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