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The weather during the week was settled and very good for fishing. The bright sunny days, cool mornings and evenings encouraged members to visit both the lakes and the river.

Lakes – Members visited the lakes on 63 occasions and caught 65 trout, 14 of which were over 2lb. At Little Bognor 42 fish were caught, 27 of which were returned to the lakes. Two wild trout were caught and returned.

River – The river level dropped but the colour of the water made it difficult for the trout to see members flies. Members visited the river on 27 occasions but no trout were caught. Hopefully the river level will continue to drop and the water will clear before the end of this week.

The barbeque on Sunday is an opportunity to bring a guest, chat with other members and catch a trout or two. The weather forecast for Sunday looks good.

The weather last week was great for fishing and even the Bank Holiday weather was lovely. The lakes looked magnificent and the river level had dropped.

Lakes – Members visited the lakes on 56 occasions and caught 57 fish, 26 of which were over 2lb. The best fish of the week was a blue trout of 3lb 4oz from Little Springs. The first Mayfly was seen at the lakes on 3 May and there were good hatches of Alder fly and Hawthorn fly all through the week. The fish were rising on all the lakes and quite a few fish were caught on dry flies. At Little Bognor 24 fish were caught and 13 were returned.

River – Members visited the river on two occasions and no fish were caught. The river level is dropping and the colour is disappearing. During bright sunny days the trout shelter under the banks and hide among the tree roots. Fishing the margins on both sides of the river with a Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear, a Black Pennel or a Red Tag should produce a fish or two. Particularly under the alder and willow trees. Early morning and late evening are the most productive times during the summer.

The EA river level gauge at Iping Mill has been giving spurious readings. If you wish to know the state of the river before travelling to fish, please phone Andrew Thompson whose details are on the ‘Contacts’ page.

Please contact the Estate Office if you are going to the barbecue and tell Holly or Mark as it helps with the catering if the number of people attending is known.

Unfortunately the weather did not reflect the forecast and cold, wet, windy days kept members from fishing. The lakes are in good condition and are fully stocked with trout of a higher than usual size. If members brave the unseasonal weather, good sport can be had at all the lakes.

Lakes – Last week members visited the lakes on 34 occasions and caught 32 trout. Great Springs and Little Springs were the most productive lakes. The average size of the fish was good, 19 of the 32 fish were over 2lb and several were over 3lb. Of the 10 fish that were caught at Little Bognor, 8 were returned.

River – The initial stock of chalk stream reared trout were introduced to the river last week but the heavy rain at the start and end of the week kept the river level high and the water too coloured for fishing.

Members visited the river on 2 occasions mid-week but no fish were caught.

The weather throughout the week was glorious. Temperatures reached the mid-seventies but the water in the lakes retained its chill and the trout were very active.

Lakes – Members visited the lakes on 83 occasions and caught a total of 64 trout. Little Springs received the most visits and of the 13 fish that were caught there, 10 were over 2lb. Little Bognor remained popular, a total of 27 fish were caught from the two lakes and of those, 25 were returned. The trout at Little Bognor are becoming quite fussy, they are feeding throughout the day but a stealthy approach and small flies are required. The most productive flies were buzzers and small dry flies such as Adams. Fish were rising well on Lower Figgs, taking buzzers and Alder flies.

River – The river level dropped mid-week and the water lost some of its colour. Members visited the river on 21 occasions and caught 2 trout, both over-wintered stock fish. Both fish were caught at Rotherbridge. The recent thunder storms caused a small increase in the water level but this week it will drop and give members a good chance of a fish or two. Fishing the margins with a weighted nymph is likely to be the best approach.

The first part of the week was more like Autumn than Spring. Although the river rose it dropped again at the end of the week but remained quite coloured. The lakes were also much clearer at the end of the week and the Spring sunshine encouraged the fish to rise.

Lakes – Great Springs received its first stock of fish since the lakes restoration. The stocking included several trout over 5lb. Members visited the lakes on 55 occasions and caught a total of 64 trout which included 19 fish over 2lb. A trout of 5lb 4ozs was caught from Little Springs and a 4lb 8ozs fish was landed at Great Springs. Of the 39 fish that were caught at Little Bognor 33 were returned. The catch and release trial remains very popular, more than half of members visits were to Little Bognor.

River – The river remained high and coloured until the weekend when the level fell slightly. Two members made several visits to the river but no fish were caught. No rain is forecast for the next week and the river should return to its normal Spring level.

A new gas barbeque has been provided at Great Springs.

Spring finally arrived, the lakes looked beautiful in the bright sunshine. Mid-week saw the river level finally dropping after a long wet winter. However, the end of the week saw more rain and a rising river.

Lakes – Members visited the lakes on 49 occasions and caught a total of 77 fish including 15 over 2lb. Little Springs produced the most fish and 8 of the fish caught there were over 2lb. The Little Springs trout were caught on a wide variety of flies including Blue Flash Damsel, Montana and Pheasant Tail.

Of the 39 fish caught at Little Bognor, 32 were returned. Small dry flies and buzzers accounted for a lot of the fish. After only a month of the season, the total number of fish caught at Little Bognor has exceeded the original stocking.

River – The water level dropped slightly during the middle of the week and the river was losing its colour. The high, coloured water kept most members away. Only one member visited the river during opening week and no fish were caught. Hopefully, next week the water level will drop and the colour will disappear. The wild and over-wintered trout should be hungry.

Please contact Holly at the Estate Office to book tickets for the Spring barbeque which is on Sunday 20 May.

The wet, cold weather during the latter part of the week kept members away from the lakes. Members visited the lakes on 35 occasions and caught a total of 61 fish, 6 of which were over 2lb. Most of the fish were caught at Little Bognor, where catch and release continues to be popular. Of the fish caught at Little Bognor 46 were returned to the lakes. A blue trout was caught from Upper Figgs. Most of the fish were caught on black flies. At Little Bognor the trout were feeding on tiny midges and most were caught on a dry fly or buzzer.

The River Rother opens for fishing tomorrow, Tuesday 3 April, but the water level is very high and the river won’t be fishable for quite a while.

When driving through Kilsham Farm to access the river, please keep your speed low and watch out for the children and animals.

The date of the Spring ‘Bring a Guest Day’ and barbeque has been changed to Sunday 20 May. Please contact Holly at the Estate Office to make a booking.

The weather over the opening weekend discouraged many members from venturing out, only a few hardy souls visited Little Springs and Little Bognor. Trout were occasionally showing at Little Springs but it was difficult fishing in the cold north wind. Great Springs is nearly full but the water is coloured and stocking has been delayed a few weeks to allow the water to clear.

Despite the cold weather the fish at Little Bognor were rising all over the lower lake, feeding on tiny grey flies. A few fish were also moving on the top lake. A total of 21 fish were caught and released over the opening weekend, the majority coming from the lower lake. As the weather improved more members visited Little Bognor. Productive fly patterns were Montana and various buzzers. The fish were taking just under the surface.

During the first nine days of the season members visited the lakes on 50 occasions and caught a total of 127 trout. Five trout over 2lb were caught at Little Springs and of those, 2 were over 4lb. They were both overwintered fish as none have been stocked this year of that size. The biggest trout weighed 4lb 14ozs.

Catch and release at Little Bognor got off to a good start. Of the 99 trout that were caught from the two lakes, 88 were returned.

The river season starts on Tuesday 3rd April. The river level is currently high but it is falling and the water is clearing. The River Level icon on this page shows the water level twice a day and is particularly useful at this time of year.

The clubs AGM was held at Lodsworth Village Hall and was well attended. After business had been completed, Andrew Thompson gave a talk about the natural history of the Rother valley illustrated by photographs from his book – ‘River‘. James Simpson read one of his poems about a Barn Owl and also read a selection of poems and prose from Andrews book. After the talk members chatted about the new season over canapes and wine.

Opening day was cold and windy with heavy snow showers but a few members braved the bad weather and caught several trout. Fish were showing on the surface at Little Springs and both lakes at Little Bognor.

The first trout to be caught at Little Bognor this season was released. Please make a note on the catch return form of fish that are released so that the catch-and-release trial can be monitored.

Most of the lakes have been stocked. The stocking of Great Springs has been delayed as the water is still quite coloured. The landscaping around Lower Figgs and Great Springs will be seeded with grass as soon as the weather is warm enough.

Membership permits,  car stickers and the clubs newsletter have been posted and should have been received by members. New members who wish to have a guided tour of the river and lakes should contact the Estate Office or Andrew Thompson.

The clubs AGM is at 6:30pm on Friday 16 March at Lodsworth Village Hall, the evening before the lakes open for the new season. Most of the lakes have already been stocked. A lot of over-wintered trout were seen rising at Little Bognor last week.

Rod licences are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. The expiry date is printed on the reverse of the licence. Members fishing for sea trout should buy a salmon and sea trout licence.

Each week during the season a summary of the catch returns will be published here together with information about notable fish and fly hatches. The ‘River Level’ icon gives details of the water level for the Rother at Iping Mill and is particularly helpful when planning a trip to the river.

Tight Lines.