I recently read an article about fishing Northampton Style for trout on resevoirs, in it they use a control drift rudder : this assists fishing deep downwind , anyone any idea where I may purchase one ?, when I use search engine I get aeronautical sites,

Do speak on the phone to Steve Parton , he will give you good help on the method as well as sell you the rudder!
01159463572
http://www.spartonfly.co.uk/Boat_Gear/boat_gear.html
go right to the bottom of the page, not cheap though!

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Andy Wren
Winter grayling taking a year off !
Claret not just a great dubbing colour!

Steve will also sell you his book on reservoir boat fishing techniques. It's worth having.

And for no extra charge he will personally sign your copy.

The only other thing to be aware of is that Northampton Style is really a big (as in BIG, Rutland or Grafham style) water method, because you need a good long drift each time. Pitsford or Draycote would probably be just about the smallest reservoirs where you could productively use Northampton Style.

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

Thank you for your responses, I shall be getting in touch with Steve Parton, I shall be trying the method on Lower Lough Erne, this is quite a big water so lenght of drift is not a problem.

It's just as easy to strap the oars down in the rowlocks (with the blades in the water vertically) this will keep the boat straight and let you fish the swing or arc...Northampton style..

All you need is some bungee cords and the oars supplied with the boat...

Just remember to lift the oars onto the side of the boat at the end of the drift (turning with the oars in the water will snap them)

same principle and cheaper !

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Mock me, vilify me, but don’t ignore me!

I fish this style on Draycote whenever I fish it, although its nowhere near as often as my pal who fishes like that most weeks there. We don't bother with a rudder though, just a free broadside drift, which is ideal me being right handed and him left handed. I think I'm right in saying that Northampton style really just means out and swinging behind, usually deep with big lures. A rudder isn't essential but can help in certain situations and enables a faster bow-first or angled drift. But we catch plenty without using one. Good description of its origins in TC Iven's classic book Stillwater Fly Fishing.

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A brilliant 6 part article on fishing Northampton style, by Steve Parton may be found on the following link - Menu on left for parts 2 - 6.

http://www.sexyloops.com/sparton/northamptonstyle.shtml

I've used this style over many years for large Browns, Rainbows and Pike. Works very well, but you have to put in the effort to learn to use the style effectively.

Read and learn ..... Tony

To Rob, Jef and Lakefisher thank you for your comments , I enjoyed sexyloops articles, good food for thought , appears to have been a tad controversial over the years, but then I generally find that when anything is new and it works it allways comes in for critism from some quarters. I will be trying it on the big brownies on the the large Irish Loughs.