second day of the annual fair, held on the world

This is a specially designed fishing craft, produced by the Handicapped Anglers Trust, which provides easy access for wheelchair-bound anglers (instead of them having to be lifted in or out) and even enables them to handle the boat by themselves. A demonstration model of the Mk II Wheelyboat, to be named “Felicity”, is being launched at 10.00 a.m. on Sunday, May 19 – second day of the annual fair, held on the world-famed Chatsworth House estate near Bakewell, Derbyshire. The ceremony will be conducted by disabled angler Andy Beadsley, who first experienced fishing for trout at the age of 18, when he started studying for a certificate in gamekeeping at Hampshire College of Agriculture. Three months into the course, a motorcycle accident cost him the use of his legs. But the pleasure he is still able to get from the sport will be evident to everyone at the Chatsworth fair who sees him showing how to fish from the new Wheelyboat. Now married and working as an accountant for a Horsham company, Andy also qualified three years ago as a Salmon & Trout Association instructor. Rutland Water has continued to fish well and anglers have seen a steady number of over wintered fish. The best rainbow this week at 5lb 1oz fell to Iain Forbes of London. Browns are also featuring well with 175 recorded this week. The best two browns both went to season ticket holders. Terry Humphries of Barrowden took a 6lb specimen whilst boat fishing the main basin on a deeply fished lure. Al Ovenden of Wittering caught a splendid 5lb 5oz brown whilst competing in the RAF central league match. This was taken on a black buzzer fished on a bung from a boat off Barnsdale steep bank and helped him win his second competion of the season with eight fish for 17lb 8oz. (Al won the RAF bank match earlier in April) Best boat areas Normanton, Sykes Lane, fishing lodge frontage, Barnsdale, Dickensons, transformer, green bank and old hall. best bank areas old hall, green bank, yellowstones, the Mound, Barnsdale creek and cardiac hill Ravensthorpe Reservoir continues to provide top class fishing. Fish are running the shallows at the coten end, giving excellent sport to both boat and bank anglers alike. Regular bank man and season ticket holder, Mark Bradbury of Northampton fished “Gordons Seat” on Sunday and was rewarded with a cracking 12lb 4oz rainbow. Mark fished a size 14 black suspender buzzer to take this fish and nine others in a morning session. Fourteen year old Jason Carno from the Isle of Dogs (on only his second trout fishing expedition) caught six nice rainbows including a 5lb 4oz beauty. His dad Fred added a further eight fish to the bag. All fish came to a gold head damsel. Anglian Water Warden, Chris Allen, offers this advice when fishing Ravensthorpe. “Fish floating lines with long leaders at the top of the wind with size 12.14 black and green buzzer, damsels and hares ears and retrieve very, very slowly”. best boat areas cotton end shallows best bank areas cotton end natural bank Pitsford Water The second best rainbow of the season has fallen to Pitsford stalwart Terry Pancoust of Northampton. Terry used an intermediate shooting head with a Pitsford Pea to land the 8lb rainbow, off gorse bank, which is a very good spot for big fish this season. England Youth Secretary, Denis Footman of Kibworth decided to have a short evening nymph fishing off the bank and was rewarded with 4 lovely rainbows and returned another 4 to the water. Buzzers and bloodworm on a floating line were the successful method. As regular bank anglers are aware, the water level is rising quickly occasionally making fishing difficult. At these times Nathan, Anglian Waterís senior warden, says “find the banks with the deep water, and fish nymphs and lure on a floating line and as long a leader as you can manage”. best boat areas all of small half, may tree bank, gorse bank and stilton point best bank areas may tree bank, duffers reach to gorse bank, stone barn point and north farm bay Grafham Water has seen another good week of fishing and the cold weather hasnít put the fish off. Anglers are still reporting some great sport out of the wind especially in the shelter of the north shore. The preferred method is still floating lines with long leaders and a team of epoxy buzzers fished slowly round in the wind with either red or black buzzers doing the damage. However there are still plenty of over-wintered fish being caught throughout the whole of the water on all methods from fast sinkers with boobies to floaters with buzzers of nymphs. This was proven last week by regular boat angler Mick Irons of St. Neots, who took six quality rainbows from hedge end on a gold head damsel nymph and floating for a staggering 26lb 2oz, giving him the heaviest bag of the week. coarse fishing – Taverham Mill Fishery Taverham Lake. The lake is still fishing well for Carp despite a drop in temperatures. Season permit holder “Splash” Hardy from Yarmouth managed a trio of Mirrors to 16lb, a Common of 14lb and two Tench over 5lb. Liam Hirst from Sprowston had a surprise when his first fish of the session proved to be a 15lb 8oz catfish that was tempted by his tangerine and squid flavour boilie. Costessey Lakes Costessey No. 2 is still producing many quality Bream to 10lb to both day and night anglers.