Our annual photography

competition is back!

By Club Media Officer, James Nash

Killing fish with keepnets

By Club Committee Member, Hugh Miles

This is my personal opinion and I can live with being unpopular but I can’t sit back and ignore the way us anglers are killing the very creatures that we love to catch. Yes, by using keepnets we are killing our roach and yes, I know they are necessary in matches but surely they are not in the best interests of our precious fish when merely ‘pleasure’ fishing.

I was fishing the River Stour below Wimborne the other day and without exception, every angler had a net out and by holding roach in their nets all day were attracting hungry pike. No wonder they were getting bitten off as they tried to land their catches. The three anglers across the river from me each had pike waiting immediately below them and three fat pike of between 8 to 12lbs were quickly caught in each of those swims by a pike angler.

Worse still was the angler whose name won’t be mentioned - but you know who you are - had a good catch of about 20lbs of roach and dace, including one beauty which needed weighing. So instead of doing so quickly when he’d landed it, he waited until he packed up. After eight hours of fishing he pulled his whole catch up onto the bank, then spent at least a minute zeroing his digital scales with all the fish still on the bank gasping for breath, the ones at the bottom crushed by the weight of their shoal mates. The big roach only weighed 1/9, a good ‘un but an once or two wasn’t going to matter unless it was close to two pounds and distressingly, there was no consideration for the poor fish still up on the bank.

Pole fishing perfection

Fin-perfect roach

When tipped back, they would be tired and disoriented after their day in captivity and half dead from lack of oxygen and squashing, so the waiting pike just downstream would have had a feast when they were finally released. As if the cormorants aren’t bad enough, we are doing an even better job of reducing our precious stocks of beautiful roach each time we use nets. They lose lots of their protective scales in the nets too.

So I plead with you all to simply judge the success of your day by counting your catch and estimating the average weight of each one to give you an approximate total while saving lives. After all, the more times the float dips and you feel that satisfying clunk as you strike and the thump of a good roach is surely the most magical moment in river fishing.

The more fish we can keep alive to grow on is in our best interests. What’s more, those eight or so hours that a big one is captive in a net and not able to eat might make the difference between a 1lb15oz roach and that lifetime catch of two pounds! So please think about leaving your keepnets at home and allowing our fish to swim free - and alive!

Interview with Membership Secretary, Chris Crompton

By Club Media Officer, James Nash

''Next up from the Club’s committee is Membership Secretary, Chris Crompton. Chris, can you tell us a little bit more about your role as Membership Secretary and what that role involves? ''

''The role of Membership Secretary encompasses the administration of looking after new members, as well as annual renewals. Membership forms are cross-referenced with their respective Paypal payments and databased to facilitate the ongoing management of subscriptions. For those joining via local outlets, the records are transferred over to me to ensure accurate records of both are maintained.

The accurate record keeping is important, should a member have an enquiry regarding their membership or should the committee require any data.

I endeavour to ensure members receive their books and keys as fast as possible. We advise to allow up to two weeks from point of application, I’m usually able to provide these much sooner.''

''Which is your favourite Club venue and why?''

“I would have to say I have two favourite Club venues, Rawlsbury and Tricketts & Parsons. Both allow me to cast a fly, my favoured angling discipline. Tricketts and Parsons is fantastic for fly fishing, with trout, grayling and chub all possibilities on this stretch of the Stour.

Outside of these my go to venue’s are quiet chalk streams, very much my preferred destinations.''

''What’s been your highlight capture from a Club venue since you first joined?''

''It was approximately three years ago, I landed a 5lb 14oz chub from the Trickett's beat. It was a fantastic capture, caught using a grasshopper dry fly!''

''If you could go fishing with any angling personality, who would it be and why?''

''There’s several to be honest! Firstly, a session with Charles Jardine would be fantastic. He’s a well-known fly fisherman, artist and author. Sadly no longer with us, it would have been a pleasure to fish  with Jack Hargreaves OBE. Famed for his work on the ‘Out of Town’, ‘How’ and ‘Gone Fishing’ television programmes, Jack sadly died in 1994. Finally, it would have to be Ollie Kite, a former British Army Major. He co-hosted ‘A Country Boy’ with Jack Hargreaves and was also responsible for ‘Kite’s Country’ in the 60’s, also sadly passing away before his time, at the age of 48.''

''Tell us an interesting fact about yourself that we may not know!''

''Firstly, I’ve been a continuous member of WDAC for 56 years! I joined as a junior and have maintained my membership since, despite having been out of area on a number of occasions, mainly through work commitments.

Rewinding several years back now, it had been asked of the EA if barbel could be introduced into the Stour. At the time they had said no. It wasn’t much longer afterwards this rejected application that I was fishing the pool just below Julian’s bridge. Not too far from another angler who was spinning minnows, I was flabbergasted to watch him land two double figure barbel! On both occasions in quick succession, the barbel (two different fish incidentally) had attacked the bait, with both managing to foul hook themselves in the process. Two lengthy, drawn-out battles ensued, I assisted the gentleman concerned with netting both fish.''

Junior pages updated - Creekmoor Pond's now added

By Club Media Officer, James Nash

Now the weather is starting to warm up a little, now's a great time to add the next venue to the Junior pages. Creekmoor Ponds is now featured - a perfect venue to start off with if you've recently joined the Club or looking for a few bites.

Rob Hughes and Carl and Alex Smith have permitted us use of their video's on YouTube, be sure to check these out too.

2021 Members Questionnaire

By Club Media Officer, James Nash

In the absence of an AGM due to COVID, the Club questionnaire is designed to give you the opportunity to offer feedback (good and bad!) to the Club's committee.

It will only take a few minutes and we'll do a draw of all completed forms for a chance to win £25 to spend at Purbeck Angling.

The questionnaire will be emailed to all members soon, keep an eye out over the next few days.