JANUARY LAKES REPORT

Hello fellow game fishers and Happy New Year!

 

Your news update follows:-

 

Winterbourne Zelston.

 

A lot of rain has caused the track into WZ to be very muddy and difficult to negotiate at times. So, thanks to Mervyn and his machines we have been able to use the surplus stone in the paddock to upgrade the access and the result is a great improvement.

 

Also, I have organised a weed boat to cut the weed in the lake as this year we have already had profuse growth. This was to have been carried out last Friday but our contractor had a problem with his vehicle, so hopefully very soon.

March 12th AGM

 

On Tuesday the 12th March we will be holding our Annual General meeting for the Trout section where I will revue 2023 and how it has performed in relation to past years. This is an ideal forum for discussion about what improvements we

are planning in the coming year. If you wish to raise any issues about your membership, then please send me you views prior to the meeting so that I can include them on the Agenda.

 

MARCH 1st Rawlsbury.

 

The opening of Rawlsbury will commence on the 1st March and I will give you notice beforehand if there are any difficulties of access as the track down to Chapmans can be very soft early on in the year. All being well it should be fine. Can I remind you to sign in at the farm as usual as this is part of our lease condition..

Also please take note that on Saturday the 9th March Rawlsbury will be closed to members for the day as we are hosting a charity event for the Poole & Wimborne Fly fishing Club.

 

MAY OPEN DAY?

 

In previous years we have organised a public open day for beginners and newcomers in order to introduce the art and skills associated with Fly Fishing. This year I am canvassing opinion to change this approach to one that is more flexible to newcomers and beginners needs and provide casting tuition and advice as and when required.

On the other hand, if you feel we should stay with the current approach I will need your response and suggestions for anyone wishing to be included on the day. In order to organise this we need to number about 20 to make the day worthwhile.

 

The month has been a relatively quiet one however, some of your reports are included as follows:-

 

• I went to WZ today arriving about 1330. I was hoping for a rerun of my visit about a month ago when the floodwaters were streaming in and the

 

• fish were taking readily in the stream.

Surprisingly the fields were quite dry and the pipe empty and no stream.

Nevertheless I had a lot of action to my white Apache fished mainly from

 

the right-hand platform by the pipe and ended up catching two rainbows at 5.4 and 5 pounds. They both fought well taking me to my backing and are as usual in excellent condition.

 

• They, very sensibly, started on a small bug moved slowly and did very well, very quickly. I started on a small bug fished static and did no good at all. Until I moved it slowly. When I did well very quickly!! (And provided amusement for the expectant spectators who enjoyed themselves hugely at my expense) Fish went like the hammers despite being “only2 about 2 lb. Fought like demons

 

• You know the song "Oh what a beautiful morning" Well I"ve just had one! Water flowing over the bank again, fished the flow like a river, swinging a small lure don & across, two casts two fish! Decided to slow thing up, so fished a size 14 corixae off the disabled jetty, an had a beautu of 4lb 6ox. My other two went about a kilo each, a good New Years start! By the way Happy New year,.

 

• The weather was not bad and neither was the sport. We caught using small lures and grey Wulff’s, as a few fish were showing on top. Not bad for early January! We both caught out 2 fish limit averaging 4Ib.

 

• I did take the water temperature, which was 5 off the disabled jetty, and 6 on the right-hand bank, so one was approaching shutdown temp. Bitterly cold east wind, and I think that was cooling the surface, and taking the cold water down, because the place is rarely that cold. One would have needed to have got a booby on a sinking line right out into the deep in the middle to have got anywhere. On the weed was too shallow.

 

ANGLING TRUST

 

This is just a reminder to you all to have a look at the Angling Trust website. They are releasing the first annual Water Quality Monitoring Network (WQMN) report to the media.  This report is a significant milestone in our Anglers Against Pollution campaign and is a testament to all the dedication and hard work of all our volunteer citizen scientist anglers - yourselves.

 

The findings in the report are crucial and shed light on the alarming state of our rivers. In our area we test the river Stour and contribute to the findings on a monthly basis.

 

Key highlights include:

 

• 83% of rivers monitored failed phosphate standards for good ecological status in at least one test.

• 44% of site averages for phosphate failed the standard for good ecological status.

 

All the best,

 

Tight lines,

 

Paul.

 

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DESIGNED BY  J NASH