Rutland Water week ending 18 September

Rutland

Rutland is starting to wake up with big fish starting to show with reports of 3lb+ rainbows and browns over 6lb recorded. Perch and roach Fry up to 3 or 4inches and daddy longlegs are present with snail featuring heavily for those weed bed fish. The low water levels means there are weed beds to target all over the reservoir. Short drifts with buoyant patterns right into the weed is a good approach and making for some exciting sport. Good numbers of fish are still showing in the main basin to long open water drifts with an intermediate line being a good starting point. Recent pods of stock fish can be found off the sailing club, church bay and the main basin, these will respond to colour in the form of FABS and blobs fished quickly. The cooler nights of the last week have encouraged fish to show round the weedbeds with popper minkie, floating fry, minkie patterns and hummungus. Fantastic fully finned rainbows have been caught from the boats and also for bank anglers. Rudder anglers are finding the fish high in the water with snakes and the classic gold and silver tube recording the best results. From the bank it is important to be aware of areas of soft mud with the low water levels, there are clear areas of bank where there are no weed beds making for comfortable fishing. Where clay is now exposed these areas are generally harder – for example at NZ point and also between Barnhill Creek and half-moon spinney. Over the last week we have introduced a further 5500 rainbows with another 5000 scheduled for this week! Large numbers of fish have been seen moving further down the arms which is great to see, Old Hall to Browns island and as far as Tim Appletons down the North Arm alluding to a good spread of fish to target in the coming weeks. Prospects look good with the water slowly cooling and fish certainly moving well in the upper layers, water clarity remains crystal clear.

Fish stocked - 1500