chairman's newsletter 2019
Dear Member,
It’s that time again to give you all an update on where we are as a club and our plans for the coming season.
Let me begin by thanking you for continuing to stay with us over the years. Without you we would not have a club at all and that is something that l personally don’t want to ever happen. We took a very difficult decision last year to stop fishing the river. I know this upset some members but due to finances and bad catches we felt this had to be done, little did we know what was to happen with the pollution which was devastating. We are aware that some new stock fish have now gone in and we will continue to monitor this. Once we feel that fish stocks have improved sufficiently, we will certainly review putting the river back on our ticket.
Oxford Water
For the last few years we have been plagued by weed within the lake, making fishing virtually impossible. As a committee we have regularly cleared as many swims as possible but it has been a struggle to keep them clear. This year we took the decision to once again approach the National Trust and ask to be allowed to add a dye to the water. There have been numerous communications between us, and on 11th April we eventually gained their permission to introduce it. This will go ahead on 17th April, hopefully before the weed gets chance to start to grow and take over the lake once again. We will be carrying out a working party at the water on the 19th May from 9.30am, where it is hoped we can concentrate on clearing pegs 21 and 23 where reeds are encroaching.
Jubilee Lake
Over the last year we have been researching Otter proof fencing and its cost. To complete the work ourselves we are looking at a cost of approximately £3000. At this moment we do not have the finances to carry this work out, but it remains a priority when we do.
Last summer we appeared to have a huge explosion in crayfish and fishing on the bottom was becoming impossible, you may have noticed an increase in the number of traps as a result of this. These pots belong to a local resident who is very keen on catching the crayfish. With his help along with our traps operated by Phil Rose and Mick Taylor over 1300 were removed. Trapping is to start again shortly and we hope that the joint efforts of last year will be noticeable this season.
We had arranged to remove the ropes over the Easter Weekend. This has now been put back until the working party on 12th May which will start about 09.30, this is because we have found cormorants on the water. You may also notice there is more ropes between pegs 1 to 5, this is because the cormorants have worked out that they can walk down to the water and get in under the ropes. They are currently roosting in the dead tree just off our land and we have tried to get the tree removed. Sadly, we are unable to do this so we are looking at other ideas to remove them. If anybody knows where l can pick up an old mannequin that we can use to help scare them away, please let me know.
Feeding will still go ahead this year. We have enough food for 1 more season, we will then review if we need to buy more or leave the lake to support the fish in there.
Please note that the gate code will change on 1st June. Your new code will be printed in your membership ticket, please remember to keep this to yourself to help maintain the lakes security.
Can I please ask you for your support for the 2 working parties. The more hands we have the more we can get done. Consistently it is the committee and the same couple of members who turn out and support these, it would be great to have some more of you along to help the club.
Finally, another date for your diaries, the AGM will again be held at The Buckingham School on London Road, Buckingham on Tuesday 7th May at 8pm. Please do come along and have your say on the running of your club. The committee put a lot of time and effort into running the club, which l thank them for, however members do have other good ideas on how we move forward, and we would love to see you and hear them.
Application forms for membership can be found on the website and fees are being held at the same price as last year. We have also agreed with Winslow Club to continue the reciprocal arrangement with them, as we have over the past few years. If you want to take advantage of this please indicate on your renewal form and enclose the additional £5 premium. This is available to up to 20 members.
Hope to see you at the working parties and the AGM.
Here’s to a successful and enjoyable 2019/20
Graham
It’s that time again to give you all an update on where we are as a club and our plans for the coming season.
Let me begin by thanking you for continuing to stay with us over the years. Without you we would not have a club at all and that is something that l personally don’t want to ever happen. We took a very difficult decision last year to stop fishing the river. I know this upset some members but due to finances and bad catches we felt this had to be done, little did we know what was to happen with the pollution which was devastating. We are aware that some new stock fish have now gone in and we will continue to monitor this. Once we feel that fish stocks have improved sufficiently, we will certainly review putting the river back on our ticket.
Oxford Water
For the last few years we have been plagued by weed within the lake, making fishing virtually impossible. As a committee we have regularly cleared as many swims as possible but it has been a struggle to keep them clear. This year we took the decision to once again approach the National Trust and ask to be allowed to add a dye to the water. There have been numerous communications between us, and on 11th April we eventually gained their permission to introduce it. This will go ahead on 17th April, hopefully before the weed gets chance to start to grow and take over the lake once again. We will be carrying out a working party at the water on the 19th May from 9.30am, where it is hoped we can concentrate on clearing pegs 21 and 23 where reeds are encroaching.
Jubilee Lake
Over the last year we have been researching Otter proof fencing and its cost. To complete the work ourselves we are looking at a cost of approximately £3000. At this moment we do not have the finances to carry this work out, but it remains a priority when we do.
Last summer we appeared to have a huge explosion in crayfish and fishing on the bottom was becoming impossible, you may have noticed an increase in the number of traps as a result of this. These pots belong to a local resident who is very keen on catching the crayfish. With his help along with our traps operated by Phil Rose and Mick Taylor over 1300 were removed. Trapping is to start again shortly and we hope that the joint efforts of last year will be noticeable this season.
We had arranged to remove the ropes over the Easter Weekend. This has now been put back until the working party on 12th May which will start about 09.30, this is because we have found cormorants on the water. You may also notice there is more ropes between pegs 1 to 5, this is because the cormorants have worked out that they can walk down to the water and get in under the ropes. They are currently roosting in the dead tree just off our land and we have tried to get the tree removed. Sadly, we are unable to do this so we are looking at other ideas to remove them. If anybody knows where l can pick up an old mannequin that we can use to help scare them away, please let me know.
Feeding will still go ahead this year. We have enough food for 1 more season, we will then review if we need to buy more or leave the lake to support the fish in there.
Please note that the gate code will change on 1st June. Your new code will be printed in your membership ticket, please remember to keep this to yourself to help maintain the lakes security.
Can I please ask you for your support for the 2 working parties. The more hands we have the more we can get done. Consistently it is the committee and the same couple of members who turn out and support these, it would be great to have some more of you along to help the club.
Finally, another date for your diaries, the AGM will again be held at The Buckingham School on London Road, Buckingham on Tuesday 7th May at 8pm. Please do come along and have your say on the running of your club. The committee put a lot of time and effort into running the club, which l thank them for, however members do have other good ideas on how we move forward, and we would love to see you and hear them.
Application forms for membership can be found on the website and fees are being held at the same price as last year. We have also agreed with Winslow Club to continue the reciprocal arrangement with them, as we have over the past few years. If you want to take advantage of this please indicate on your renewal form and enclose the additional £5 premium. This is available to up to 20 members.
Hope to see you at the working parties and the AGM.
Here’s to a successful and enjoyable 2019/20
Graham