October Newsletter 2003

Shaun's Report (Fishery Manager)

At last, a break in the weather. Sorry to put a damper on the Indian Summer but I’m sure the summer has been long enough for all you fishermen.

The Fishery has had a good month now to recover from the effects of the best summer for many years. The fish are now settled in the lakes as well as the stews and feeding freely all over the fishery. Bag limits are now achievable and the Fishery as a whole is a lot busier than late August.

Patterns working well are still natural Nymphs, Damsels Montana but with tails to look a touch lure-like.

G H Daddy probably the most successful pattern in September. Remember weekdays are normally fine to just turn up to fish without booking. However we normally experience busier weekends when the days become shorter especially after the clocks go back. Booking at weekends is a good idea. We will give priority to members who only book though.

While I hope I’ve got your attention early in this newsletter, may I warn you of the risk you run without having a valid National rod licence. I hope to think all members have one. We had our first visit for around 2/3 years this weekend. Fortunately no offenders for them. Don’t think you’re safe for another 2/3 years, they have stepped up their campaign this year, or so we have been told. You have been warned, whether it’s here or any other Fishery!

G K Weekend Results
A well supported event even after the effects on the fishing over the long summer. Many caught fish on all lakes and cascades, still not easy catching 4 fish for everyone in the space of a morning’s fishing

Saturday’s winners:
Best bag: M Abbott 10lb 9oz
Best fish: R Knight 3lb 4oz

Sunday winners:
Best bag: K Winchester 7lb 15oz
Best fish: B Le Masurier 3lb 7oz

Well done to all winners over the two days, and outright winner Malcolm Abbott of the Green King Trophy. Thanks to all who supported and I hope all enjoyed our sponsored beer by Greene King for £1 per pint.

Raffle Winners: Greene King raffle winners of £50 on club card were Alf Clack (no.44) and Frank Young (no.32). Well done, come and collect your cash on your club cards. Club raised £35 for club funds. Thanks to all members.

Catch and Release
Your voucher has been enclosed in this month’s letter. Please don’t abuse this privilege. Still at this time of the year there is a risk. I’m sure this will run okay but please only hand in your voucher as this is the correct procedure – no voucher, no catch and release.

Fishery For Sale Confusion
In June’s edition of Trout and Salmon we, in good faith, placed our advertisement for the Fishery. Eager to see our advertisement we were deeply concerned at the placement of the advert within the magazine. Around our advert were other Fisheries for sale and the main heading of Property Watch. Our concerns were soon proved as phone calls from one or two members asking if the Fishery was for sale.

To cut a long story short and to assure all fears we asked Trout and Salmon magazine to run the advert again in October’s issue at no cost to ourselves with also a public apology. The advert as you can see had no mention of the Fishery sale but purely the location in the magazine gave the misconception. A copy is enclosed in this newsletter. With the summer that we have experienced, the concerns generated to both the members and corporate clients has given a lot of work at a most unfortunate time of year.

Forthcoming Events

Big Fish Weekend
A few spots left on all days, please contact me at short notice to confirm availability or post your cheques and booking sheets ASAP.

Singles Knockout
All entries to be in by 14th November!!
Enter as a member for a random draw to allow fellow members to fish against each other. Entry fee is £5. All entry fees go towards prize pool. Your committee will draw the round stages at the meeting in due course. The entries will be posted on the notice board and issued in the newsletter. You will be given a calendar month to fish each round. All members must organise their matches. Phone numbers will be available. The Fishery will oversee the result at the weigh in. Each round will cost a 2 fish ticket (£19) this is to be booked in by the members with the Fishery. Each match will be a four hour duration. Best brace weight will win through, no fixed pegs, you will fish where you want (not the stews!). All Fishery rules will apply. A good competition to win giving a competitive edge to winter fishing.

Pairs Knockout – 15th and 16th Nov 8am start
As explained by your Club Secretary we have chosen to run this event as a qualifying competition on the 15th and 16th November. This will allow easy selection for round stages in December where a draw after November’s qualifying will take place. Pair up with a fellow member. Top weights will go through. Weekend qualifying will be a brace ticket each - £19 + £10 entry fee per each pair. Please send in your booking sheets by 14th November with your payment and state which day is required. A fun competitive competition to create a social atmosphere. The round stages will be run the same as the singles. A calendar month for each round, £19 each competitor, match arranged with Fishery and weigh in, four hour duration, fish where you like, best weight wins through. All rules will be posted on the members’ notice board along with the round stage draw.

Early Starts
6am for anyone who feels like it. This time of year not as critical. It works the other way for fish, they wait till it warms up! Remember to park at the top of the lake before 8am. No parking by the Lodge before 8am, a few have been noticed!

With a lot to look forward to for members in our winter programme, a good excuse to get fishing at a most rewarding time of year. Many still under the misconception summer months are better, winter is now the best time of year for serious fishermen. Wrap up warm and catch fish freely and easily!

See you all soon.

Shaun
Fishery Manager

Secretary’s Report

Autumn is now upon us, some cold nights and the odd frost has improved conditions dramatically and the sport is getting better day by day. Some welcome rain has also helped although a little more would not go amiss. If past history is anything to go by you can probably bet that the Sunday of the Big Fish weekend will bring on the monsoon.

Congratulations to Malcolm Abbott for taking the trophy at the Greene King weekend. It was pleasing to see good support for this event despite the fact that it was held during the tail end of the long warm spell resulting in a number of us entering the one fish ticket club! Still beer at £1 a pint eased the pain.

As I write our boys are in training for the return match against Springwood. Our thanks to those who answered the call to arms and will represent Coltsford Mill. An interesting match is expected as we trail by less than two pounds from the away leg (a result that was subject of lengthy post match analysis in the bar). However I am sure the Goldenballs of fishing will come through and use home advantage to full effect.

A change in format this year for the annual pairs event. Your power crazed committee are taking on the role of EUFA and instead of a straight knockout we will be holding a fish off over the weekend in November with the relevant number of top bags from each day going through to the knockout phase which will start in December. We have come to this decision in recognition of the fact that it has proven to be extremely difficult to get four people to agree on a date to fish their match resulting in deadlines overrunning and – in football parlance – fixture congestion.

Entry forms are attached and the format remains two fish each on separately purchased tickets. The entry fee remains £5 per person. Can you please return your entries to Shaun by the end of the month.

You will be pleased to know that no changes are proposed to the singles. “Thank God” cry a bewildered membership!

Good fishing to you all.

G Mutch
Hon. Secretary