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14th March 2024 Members Meeting

1. The owner started the meeting with a personal statement about now being able to undertake much more maintenance work in the week due to now only working 2 days a week in paid employment.
2. The owner reconfirmed that Bainton Fisheries continued to be licensed by Natural England for the control of Cormorants and Greylag Geese. The former was for fish stock predation and damage and the latter was for water quality issues. The strategy is very much to harass these birds to not attend the fishery so that they eventually become very nervous of people and cars as they associate them with shotgun use.
3. The other main threat to the fishery continued to be otters. This was exasperated by the otter fence being leveraged open during the autumn of 2023 in a consistent pattern. It was pulled so hard it caused the wire to snap in some cases. It is unlikely that this is an animal and is a human trying to create access points into the fishery. An electric fence was installed along the areas where external public access was greatest along Maxey Cut and the Kings Street and the damage now seems to have stopped. Small juvenile otters were able to access the fishery during this period, but it would appear that they have probably left us or are keeping a very low profile. A gap of 7cm is all that is required for a juvenile otter to squeeze under a gate or through a wire. The situation is actively monitored by trail cams, no fence is 100% and the winter river flooding has meant that otters have been trying extra hard to break into the fishery all winter. A wooden ramp to easily exit the fishery from inside the fishery is in place along with a firewall gate on the main track to prevent a large area being available should an incursion occur. History would dictate that once spring arrives otters usually return to rivers, to breed and feed on normal river levels. But there is always another winter and always more otters.
4. The fishery had also been supporting the work of the Waterlife Recovery Trust, who are trying to eradicate the American Mink from the UK. So far 6 mink had been trapped and since 2nd January 2024 no more have been seen. Mink do predate quite heavily on the fishery, they do eat a lot of rodents, including the endangered water vole but also do kill a lot of waterfowl. It is hoped that native species such as the weasel which is also present on site will now expand to prevent any rat problems.
5. Ticket type was an item that had been requested to be discussed, there was a request for the membership to consider a Winter ticket. The assumption that this was for primarily pike fishing and would run from 1st November until the 14th March. After much discussion it was felt that a winter ticket would be hard to bailiff, members would have keys all year tempting access outside of the winter, it would allow an upgrade to a full ticket during renewal time and therefore become another route to gain membership via the back door. The pike anglers felt that increasing the number of pike anglers would not benefit the pike fishing for them or the fish. In conclusion there was no support for the proposal and as it has been discussed now for two years running without agreement, it would now stand as a decision not to be revisited in the foreseeable future.
6. Sleeper tickets were discussed, the owner confirm that 13 tickets had been issued and that approximately half of those expect to return to a full ticket in 2024/25. These tickets must take priority over sponsored new members should vacancies arise. Sleeper tickets would be kept for 2024/5 as so far it seems to be working well.
7. The new online process for renewing and joining the fishery was reported to be working well with very few issues from members, it had reduced the post and stationary costs by about £500 a year and the new ID cards helped bailiffing enormously. There had also been no reported concerns of non-members gaining access to the fishery via permit sharing. It would be kept for 2024/5.
8. There had been a request to look at the inconsistency between a dawn til dusk ticket versus the sunrise / sunset time the fishery uses. It would appear that they are two entirely different things and that the permit is sold on the basis of dawn til dusk. Until recently this has always been if its too dark to set up and pack up without using a torch, you should not be at the fishery. However to define a precise time that members can enter and leave the fishery this is now defined via this web link using the Civil twilight begins (Dawn) and Civil twilight end (dusk).
9. The owner had wanted to discuss drones, partly because some drone use had been reported to the owner, for which Bainton Fisheries has no rules. The status had always been drones would be tolerated unless it becomes a problem. However there are now recent control mechanisms that have come into place into close vicinity of what is called Critical National Infrastructure, of which Bainton Fisheries has plenty; namely power lines and railway tracks. The owner had looked at the Civil Aviation Authority code of conduct, and also the National grid, Network Rail policy on the matter plus had contacted RAF Wittering. In conclusion it would appear that 50m seems to be the distance between a drone and critical national infrastructure permitted. RAF Wittering confirmed that they performed no low level flights in the area but they also stated that National Grid does fly low level helicopter flights along the power lines and they had to avoid these lines. The MOD felt that this should be a matter of concern the fishery should seek to address. CAA guidance also states that drones should not fly closer to people than 50m. In summary it is difficult to find areas that drones can operate in and before drones start to become a common place addition to fishing tools it is better for the membership to consider the future of drones. The membership concluded that drones used by anglers would not be permitted and the rules changed to reflect that.
10. Notification of fish spawning was also raised, it was clarified that it was for the owner to decide to close a lake and for how long and that spawning was not an exact science as carp in particular appeared to spawn many times in different groups. In summary if spawning was taking place pack up and leave them to it, there are other lakes to fish and it usually only lasts a few weeks across the fishery. If you see spawning message the owner.
11. The trees that are at risk of falling onto the fishery onto the L shape lake are now entering it’s sixth year of discussion with National Grid. In January 2024 a small arborist team attended to the worst branches over the fishery and felled a few trees. They are awaiting a felling license from the Forestry Commission to take more drastic action so that trees are either felled or pollarded within the falling range of the dyke and track alongside the L shape South bank. It is hoped that during 2024 this work will take place and it will require the track alongside the South bank of the L Shape to be closed on occasions to anglers due to the risk of a tree being felled in a Northerly direction. The closures will be notified via Facebook, but if you hear chainsaws check with the arborists or the owner if you have not seen a message. In the short term if winds are forecast gust to over 40mph and in a Southerly or Westerly direction the L Shape south bank will be closed during this period of high wind. Anglers planning to fish this bank should check the weather beforehand to avoid being asked to leave for their own safety.
12. The condition of the main track was discussed between the L shape and Orchid. It had been mainly underwater since the new year and that meant the surface layer of pea gravel was very susceptible to damage. On the 22nd and 23rd February 2024 the EA requested access to the fishery so a 15 tonne digger with tree shears could remove willow trees from Maxey Cut. The trees in Maxey Cut had not been maintained by the EA and now there was a big risk of flooding due to the buildup of debris in flood conditions. Access was initially refused due to the damage it would cause the track but with assurances from the EA that they would reinstate the track under the Water Resources Act of 1991 they could issue notice they were coming in anyway. The track surface was loosened and with EA van traffic and returning angler traffic as water levels subsided the track started to break up. What was a few small potholes and puddles has deteriorated to such a state that the track is beyond potholing and needs to be re-laid. This is an active discussion now with the EA over what is a “fair and reasonable” restoration.
13. The cost of permits for 2024/25 would only reflect inflationary costs for the fishery. Costs will be as follows. 24 Hours Ticket £630, Dawn til Dusk Ticket £355, Sleeper Permit remains at £100, Non Fishing Permit £25.00. Keys for new members will remain at a £50 deposit, refundable upon surrender.
14. The fishery will invite members to renew their ticket via email only. This email will be sent at 9am on the 1st April 2024. Members have until the 30th April 2024 to renew. That email will also contain a link to invite other potential anglers to join the fishery via a referral process.
    Therefore the process is as follows:-
    a. Existing members can elect to renew their permit and permit type, in 2024/25. If an angler wishes a break from the fishery for 12 months they can buy a sleeper ticket, they must however renew the following year or leave the fishery.
    b. Once members have renewed and the known number of spare permits is known then the owner will have the opportunity to have referred anglers applications considered.
    c. Once referred members have been accommodated with any spare tickets then open applications will then be allowed.
15. The owner stated that the last padlock change was 2023, there were no plans to change the pattern in 2024, if keys after persistent chasing were not being retuned then in 2025 they would be. The cost of changing 21 padlock barrels and over 200 keys is over £3,000, which ultimately adds to permit prices.
16. The meeting closed at 10.30pm.

1st March 2023 Members Meeting

The meeting started at 8pm, 37 members in attendance at the Tallington Leisure Park Bar.

The owner started the meeting with a personal statement on now being able to undertake much more maintenance work in the week due to now only working 3 days a week in paid employment.

There was a discussion about pike welfare and the season for fishing for them. In 2022 a 1st November start date had been introduced due to milder autumns, but it was proposed that 31st March was too late to be fishing for pike as milder Springs meant they were likely to spawn Mid-March at the latest. There had also been reports of night fishing for Pike whilst sleeping on site, which was a practice which could lead to a delay in hooking a fish. There was also a discussion about whether there should be a general pike only/Winter ticket introduced. After much debate it was felt that aligning the end date for pike fishing to the rivers, i.e. 14th March would be a sensible compromise and that night fishing for pike would not be allowed. There was not any positive support for a Pike only ticket, so members felt that things should be left as they were.

The owner confirmed that Bainton Fisheries was licensed by Natural England for the control of Cormorants and Greylag Geese. The former was for fish stock predation and damage and the latter was for water quality issues. As large numbers of geese produce a huge amount of manure during the spring leading to algal blooms and the potential for Dissolved Oxygen crashes. The strategy was very much to harass these birds to not attend the fishery so that they are eventually become very nervous of people and cars as they associate them with shotgun use. The other main threat to the fishery was Otters which are very prevalent in the Maxey Cut. The otter fence does offer a significant level of protection but members should be vigilant for damage to the fence as even a small gap the size of a fist, could allow access. Members should be particularly aware of opening and shutting gates, as there had been incidents in the last year of gates not being fully engaged on the hasp, padlock flaps being left propped open and gates kicked open causing damage to the mesh at the bottom of gates. There is also deliberate vandalism to the cranks along the public footpath which is a regular occurrence. The quicker that any threats are identified and privately reported to the owner the better to safeguard the fishery.

The next item to be discussed was anglers who had the potential to catch large carp but were not fishing for them. This meant that they were ill prepared to handle these old and valuable fish on the bank leading to potential damage of the fish. It was felt that as a rule, 42inch landing nets, large weigh slings, unhooking cradles/cribs and fish care liquid treatment (e.g. Propolis) should be mandated for the new season and the rules should reflect this agreement.

The owner wanted to check with the membership whether the current options for a non-fishing, dawn til dusk fishing and 24 hour fishing permit was still the correct type of ticket the fishery should offer. Other fisheries offer selected lakes only, winter tickets, pike tickets etc. It was felt that this had worked for over 20 years and was easy to bailiff. There should be no change in ticket type, but there was a debate over who exactly had non-fishing tickets.

The owner stated that there were currently 66 non-fishing tickets held, about a dozen tickets were held by partners of anglers and a few locals who walked the fishery on a regular basis. The vast majority were “sleeper” tickets, belonging to ex-members who for £24 could get a renewal each year and then opt to return to fishing the complex. The owner also stated that the number of “sleeper” tickets was increasing each year and was effectively becoming a waiting list. The reality was that soon no new members were likely to get onto the fishery as the increasing number of “sleepers” would consume all of the vacated tickets.

It was felt that the owner should attempt to differentiate between non-fishing tickets and “sleeper” tickets and that “sleepers” should only have 12 months to take a rest from the fishery. Furthermore, members with non-fishing tickets would not have the right to upgrade to a fishing ticket to prevent future queue jumping. A figure of £100 to become a “sleeper” was proposed which would only last for one year, after which the ticket holder would have to buy a fishing ticket or cease becoming a member. A “sleeper” ticket is only allowed as an option from an existing permit, not for a new referral or new open application.

The owner wanted to confirm if the current arrangements for joining the fishery were still relevant and in the context of the prior discussion and talked about the convoluted joining process. There also was no formal waiting list which potential new members were always seeking to join. After much discussion the membership felt that the current arrangements ensured that the risk to the fishery of unknown anglers and their associated reputation or behavior was something that should be kept.

Therefore the process is as follows:-

1. Existing members can elect to renew their permit and permit type, in 2023/24 non fishing members will have the opportunity to stay as a non-fishing permit or buy a 12 month limited “sleeper” ticket.
2. Once members have not renewed and the known number of permits available is known and the owner has accommodated the process in stage 1. Then members who have been referred will have the opportunity to have their application considered.
3. Once referred members have been accommodated with any spare tickets then open applications will then be allowed.

The owner stated that he was very keen to move to an online only renewal and application process, which would remove the cost of two lots of stamps and stationary and a vast amount of collation and printing. This would also give the opportunity to introduce photo ID to the membership ticket. It was acknowledged that a few existing members would struggle with this process and that the owner or other members would support them to adjust to the process and not exclude them. The reliability of Royal Mail in the last few years has also been causing problems with on average a 2% loss of mail causing problems during renewal time. The existing handbook and dashboard card, would be replaced by a single membership pass which must be displayed when on site. The introduction of the photo ID would allow easier bailiffing and prevent key and permit sharing. Renewals would be sent via Email only on the 1st April, due to production time of tailored membership passes this would require an earlier renewal deadline of 30th April 2023. Advance warning of this process and the importance of a correct email address will be shared via Facebook and WhatsApp beforehand.

The owner stated that the last padlock and key change was 2017 and that there were now approximately 50 keys that had not been returned in the last 5 years. This was probably due to the lack of incentive due to the cost of the key deposit. Due to the large number of keys outstanding a return to the owner. The membership agreed that it was about time to change all padlock barrels and keys and that the cost of this exercise would ultimately be borne by the membership. Going forward to incentivise the return of keys, all new keys issued would have a deposit of £50 now placed on new members which would also compensate for the padlock/key pattern change to some extent.

The owner highlighted some rules that had not been followed or where no rule existed new rules needed to be considered. These were as follows:-

• Fish movement (except for bait), it is not allowed, but some carp have been moved and some even moved back. This must stop and will result in a permanent exclusion from the fishery for anyone found undertaking such an action without prior agreement from the owner.
• Multi hooked baiting rigs (excluding pike fishing). The rules have never explicitly banned this, but it was now necessary as rigs with multiple hooks on were being used.
• Rule 5 about braid diameter is related to pike fishing, this should be separated out to cover all fishing. Therefore braid must be a minimum of 0.35mm in diameter which is equivalent to 15lb monofilament.
• Dawn to dusk fishing, the owner had previously tolerated the vacating of swims by dawn to dusk anglers but permitted them to stay on site overnight in designated spots. This rule was now being breached, some anglers were not packing up and were effectively enjoying the benefits of a 24 hour ticket without paying for it. The membership felt that it was difficult to police for the owner and bailiffs and therefore the simplest thing to do was to withdraw this facility from the 16th June 2023. Dawn and Dusk was also open to interpretation by anglers. The owner has decided that anglers that have a dawn til dusk permit must use the Sunrise and Sunset times as determined by the BBC Weather Website (for Helpston) as arrival and departure times.
• Rule 21, allows anglers to occupy a swim for 7 days, there is no rule about vacating the lake nor the fishery. The problem that was occasionally occurring was that some swims seemed to be permanently occupied and this was very frustrating for weekend anglers. The membership discussed reducing this to a 72 hours rule, but it was felt that a significant number of retired anglers or holidaying angler enjoyed the benefit of a longer stay on occasions. Without a clear majority in favour of any one solution the owner felt it was better to leave it at 7 days, but extend the rule to the whole fishery, with no return for 24 hours. This change would be monitored during 23/24 to see if it has any impact. The owner also urged anglers that had the luxury of fishing during the week to consider weekend anglers as well. There was a suggestion to introduce weekday and weekend tickets, but it was felt that this was not necessary and made a complicated ticketing process even more complicated and harder to bailiff.
• Rule 25, six hours allowed to leave site rule – the membership felt this was excessive, it was agreed to reduce it to three hours.

Maintenance for the fishery was discussed, the owner highlighted that there would be some tree removal work in the coming weeks once a felling license had been obtained from the Forestry Commission.  The plan was to thin out some more willow trees along the North Bank of the Back pit, remove a willow tree from the Old Stock Pond, remove a couple of trees along the South Bank of the L Shape which were slowly falling over into the lake and remove 5 black poplar trees which were growing along the Maxey Cut bank of the Orchid pit.

From the floor.

Members also suggested other repair work, some swims made from sleepers were needing repair, tracks along the L shape and Orchid needed hard coring.

It was also suggested that it could be useful to introduce a “firewall” gate between the Orchid and Big Pit. That could be closed if there ever was an Otter intrusion. Limiting the freedom to move in a large area.

The owner said he would investigate and see what could be done on these matters.

A discussion was held about the North Bank of the L Shape, alongside the public footpath where there is no vehicle track. There has never been an explicit rule about fishing along this bank as the owner has always felt that common sense would prevail to prevent anglers fishing both sides at the same time. However due to disputes between anglers on this section of the fishery it is best to withdraw fishing access along this pedestrian only bank.

Comments were also made that an angler continues to leave large amounts of cigarette butts when they fish, there is a rule that covers littering but members should understand that cigarette butts are not excluded from this rule and must be taken home along with all other material brought on site.

Accidental angling hazards, e.g. Snagged Fish and Crack offs. This are infrequent but members should bring to members attention the incident has happened and also seek to rectify the problem. Posting on the members Facebook group will also make people aware of the hazard and the rectification that the member is attempting to resolved the problem, i.e. taking a boat out. The view was that these things happen, it’s better to be open and transparent and try to fix the issue.

Costs for 2023/24. These had not been calculated yet by the owner and was dependent on some quotation for work that needed to take place. But as a point of principle tickets would only increase by the amount necessary, likely to be mid £300s for dawn to dusk and low £600s for 24 hour ticket.

The meeting closed at 11pm. There was a lot to discuss!

2020 Members Newsletter

Welcome to the twentieth Bainton Fisheries Newsletter, which is designed to keep you informed about the Fishery, in terms of news during the last season, future events and issues.

Membership 2019 – 2020

All permits for 2019/20 were sold last year, the 24 hours tickets were sold within 50 seconds of going for sale on the web site.  All dawn to dusk tickets were sold by the following morning. New members will only be accepted in place of existing members who do not renew by the deadline.  Membership numbers will be fixed again for the coming season.

Members should only refer another member if they can personally vouch for their character and confirm they are a competent and considerate angler who has never been asked to leave a previous fishery. Referrals should also be sent back promptly to avoid disappointment.

Operating profits have been spent in 19/20 on insurance, banking, bailiffing, contract labour, plant hire, aggregate, swim building materials, postage and accountancy costs.  However in 2019 £1950 had to be additionally spent on pump hire and fuel.  87% of renewals were by online bank transfer and 10% by card payment on-line, a few people still have cheque books or insist on cash.  We even had a postal order.

It has not been necessary to raise costs in 20/21 significantly (just to cover inflationary items like postage and insurance).

For 2020 – 2021 the prices are:-

•           Non-fishing Permit: – £23.00

•           Dawn to Dusk Permit: – £302.50

•           24-Hour Permit: – £520.00

•           Keys £10.00

The renewal deadline is 12th May 2020.

Fishery Maintenance and Development

There was no working party in 2020 in an attempt to outsource much of the work. However contract labour was brought in for 4 days work but some of the work was not able to be carried out due to specialist equipment being required or additional labour. Future plans were discussed at the members meeting.

Feedback from Members Meeting

The twentieth members’ meeting was held at the Tallington Lakeside Bar on 26th February 2020.  Attendance was about 40 members.

•           There was an update on membership numbers and how quickly permits sold. 

•           The experiment of outsourcing working parties had not completely worked.  There was often a requirement to have a mini working party with a handful of people for a few hours to work on a specific issue.  What is needed is a balance of both.  A week of contract labour for specific projects an then a few days from the membership but a small focussed group probably causing minimal disruption to the complex.  The membership agreed that they would support the fishery not being closed but accept that on occasions the odd bank on a lake would be out of bounds for maintenance work.  All notifications for help and disruption would be via  the Bainton Fisheries closed Facebook group. 

•           The owner wanted to share with the membership the issues with the back pit during the summer of 2019.  Expert advice and water quality analysis had eventually concluded that excessive ammonia from over population of geese had led to the eventual algal bloom of  stick-like blue green algae.  This in turn had crashed causing bacteria to digest the algae.  This led to excessive deoxygenation and a very near miss of a mass fish kill on the lake.  In addition after the algal crash, oxygen levels continued to not recover as a chemical process continued converting ammonia to nitrate which also consumed oxygen.  Oxygen levels got as low as 15%.  It was only through the use of water pumps and venturi, aerators and ultimately hydrogen peroxide injection the lake was saved.  The extreme weather had also been a cause, the back pit has always had a summer algal bloom but the relentless sunny and hot weather has also contributed.  Freak summer will probably become more common due to climate change so needs to be planned for.  Oxygen levels are now normal.  To prevent such a major re-occurrence a management plan based on prevention would be instigated for 2020.  This would consist on the following:-

•           Discouraging the build-up of geese in the Spring.

•           Fencing of the island to prevent it being using as a mass nesting site.  (over 100 birds in 2019).

•           Clearing low level undergrowth on the western bank to allow wind movement and water circulation.

•           Raising the crowns of trees on the Western Bank to prevent a wind shadow and allow surface agitation.

•           Planting of marginal plants to consume excess nitrates stored in the water from previous years geese pollution.

•           Introduction of barley straw in April to allow for slow decomposition and release of an algal killing toxin.

•           Purchase of emergency aeration kit for fishery, venturi and pumps.

To undertake this prevention work small groups of members would be required for mini-working parties during the spring.  Requirements would be posted up via Facebook.

The larger site maintenance work would be contracted out for a week’s work during April 2020 to make it worthwhile hiring in machines and buying materials.  This would include drainage maintenance, track/ grass ruts repair, spraying and flailing.

Dates for work discussed were 29th February (island fencing), 8th March (tree crown work), 28th March (low level undergrowth clearance), 19th April Barley Straw.

•           Stocking was discussed, £3,000 of Mirror carp have been ordered for stocking, but the wet weather has prevented the trailer to transport the fish and the syphoning of the stock pond to take place.  But it is hoped that this can be completed by end March 2020. 

•           No amendments to rules were agreed, although some compliancy issues were raised around car speed.

•           The closed Facebook group was discussed, it was felt that members should use the group if they encounter any issues, as it was perfectly acceptable to disclose a mishap, such as a snapped of rig, so that other anglers could avoid and a retrieval exercise could take place.  The owner said he would use the Facebook group as the prime medium of communication for the fishery.

•           The status of the new stock pond was discussed, it was confirmed there were approx. 200 carp in there and that they were now on average 6 inches long.  They would continue to be fed until they were cormorant proof.  The owner was considering digging a second smaller stock pond as a growing on pond for first year fish.

And Finally…….

Remember the Bainton Philosophy is for conservation minded anglers who care about the environment they fish in.

Ian Wakeford

2019 Members Newsletter

Welcome to the nineteenth Bainton Fisheries Newsletter, which is designed to keep you informed about the Fishery, in terms of news during the last season, future events and issues.

Membership 2018 – 2019

All permits for 2018/19 were sold last year, the demand for dawn to dusk tickets has decreased again, with 24 hour tickets being sought after.  All dawn to dusk permits were sold by mid June 2018.  New members will only be accepted in place of existing members who do not renew by the deadline.  Membership numbers will be fixed again for the coming season.

Members should only refer another member if they can personally vouch for their character and confirm they have not been asked to leave other fisheries.  Referrals should also be sent back promptly to avoid disappointment.

Operating profits have been spent on the usual running costs in 18/19; insurance, bank costs, bailiffing, contract labour, plant hire, aggregate, swim building materials, postage and accountancy costs.  80% of renewals were by online bank transfer and 15% by card payment on-line, very few people paid via cheque.

It has been necessary to raise costs in 19/20, please see later for an explanation.

For 2019 – 2020 the prices are:-

• Non-fishing Permit: – £22.50
• Dawn to Dusk Permit: – £300.00
• 24-Hour Permit: – £515.00
• Keys will remain at  £10.00

The renewal deadline is 14^th May 2019.

Fishery Maintenance and Development

Last year a working party weekend was held on the 28^th and 29^th April.  Work was to create parking spaces inside the Otter Fence along the South Bank of the L Shape, spray excessive reed growth with Roundup from a boat and general gardening, clearing vegetation within 2 metres of the outside of the otter fence.  Attendance was very poor on both days and only the otters gates parking spaces and some high level tree trimming was achieved.  There was also some spreading of pea gravel along the main track.

Feedback from Members Meeting

The nineteenth members’ meeting was held at the Tallington Lakeside Bar on 27th March 2019.  Attendance was about 35 members.

• There was an update on membership.  There had been no stocking prior to the members meeting mainly because all expenditure had been directed towards laying a new track and plant hire for working parties and the new stock pond.
• The otter fence was discussed, the owner stated so far there had been no otter breaches noted and that as long as members kept the gates secured and that no trees breached the fence it seemed to be working.  However constant vigilance was required as there had been deliberate vandalism along the L Shape footpath breaking brank bracket fixings.  The double gates on the main track had been moved to everyone’s delight. The plan to repay the fence over seven years still looks viable, now five  years to go!
• From the floor a question was raised as to whether the gate just before the Bailey Bridge, could be removed.  The members agreed that it served no purpose so it will be either removed or pegged open.

The main track again was discussed, the owner had stated that the implementation had not been totally successful and potholes still continue to be a problem.  There was a lengthy discussion about further attempts and potential solutions and costs.  The owner felt that if members potholed then it would keep the situation at bay short term.  He invited members who worked in the trade to suggest plans and costs if they could so that he could budget for them in future years.  However felt that this year membership fees should be directed at some stocking as  very little had happened in the last two years. 

The owner wanted to have a discussion about the future of working parties going forward as the attendees had been steadily dropping year on year meaning work plans for maintenance were not being achieved.  This discussion took up a significant part of the meeting but the ultimate conclusion was that the situation was unlikely to improve and that the current model of closing for a weekend once a year and relying on voluntary labour was unlikely to recover in a positive way.  The membership was often far flung, often had work or family commitments on a fixed date and ultimately many people did not want to do the work and would rather pay someone else to do it. The owner said therefore as an experiment the fishery would not have a 2019 formal working party where the fishery is closed for one weekend and would look to retain the services of a group of people or contractors who could undertake work in the week on a price per job basis.  Setting a budget of approximately £4,000 a year for labour, plant and materials.  It was agreed that £25 per member would create this budget in return for an extra weekends fishing per year and no formal working party.  There may however be occasions when a hand would be needed for certain fishery tasks but these could be arranged via the Facebook closed group. 

The other major item for discussion was fish stocks.  It was felt that the Bailey Bridge pit needed an overhaul and the L shape because of its low tench density could take a higher carp stock to extend the fishing season into the cooler months and have a higher catch rate.

It was agreed that anglers fishing the Orchid Pit only could move small tench below 4lb into the Bailey Bridge pit, but this must be prior approved by the owner and evidenced by a photo message.  As the exact numbers and size moved must be controlled.  The owner would then close this operation after a number of fish were moved for the year.  The Bailey Bridge Pit would also have more cover vegetation planted such as water lilies to try and create a pool type atmosphere.

Approximately £3000 of carp would be ordered for the L Shape pit but they would be of a strain that were English Carp and not of the “in vogue” Croatian strain of small heads big bodies so often being discounted via online forums.  The owner wanted to keep the feel of Carp in Bainton with a more traditional appearance.

Selling tench was also discussed but the owner was not supportive of this option as it was a mixed fishery ultimately. Rules were discussed and no rule changes were proposed but some clarifications were made with regards to swim opening and fishing in close proximity to snags.  It was confirmed that the rule book already covered these and that it was a compliancy issue.

There will be no note from the bird ringer as Chris Hughes has now retired.  We all wish him well for the future and thank him for his valuable contribution every year.

And Finally…….

Remember the Bainton Philosophy is for conservation minded anglers who care about the environment they fish in.

Ian Wakeford

Bainton Fisheries Bird Ringing Summary 2017

The annual bird ringing summary from Chris Hughes is now available and can be downloaded here.

2018 Member Newsletter

Welcome to the eighteenth Bainton Fisheries Newsletter, which is designed to keep you informed about the Fishery, in terms of news during the last season, future events and issues.

Membership 2017 – 2018
All permits for 2017/18 were sold last year, the demand for dawn to disk tickets has decreased slightly. As discussed at the 2017 members meeting to keep income up there could be a 2:1 conversion of a few tickets. So four extra 24 tickets were sold to replace 8 dawn til dusk tickets. The owner felt that this had led to a noticeably busier complex and ideally would like to go back to the old profile of members. As usual new members will only be accepted in place of existing members who do not renew by the deadline. Membership numbers will be fixed again for the coming season.

Members should only refer another member if they can personally vouch for their character and confirm they have not been asked to leave other fisheries. Referrals, due to demand should also be sent back promptly.

Operating profits have been spent on the usual running costs in 17/18; insurance, bank costs, bailiffing, contract labour, plant hire, aggregate, swim building materials, postage and accountancy costs. It was also noted that 70% of renewals were by online bank transfer and 15% by card payment on-line, very few people paid via cheque.

It has been necessary to raise costs in 18/19, please see later for an explanation.

For 2018 – 2019 the prices are:-
• Non-fishing Permit: – £32.00
• Dawn to Dusk Permit: – £285.00
• 24-Hour Permit: – £485.00
• Keys will remain at £10.00

The renewal deadline is 8th May 2018 and this year there is no requirement to return a key if members leave Bainton Fisheries. (see later)

Fishery Maintenance and Development
Last year a working party weekend was held on the 1st and 2nd April 2017. The required work was the repair of swims along the Maxey Cut bank of the Orchid pit and the pulling out of trees around the L shape that were hanging in the water.

Working party dates
In 2018 there will be 2 working parties, the fishery is closed to fishing on all lakes from 9am on Saturday the 28th April until 5pm and again from 9am on Sunday the 29th April to 5pm. Anglers are more than welcome to fish nights outside of these hours, however they must remove their equipment to a safe distance during the day.

The required work so far identified will be to create parking spaces inside the Otter Fence along the South Bank of the L Shape, spray excessive reed growth with Roundup from a boat and general gardening, especially ensuring there is no substantive vegetation within 2 metres of the outside of the otter fence. The precise plan of works for the weekend will be sent out via Facebook nearer the time with tools to bring.

Feedback from Members Meeting
The eighteenth members’ meeting was held at the Tallington Lakeside Bar on 7th March 2018.

• There was an update on membership, including the trend to more and more online payments. There had been no stocking prior to the members meeting mainly because all expenditure had been directed towards paying for the otter fence bill.

• The guest ticket status was discussed as a member had proposed an item for discussion about longer guest tickets and to include night fishing. After a members discussion it was felt due to bankside pressure and being a syndicate fishery, the existing scheme should be left unchanged.

• The otter fence was discussed, the owner stated so far there had been no otter breaches noted and that as long as members kept the gates secured and that no trees breached the fence it seemed to be working. However constant vigilance was required. The double gates on the main track were discussed as it was felt that the design placed all of the inconvenience on the anglers and none on the Welland and Deepings Drainage Board. It was agreed that the owner would meet with the Board seek an agreement to remove the gates so that the South and Middle zone were all one. Hopefully the two gates could be redeployed to allow tractor access to the Board elsewhere to the dyke. Deer were also heavily cutting through this section between the gates and making the track very muddy. (Post Meeting Note: A new plan has been agreed and the gates will now be placed along the track rather than across it. Embryo have been booked to undertake the work and a date is being sought, but it is likely to be the Summer).

The owner confirmed that the final invoice for the otter fence had been £94,620 which was finally paid in October 2017. Most of the cost remains subject to a loan to the fishery which the increase in membership fees in 2017 is repaying. The plan to repay the fence over seven years still looks viable, six years to go! The owner wanted to thank members for remaining loyal to Bainton Fisheries despite the increase well above inflationary costs in 2017.

• Another member question was also discussed with regards to using “siltex” to reduce silt on the back pit. The owner had looked into this and about 25 tonnes twice a year would be required to treat the Back Pit on an annual basis. Based on an initial quotation this would be an annual cost of circa £4,000. Members felt that they would rather commit funds to other items the fishery required and some members had also stated that their experience on large waters were that it made very little difference.

• The main track again was discussed, the owner had stated that apart from the bailiff and a couple of retired members, potholing as a group activity had not been successful. The owner also needed the Bailiff to concentrate on Predation control and compliance, not potholing. The track was continuing to deteriorate and that eventually it would need to be relayed. Options were to pay someone to pothole over the winter period while fishery funds could reach a level to have a new track laid, or lay as much new track as could be afforded in a year, but this could take 3 years, or again fully fund the project and borrow some more money. There was a good discussion about all the possible options and materials used, worst case scenario this could be a £10,000 project to cover 1500 metres of track and 4500 square metres of area as a minimum. It was agreed that the owner would consult further with suppliers and with members who were knowledgeable in groundworks and road laying and make a decision about the way forward before the price of renewals is set. The idea would be to try and minimise cost as much as possible but ensure there was a sustainable solution going forward. But unfortunately no solution would be without a cost impact.

• The owner informed the membership that the Abloy padlock on the main gate had gone end of life and that no new keys could be cut. There was also the intention to lock most of the external gates to the fishery which was agreed by the membership at the meeting. This would be either side of the Bailey Bridge, the far West of the L shape and the East end of the L Shape. The cost of the project would be approximately £2300 and all members would need new keys. It was also stated that the key pattern had not changed for at least 15 years, therefore it was likely there were keys in circulation belonging to non-members, so it was time to change. Unfortunately there could not be refunds for old key patterns as this would cost too much for members. The owner has been assured that the replacement model padlock would be supported for the next 35 years by the supplier.

• Rules were discussed and no rule changes were proposed.

A note from the Bird Ringer……

2018 will see my 25th year of involvement with ringing at Bainton and how things have changed over the years. My first ever visit was memorable as I was met by Richard Wakeling who handed me a small white bag containing a bird with the words ‘Good morning. Have you ringed a Nightingale?’ Ringed one? I’d never even seen one – and neither have a lot of birdwatchers – as they are a secretive bird, not a great looker if you do catch a glimpse – but are blessed with the most glorious song. I can see why poets over the centuries have waxed lyrical about them and you too, I hope, have enjoyed listening to them. Mind you, on my first visit to the site in 2017 as I stepped out of the car at my usual spot I was greeted by a Nightingale in full flow and a fisherman, also in full flow, snoring like a good ‘un!
Amongst the many changes to the site has been the slow demise of the Nightingale. Nationally their numbers have been sliding downwards and Bainton is no exception. The reasons why are not fully understood but clearly changes to the habitat, climate and problems where they overwinter in Africa all no doubt contribute. The reedbed here has also slowly been overtaken by encroaching willow and this dries out and pushes reed out of the way. I can clearly remember years ago emerging from the reeds with many tens of Reed and Sege Warblers in bags round my neck. These days I’m lucky to catch one or two of each species in a full year although, to be fair, I don’t ring in there anymore. Talking of which, as I’ve now reached the biblical three score years and ten I’ve decided it’s time to re-think how I ring here so my thoughts at present are tending towards a few nets in the reeds and few on the dry scrub.
Whilst some species have declined, others have done really well. Over the 25 years, Song Thrush numbers have both crashed and then recovered once again. Blackcap and Chiffchaff are doing OK whilst both Lesser and Common Whitethroat numbers ebb and flow a bit. The whole point of the Constant Effort Site ringing I do here is to monitor trends in our bird populations and year on year variations are to be expected given the number of factors impacting on them, not least of which is the weather. The recent wet summers have not really helped too much and I’d really like to see a ‘normal’ summer with those long, warm days so they can get a good year’s breeding in.
One new species to turn up has been Cetti’s Warbler. You may hear its explosive song blasting out at you from somewhere in the depths of the undergrowth. If you see one, they look a bit like a Wren on steroids. They didn’t breed in Britain until the late 1970s and they’ve spread fairly randomly up from the south coast. Two juveniles ringed by me here have continued the same pattern being caught by ringers in Wales and Yorkshire. If one of these fascinating birds had been around 25 years ago – and the news had got out – the place would have been inundated by twitchers, a term universally applied by the media to anyone remotely interested in birds and one that drives me up the wall as twitchers are folk almost obsessed with seeing as many species as they can and often travelling literally hundreds of miles to do so. Not for me thanks very much and not for the majority of birdwatchers. My rule here is simply that if I ever catch anything really rare I tell the powers that be here first and they can decide what to do with the information.
What will the next quarter century bring? Who knows but I’m sure you’ll still enjoy your fishing as much as I will the birds – whilst stocks last as they say.

Chris Hughes (Bird Ringer)

And Finally…….
Remember the Bainton Philosophy is for conservation minded anglers who care about the environment they fish in.

Ian Wakeford

Bainton Fisheries Bird Ringing Summary 2016

The annual bird ringing summary from Chris Hughes is now available and can be downloaded here.

2017 Members Newsletter

Welcome to the seventeenth Bainton Fisheries Newsletter, which is designed to keep you informed about the Fishery, in terms of news during the last season, future events and issues.

Membership 2016 – 2017
All permits for 2016/17 were sold last year, again the demand for 24 hour tickets was so high that not even all sponsored members were able to obtain their desired ticket. Some settled for a Dawn-till-Dusk ticket with a view to hopefully upgrading in 17/18. New members will only be accepted in place of existing members who do not renew by the deadline. Membership numbers will be fixed again for the coming season.

Members should only refer another member if they can personally vouch for their character and have not been asked to leave other fisheries. Referrals due to demand should also be sent back promptly.

Operating profits have been spent on the usual running costs in 16/17; insurance, bank costs, bailiffing, contract labour, plant hire, aggregate, swim building materials, postage and accountancy costs.

It has been necessary to raise costs in 17/18, please see later for an explanation.

For 2017 – 2018 the prices are:-
• Non-fishing Permit: – £21.50
• Dawn to Dusk Permit: – £265.00
• 24-Hour Permit: – £455.00
• Keys will remain at £10.00

Fishery Maintenance and Development
Last year a working party weekend was held on the 23rd and 24th April. The required work was erection of a fence along the Maxey Cut Bank of the Orchid Pit, hard-core repairs to some tracks, swim repair on the Bailey Bridge Pit and the extraction of a Tree from the L Shape. Reeds were also cut on the New Pit.

Working party dates
In 2017 there will be 2 working parties, the fishery is closed to fishing on all lakes from 9am on Saturday the 1st April until 5pm and again from 9am on Sunday the 2nd April to 5pm. It is slightly early than usual, due to Easter falling in the middle of April. Anglers are more than welcome to fish nights outside of these hours, however they must remove their equipment to a safe distance during the day.

The required work will be the extraction of about a dozen trees from the L Shape Pit, some swim repairs to assist with parking on the L shape and swim repairs on the Orchid along Maxey Cut bank. The precise plan of works for the weekend will be sent out via Facebook nearer the time.

The most useful tools to bring will also be notified but the tree removal could be supported by members who have a chainsaw and who have protective clothing, chest waders, sledgehammers and shovels. Please stay tuned for further information.

Feedback from Members Meeting
The seventeenth members’ meeting was held at the Tallington Lakeside Bar on 20th February 2017.
• There was an update on membership, including the trend to more and more online payments but also cash. There had been no stocking prior to the members meeting, there have been discussions with the National Crucian Carp Conservation project with regards to converting the Bailey Bridge Pit to hold this species (again). The owner had been directed for support to the Environment Agency and attempts were still being made to get a response from them.
• Predation and poaching was discussed, cormorants have not been as numerous in 2016 and the 50 crank brackets along the Maxey Cut Bank seem to have deterred fishery poachers over the last year.
• Otters were then discussed, at the fishery. They have not had a great presence since the first one was spotted in 2012 along Maxey Cut. Although this winter we had our first carp kill by an otter. They are becoming more problematic in the local area. The fishery has looked at this in the past and the cost coupled with restrictions from other agencies have always been a problem. Therefore it has been considered that for Bainton Fisheries it has not been practicable or financially viable to fence the whole complex with regards to the stock loss value versus the cost to fence. At the meeting it was explained that balance now seems to be tipping in favour of fencing, as costs are becoming lower and with the increase in neighbouring fisheries being fenced, the unfenced fisheries will be targeted. The owner wanted to share with members the full impact of a proposal for the members to consider and listen to views with regards to the proposal. A video was shown of using Embryo Angling who are a charity who install at cost, the fence design they use, the visual impact of their design and the disruption of the install. A fencing plan was also shared with members which created three fenced zones; a South zone to include the New Pit, Big Pit and Stock Pond. A central zone to include the L Shape and Orchid Pit, a Northern Zone for the Carp Pit and Bailey Bridge Pit. The Match Pit could not be fenced by machine so is currently outside of the scheme.

• Depending on whether otters continue to visit this pit it may have to be fenced manually at a later point. The formal quotes of the three zones were also shared with members including VAT, the costs are likely to be in the region of £93,000 for 4.8km of fencing around the site. Members were asked for their reaction and support was gauged. All members were in support of fencing the fishery and accepted that a plan to pay the fence off over seven years, from a loan to the Fishery, this would keep the cost down to about £70 per member per year. The owner stated that the plans were still being developed but hoped what was agreed could be honoured. Follow up meetings with the EA, Drainage Board, Peterborough City Council and National Grid were all needed. A further site visit from Embryo was also required to fine tune the fence route.
• With an increase in cost it was asked if it was likely that day anglers would leave the fishery. The owners stated that it was a risk that we could have day tickets unfilled and huge demand still for 24 hour tickets. The owner was asked if he would then just sell more 24 hour tickets to cover the cost. The answer was that this was not the desired outcome, and if it had to happen then 2 day tickets would be withdrawn to offset each 24 hour ticket if they cannot be sold. Thus keeping the impact the same on the fishery.
• The main road through the complex was also discussed, as no money had been spent on stocking this year. Members were asked if they would value the main track re-laying so that potholes did not re-occur. The owner also stated that he wanted the Bailiff to concentrate his efforts on vermin control and not potholing, thus potholes were likely to increase.

Members felt that they would rather spend the money on contributing towards the otter fence and that they would all take a few minutes to fill potholes as they leave the fishery, using a bucket or small shovel. Therefore it was agreed that that would be the arrangement going forward.
• Baitboats were discussed at length. The discussion did expose a significant dissatisfaction of anglers either not sticking to the existing rules, or fishing spots that would not be considered safe. The current rules were looked at again at the meeting to see if they were adequate. Rule 12 governs Baitboats, it states;
• Bait boats are permitted but they must be used within the following framework:-
a) to use the boat in water that you can actually safely cast to from your swim keeping out of un-castable sanctuary areas and
b) to only use it within an area which would be considered to be the swim area, (i.e. not intruding on another swim’s fishing area and
c) not to exceed a maximum distance of 120 metres and
d) not introducing risk of loss of fish by proximity to snags.

A vote was taken regarding what the issue was, the vast majority of members felt that the rules were fair, but it was the compliancy to the rules that was the issue, very few people wanted to ban baitboats but they did not want anglers to cheat or gain advantage over anglers using rod and line to cast nor undertake unsafe practices such as fishing over thick weed beds or next to snags. It was agreed that a strong message would be sent to baitboat users that only absolute compliancy with rules would be tolerated and that the rules are a maximum framework not a target to aim for. Pre marking 33 wraps (120 metres) on a line would enable a member or bailiff to see immediately if that range was being fished at. This was felt to be a useful suggestion.

All other rules were accepted as needing no further adjustment.

Post Meeting Otter Fence Update.

Following on from the members meeting it is anticipated that ground clearance work will begin in late March 2017 for the fence, with fence installation to take place in late April to Early June. It will be necessary to fence along the dyke bank of the L shape at a distance of 5 metres from the top of the dyke. Gates will be put alongside of swims to allow for parking of cars and fishing. It is hoped that elsewhere all other banks will be fenced outside of the tracks allowing free movement inside the fence.

A note from the Bird Ringer……

JUST ABOUT HANGING ON
The title could apply to me as well as my favourite bird, the Nightingale, and its status at Bainton. In my latest summary on ringing at Bainton I commented that it’s not so many years ago that I would have up to 27 captures in a summer, some being the same birds caught on more than one occasion. Nowadays, I’m lucky if I even get into double figures and 2016 was no exception with just 8 captures of 4 individual birds – male, female and 2 youngsters.
It does seem sad that in an area made so famous for its Nightingales by the poet John Clare that they are on the brink of disappearing as a breeding bird. The species across the UK generally has been in decline now for many years – alongside birds like the Turtle Dove (another Bainton speciality) whose decline in numbers is even worse than the Nightingale – and there are many reasons why this is the case. Loss of habitat, indiscriminate shooting of migratory birds as they cross countries which are supposed to be abiding by EU laws on hunting but chose to ignore them (and naff all gets done about it), dodgy weather during the breeding season etc, all of which chip away at species until they can no longer sustain a viable population. It may be just part of the cycle of life and there’s no doubt that over the years I’ve been ringing the birds at Bainton I’ve caught species that would have had twitchers in a right old lather ‘back in the day’. So, perhaps it’s just the way it is and I have been fortunate to have been able to handle many hundreds of these most wonderful songsters over the years. Many ringers would give their eye teeth just to ring even one.
A few years ago at the British Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water we caught a Nightingale, the only one caught in Leicestershire and Rutland that year. It was just about the first bird caught on the first morning and, as many birders had never even seen one due their secretive habits, we announced it on the tannoy system. Within a few minutes, folk were standing around 10 deep just to catch a glimpse of this most enigmatic bird. The lad who ringed was a delightful chap called John Wint who’d been ringing for over 40 years and who’d never even seen one and, as he was dealing with the bird he said to the assembled crowd that he wasn’t too sure on things and would ‘ask Chris as he’s an expert on them’! Perhaps compared to him I was but I would prefer to be called experienced rather than expert. There is a difference. John was thrilled to be able to handle a bird he’d dreamed of catching and, as he sadly passed away a couple of years ago, I’m glad I was able to help him achieve his dream. Such is the pulling power of this bird. Not much to look at but a voice beyond compare. Do listen out for it this year and enjoy it while you can. I know from speaking to several of you last year that you too had noticed how few were around. Cynics might argue that in the great scheme of things it doesn’t matter if they disappear but I think our lives – well certainly mine – are greatly diminished by not having the opportunity to hear one in full flow.
So back to the title of the piece. I’ve now been able to add polymyalgia rheumatica to my list of woes and am cursed with stiffening joints, aching fingers etc – just about everything you patently don’t want to happen to you as a bird ringer. The steroids are messing up my diabetes as well so getting down to Bainton is getting more and more difficult. However….there’s one small brown warbler with a russet coloured tail that makes all the aches and pains a lot more bearable. Guess who that is?
I hope 2017 brings you good fortune with rod and line and good fortune too for all our wildlife.
Chris Hughes (Bird Ringer)

And Finally…….
Remember the Bainton Philosophy is for conservation minded anglers who care about the environment they fish in.

Ian Wakeford

2015 Members Newsletter

Welcome to the fifteenth Bainton Fisheries Newsletter, which is designed to keep you informed about the Fishery, in terms of news during the last season, future events and issues.

Membership 2014 – 2015

All permits for 2014/15 were sold last year, the demand for 24 hour tickets was very high but the dawn til dusk tickets were less popular but were sold after a week of being available on the Internet.  New members will only be accepted in place of existing members who do not renew by the deadline.  Membership numbers will be fixed again for the coming season.  Operating profits have been spent on the usual running costs in 14/15;  insurance, bank costs, bailiffing, contract labour, plant hire, stock, swim building materials, postage and accountancy costs.

Looking forward into 15/16 the running costs of the fishery will unfortunately increase by a minimum of £2000 just due to inflation on outgoings and some materials to improve the site for members, therefore ticket prices will increase in order to cover costs.  Therefore the permits will increase in cost by 50p for non-fishing permits, £10.00 for day fishing and £20.00 for 24 hours fishing to reflect this.

For 2015 – 2016 the prices are:-

Non-fishing Permit: – £20.00

Dawn to Dusk Permit: – £160.00

24-Hour Permit: – £320.00

Keys will remain at  £10.00

Fishery Maintenance and Development

Last year a working party weekend was held on the 26th and 27th April with the fishery being closed to anglers during the day.  On both days enough eager volunteers turned up to complete the programme of work.  The required work on the Saturday was the rebuild of three swims on the Big Pit, two along the North Bank where the level is too low, and a major reconstruction on the Point Swim in the North West corner.  In addition on the Sunday there was an attempt to lay a secondary track in addition to the one that already exists on the Orchid Pit and extend another 90m of track along the L shape from the Bailey Bridge side.

Working party dates

In 2015 there will be 2 working parties, and they will take place over one weekend.  The fishery is closed to fishing on all lakes from 9am on Saturday the 18th April until 5pm and again from 9am on Sunday the 19th April to 5pm.  Anglers with 24 hour tickets are more than welcome to fish nights outside of these hours, however they must remove their equipment to a safe distance to avoid any possibility of damage, e.g. falling branches.

The required work will be the creation of a new swim in the South East corner of the Big Pit and the leveling off of swims on the Match Pit to create flat areas to fish from but also try and reduce the impact of Winter water levels.  In addition there will be some road repairs along the Carp Lake Maxey Cut Bank and if enough materials can be obtained in time for the working party the fence along the Maxey Cut Bank of the Orchid Pit will have a new fence erected.  The precise plan of works for the weekend is still rather fluid due to dependencies on machine availability and materials which are still being sourced.  However once a plan is formulated nearer the working party dates members will be alerted to the likely running order of events via email and Facebook.

The most useful tools to bring will also be notified but if the fence construction takes place this will definitely require very thick gloves and hedge gardening tools as barbed wire will be involved.  Please stay tuned for further information.

Feedback from Members Meeting

The fifteenth members’ meeting was held at the Tallington Lakeside Bar on 18th March 2015.

·   The first and major item was a discussion which formed part of the formal consultation on the proposal to close the Lolham East Coach railway Line level crossing.  The initial proposal was shared which members did not support due to the creation of a long “deadleg” road from the Fishery Entrance North to the crossing.  A modified proposal from Railtrack was also considered whereby the highway ceases just past the entrance to the fishery, leaving a turning spot incorporating the fishery entrance in the turning spot.  Members supported this option in principle but did have additional improvements to feedback to Railtrack.  These were to consider moving the entrance flush with the main road to remove the temptation of using the entrance as a fly tipping site; to consider moving the end of public highway a little further South so that only members could pass an bollard or gate and finally to consider a CCTV camera to act as a deterrent to fly tippers.  All points raised by members have now formally been submitted to Railtrack.

·   There was a discussion about the new Bainton Fisheries Web Site which has primarily been overhauled to provide more information to prospective members who make the same enquiries time and time again.  It is also now mobile friendly as many people call from the front gate.  It is hoped this will cut down on the general enquires about where are the lakes, how much it costs to join, what fish are present etc.  In addition members will be able to renew their permits online through a PayPal/Debit Card/Credit Card payment web page.  This page is currently restricted to members only as new members would still be subject to review and payment would not want to be taken if a place was not available for them.  In addition it allows for ad hoc payments such as a guest ticket, all transactions will result in an email sending back as proof of purchase. This should be shsown to the bailiff if requested. New members would still require to pay by Cheque or Postal Order or Cash to the owners house as a last resort.  Online payments from peoples Internet bank accounts will still be possible (40% last year by this method) and is indeed the preferred method of payment as the transaction costs are the lowest. There is increasing demand to pay by credit card especially and Bainton Fisheries has to move with the times.  For Card or Online payments please remember to use the reference number you are supplied with as this is the only way to tie the payment back to the member.

·   The Bainton Fisheries Facebook closed group was also highlighted, it was felt by members that it has been a tremendous success and that the original intention of just providing a method to seek assistance when on site had been overtaken by it becoming a real community with regular postings every day.  If members are on Facebook and wish to become a member then they can ask to join by searching for Bainton Fisheries on Facebook.  The group will be restricted to current paid up members.

·   There was one stocking since the last meeting which was 80 Carp from Centre Parcs, 50 of these fish were stocked into the Match Pit and 30 fish stocked into the Big Pit.  All were young fish ranging from about 8lb to 17lb and all pictures can be found on the Bainton Fisheries Facebook closed group Album, with a summary update on the web site.

·   Future stocking was also discussed, one of the areas of greatest priority was trying to obtain some mid-range pike.  It was agreed this would be looked into.

·   .The Drainage pipes controlling the water levels had continued to work well during the Winter of 2014, however the pipe running between the L Shape and the Orchid will require some maintenance during the Summer of 2015.  The pipe is in two sections and tree roots have started to invade inside the pipe.  Therefore the pipe will be partially dug up when water levels are lower and a concrete collar will be built around the pipe join.  This work should not close the road.

·   The success of the plastic netting was also discussing for the grass tracks.  It was felt that where the underlying ground was very soft and muddy the nets had been less effective and rutting had still taken place.  Some drivers has also managed to avoid driving on the netting and had created ruts, which somewhat defeated the object.  There would be some minor repairs as part of the working party to add additional pea gravel where ruts had occurred and also any future netting would ensure that a good firm base was prepared prior to laying the netting.  The next section that it was felt needed attention was the West bank of the L shape between the bramble bushes.  If time and finances allowed this could be tackled in 2015, but it may have to wait until 2016 if fence repairs take place as both projects are quite expensive.

·   Poaching was also discussed and it was felt that increasing the difficulty to step over the fence along the side of the Orchid Pit was probably the most important issue of the evening.  The owner committed to looking at options within the financial constraints that funds would allow for.  Members also offered some materials that could be used.  As a result of that discussion it is likely that the existing concrete posts along the Maxey Cut bank will be extended using angle iron brackets and that barbed wire will be erected to make the fence approximately 6 feet tall.  This plan is still subject to change to develop a solution that is both effective but also the best value for money for the fishery.

·   Predation was also discussed, the owner reconfirmed that there is an active management of general vermin species that have an impact on fish and other wildlife such as songbirds.  The fishery is also licensed to control a limited number of cormorants which cause the greatest damage to fish stocks.  Otter fencing was also discussed but the cost to fence a 5 kilometre perimeter at £100 per metre is very expensive and would require a long term investment by the fishery coupled with a long term price rise by members to pay for it.  Otter presence had not really been noted in the last 12 months so it was felt that a watching brief would be kept in 2015.  There is also the aesthetics of the site to consider that releasing otters into the wild then leads to fisheries looking like concentration camps visually destroying the countryside.  The site is also incredibly hard to fence with a land drain running through the middle which must have access kept open for the local drainage board.

·   Members wanted to know what engagement with the Environment Agency had been had in the past year with regards to the old River Welland and poachers.  The owner confirmed that the EA had not prioritised any work on the Old River Welland since the last site meeting although it appears some trees had been felled along the banks.  With regards to poachers, the EA were unlikely to offer any assistance as they now had one enforcement officer from the Humber to Bedfordshire and they tended to concentrate their efforts on checking easy sites where they were likely to engage with large numbers of anglers as they claimed they had targets to meet.  The owner did state that he had tried to obtain the fishing rights on the Maxey Cut stretch of the fishery from the EA, but both attempts had been thwarted to date not on principle, in fact the EA had supported it, but on being able to find someone in the EA to make a decision and be accountable for it.  A renewed effort will be made.  The principle behind this was not for the fishing per se but it would allow people who were seen fishing Maxey Cut to be asked to leave. As the usual mode of operation from poachers was to pretend to fish Maxey Cut and if it looked quiet along the Orchid bank, they then stepped over the wire.

·   It was noted that although the gate had been repaired and the padlock had failed in 2014, high usage of the gate does take its toll and can people be kind to it.  It was noted that the jockey wheel was about to expire due to the weight of the gate on this wheel.

·   The main track was also discussed, Andy Nutt was thanked for his strenuous and persistent efforts in filling in pot holes.  This year limestone had been used which seemed to be very effective.  Some more would be ordered when it was all used up.

·   There was a discussion lead by the owner that many people were often unable to make the working party or indeed not able to undertake physical labour for 4 or 5 hours, but they were more than willing to do odd jobs at the complex if they only knew what needed doing.  There was a lot of support for this approach and the owner committed to finding a method for members and the fishery team to notify jobs that needed doing and also allow for feedback that they had been undertaken.  Typical examples could be including a shovel or a bow saw in the back of a car, and spending half an hours doing a few pot holes or trimming a few tress after you have packed up fishing for the day.

·   The fishery rules remain unchanged and it was felt the bait boats (and their owners) had generally been well behaved after last year’s rule change.

·   All in all it was a good meeting with lots of constructive suggestions and the Fishery Owner would like to thank people for their support in attending.

·   The deadline for renewal to ensure that all applications are received will be no later than Tuesday 12th May 2015 to ensure that membership does not lapse, thereafter; existing members will compete with new applications.  Should existing members wish to sponsor a new applicant please be aware of their abilities to fish and obey rules and an early renewal accompanied with that sponsorship is advised, as latent demand for 24 hour tickets seems to be great this year.

A note from the Bird Ringer……

TIME FOR A CHANGE

2014 saw a change in the approach to ringing at Bainton.  Michelle Househam and I split the former ringing site into two new expanded sites.  One is exclusively on the heath and the other concentrated in the reedbed and damp scrub.  Between us we caught and processed 1355 birds of 33 species during 2014 which proved to be a much better year all round for most breeding birds than of late.  Some species did really well e.g. Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap and Chiffchaff whilst others continue to give cause for concern, not least Nightingale.  Many of you commented to me that you’d not heard so many singing males last year and it’s a sad fact that the population nationally of this iconic bird is dropping at an alarming rate – down 57% between 1995 and 2009. The results of the latest survey in 2012/13 are still awaited but at Bainton their numbers have dropped too and are now at an all-time low.  The reasons for this are many and varied but it’s now accepted that the burgeoning deer population on the heath is not helping so action will be taken this year to address the problem.  Let’s just hope it’s not too late. The birds we get at Bainton are just about at the northern edge of their range anyway so we are very fortunate to have them at all and one of the joys for me of ringing is setting up the nets on a spring morning, in the dark, accompanied by them blasting their songs out across the heath.   You’d probably be surprised at how many birders have never even heard one, let alone seen one so we are indeed greatly privileged to spend time in their company.  Long may it continue!

One of the first summer visitors to arrive is the Chiffchaff.  Many of these now actually spend their winter in the UK hanging around such salubrious places as sewage farms where there’s a bit of warmth and a plentiful supply of small insects.  One that was more traditional though was a juvenile ringed here on 21 July and caught again by French ringers at Wimereux, Pas de Calais on 27 September, no doubt on its way to southern Spain.  Weighing in at 7.7g (less than a £1 coin) it travelled 247km in just 68 days.  Lots of Chiffchaffs winter in southern Spain and North Africa so, in migration terms, it’s not too long a trek back to Britain.  Others head off much further south, most going sub Saharan, before heading back once more.  When I catch birds that I know have spent their winter so far away I often wonder what they’ve seen.  A few weeks before they arrive at Bainton, they’ve potentially been in the company of lions, elephants, rhinos etc.  Best of all is those that I’ve ringed here before and that have returned to exactly the same site.  One was Garden Warbler (X688838) ringed as an adult male on 15 May 2010 and retrapped on 30 April 2014. These birds overwinter in tropical and South Africa and the typical lifespan is around two years so this chap, at least 5 years old, was doing well.

The most amusing incident of the year involved one of those noisy Green Woodpeckers.  You can hardly fail to hear them as they are extremely loud.  Wandering back over the heath one morning I noticed one flying along calling as usual.  It flew into a bush and then the note suddenly changed as in a mad panic, it belted out hastily pursued by a Sparrowhawk.  To be honest, I think the Sparrowhawk was just joshing with it as it soon gave up and the panic stricken woodpecker disappeared from view.  At least it was a more likely scenario than the amazing recent photos of a weasel hitching a lift on the back of a Green Woodpecker.  I wonder who was more surprised – bird, weasel or photographer?

I hope you all have a pleasant fishing year in 2015 and, as ever, feel free to pop over for a chat.

Chris Hughes

 

And Finally…….

Without all your support and effort running this fishery would be an impossible task.    Hopefully you get out more from it than just a days fishing, I hope you feel included and consulted and feel that you are making a contribution into shaping the ways things develop.

Remember the Bainton Philosophy is for conservation minded anglers who care about the environment they fish in.

 

Ian Wakeford