Weekly News from our Lakes and Rivers

Weekly News from our Lakes and Rivers

Home
Club Rules
Weekly news from the banks
Club Waters and Maps
Membership/outlets
IPA Waters
Match fixtures
Match Results
Specimen Fish Trophies
Health and Safety issues
Airman Pit picture gallery
Archived News
disclaimer

Forum
How to join the Forum

Submit a fish photo

Anglian Regional EA bylaws

Local 5 day forecast

Andy's Angling

To see Archived News From the Banks click here
Week ending 29th January 2012 Sport has been in the doldrums across all our waters during the last week and the current cold and dry conditions are unlikely to improve sport. Lack of flow in the rivers and clear water has led to the fish shoaling more tightly than usual and are often reluctant to feed during daylight. Roach and dace are still being caught in pockets along Broom River and the Stanford Canal with the best sport usually coming late afternoon as the light is fading. Anglers targeting the perch are struggling to catch and are finding the small jack pike are often first to locate their lobworm baits. Chub are usually reliable feeders through the winter, but they are often only feeding during the first few hours of darkness. Pike have been the main quarry for anglers fishing the stillwaters and the key to success is usually locating the tightly packed shoals of silver fish. Paul Allum managed to located the pike at Broom Lake and landed pike to 12lb, his largest fish still locating his bait despite being blind in one eye. The next round of the pike series will take place at The Airman on Sunday 5th February 2012 and any member wanting to fish should contact the organiser Bryan Lancaster (07810 454819), or just turn up in time for the draw at 8.30am. Shefford & District A. A. membership books and guest tickets are now also available from Country Sports at Priory Marina in Bedford.
Week ending 22nd January 2012 Odd carp continue to show at the Airman where Ashley Irvine recently caught a 14lb 7oz fully scaled mirror. The next round of the pike series will take place at The Airman on Sunday 5th February 2012 and any member wanting to fish should contact the organiser Bryan Lancaster (07810 454819), or just turn up in time for the draw at 8.30am. As an added incentive a big fish prize of £100 will be awarded for the biggest pike caught in excess of 20lb during the pike series. The drought conditions of 2011 still mean that most of the recent rainfall is not making its way to the rivers, which still lack the flow and colour that will bring the fish on the feed. Alan Thomas decided on a morning session on the Ouse at Pavenham that produced a single bite for a 4lb 8oz chub. Finally, a reminder that Shefford & District A. A. ‘half-year’ membership is available and lasts through to 15th June 2012. Prices are Adult £35, Concessionary £25, Spouse £20 & Junior £10. Membership books can be purchased from our usual outlets, which now includes Tons of Tackle in Dunstable.
Week ending 15th January 2012 The deep water of the Airman helps to maintain reasonably constant water temperatures during the winter and there have been several carp caught recently, including several upper doubles and the occasional 20lb carp reported. However, the water is currently gin clear and anglers targeting the roach and bream are finding the shoals are constantly on the move with only short spells of feeding activity. Good bags of silver fish are still possible at Broom Lake providing the shoals can be located. The Environment Agency recently conducted a survey on the lake and data from scale samples showed the roach population has showing good growth rates in recent years. Although most of the roach were young fish below 2oz, there were plenty of older specimens up to the pound mark. This is a good example of the work undertaken by the EA on behalf of angling clubs, which is partly funded through income from rod licences. The often neglected River Flit (Ivel Navigation) is still producing a number of good chub in the Shefford/Clifton area. There have also been reports of some good perch as well as specimen roach. It is often best to maintain a mobile approach on this narrow stretch of the river, trying likely fish holding spots for just 30 minutes before moving on. The Ouse at Pavenham has been producing a number of perch to 3lb as well as the more usual chub. One good sign is the number of good dace that have recently been caught on float fished maggot.
Week ending 8th January 2012 The recent rainfall has had little impact on the water levels on both Shefford & District AA stillwater and river venues. Several lakes are still well below their usual winter levels and the rivers are in desperate need of a good flush through to remove the debris from decaying weed. Alan Lawrence has continued exploring the River Flit (Ivel Navigation) in the Shefford/Clifton area and once again demonstrated the potential of this small river by taking five chub whilst trotting cheese flavoured bread flake with his best fish weighing in at 5lb 14oz. The silver fish have concentrated into their usual winter quarters at Broom Lake and locating the shoals is the key to success for float anglers. Anglers after the pike need to locate the silver fish shoals as well, and multiple bags of pike with up to 8 fish in a session to low doubles have been reported. The latest leg of the pike matches proved the point as of the six anglers taking part Dave Baker was the only angler to catch and managed four small pike for a total of 11lb 8oz. Willington Lake is also providing some reliable pike sport with fish to mid-doubles reported.