John Wadham has stepped down as president of the Rutland Water Fly Fishers

It's the end of an era at Rutland Water Fly Fishers after long-serving president John Wadham decided to step down from the helm.

Wadham has been a club official for more than 40 years and admitted it had been a difficult decision to end his reign as president.

However, he feels that he leaves the Rutland Water based club in safe hands with Chris Evans now taking over the president duties.

Wadham said: "The decision to step down was taken after much soul-searching.

"I have served in various offices including secretary, briefly chairman, secretary again and president over a period of 40-odd years.

Throughout this period, I have been supported by a hard-working committee.

"If we have achieved nothing else in the field, we have always been able to maintain a very good liaison with our hosts, Anglian Water, throughout the history of the club's attachment to the reservoir.

"I am certain that I am not deserting a sinking ship. Thanks to our excellent committee, this club is now well above the waves and, thanks to our treasurer, is prospering financially."

Wadham was one of three members of the club's committee to retire along with Peter Gover and John Lee at the club's annual meeting.

Evans was elected as president with Christiaan Smit and Steve Calver joining the existing committee of Paul Wild, Tim Lawson, Francis Noon, Simon Pepper and Graham Measures.

The new president said: "I would like to say a huge thank you to John Wadham and Peter Gover for their monumental contribution to the club over their many decades of service.

"They have held various roles and their enthusiasm and commitment to the club has made it the success it is today.

"I feel honoured to be asked to be the president of RWFF as I am passionate about fly fishing and want to see it grow so that future generations can enjoy all the extraordinary experiences we have had in the many special locations it takes us.

"I started fly fishing on the River Tawe, which runs through the Swansea Valley, when I was 11-years-old, catching my first trout about a year later, on an Iron Blue Dun.

"I remember reading about Rutland in the Trout Fisherman magazine in the early eighties and thinking how fantastic it would be to fish there but how far away it seemed at the time.

"I didn’t imagine I would be fishing Rutland on a weekly basis and have the opportunity to be in one of the best known fishing clubs in the country, let alone be the president someday.

"I was very pleased to see the club membership grow since last year and this is being reflected in the great attendance we are having at the winter programme events.

"We want to provide a club that helps us all enjoy our fishing at Rutland to the max.

"While following John in this role is a little daunting, I am excited and will do my best to support the club to grow and provide the best experience it can for our membership."

The club is again competing in the 2024 Shrimpmasters season which got underway last month at Grafham Water.

Wild tried several spots on the north shore and was rewarded with the best fish of the day, a magnificent rainbow of 5lb 11oz taken on the snake.

Neil Squires found a quiet spot on the north shore and managed to take four fish on shrimps while James Stuart also managed four on snakes from the north shore.