Rutland Water week ending 10 April

It has been an excellent week at Rutland with good numbers of fish caught in many areas. 

A boat match last Friday saw 41 anglers accounting for 235 fish for a rod average on the day of 5.73. 

A number of quality overwintered Browns have been caught with the best one taking the scales round to 11½lb plus a good number at 5lb. Five anglers returned 5lb plus fish having around eight fish of that size between them. 

A steady number of overwintered Rainbows have also shown with fish between 3 and 5lb caught.   

Fish are feeding on good numbers of small buzzers. However, there is an increasing sign of bigger insects occurring daily. Shrimp is also in the diet. Most methods have been working with small lures, blobs etc being effective for some, whilst nymph tactics, black buzzer, hares ear, cruncher and diawl bach are working for many, fished on floating or midge tip lines. Fry patterns are still worth a try with various humungus or snakes. 

Prospects look very good. Settled weather will determine which areas to concentrate on, and it won't be long before there will be more serious surface activity. Whether it will be fish moving close in on shrimp/snails or adult buzzers drawing fish up to the top, in the evening. 

Best boat areas: Barnsdale Creek, Sykes Lane, Normanton, green bank, bunds wall and Hideaway, blue pipes, Normanton. 

Best bank areas: New Zealand Point to the Sailing Club, Yellowstone, Whitwell Creek, Stockie Bay.