Welcome to Alresford Angling Association

 

      Waterside News     

October 2024

 

 Here we are at the start of October,with daytime temperatures dropping and heavy rains topping up the lakes.Nights are drawing in and it will be at the end of this month that the clocks go back (Spring forward,Fall back).

 September's matches have nearly all been successfully completed,with the exception of the Police away match that could not be fished due to lack of an available water. The Police home match was fished on Worcester lake which AAA won, with Steve Sibbons coming out as overall winner. The first of the month's OAP matches was staged on Cox Lake with Ged Spurgeon winning with a weight of 126lb 7oz. Entrants were reminded about maximum net weights and the need for 4 Keepnets available on this venue. The first of the Autumn matches was held on the Abbey lake with Ged Spurgeon again coming out on top. There were good catches of Roach and Rudd with some coming out over the pound mark despite the water level being down due to crop irigation. The next OAP match was held on Bramley lake and was won by Dave Pilsworth. There was a good selection of fish caught including Tench,Bream and Crucians, but with Rudd unusually being absent on some swims.The last match of the month was another OAP match held on the Abbey lake with John Popkin coming first with a large Eel tipping the scales in his favour. Catches this time were down on the previous match held there.

 One piece of devastating news for September was the sudden death of Adrian Robbins. Adrian had fished the OAP match on Wednesday 25th September and died suddenly on the 27th.Our sympathy's go out to his family and friends for their sad loss.It is intended to hold a minutes silence at the commencement of the match on Cox Lake on Sunday 6th October.  

 Adrian was an excellent angler who honed his skills on the Paxman match scene during the 70's and was a thoughtful and technically gifted fisherman.He had a dabble for several years in the "dark arts" of Carp fishing, often having long sessions on Ardleigh Reservoir. He had been a member of AAA for  while until a chance conversation led him to rejoining AAA  for the last few years,where he quickly and successfully rejoined the match scene which was his first love, and also met up with several of the friends he had fished with at Paxman's who form a significant part of AAA' match scene​.He loved the challenge and the competitive  elements of our sport, and finally he regarded our waters as the best he had ever fished and caught some wonderful bags of fish. So I guess it's some consolation that he enjoyed what were tragically his final years on our waters indulging in his love of match fishing in the company of good friends.

   Paul Barrell, Hon. Chairman

 

 Over the last few months there has been several mentions regarding fish-care and the minimum equipment required to catch, land and release fish safely and carefully back to the water.It would also seem that some members take no personal responsibility for this and require the committee to lay out in verbatim all the items to be carried for a days fishing. Although as a Committee, we organise the collection of fees,are resposible for the payment of lake rental and repayment costs, manage the restocking of lakes,record and manage the club's finances along with financial audits, organising the management and implementation of maintenance to the lakes,liaise with the Environment Agency and other environmental bodies.We would expect members to offer some input, a major proportion do,and take heed of the club rules and personally expand on them to ensure that the club's waters, stock and surroundings are in the best of conditions. We have, as a committee, tried to keep all members informed of the issues arising within the club and to answer any queries or problems that members have in a polite and efficient, positive way, hence the monthly news letter and contact names and addresses of the Committee. At no time has this club or Committee had any involvement with Facebook as a means of passing on information to its members.We are fully aware that there are some fish in our lakes,predominately Carp,that have severe mouth damage. This is not the Committee's fault,it is down to individual anglers who use rigs that cannot shed the lead when a line breaks causing the fish to be tethered, returning fish back to the water without the treating damage with antiseptic,haul fish through weed rather than let them swim out. The list can go on, but most anglers think of how best to catch and return.We have as a club tried not to bog down members with a rule book the size of War and Peace, but if members use the excuse that if it is not in the club rules then it doesn't matter, that is what you will get.To display photographs of fish with damaged mouths as a finger pointing excercise only plays into the groups who want to class angling as a blood sport and ban it. The injured fish are still feeding and thriving and other than removing them from the water and dispatching them, nothing more can be done other than to prevent other fish being damaged by educating and passing on updated methods to you as members. Could all anglers please start to carry some form of antiseptic wound treatment with them. "PROPOLIS" is one cheap and effective one, it is made from Beeswax extract and is very effective as an allround treatment and can even be used on your own cuts and grazes, NGT also do a cheap spray type dressing. There is enough negativety around at this moment in time and we as a club would certainly welcome any positive input on how to improve or better Alresford Angling Assocition and if we are doing something wrong supply the solution not just point a finger.  

 As was mentioned,there is now a seperate set of rules regarding Pike fishing on Alresford Lake. There will a closed fishing period from 15th March until 15th October where there will be no dead-baiting or fishing with lures in this lake during these dates for Pike.Any Perch fishing between these dates will be by baited single hook only. Dependant on the weather, the season may finish earlier or start later. The completed rules are on the Constitution and Bye-Laws page in this web-site or within the Clubmate site under the same heading and notices on both lake gates.Please ensure you have the appropriate equipment to catch,land,unhook and return the fish safely to the water.

 It is with great relief that Cinnamon the Capybara, that escaped from an Animal Sanctuary in Shropshire, has been recaptured. It would have been another menace that could have found its way into our lakes along with the Otters and Beavers that are apparently swimming freely in our waters.Mind you, a couple of trained Capybaras could help resolve the weed and reed issues in some of the lakes and let the maintenance crew have an easier winter.

 Angling Trust have an Angling Improvement Fund open for controlling invasive species and biological security.If we could pin down the local Nature Recovery Strategy Team for a date of their promised visit we could apply with some substantial support, but "if" is a very big word at the moment. 

 Lake maintenance starts in earnest from this month onwards and any spare hands are always welcome. Wednesdays at the Orchard complex starting at 8:00hrs until 11:00hrs weather permitting and at Alresford Lake on Thursdays from 08:30hrs until 11:30hrs. If you intend on helping please wear warm clothing and sturdy outdoor shoes or boots with good gripping soles.Most of the tasks are gardening on a larger scale and you will not be expected to overexert yourselves.

 The electricity company has been over to the Orchard to inspect the power cable support poles and depending on their findings may need to return to effect repairs.

 It was during this month on 21st October 1805,that Admiral Nelson was killed by a French musketball and on the 22nd October 1957 Captain Pugwash first set sail on the Black Pig and was televised on the BBC. Those of you who were old enough to remember the first animated series will know that in this day and age of political correctness, several of the crew would not be allowed to sail.The whaling ship Essex was sunk by a large Sperm Whale in 1820 in the Pacific Ocean and Herman Melville had his book called Moby Dick published this month in 1851 so there is still a chance of catching the books namesake this month before the weather turns too cold.

​​                 As always,stay safe,enjoy your fishing and look out for one another

   Tight Lines to you all.

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