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Pitsford Water, Northamptonshire Pitsford is my local water and definitely my favourite trout reservoir. It was opened for trout fishing in spring 1963. Its attractive setting and senic layout, with numerous bays and headlands within it's 750 acres, provide endless opportunities for new drifts or different bank fishing. As stated on its website it does have, sometimes disturbingly, clear water which at times can mean you need to lower the diameter of your leader to tempt the grown on fish. This can of course be a problem as Pitsford really does have some of the hardest fighting fish in the country. I know I am biased, as it is my local favourite, but the average fight of even the smaller rainbows seems harder. The fight, and condition, of the grown on overwintered Rainbows can be suprising to those new to the water. They are more akin to small grilse than the weak stock fish that you can find in some waters. Pitsford also holds some very big Brown Trout which when hooked always put up a most memorable fight and reel screaming runs. I have been 170 yards down my backing attached to a fry feeding Brown of c.10IBS down by the sailing club It took and tore off in the direction of the Dam wall with deep water and plenty of energy my waterworks reel was screaming!  Two Pitsford Fry Feeding Browns Early in th season the bank fishes well using both lures and more imitative presentations. The fish can be feeding on snails and often on the milder springs we are now having buzzer hatches from day one. No early fisher should be without a smallish green pea in his box and this fly tends to jostle with red or olive bloodworm patterns for the point position on my early trips. As the prolific fly hatches increase through the season and cause the fish to actively feed on the surface for much of the time which brings excellent dryfly and nymph sport. Black buzzers are very effective, at first, and olive buzzers are many anglers secret weapons as the water warms. The swallows and martins sweeping low over the water guide you into the areas with feeding fish. During early summer, when we have one, damsels begin to feature high up on the trout menu and this is a time which the "small half" (the water in front of the lodge) can be suprisingly productive and well worth a drift or two. I have never seen so many damsel nymphs migrating to the surface as i have in the small half of pitsford during a hatch in June. From late summer small daddylonglegs (craneflies) make an appearance and you can make good catches even in the middle of the main bowel on the surface with dry imitations. Late summer also sees the first trout turning onto the pin fry. To target these fish i use slimmly ties invictas and pearl thoraxed pheasant tail nymphs. As the weather cools in autumn the trout switch on to fry feeding and these leads truely amazing fishing days. When the trout herd the fry out into the main bowl, and with gulls marking the action, fishing a floating line and twitching booby zonkers or poopers bring heart stopping bow wave follows and sudden savage takes! The fight from these grown on fry feeders is impressive. These fry feeding fish can be targeted from the bank as well. The fish feed on the fry right into the banks around the weed beds, particularly if they are not disturbed, and can be picked off with stationary twitched fry imitations. Staying mobile and alert for the signs of fry feeding pays dividends. The gulls feeding and the trout jumping out and landing on their sides, stunning the fry are good markers. If you see a trout come out of the water in this way casting your floating fry imitation into the area he landed often brings a good take as the trout comes round to mop up the dazed or stunned fry.  Pitsford Rainbows Pitsford offers bank fishing through into the winter after the boats come off. This late bank fishing can be very good and if you locate the fish they are often shoaled up due to the lack of boat pressure. The fish are far more sociable, no waiting for the evening rise, with the period from mid morning to mid afternoon being the most productive as the fish respond to the days maximum temperatures and any sunlight warming the shallows. Not for the faint hearted fisher but having the whole reservoir basically to yourself , ideally on a classic cold clear winters morning with frost on the ground, makes a perfect winter fishing break. Pitsford lodge always offers plenty of up to date honest advice for fishing the water and, also, offers fly-fishing courses covering all aspects of trout fishing and a comprehensive tackle shop. Notable locations and drifts at Pitsford are as follows: Stone Barn Bay to the Causeway - Stone barn bay is excellent from the bank and the bank all the way down to the causeway is productive. When the wind allows the drifts from this bay to the causeway almost always provide some action. As you approach the causeway try to fish right the way in, until your flies are bouncing of the stonework, as the trout love patrolling along the causeway, including good numbers of very decent browns. Holly Tree to the Gravels - This section of bank is probably the most popular with bank anglers and consistently produces good numbers of fish. My favorite drifts are across the narrows here and the shallow water of the gravels has given me some awsome rainbows. Bog Bay and Stilton Point - Just across from the gravels Bog Bay and Stilton point offer good fishing and good access to the visiting angler. Washing line techniques work well in this bay and I find Stilton Point and excellent winter fishing spot particularly in a cold North to Northwesterly wind. Gorse Bank/the Cliffs - Another great spots! When the water level is high you have acess to deep water close in to the bank and it is an excellent place for deep nymphing. When using this tactic at the cliffs it is worth watching your flies as the come into the bank as concrete boulders here are held in place by thick wire mess and often the late take is your point fly catching the wire 10ft down and unlike a trout it never seems to come off. During periods of low levels going down onto the exposed lake bed here still gives you good access to deeper water and feeding trout. Brixworth Bay - Brixworth Bay is a large Bay which is made up of many little inlets and small bays which from the bank or by boat provide varied fishing. From the bank moving quickly trying casts here and there can qucikly result in you finding a small bay of feeding fish all to yourself. When the wind is right the drifts from the sailing club into Brixworth Bay are seriously productive. Valve Tower and Boils - The left hand end of the dam over the boils provides good fishing throughouth the year. in the summer during how water it can be full of boats as anglers try to catch the rainbows drawn into the boils for the upwelling food and higher oxygen content of the water. Inside of the boils to towards the bank it becomes shallow and this area produces goood hatches of fly life throughout the year. Standard buzzers, sedges and hear's ears can be deadly drifting or from the bank here. The Pines - The open high bank here provides good access to the bank angler and it pays dividends to fish down the whole bank, staying mobile helps to intercept the rainbows which moves along this shore. Rigby's Point - Just along from the pines a fence runs into the water and this is known as Rigby' Point which is, supposed, to be one of the best bank fishing spots at Pitsford. i say supposed as I ve never had a fish there from the bank but some of my friends have had good catches there. Wherever you fish Pitsford is both challenging and rewarding at the same time......Tightlines! Contact Information: Pitsford Fishing Lodge Brixworth Road Holcot Northampton NN6 9SJ Telephone 01604 781350 |
