Newsletter
December 2005
JUST A NOTE FROM YOUR SECRETARY. WINTER 2005.
SUMMER HAS GONE!
Before the start of the season and after one of the driest winters on record, low flows, algal blooms and Swan problems were predicted on our rivers this summer. The predictions came true and no substantial rainfall through spring and summer has further exacerbated the situation. After all this gloom and doom I am very pleased to report that the performance of our fisheries have exceed all expectations considering the conditions. Mother Nature seems to have ways of adjusting to just such a situation and the fish continued to come to the fly. (See the list of catch returns later in this newsletter). This is probably a short-term phenomenon and will not continue through to next season. We need several weeks of gentle rain or a big melting blanket of snow in the coming winter to attempt to replenish the aquifers.
The weed cuts had to be carried out most sensitively to maintain the diminishing levels through the season. This situation was not helped by flocks of juvenile swans marauding up and down certain areas of the catchment feeding on what precious ranunculus was left. This allows the levels to drop still further.
AGM 2006
The AGM is at the Cycling Club Salt Lane Salisbury at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 17th January.
It is a Voting Year.
There is a form at the back of this Newsletter for you to propose for election names for Chairman, Vice Chairmen, Hon Treasurer, Hon Press Secretary, Hon Match Secretary, and ten Committee Members. Nominations for office shall be by post, and must be received by the Secretary not less than fourteen days before the date of the AGM at which elections take place.
Rules regarding Nominations can be read in full in your yearbook on page 4.
Members propositions must also be in place with the Secretary not later than fourteen days before the AGM. If possible please make sure that these are received by the 3rd January 2006.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE MEMBERSHIP.
The Leominstead affair (it was closed temporarily) has demonstrated an instance where we needed to inform the Membership immediately of a situation. In future if you have access to the Internet we will post ‘Real time’ information on our Web Site and Forum. If not do not worry. The Information Line 01722 413556 will also carry any urgent information. This may prevent you from arriving at a fishery in future and finding it closed.
READ YOUR YEAR BOOK!
Club Rules are laid down in the Year Book. There is no excuse for breaking the rules!
Members have been found fishing after the close of the Trout Season on several of our Premium Fisheries!
THE WYLYE stayed up better than anticipated mainly due to the reduced abstraction by Wessex Water from the Chittern bore hole down from 16 million (16 Mega) litres a day at it’s peak last summer to just 2 million this year.
THE AVON has suffered from abstraction and the sewer outfall at Amesbury was seen to be releasing a cloudy liquid for a few days before things were brought under control. It was apparent that there was more algal growth downstream of the outfall hopefully no long term damage has been done. Low flows, unfortunately reduce the dilution of any pollutant making them potentially more damaging. Ratfyn and Amesbury are programmed to have phosphate strippers fitted, the sooner the better.
Anglers are the eyes of the Environment they see things happening at first hand as they happen. Please report any unusual occurrence to Environment Agency Pollution Hot Line detailed in your Year Book on page 29.
COMMON CARP RECORD SMASHED.
Mr S Shaw of Gillingham captured a magnificent Common Carp of 29lb 12 ozs at Steeple Langford in October. This record beats the former, which weighed 23lb.
Many specimen Carp have been caught this season. If you wish to claim a record you must abide by the procedure laid down in the Yearbook on page 28. You can view Mr Shaw’s catches at Steeple Langford on the web site’s gallery.
WEST AMESBURY FISHERY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME
Our fisheries are subject to constant review regarding their maintenance. The slow changes being experienced in the climate are changing the characteristics of all our southern rivers. Restoration projects help improve the riverine environment. Our own West Amesbury water has this September/October undergone the treatment. Upstream ‘V’ Groins to create favourable fish holding areas and Cover Logs as refuges have been positioned on the wading shallows below South Mill and below Ham Hatches. Hazel faggots and chestnut stakes have been also used to create bank side revetments, narrowing the river and diverting flows. Gravel cleaning was also selectively done. Since the recent rains the river has risen about six inches and the groins are working well, creating excellent fish holding areas. Next season will be the real test, hopefully after lots of water has flowed.
The next section to be improved for the angler and the fish will be the section downstream from Queensbury Bridge. It is an exceptionally good habitat for the Trout and Grayling but since the failure of the bank works of which a large proportion was washed away in 1996 it is not very angler friendly! We have hosted an advisory visit from an official of the Wild Trout Trust to plan the way forward, look for an update in the next Newsletter.
PARKING AT THE STAPLEFORD & DRUID FISHERY
We have been fortunate in obtaining parking for the Stapleford/Druids Fishery at the Pelican Inn at Stapleford. Please park in the left hand pub car park next to the River. The Landlord is called Lauri and he would be very pleased to see you come in (minus muddy boots!) for a ‘Pint and a pie’ as part of your visit to the fishery. They also offer comfortable accommodation for you long distance members. Phone 01722 790241 for information.
PARKING AT NADDER MEADOWS.
Thanks to a very understanding Manager at the ‘Woven Electronics’ company off Burcombe Lane at the complex of buildings known as Bulbridge Farm. We have a gentleman’s agreement to be able to park at the rear of Woven Electronics so that we may access the top of the Nadder Meadows Fishery. It is imperative that you do not cause any obstruction and you must display a S&DAC Windscreen Sticker. The Tally Board will remain at the Bulbridge entrance off South Street (refer to Map 10 in the Year Book). As with any fishery with a returns book and tally system, you are required to ‘sign in’ and sign out’ on every visit.
HELP
I have compiled a list of Members who have offered their services to the Club for working parties and other useful skills. If you feel that you are able to offer help in any way please let me know. We plan, in the coming year to conduct several maintenance exercises both on our Coarse Waters and Game.
In the next few months we will be talking at great length about the future possible projects on our rivers with officials from the EA, Wiltshire Wildlife and English Nature where there will be possible grants available to help finance restoration.
THE FUTURE GENERATION OF ANGLERS
After a successful first year, Richard Watson of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, in collaboration with John Slader of the S&TA. and Allan Frake of the Environment Agency are running basic coarse fishing courses for youngsters again next season. The 2 - 3 hour sessions will take place next summerinitially at the Langford Nature Reserve and then at Witherington Farm Coarse Fishery. The object of the exercise is to promote angling to young people and get them off the street corners and also way from their Sony Play Stations! The kids are nominated by various organisations around the Salisbury area with the idea of selecting those who would benefit most.
We are looking for some anglers with coarse fishing experience, who would not mind giving up a little timethrough the summer months to help out.
If you are interested and would to like to know more, please get in touch with the Secretary. We plan to have an introductory meeting next year for anyone interested in helping with what is after all, the future of Angling.
SUPPORT THE SALMON & TROUT ASSOCIATION
Angling is a solitary pastime, an opportunity to get away from it all. The last thing the majority of us want to do is to be involved with the political side of the sport; after all, we get enough of that in our daily lives, which is even more reason to find a quiet lake or river bank and attempt to enter a more peaceful world.
But the reality is that someone has to make a stand and speak up for our sport and argue the case for our rivers and stillwater fisheries. As anglers, we need to protect our future by safeguarding the aquatic environment, fish stocks and by the positive promotion of our sport - we owe it to future generations and ourselves. Lets be realistic, if we do not do it, no one else will act in our interest.
Did you know that much of the Avon catchment is designated in the Environment Agency’s Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS) consultation document as either “over abstracted” or “over licensed”? The impact of abstraction, coupled with a long period of lower than average rainfall, has placed immense pressure on the ecology of our local rivers.
The Salmon & Trout Association (S&TA) is the only game angling organisation representing your interests at the highest level – Government ministers, their departments and agencies – In fact, we represent all anglers and fisheries interests on no less than four DEFRA stakeholder groups, and we have a close working relationship with both the Environment Agency and English Nature. S&TA is the only group that has the opportunity to deliver an angling and fisheries influence to government policy over national and European water and environmental legislation, but it is expensive work and we need your input, both financial and numerical, to ensure we remain effective.
To those of you who are not members of the Association, we urge you to seriously consider becoming one. The only commitment we ask is the time to complete a membership application form* to join the Salmon & Trout Association. We will do the rest, and make sure your voice is heard where it matters.
Thank you to existing Salisbury & District Club members who are also members of S&TA; we are very grateful for your continued support. You are taking responsibility for the future of game angling and the aquatic environment – now we look to your colleagues to take theirs.
Paul Knight
Executive Director
Salmon & Trout Association
*Please download click here.
CATCH RETURNS
On some of our fisheries we are not able to position return books due to petty vandalism. The lead fishery is West Amesbury/Abbey Fishery. I asked for your catch returns for this fishery in a previous newsletter
CATCH RETURNS FOR OUR FISHERIES 2005
Fishery / Number / Trout / Trout / Trout / Grayling / Other / Total / Fish / 2004of Visits / Caught / Returned / Taken / Per Visit
Durnford / 2688 / 2574 / 1828 / 746 / 746 / 67 / 3510 / 1.31 / 1.59
L/Woodford / 565 / 534 / 454 / 80 / 320 / 31 / 885 / 1.54 / 1.47
Flight Pond / 212 / 258 / 0 / 258 / 0 / 3 / 261 / 1.22 / 0.96
Ratfyn Lake / 310 / 150 / 0 / 150 / 0 / 15 / 165 / 0.53 / 1.14
Ratfyn River / 329 / 329 / 183 / 146 / 148 / 2 / 479 / 1.45
Countess / 354 / 464 / 324 / 140 / 417 / 2 / 883 / 2.49
Stonehenge / 72 / 75 / 65 / 10 / 95 / 9 / 179 / 2.49
Leominstead / 561 / 1500 / 985 / 515 / 0 / 52 / 1552 / 2.77
Upper Bourne / 105 / 94 / 82 / 12 / 71 / 0 / 165 / 1.57 / 2.24
Abbey / 18 / 27 / 27 / 0 / 33 / 0 / 60 / 3.33
Hurdcott / 74 / 63 / 63 / 0 / 33 / 0 / 96 / 0.85 / 0.52
Tucking Mill / 143 / 295 / 180 / 115 / 0 / 7 / 362 / 2.1 / 4.63
Nadder mead / 75 / 101 / 86 / 15 / 74 / 11 / 186 / 1.8
North
Nadder mead / 54 / 62 / 39 / 23 / 10 / 9 / 81 / 1.5 / 1.2
South
Barford / 208 / 332 / 305 / 27 / 18 / 13 / 363 / 1.5
Longbridge / 43 / 5 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5 / 0.11
Bullbridge / 209 / 236 / 186 / 50 / 6 / 61 / 303 / 1.5 / 1.33
Stapleford / 886 / 1063 / 904 / 159 / 1135 / 4 / 2202 / 2.5 / 2.3
Wylye / 369 / 249 / 195 / 54 / 427 / 0 / 676 / 1.83
MEMBERSHIP.
We are now a truly international Club with members from Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, Guernsey and the USA. Many Associate members also come from the far reaches of the UK to fish our wonderful chalk streams.
We have had a very good season with around the usual 12% turnover due to members not renewing for one reason or another. The Membership Numbers stand as follows:
Game Full (GF) 319. Game Associate (GA) 866. Game Senior (GS) 150
Game Junior (GJ) 24 Game Life (GL) 48 Coarse Junior (CJ) 41
Coarse Full (CF) 243 Coarse Associate CA) 106 Coarse Senior (CS) 29