these two events.’’

Best rainbow 4lb 8oz taken by Dave Porter Best brown this season so far - 6lb 8oz taken by Eric England of Langham Rutland Water continued Best boat areas Normanton, the church bay, berrybutts, old hall, east creek and green bank Best bank areas Normanton to the dam, sailing club, three trees (North arm),


Grafham Water Water was the venue for the fourth GWFFA annual fishing meeting with English Disabled Fly Fishers (EDFF) on Sunday, 17 April 2005. A total of 39 anglers (22 from GWFFA and 17 from EDFF), with most of the two clubs' strongest competitors amongst them, fished from 1000 to 1700 hrs, and enjoyed a very pleasing day’s spor, catching a total of 188 trout, with a rod average of 4.8. GWFFA's primary aim in developing this annual event has been to encourage friendships and boat partnerships, which will carry over into routine fishing at Grafham ‑‑ not least for outings in the new wheely boat. Danny Peet (EDFF) and Ron Lusardi (GWFFA) ‑‑ 15 fish, 331b 13oz and Winners of the John Hawkings Trophy GWFFA is grateful to Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Magazine, John Norris of Penrith Sports Suppliers, Anglian Water, Masterline and individual club members who generously sponsored the event with prizes. GWFFA has expressed special thanks to Anglian Water’s John Mees and his fishery staff “who, in their usual way, handled the event, from start to finish, with consummate friendliness, personal effort and spirit.” Overall, the 2005 meeting was the most successful so far, both in achieving its aims and in fishing results.

Another successful event this week was the Trout Masters fish off with the winner going through to represent Grafham at the final on 16 May at Grafham. This day turned out to be an excellent day’s fishing for all concerned with the competitors averaging 6.2 between them. Regular angler Mark Haycock found a good area off Hedge End fishing a Di 7 and cats whisker and coral boobies taking 8 fish for 19lb 5½oz. Leon Smith also did well on buzzers in Valley Creek taking 8 fish for 15lb 5oz. Mark’s lead looked unchallenged until Gary Edmonds of Ware, Hertfordshire, came in at the last minute with 8 fish, including 6 over wintered for 20lb 10oz. Gary took all of his fish on cats whisker and boobies from the tower to the bowl of the dam.
With the weather warming up the fishing has started to hot up at Grafham. Fish are feeding heavily on buzzers and daphnia with the fish just moving out into water at a depth of 10-14 feet. The bank anglers continue to enjoy plenty of sport from mainly the natural banks. However in recent days the dam has come alive with over wintered fish with the greatest success on either buzzers or boobies. Boat fishing is good with a few anglers venturing across the middle with fast sinking lines and mini lures reporting a good head of over wintered fish gorging themselves on daphnia deep down. The majority of the boats have still stayed around the margins and are catching on the same methods as the bank anglers.

Ravensthorpe Reservoir Sport continues unabated at Ravensthorpe with a 7.1 rod average and many rainbows in the 3-4lb bracket. Fish are shoaled around the margins feeding heavily on buzzer and daphnia in the clear water. Overcast and
breezy conditions have seen fish moving higher in the water with diawls and hares ears on floating lines taking most fish. Dave Adams and his boat partner Andy Ross from Leicester fished the Coton bank on Wednesday. Taking 48 rainbows frequent changes of nymphs and lure patterns proving successful. Dave’s best fish of 10¾lb came to a black and green tadpole. Regular boat angler Andrew Rogers from Loddington enjoyed superb sport on Friday with 40 fish on a variety of orange lures and buzzers. Kenilworth angler Colin England took the week’s best fish, an 11lb 3oz rainbow in a bag of 17. All of Colin’s fish were taken from a boat in the margins using black and green buzzer.

Bank anglers will do best in the clear water with overcast and ripple conditions. Rise early and stay late for best results. Gold head hares ears and damsels, buzzers in black and buff, Montana and fluro green nomads are working well.

Pitsford Water An excellent week for big fish at Pitsford. Season ticket holder Bill Kingston, from Milton Malsor, Northampton, has nailed the largest rainbow of the 2005 season so far, weighing in at 10lb 12oz. Bill used his usual approach of small black buzzers to tempt this fantastic rainbow, caught in Pitsford’s North Farm Bay. Bill was delighted, so was fellow season ticket holder Mick Stevens, who regularly fishes alongside Bill. Later that Wednesday evening local angler Graham Holmes, season ticket holder from Walgrave, landed a 10lb 7oz fish. Graham was also fishing nymphs when he fished Northfields shore. Graham, who has only been fishing for three years, said that this was the biggest fish he had ever caught! The massive amount of daphnia has contributed to the water clarity, which is gin clear. Fish are still close to the bank and feeding on small buzzers and daphnia, along with earthworms and some with snail in.



Coarse fishing Taverham Mills Anglers have taken some excellent tench and carp out of Taverham. The best of these went to David Sanguard with a 23lb 14oz mirror and a 21lb 6oz mirror, Kirk Phoenix with a 22lb common and Christine Weir with a 13lb 8oz mirror. Meanwhile in the Ski Pit Andrew Weir took several notable mirrors, the best at 20lb and Andrew O’Brien took a mirror at 18lb 12oz. Taverham recently hosted the Greys Winter Challenge. The winner, Adam Sadd, won a set of three Greys Prodigy Carp rods for the biggest carp in the winter challenge. Greys is also sponsoring a summer competition for teams of three people.

Ardleigh Carp fishing continues to dominate with new season permit holder Glyn Bond reporting some exceptional fish. Glyn has recently caught two commons of 20lb 2oz and 25lb 10oz. In addition he has had three fully scaled mirrors of 18lb 9oz, 26lb 8oz and a superb specimen of 27lb 10oz. A few consistently warm days and nights are really required to boost the bream fishing.

Alton Prospects look good at Alton. Holbrook AC fished a match in wonderful weather, but poor fishing conditions, with a cold clear night followed by a bright still day. The appearance of several quality roach of well over the 1lb mark and averaging 12oz was a very welcome feature. Winner on the day was Trevor Haynes with a single beautiful bream of 6lb 12oz. Second place went to John Taylor with an all roach catch of 8 fish for 5lb 14oz