Blog — fly fishing

Pre-season, there was a lot of talk of the fishing at Rutland would fish slow from the shores due to the low water levels through the winter, however the complete opposite has happened, catching some folk out, whom didn't renew season tickets, believing bank fishing would be a no-go. So, why is this? Say hello to the shrimp!! I have fished Rutland a lot this last 4 weeks, and a lot of the fish just have not shifted from the shores, no matter where I have fished, North or South. These critters seem pretty prevalent now, and the fish are...

Having fished Rutland for over 37 years, It is fair to say I have witnessed many of its mood swings, however its current mood is on a different scale, although there are ways to nick a few, if you are in the know! From hero to almost zero in a week - how can that be? I shared a boat with Shaun Jones just 10 days ago. The weather was what we anglers would describe as perfect, overcast, and light winds, though the sun did eventually break through. We headed to the dam wall, and was met with the odd...

Rutland Water offers such a diverse way of fishing at any one time. Whether you want to fish a dry fly, or fish a DI-8 with a tube fly, the odds are you will catch a fish, and as some people have found out this last week, it could be 2lb, or even 10lb !! My first day of 3 in a row, was with Warwickshire's Andrew Wheildon. Andrew had visited Rutland 3 previous times, and hadn't landed a fish. We were greeted with a bright day, and at times, flat calm conditions. . We started at C3 Buoy, located 200...

As the water temperatures rise, Rutland's Basin comes into its own, as the fish head here for the deeper cooler water. The latest stocking of 4,000 fish were all released around the shores of the basin, adding to the larger numbers already resident there. Easy fishing you could think? Think again, as  friend Trevor Gibson and I found out at the 'flick of a switch'. As we headed for the North shore, Sykes lane to be precise, the wind was coming straight off the shore - a Northerly wind. Our first 20 minutes we hadn't moved a fish, so I...

I am sure we have all been here - Your days fishing is on the horizon, you are all set, then the day arrives. You pull up at the venue, and you see that glazed look staring right back at you - FLAT CALM ! It is fair to say, this can be a challenge in itself, let alone it being the month of August!! I was pleased to be fishing with  Nik Tompkins, a guy I have seen on the competition circuit over the years, yet never had the opportunity to fish alongside him. Upon meeting Nik, he warned...