There was a focus on junior activities in July and August this year to coincide with the long summer holidays. Amongst the activities organised were the Junior match series, the Junior Prize Match and the ever popular Coaching Day run by the Environment Agency (EA) Fisheries Division.
Everyone caught fish on the EA Coaching Day
The pond was made available to the Environment Agency (EA) for a Coaching Day on Saturday 4th July. The Fisheries Division provided many coaches to help juniors (and their parents) who were new to fishing or who want to improve their fishing technique. There was a caravan display stand where anyone interested signed up for a coaching session. Lots of information was available about fishing in general and in the area. Everyone who took part enjoyed themselves, and everyone caught fish under the expert guidance of their coach. There were some good fish amongst the catches.
The Hannon family had a very successful coaching session and became "hooked". They have now joined the club as keen young anglers.
Abundant wildlife activity
The opening of the fishing season did not seem to perturb the local wildlife. The coots and morehens quite happily swam around the anglers fishing bays with their newly hatched broods. As well as the usual birds, the grey wagtail was also very much in evidence collecting food to take back to its young. I wonder if it was using the wagtail nestbox we put up last year? There was also the irridescent flash of blue as the kingfisher made its rounds. An attempted smash and grab raid was witnessed when the heron crashed in through the willow saplings in an attempt to take a coot chick from a nest. Despite the vaste difference in size the parent coots drove off the heron by flying straight at it. The heron attempted this three times in succession but was eventually driven off empty handed (or should that be empty beaked). Once evening arrives the bats appear flying over the anglers' heads. I think they are taking advantage of the swarms of midges and mosqitoes which form over any angler fishing on into the dusk. Hopefully they are making use during daylight hours of the summer roost boxes, also put up last year.
September & October activities
The Silver Fish match is on 6th Sep from 8:30 to 12:00. In this match only silver fish eg bream, roach, rudd, count, carp are not weighed in. The new Match Series starts in September. Match Series 1 is on 20th September from 8:30 to 13:00 and the second match follows on 4th October also from 8:30 to 13:00. On 18th October from 8:30 to 13:00 is the Martin Eustace match. This is held in memory of one of the club's former chairmen, who sadly died at a young age.
Joining the Club
If you are interested in joining the club please contact our membership secretary Cathy Naylor on 01489-890086, or contact our chairman Roland Palmer (after 6pm) on 01489-894063 for an application form. Membership is open to anyone who lives or works in Bishops Waltham, and there are also spaces for a number of associate members who live outside the parish.