2009 Members Newsletter
Welcome to the ninth 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 2008 – 2009
There continues to be significant demand for permits on the complex. 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 fish stocking, staff, (bailiff and contract labour), swim building materials, a few tools and admin costs (e.g. Stamps/Printing etc).
A new lease for the site has been negotiated and is affordable, but there will need to be a significant permit price increase to reflect the new world that we have to live within.
For 2009 – 2010 the prices are:-
Non-fishing Permit: – £17.00
Dawn to Dusk Permit: – £125.00
24-Hour Permit: – £250.00
Keys will remain at £6.00.
Stockings News
In the 2008/9 only one small stocking was managed. This was a stocking of pike 22lb, 2 x 18lb 17lb and a few smaller fish into the Carp Lake . A combination of the economic situation and poor weather early in the year has lead to a lack of people willing to part with fish and lack of opportunity in the traditional netting season. The uncertainty during the lease negotiation period also did not help matters. There are some very active leads however on stock and hopefully before the new season more fish will go into the L shape pit.
Fishery Maintenance and Development
Two working parties were held in 2008; These concentrated on building 7 new swims on the New pit, as agreed at the 2008 Members meeting. These swims are to act a formal designated spots to fish from. The road along the Maxey Cut bank of the was also repaired using stones at one of the working parties.
Working party dates
This year there will be 2 working parties, but they will take place over one weekend. The fishery is closed to fishing on all lakes from 9am on Saturday the 10 th May until 5pm and again from 9am on Sunday the 11 th May 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 major items of work that need to take place are as follows:-
. Carp Lake – general cutting back of trees to allow casting. Cut back two trees that are in the water to prevent fish snagging. Repair some swims with steps and sleepers to prevent anglers slipping down sloped banks.
. Bailey Bridge Pit – general trimming of trees.
. L Shape – Create two swims along the road bank to encourage anglers to fish the restocked L Shape and trimming of trees that have grown through the lake’s lack of use.
. Big Pit – block up holes in fence with harvested Hawthorn bushes to prevent poachers and some reed clearing.
. Match Pit – General gardening along the wooded bank.
Bow saws, loppers, pole cutters, spades, shovels, chest waders, lump hammers, wheel barrows, very thick gloves, reed rakes are all useful to bring.
Please meet on the Saturday at the Bailey Bridge Pit at 9am. On the Sunday please meet at the Concrete Platform by the New Pit at 9am.
Feedback from Members Meeting
The ninth members’ meeting was held at the Tallington Lakes Bar, Tallington, on 31st March 2009. This had a fantastic good turn out with about 75 members which was excellent and up on the 60 attendees for 2008. The theme to many of the issues raised was around considerate behaviour to other anglers and the New Pit again.
• A lengthy debate was held on the road access around the New pit, although strong views were expressed it was agreed that there would be a trial of closing vehicle access between the New Pit and Stock pond and also the Big Pit and the New pit. The small fence at the North East corner of the New pit would be opened up to allow anglers to easily access the bank from the East. In effect creating car parking spots at either end of the North Bank of the New Pit.
• Stalking around the New pit outside of the designated swims was raised as an issue. Again opinions were expressed in support and against, but the issue seems to stem from the inability to cast round overgrown reeds. Therefore at the working party some facing up of the reed beds will take place to negate the need to wander away from the designated swims.
• The EA bye-law about leaving rods unattended was also discussed, clearly the byelaw is non-negotiable but an interpretation on what is unattended was also discussed. In conclusion fish welfare is the paramount factor and where the Fishery Owner or Bailiff considers an action to be inappropriate the angler will be brought to task. In summary if you want to wander off away from your rods, wind in beforehand, it’s not fair on the fish.
• Sponsorship of members was also raised, it was stated that existing members should be able to ensure that anglers had a sound reputation as an angler as it would reflect on their own membership of the fishery. Two members had been banned in 2008/9 who were both sponsored that year. Although sponsorship did seem to ensure quality anglers with the right attitude were in the main joining Bainton Fisheries.
• The deadline for renewal will be to ensure that all applications are received no later that Friday 15th May 2009 to ensure that membership does not lapse, thereafter; existing members will compete with new applications.
• Last year over 120 anglers were sponsored to join Bainton Fisheries and only 40 anglers could join due to limited number of anglers giving up their membership. If members do plan to sponsor an angler an early return of their application is advised to avoid disappointment.
Due to the increase in permit costs and a different approach to encouraging attendance at the working parties by shutting the fishery, there will be no working party levy in 2009/10. Anglers who attended the 2008 working party can claim their £10 discount from their application form.
A Note from the Bird Ringer!!
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse – it did! After a pretty shocking summer in 2007, 2008 was worse, at least from the perspective of lots of our breeding birds. The strong winds and heavy rain in the late summer put paid to many broods of young birds. So, another long trip from Africa for nothing.
The great thing about birds though is that they’ll be back again any time now to try again and, for me, it’s a real pleasure to welcome back ‘old friends’ to Bainton. The oldest in 2008 was a female Reed Warbler, ringed here in 2000 and caught again in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Where it went in the ‘missing’ years is not known as it wasn’t caught elsewhere. Maybe it just swerved round the Bainton nets as it clearly likes the area – and who can blame it – as it keeps turning up. Strangely though, some birds will turn up out of the blue many years after being ringed and often these are resident species like Blue Tit which are not renowned for long distance travel, unlike the many warbler species travelling up from the African continent. Even though I’ve handled thousands of these fantastic birds, I still feel it is a huge privilege to be able to do so and I remain in awe at the way they manage to survive all that nature (and man) can throw at them.
Bainton remains one of the key sites in Britain for monitoring our bird populations, irrespective of the weather. Every summer around 120 sites in the country are monitored for the British Trust for Ornithology by dedicated amateurs like me (dedicated or bonkers – probably a bit of both!) with nets being set up pre-dawn and ringing going on for around 6 hours. By the time I’ve driven over from rural Leicestershire where I live, got the nets up, ringed, taken them down again and got home, I’m out of the house for at least 12 hours each session. 12 visits are made between late April and the end of August each year so, by the time the season ends, I’m a bit cream crackered, especially as I run another monitoring site in Leicestershire and oversee yet another in Cambridgeshire. Since 1986 when Bainton was first ringed, 294 ringing sessions have taken place so the triple century should arrive around July 2009. Thankfully, I’ve not done them all as I didn’t become involved with Bainton until 1993 but I’ve done many, many sessions over the years and still get a buzz. If you’ll excuse the pun, I’m hooked!
After two pretty lousy summers, the birds are due for a break so, as ever, I’m optimistic that 2009 will bring good fortune for them all – and for you too as you strive to land that big ‘un. How fortunate we all are to be able to follow our hobbies – passion even – in such a wonderful place.
As ever, if you see me hanging around, please feel free to come and have a look at what I’m up to. You’ll be most welcome.
Chris Hughes
April 2009
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