Saturday 25th February 2012 – Pre-season get together at Bawdeswell Village Hall - 12 noon to 3pm.  Richard Slaughter will be giving fly tying instruction and there will be a chance to ‘have a go’.  Refreshments will be provided. Please ring David Brooks on 01603 715431 if you wish to attend.

Thursday May 10th 2012 - Club day out at Elinor Trout Fishery. Contact Roger Gibbons 0n 01362 858315 or e mail on rgibbons06@aol.com for more details and if you wish to come along.

Sunday 27th May 2012- Presidents Cup. Further details later.

Sunday 8th July 2012 – Club BBQ. Further details later.

Sunday 23rd September 2012 – Frank Wright memorial match. Further details later.

Sunday 4th November 2012 – Club AGM. Further details later.

Roger Gibbons – 22.01.12

Membership Application

Replies please to Membership Secretary:

Mr S Harvey, 42 The Street, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5BL

Tel: 01603 881243

e-mail: sh@marshallweb.co.uk

The ice has cleared from the lake at long last and, fortunately, the water itself remains clear and in good order. It seems amazing that in 11 days time, on 1st March,  we will be able to ‘wet our lines again’ as a new season starts. It does not seem long ago that all trout fishing finished end October and we had  nearly a six month wait before we could start again. Oh the joys of triploid trout and how they have revolutionised our sport!!! All for the better I must add!

Based on past seasons and provided the water remains clear early season fishing should be fairly predictable and straightforward. All the normal ‘early season patterns’ such as black and green tadpoles; cats whiskers; viva; marabou tailed damsels; black buzzers; hares ear; diawl bach et al should all work fished on the density line that fishes at the depth the trout are feeding. Often, even in cold weather, our fish are in the top 4 foot of water so normally floating or intermediate lines should suffice. However I cannot stress enough how important it is to find the fish and fish at the right depth to get the best from our water. If others are catching round you and you are not do try to fish at different depths either by increasing weight of fly; using longer leader or different density line. If nobody is catching round you do move.  Trout, particularly early season, are notorious for shoaling up and unless you are on the fish you will not catch. Keep your eyes open for those catching and ask the regulars if you are new to the water.  There are few rewards for fishing barren water while others 100 yards or so away are catching. We all like a fish or two under our belt, particularlyearly season, and standing in one spot not catching can prove somewhat soul destroying- particularly if it is cold!!! So do move if you are not catching and remember ‘depth is often the key’!

Fishing report for period  16th January to season end 31st January 2012:-

‘Fortune favours the brave’, or so the saying goes, and this was definitely the case in the last two weeks of our Lake Season.  Inevitably members visits were few, bearing in mind the vagaries of our weather, but those who fished and managed to locate the trout were rewarded with some very respectable bags of good condition, silvered up, winter rainbows. Our intrepid lady angler, Val Khambatta, recorded a dozen fish in her last two visits and Tom Boulton, Alan Davis, Stuart Goldsmith, Al Valori and Bill Bailey all reported respectable bags of fish. This augments well for our 2012 season starting on 1st March as indications are that there should be a good few overwintered fish showing up during the new season.

Reflecting on our 2011 season it was indeed a season of good and bad fishing. March, April and May were super months with fish in or on the top almost all the while from mid April. June was harder, albeit rewarding,  for those who liked very challenging fishing but once the water temperature reached 60F+ from July between then and mid  September was very difficult indeed. It proved once again that when our Lake temperature reaches this level our fish just do not want to feed and stocking during these periods of warm water temperatures is just a waste of time, and indeed money, as few trout are taken. The end of September saw water temperatures dropping and stocking  continued and October to the end of season offered at times, and in the right location, some really good autumn and winter fishing for those members who were  happy to ‘brave the elements’ that winter fishing threw at them!

We finished our season with 7300 trout caught out of the 9775 stocked giving us a return of  75%. This is a very satisfactory catch rate bearing in mind the poor fishing over the summer months. (Best we have ever had is 82%)  and also bearing in mind that the last month of our season has shown there to be a small head of overwintered fish still remaining to be caught. Our best fish caught was just on 6lbs with the average over the season being about 1.75lbs.  

A lot of work has been carried out at the Fishery over the winter in cutting back and lopping willows etc; both on the Lake and River and thanks to the super attendance at the Working Party (36 members) a very significant amount of this has been burnt and banks cleared.

Many thanks to our Working Gang who continue to make our lake ‘such a lovely place to fish’ and to all members who have contributed in any way whatsoever to the running of our Club. Your involvement, hard work and efforts are much appreciated by us all.

The new trout fishing season starts on 1st March and the Lake is closed to all fishing until then. Members however, who enjoy a bit of coarse fishing,  can continue to have a go at the Roach; Chub and Dace in the river until March 14th when the Close Season starts.

We look forward to seeing members old and new when the new season starts. Don’t forget our pre-season social for members on 25th February at Bawdeswell Village Hall, 12noon to 3pm with fly tying instruction and light refreshments all free of charge. ( pay your own bar provided for those who like a drop of alcohol). Please ring David Brooks on 01603 715431 if you would like to come along.

Roger Gibbons  – 1st February 2012

Many, many thanks to all 36 of our members who attended our working party today. The major task of burning lots of bankside clearance was completed by 11am and members retired to the club hut for a well earned coffee/tea and sandwich. Many thanks to Andrew for his pyrotechnic organisational skills on the day and to Fred who provided the super sandwiches. Again grateful thanks to all of you who supported the Club on getting this very necessary task completed.

Roger Gibbons – 22.1.12

 After two successful and enjoyable trips to Eyebrook this year no further fishing trips are booked at present. However we are planning some for 2012 – details available later.