Hi All

Totally new to both fly fishing and internet forums. Other than a begginers course on casting etc I have never fly fished (or really fished). However now have kit etc and intend to spend tomorrow at Pitsford on the bank in the rain.

Can anyone provide upto date advise on where to fish, with what and at what depth?

Any clues would be appreciated.

Try the fishing reports here: Pitsford Report.

However, it's always best to ask at the lodge before you start. They have up to date information on the board in the lobby as well.

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Brian

I've not been to Pitsford, but having only been fly fishing twice so far (I did a course in Aug), I just wanted to say "all the best mate". From my experience so far; enjoy the day, dont get down when you see other anglers plucking fish from the water left right and centre, and accept the fact there's a lot to learn (and dont worry if you dont catch anything.. I've only caught a tiddly pike so far).

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

-Si

Pitsford is fishing relatively hard at the moment. The fish are there but you have to work to catch them. Best bit of advice i can give is if you are fishing from the bank then keep on the move. Dont spend much longer than 10 mins in a spot if you havent had a sign of a trout. I have been fishing it a fair bit this week and most of the fish i have caught have come first cast in a new spot. Fly wise, minkies, hares ears and daiwl bachs have all been good. Lastly dont be too scared to fish right next to the weed as this is where the trout have been. Find the weed beds and you will find the fish.

First, welcome to the forum and good luck with your new sport/hobby! Your life could be ruined.....

I've only been fly fishing 2 and a bit years and cannot go enough; it is a great sport with helpful nice people participating in it, as you will find. Never be shy to ask; 99 pct want to impart info and advice.

Pitsford will be very daunting, as I found. Up in that area much less scary is Ringstead Grange and Elinor; privately owned fisheries but very good, and also Ravensthorpe; another Anglia Water, but nowhere as big as Pitsford.
I don't suppose you'll see this post until you get back, so hope it's gone well, and if you don't catch, enjoy all the other wildlfe above water!

Regards,
Del

I too hope you have a good day but even as a comparatively experienced angler I would not expect much success off the bank at a big reservoir without very recent information on fish location.

On waters like Pitsford or Grafham, location is 80% of the battle and it is very tough on foot to be mobile enough to get a chance at fish without very upto date info. That is why I tend to fish drifting boats on these waters, so you can cover a lot of water in a short space of time.

Del is spot on that Ravensthorpe (although not much bank access), Elinor or Ringstead, give you much more likelihood of covering fish most of the time.

For an absolute beginner, I would also recommend Manor Farm in Biggleswade at 5 acres as a good place to start - easy banks, well stocked and tends to fish well through the winter.

I am looking out of the window as I write this and it's pouring so I hope today does not temper your enthusiasm.

Let us know if we can help you further.

Charlie

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Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Thank you all for responding and your words of advice.

Well I went through with Pitsford largely because having had a days training there, I could get a beginners ticket for £7 for the day - which to me was really casting practice with a chane of catching something. Which I think is excellent value, and certainly kept me amused for a whole day.

I took the advice an stayed light and mobile, the biggest impact was the wind in the afternoon reallly restricted where I could actually cast. However during the day I mananged a significant improvement in my casting (less false casts and greater distance). This was largely due to the advice of a Pits season ticket holder who taught me to use the role cast into the overhead false casting.

In terms of fish, after about an hour of fishing the line went tight but it was not the hit that I had been warned of. I pulled in a small pike about 18" long. That was the total of my catch. However not too disappointed as five other bank anglers (all season tickets) totally blanked for the day (didn't even get a pike). One of them had a boat on Thursday and blanked then as well, which he said he had never before failed to catch from the boat. They were all saying it was tough at present, so not too dis hartening.

This is not to say the fish are not there, saw numerouse signs of fish and a lovely large trout was jumping clear of the water, about twice the distance I can cast of the gravels (very frustrating).

Rightly or wrongly I fished the following:-

Brown trout fry imitation around the weed beds (took the pike)
Green fritzel
Black knat
Green booby (on the surface above weeds - is this right? weed was quite shallow)
Black cats whiskers

All at various depts and locations.

I'm sure over the week I have see a catch report from Pitsford with lots of people catching lots of fish. (I hope so anyway, as so long as other are catching i have a chance).

I will be returning to Pits in the near future, Like the idea of a boat but would really want to go with someone who can teach boat ettiquette - seen the thread on here and do not want to annoy anyone.

I think I will try Elinor, Ringstead and thers during the Pitsford close season as they are still open then.

Thanks again for your help and I sure I will be in touch again.

Hi Loopylines,

I'm a regular at pitsford (season ticket holder) and also fish Elinor quite a bit through the winter. Feel free to send me a private message when you know when you're next going out and i'll happily meet you and give you some pointers. It really isn't easy getting started and remember how hard it was for me.

Cheers