Rutland Emigree

Thanks to all for that. Would the Fulling Mill Gold fit in a suitcase? I also like the look of the March Brown Hidden Water series, anyone used one of these? So far the contenders are the Orvis Frequent Flier, the Fulling Mill Gold or Travel, or the March Brown Hidden Water. As a separate issue: could I get away with fishing larger rivers (have only fished still water thus far) with a 7 weight, or would I need to step down? Thank again.

Hi Folks Can anyone recommend a good travel fly rod, or a good travel fly rod review site? I'm hoping to get something sub £100, but could stretch a little further (say up to £150) if the difference is really worth it. Most of my normal gear is around the 7/8 weight, so I was hoping to get something to match this so I didn't have to buy a new reel, line, etc. The thing is, I'm not sure if this tackle will be too heavy for what I want. It's a long story, but I'm going to be going out to Poland a fair bit (am getting hitched there this summer), and I've heard that they have some great fishing in some of the rivers and lakes. So was hoping to have a rod that I could fit in my suitcase, in case I get a day or two free to fish! Have had a look around, and this is the best selection I've found so far: http://www.fly-fishing-tackle.co.uk/acatal...l_Fly_Rods.html But no idea which one to choose. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I used to fish Rutland a fair bit. It's by far my favourite water. Nearly 100% of my fishing is from boat, so my comments reflect this. I should think fishing from the bank involves quite different tactics. Like anywhere, Rutland can vary enormously from week-to-week, day-to-day, though in August, especially when it's hot and bright, the fish can, but won't necessarily, hold quite deep. A good set up for any time of the year is to fish an orange booby on the point with a buzzer and diawl bach on droppers. Fish this setup on different lines, from fast-sink to intermediate with different retrieves ranging from a really slow figure of eight to a fast strip (but with the latter retrieve, you're only likely to catch on the booby) until you locate fish, and keep a mental note of the depth and fly. Spoon the first fish you catch, even if it's on the booby, and you'll get a good sense of what to fish with next. Look at where other people are fishing, and if they're catching. The key in Rutland is knowing where fish are likely to be -- it's a *huge* water, and can take a long time to motor from one arm to another, so get as much info as you can before you go about where's been fishing well. Check out the regular fishing reports from the Anglian Water website, these are often very detailed. See here: http://www.anglianwaterleisure.co.uk/index...amp;parentid=47 Here you'll also find an archive of reports from last year, including August. Above all, when you get there, talk to people in the tackle shop. The staff at Rutland are first-rate, knowledgeable and friendly. They'll give you up to the minute advice which will, no doubt, be far more useful than any general advice. There's also a blackboard outside the shop which gives an overview of weather and fishing conditions, best flies, best areas, etc. One other thing, notwithstanding my comments above about fish possibly holding deep in August, in my experience, Rutland doesn't always follow the normal rules of how weather affects fishing. I've fished there in flat calm, in scorching hot weather, and have found fish right on the surface taking tiny buzzers and nymphs, when one might expect them to be deep. I've had days when I've bagged up within a matter of a couple of hours under what might be considered nightmare conditions, and I'm no expert fly fisher. There's an abundance of insect life at Rutland, and I've caught by far the bulk of my fish on small stuff -- buzzers, grhe, diawl bachs, ptns, etc. When I first started fishing there I felt inclined to use the biggest fly in the box, given the size of the water. But that's not usually the best strategy. I've also found that when fishing anything that imitates insect life, fishing *slow* is usually the best way to go. Also, somewhat frustratingly, often the last half hour of fishing is the best. In August, you may see an evening rise, where you'll not be able to catch unless you have exactly the right dry fly with the right presentation. Last of all, Rutland fish fight incredibly hard and fast. I wouldn't fish anything under 8lb leader. The tackle shop recommend a minimum of 10lb. My best ever fish at Rutland was a 6lb brown taken, somewhat appropriately, off Brown's Island on a tube fly retrieved very fast. It went like a rocket, and flat refused to surface for a good five-ten minutes. It was one gorgeous fish -- and was my one and only moment of fame via a mention in the Rutland fishing report! It also got me a Troutmasters badge! I'm pretty sure that Rutland don't stock fish larger that 2lbs, so if you do hook into a large fish, you can be assured that it's one that's grown on, and about as close to a wild monster trout as you'll get in this country... Hope this is all useful, good luck and let us know how you get on.

Thanks for that. Sounds like a similar deal to Grafham. It probably makes a lot of difference if you know where the fish are likely to be under certain kinds of conditions at specific times, the sort of knowledge that only comes from having fished there a good few times. It's got to be Bewl as the next big day out... Anyone know where there are fishing reports from Bewl?

Hi Mitch Check out: http://www.sexyloops.com/flycasting/contents.shtml This is an excellent site, particularly for casting. If you scroll down the page, you'll see a 'movie section' which has got some great stuff in it. But also read the rest of the page, it's some of the best advice I ever read.

So last weekend I finally got a chance to go fishing. It's a long story, but I ended up at Grafham water. It took me about 1hr 30 mins from Ealing, sticking to all the speed limits of course! Actually started fishing by 11, and, wow, it was touggggh! I guess it was bound to happen after me harping on about how easy I found it at Syon Park. It was three hours before my first fish, on an orange blob. Completely blindsided me, I was looking to start another drift after the next cast and then, smash -- it went, and went, and went, turned out to be about 3 1/2 lb, it was a sleek over-wintered rainbow powerhouse that ripped my arm off, took an eternity to calm down, my heart was racing until I'd finally netted one beautiful fish. Then about another three hours later I got a nice take on a team of buzzers, a similar fish by the feel of it, but lost it after about five seconds. Nothing again for a further two hours, and then bang, another overwintered job, this time around the 3 lb mark, took a grhe on the point; got the fish to the boat and then, to my dismay, realised I'd made the schoolboy error of tying my top dropper and point fly too far apart! Now, I wanted this fish -- it had been a long time coming. I don't know how, but with a fully stretched arm and rod pushed skywards in one hand and an extended net in the other, I just managed to direct the fish's final charge into the net and scooped it out into the boat. And that was it -- I carried on fishing until 8.30 at which point the fish really starting moving to these small tan surface flies (any ideas?) but couldn't seem to get a take on any of my matching approximations. Through the course of the day I think I tried pretty well everything -- different depths, different flies, different retrieves, different combinations, everything. So I went from four fish in around half an hour at Syon to two fish after around 9 hours! It was the first time I fished Grafham, I think a bit more local knowledge could have made a hell of a difference. Got back to the jetty and it looked like others had faired considerably better than myself. Next stop either Bewl or Haliford Mere... Hopefully I'll get something between these two extremes! But hey, at least I didn't blank! And the fish that I did hook into gave me a hell of a run for my money.

I thought about Bewl some time back. Have just looked on Multimap, it reckons it should take about 1hr 30 mins to get there from Ealing. I could live with that. But it will have to be for a full day out, not a half day, or after work-sesh. Have you fished there? What's it like?? It looks big enough on the map, and most of the time, I only used 'half' of Rutland (South Arm and Main Basin) so it would not be far off an equivalent size. Just checked the website too, it looks amazing. Any pointers on tactics? Similar to Rutland -- i.e. fish on the move with a drogue at different depths until fish are located?

Thanks a million for all the help and adive. Would love to give Rib Valley a try. Have not had a chance to go since Syon. But hope to this weekend or the next. Will report back!

Thanks for all the replies. Will definitely check out Rib Valley lakes, that looks like a good option, as does Frensham. Feels like summer already, and I'll bet there's soon going to be some action on dries. Might have a go at Haliford Mere this weekend, will check back and let you know how I got on if I do -- bet I blank after doing so well at Syon!

Lol, sounds like that could even out the odds! :D

Looks like you were right on both counts. I have to admit, when I read that 'bit too easy' bit, I was secretly pleased! Great, I thought, going to catch some fish then! And how: had bagged up in no time. There's no C & R there, so I ended up half hoping the last fish would come off so I could fish a bit longer! The place must be stocked to the hilt. I saw fish moving more or less constantly. Looked like a buzzer hatch, and after one cast, I was able to confirm it as such. But it was all over very quickly, and hard to avoid the feeling that I couldn't miss. Maybe I just went on a very productive day? Am not really complaining, and would have been disappointed if I'd blanked, but just felt like the challenge was missing a bit. It was lot of money: best part of 40 quid for a four fish ticket. The fish were in OK condition, the fins were in place, but after Rutland trout, they looked like fat bloaters, and they were a bit sluggish. Like I say, I guess I've been spoiled living in Leicester, and I shouldn't expect more from a small lake. Still, I enjoyed the day out, and will definitely go back. Nice to feel the pull of a fish after such a long break. The fishery weighing room is plastered with pictures of double-figured monsters. I can well believe it! Though all of my four fish were (only!) around the 3lb mark, I saw some bigger fish moving (but they didn't get a look in!). The aircraft noise didn't bug me, and wasn't anywhere near as bad as I remember from when I last visited the area. I think perhaps this would be a good 'after work' fishery, particularly when fish are on the top of the water. Can imagine fishing a late evening rise in early summer after a tough day at the office! Still, I'm left longing for a big water, I guess Bewl is the nearest place. Oh, I say right on both counts, because you were also right about the cold. It was bloody freezing. Thermals made little difference. The forecast was for a SW breeze of up to 8mph. It felt like an Easterly gale! I must be getting old!

Thanks for the heads up! Well, I have a day off today, going to give it a go. Will wear thermals!

Thanks to both of you. Will check out Syon and Halliford Mere...

Hi All Have just moved to London from Leicester, where I was spoilt for choice in terms of fly fishing venues. I'm now based in Ealing, near the bottom of the M4. Am willing to drive, but wanted some advice on where I could fly fish near by. I'm used to stillwater fly fishing. I used to fish regularly at Rutland, Eyebrook, and Thornton reservoirs. Used to be a great way of winding down on a weekend. Have been searching the net for 'Fly fishing near London', and have just got a load of commercial rubbish. The only real possibility I've found so far is a fishery at Syon Park, just down the road in Brentford. Haven't tried it yet, but drove to the car park of the Garden Centre next to it and, at least when I was there, it was incredibly noisy. Plane after plane bound for Heathrow flying overhead, didn't seem to make for a relaxing day out. But maybe I went at the wrong time of day? I know where I live the planes are noisier at some times over others... Is Syon Park any good? Are there any larger waters/reservoirs near (i.e. within about an hour of West London) by? I'd love to try some river fishing, but would have to buy a load of new kit I think, and wouldn't know where to start in terms of tactics. My gear is limited, and probably too heavy (7/8 rod) for fishing for small brown trout on rivers, but maybe this is the way to go if it's in relatively easy reach from London. I guess I'm still a bit of novice, started fly fishing about five years ago. But I got to know places like Rutland well, and used to do pretty well there. I now really miss it. The price of living in London! Can anyone help?