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The weather last week was perfect for fishing, mayfly continued to hatch and members took full advantage of the conditions.

Lakes – The mayfly hatch continued with duns hatching throughout the middle of the day, eventually finding shelter in the trees around the lakes. Clouds of male spinners were rising and falling all around Great Springs and Little Springs. Crippled duns and spent spinners floated on the surface late in the afternoon. The trout switched to nymphs in the early evening.

Members visited the lakes on 75 occasions and caught a total of 96 trout. Great Springs and Little Springs produced two thirds of the fish. Of the 96 fish that were caught 72 were returned. A fish of 4lbs was caught at Little Springs and a 4lb 12oz fish was landed at Luffs.

Catch and release at the rainbow lakes continues until 31 May, today the water temperature at the lakes was 16 degrees.

River – the river received its second stocking last week and a few fish were caught at Rotherbridge. A wild fish was also caught. Mayfly, olives and alder continued to hatch. The river is in excellent condition but is still quite cold, today the water temperature was only 12 degrees. When the water warms up the trout should become more active.

Mayfly are hatching well at Little Springs, the trout are taking dry flies fished close to the bank. A quiet approach is essential.

Lakes – the lakes are looking beautiful and the trout are rising. Spring fishing at its best.

The trout are rising throughout the day for mayfly. The height of the hatch is around lunchtime. Imitations of spent mayfly spinners, carefully presented, should give good results. Late this afternoon, after the main hatch had petered out, the trout were taking mayfly nymphs a couple of feet down.

Members visited the lakes on 94 occasions and caught a total of 151 trout including fish of 6lbs and 8lbs 4ozs from Little Springs. A trout of 5lbs 4ozs was caught at Luffs. Of the 151 trout that were caught, 110 were returned. A few big fish have been stocked in all the lakes.

The water temperature of the lakes has remained low, mainly because of the cold nights. Consequently, Andrew Thompson has given permission for the catch and release trial at the rainbow trout lakes to be extended until the end of May.

River – the river rose slightly in the middle of the week but has now dropped back to its normal level. It was another quiet week on the river. A small sea trout was caught at Keepers Bridge and another fish was caught on a mayfly.

Signing in and out – will all members please ensure that they sign in before starting to fish. It is important that the returns are accurate. Recording members and guests whereabouts ensures they can be contacted in an emergency and also allows strangers to be challenged.

Lost property – a landing net, left at Figgs, is in the main fishing hut together with a fly box found at Great Springs.

The first mayfly of the season was seen at Little Bognor on Tuesday 30 April. The typically spring weather has been perfect for fishing, the river and lakes are looking beautiful. The occasional shower has been absorbed into the parched fields and the river has not risen or become coloured.

Lakes – Mayfly, Olives and Alder fly are hatching and midges are always present on all the lakes. Members visited the lakes on 34 occasions and caught a total of 112 trout, 79 of which were returned. The lakes are fishing very well despite the record cold weather over the Bank Holiday.

The south-westerly breeze forecast for the next few days should ensure a nice ripple on the water which will help hide the tippet when using a dry fly. Swinging a nymph or an emerger across the wind is also a good tactic when the fish are rising.

River  – the river is looking at it’s best. The streamer weed is starting to grow, the water level and colour are perfect. Last week members visited the river on 19 occasions and caught 4 trout including a fish of 3lbs.

This afternoon the willows were shedding seeds, swallows were skimming the surface of the river and a buzzard was hunting across the fields at Rotherbridge. The Alder fly is hatching in large numbers along the river and there are also olives about. Several fish were rising in the early evening.

Lakes – the lakes were all stocked prior to the start of the season. Great Springs and Lower Figgs had been refilled and the water soon cleared. The water at Lower Figgs is crystal clear.

Since the season started the weather has been consistently good for fishing. Even over Easter when there were near record temperatures, the lake fishing was excellent. The opening week was a record start to the season and a few bigger than average fish were caught. By the first week of April the trout were rising and also chasing the roach fry.

In mid April the weather was bright and cold  and the fish were rising freely to take buzzers, particularly at Little Bognor. Towards the end of the month the weather became warmer and brighter, the trout continued to rise and take small dry flies and buzzers.

The recent warm weather has produced hatches of  Alder, Olives, Hawthorn and midges. Fish of 4 – 5lb have been caught and returned, one guest did particularly well at Little Springs using a dry Daddy. Popular flies were Montana and buzzer imitations.

Last week members visited the lakes on 90 occasions and caught 154 trout, 136 of which were returned. Fish of 3.5lbs and 4.5lbs were caught at Little Springs. For the season to date, 808 fish have been caught in 456 visits.

Catch and Release finishes on May 19 on the rainbow lakes but continues to the end of the season at Little Bognor.

River – it has been a quiet start to the season but the river is in excellent condition and the recent prolonged warm spell should encourage flies to hatch and the fish to rise.

Improvements have been made to give better access to the river at Perryfields. A few small seats have been provided at vantage points along the river.

The river has been stocked and should give good sport during May when the mayfly hatch. The trout are staying deep and hiding in the sparse streamer weeds. A deep sunk nymph run under bushes or between the weed beds should produce a fish or two.

Yesterday there was a good hatch of Olives and Alder fly at Perryfields in the evening and several fish were seen rising in the Fish Pass. The trout will begin to look up during early May and will be easier to find.

Spring BBQ – 2 June, 11:00am – 4:00pm

The date for the Spring BBQ is 2 June. The event will start at 11:00am and finish at 4:00pm. Brian Smart will be on hand to provide free tuition to members and guests. As in previous years we will be organising a BBQ with delicious food and wonderful wine included, all for £15 per person.

If you would like to attend the BBQ, please could you contact Emma Goode at the Estate Office by email on emma.goode@leconfieldestates.co.uk or by telephone on 01798-342502 to help plan the catering.

Orvis Day – 15 June, 10:00am – 3:00pm

Orvis will be holding a rod demonstration day at Great Springs and Little Springs on Saturday 15 June. The event is free and will run from 10:00am until 3:00pm at the fishing hut beside Great Springs.

Join Hamish and Jerome from Orvis Chichester and Orvis Guide, Brian Smart, for an exclusive day trying some of the finest rods available. Orvis will have a range of Helios 3 rods (the most accurate rod ever made) Recons, Superfine carbon and the new Clearwater.

Light refreshments will be provided in the clubhouse and guests are welcome to enjoy the scenery. No booking is required.

Directions: GU28 9LY and then follow the signs. Phone 07816879333 if you are lost !

This is a free event, open to members and non members.

 

 

Lakes – the hot bright conditions leading up to the near record breaking Easter weather didn’t seem to put the trout off feeding. Fish were rising on all the lakes and members had good sport at Luffs and Little Bognor. Small dry flies or buzzers fished slowly just under the surface produced the takes. The best time of day was from 4:00pm onwards.

Members visited the lakes on 89 occasions and caught 142 fish. That included a 4lb fish from Great Springs and a 5lb fish from Luffs, photo above, the latter was returned. Of the 142 fish 112 were returned.

The trout are in excellent condition, the 3lb + fish above was caught at Luffs. The slightly cooler weather next week should enable the good sport to continue.

River – Again no fish were caught on the river. The water will become warmer and the Mayfly will soon start to hatch, the situation should be different this time next week.

The wild flowers in the woods along the river are at their best at the moment.

This update covers the last two weeks, there was no internet access in the wilds of Cumbria last week !

Lakes – during the first week of April trout were rising freely at Little Bognor taking buzzers. Either a dry fly or nymph fished just under the surface, produced a fish or two. Members visited the lakes on 52 occasions and caught a total of 95 trout, 79 of which were returned.

Last week the weather was bright and cold, members visited the lakes on 70 occasions and caught 116 trout, 88 of which were returned. A number of dead fish have been found at the lakes and this is thought to be the result of poor handling when returning the fish. If a fish is deeply hooked or bleeding, please do not return it.

A number of much larger rainbow trout have been stocked and members may wish to increase the strength of their tippets !

River – the water level and colour were perfect but the rain and snow showers discouraged members from visiting the river on opening morning. The water level was constant through the opening week. Last week the bright, cold conditions were not helpful. Three fish have been caught which is better than the opening weeks of last season when the Beast from the East made the river unfishable.

There is no weed cover at this time of year and a weighted nymph fished through the deeper pools and under bushes is the best tactic. Warmer weather is forecast for the end of the week and that may encourage the fish to feed.

Lakes – the weather throughout the week was excellent and members took the opportunity to visit all the lakes. Members visited the lakes on 74 occasions and caught a total of 125 trout, the catch was spread evenly across the lakes. A fish of 5lbs was caught at Upper Figgs and two wild trout were caught at Little Bognor. Members continued to return a high proportion of the fish, 91 were caught and released.

Midges are hatching in good numbers and fish were rising to the dry fly at Little Bognor this afternoon. Olives are starting to hatch at Little Springs. Large numbers of small roach are shoaling on the surface at Great Springs and Little Springs. The most productive fly last week was the Montana.

River – the river is in excellent condition and should provide good sport on Wednesday when it opens. The water is at a normal level and has lost the colour from the rain two weeks ago.

 

 

The River Rother opens on Wednesday 3 April as permitted by the local byelaws and not on  Thursday 4 April as stated in the membership renewal letter. Members have been sent an email to correct this error.

Tight lines.

Lakes – unlike last year the weather during most of the opening week was excellent for fishing, overcast with a gentle breeze. A total of 174 trout were caught which is a record start to the season. Members visited the lakes on 81 occasions, 136 fish were returned.

Little Springs was the most productive lake including two fish of 3lb 8ozs and an over wintered fish of 4lb 8ozs. Upper Figgs produced trout of 3lb 8ozs and 5+lbs, both of which were returned.  Two wild fish were caught at Little Bognor. A high pressure system over the country this week will see warm settled weather which should encourage further hatches of grannom and midges.

River – the river is in excellent condition and opens on Wednesday 3 April.

Lost property – these Ray Ban sunglasses are on the top of the stuffed fish in the club house for the owner to claim.

Lakes – the lakes have all been stocked and some good fish have already been caught  from Little Springs. The fish are in excellent condition and it is good to see that the majority have been returned to the water. Black flies have been successful in the slightly coloured water.

AGM – the meeting was well attended and after the club’s business had been completed, everyone was entertained by Simon Cooper who gave a talk about chalkstreams.

Membership – the membership cards  for the new season will be posted shortly, in the meantime members should sign in with their membership number from last season. Please sign-in before starting to fish as this ensures members safety and accurate catch returns.

Landing nets – a national byelaw makes it illegal to use landing nets with knotted mesh. This byelaw ensures that fish are returned to the water unharmed. If you have an old landing net and intend to return trout, replacement mesh can easily be obtained online.

Fishing Licence – please remember to renew your licence. You can apply online using the government portal. There are a number of scam websites that charge exorbitant booking fees, the official website is as follows . . .

https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence