Relentless Rutland - Top Of The Water Excellence.

Wednesday the 1st of July I was presented with yet more mouth watering conditions, 9mph SW winds, cloudy skies, and 19 degrees.

It is no secret that Rutland Water's South Arm is in great form at the moment, and is producing some scintillating sport to the say the least. Don't just take my word for it, as I received a text from a friend whom had visited the day before. " Kept on the dries all day, so much fun. Evening rise was amazing. Hardest thing was replacing my dries quick enough, as I couldn't dry them out. Amazing day. I had 20 or so, and lost as many.!" Gavin, Norfolk.

I headed to one of my favourite locations, Cattle Trough Bay. The winds were light and everything looked bang on! I started with a hares ear cube on the point, big red in the middle, and a small ginger Midas on the top.

Things started off slowly, as often is the case first thing in the morning,however I knew it would be a matter of time before a fish came to have a look - and one did!

A tiny swirl was all I saw, as this fish set off at brake neck speed. With only 12' of line off the reel at this point, & within seconds this powerful machine was tearing line off my reel. It had taken the size 12 hares ear sugar cube on the point, and was 4lb on the nose, and in mint condition. What a fight!

I continued my drift into open water, and moments later I was in again, this time the fish had taken my Big Red dry fly in the middle.

As I continued my drift into open water, towards the the Old Hall point, things slowed somewhat,  although it was still only 9.30am. For a second, everything looked perfect, dull sky, light winds, and with the Old Hall in the background, the perfect camera shot was emerging right in front of me. I lay my rod down, flies 12' or so in front of the boat, and as I reached for my phone, yes you've guessed it, a fish, as cool as you like, stuck its nose out  and engulfed my Midas fly. As I grappled for my rod, it too set off at 100mph, but this time slipped the hook. I paused for a second, as I took in the sheer speed and power that fish had shown in the blink of an eye.

I next headed to the top of Manton Bay, as there was now a good number of boats in there - every picture tells a story, right?

Still on the dries, conditions just got better and better, and now one or two fish were starting to move. Withing minutes I was into a fish, this time on the big red on the middle. You just had to get one of these fish on the end to appreciate the sheer power of these things, as yet again, I was led a merry dance.

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I managed another 5 throughout the morning, and missed a couple too, with the overall majority taking the Hares Ear point fly.

My friend Gavin had told me that there was a lot of fish in the evening at Gibbets Gorse, and all along the no sailing limit buoys, so as Manton Bay became a little busy with 16 boats, I slipped away to my next spot.

Well, can It get any better, you bet it can. First cast, and I had got ripped off, by an unseen missile, second cast and I was in again.

I was now fishing the washing line method, with a Tequila fab on the point, a Black JC Diawl Bach, and 2 Red Holographic Diawl Bachs up the cast.(Floating line) My first 6 casts, and I had landed 1 fish, & been ripped off twice. Realising these fish were up for it today, I changed my leader from 8lb Ghost Mode to 10lb. Thankfully no more breakages for the day.

The majority of fish appeared to be 100 yds or so out, and were very high in the water, often taking within seconds of the flies landing on the surface.

I landed a further 7 fish in the Gibbets area, all of which were in mint condition. There preferred choice was the barbless Black JC Diawl Bach, though not far behind it was the Red Holo Diawl Bach.

I finished my day at 4.30pm, & still two days on, I am marvelling at the fantastic sport on offer at Rutland Water.

If you would like to share a boat with me on the "Mecca" of fly fishing, then check out my guided days services on my website home page, www.flashattackflies.com  Come aboard !!

Follow the links below to take you to the flies "of the moment" at Rutland Water.

https://flashattackflies.com/products/black-jc-diawl-bach-code-hdb10-s1012

https://flashattackflies.com/products/hot-head-red-holographic-diawl-bach-code-i114-s1012

https://flashattackflies.com/products/barbless-big-red-code-bd10

https://flashattackflies.com/products/suspender-hares-ear-code-sh2-s101214

We hope you enjoyed the read. Next stop, Grafham Water this coming Sunday, 5th of July - Cant wait.

Remember, what happens one day, doesn't always happen the next, -o;)  Tight Lines.......Craig