DECEMBER LAKES REPORT

Hello fellow game fishers, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I trust you have all enjoyed the festive season and are looking forward in the New Year to a refreshing day out on the club’s waters. Whether it be at one of our work parties or a day’s fishing I firmly believe that our venues at WZ and Rawlsbury have much to offer.

WINTERBOURNE ZELSTON

The clarity of the water at WZ is always a pleasure for many of us because of the sight fishing it affords us. Yet this can be a double-edged sword as this may have accounted for many of our smaller fish being predated by cormorants. If you do see any please ensure that you inform me or report the sighting on our website. Mike Hirsh our chairman has had some very cold mornings trying to down a few, unfortunately because the lake does not have any place where you have decent cover this has proved difficult. The droppings on the west platform indicate they are there all too often. There is a broom in the hut for cleaning down our jetties if you see much of the detritus as I wouldn’t want anyone to slip over. Incidentally, if you do have a gun-licence please let Mike know and we will endeavour to write to Natural England to put your name on the Club’s licence.

The Christmas period has meant that just a few have fished, some of your responses are set out below.

• Challenging day today. Lots of fish moving but not committed to taking flies. A few follows and timid takes but took a long time to catch bag limit. Both 3lb and very strong fighters for their size.

• A pleasant winters morning yesterday although the lake was very quiet, hardly any bird life apart from a pair of swans. The water very clear and never saw any fish close in, most activity was a good cast out. I fished small nymphs and dries but no success.

• Arrived late in the morning. Very grey and dismal but with only a light wind which made a change. Despite various choice offerings no response until after about 3pm when the trout took pity on us and decided to play ball. I blame Pavlov, bloody Russians! Nothing taken and all around the 3 lb mark.

• I managed to winkle out two fish today, 4lbs 8oz and 4lbs, very cold but great fun, caught on a very small black lure……hooked and lost a couple on a Muddler Minnow too, lots of fish boiled at it without taking, very exciting.

• Pleasant couple of hours this morning with a 4lb and 7lb coming to the net. Red and orange being the fly colours of choice.

Don’t forget if you can let me have a report of your fishing day, I am only too pleased to include it in my newsletter.

MEMBERSHIP BOOK.

The following is an extract from our latest website update which I can refer you to for a more detailed description of the changes to our membership book. However, relevant to all of us is the following,

‘Trout lakes will be fished with barbless or micro-barbed hooks only on all lakes from January 2025 and there is a consequential change to the membership book 2025 at Rule 2 of Rules on Trout Lakes. This is a matter essentially of welfare and safety for humans, fish and wildfowl and was agreed by the Committee at its December meeting.’

Now I know this to be a contentious issue but I reckon most of us already use barbless hooks and as long as we ensure a tight line with a strong leader the fishing will be all the more challenging and enjoyable for us in 2025.

All that remains is to wish you all the very best for the coming year and to assure you that we will always endeavour to provide a well-maintained safe fishing environment now and in the future.

Happy New Year.

Paul.