February 1999
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Editorial
l Welcome to the February issue of your news magazine, I hope the new year has brought the peace and prosperity you hoped for. I hope also that the fishing has been up to a good standard. Thanks for all of the letters and suggestions that you have sent in - keep them coming, at this rate it is looking good to send out another news magazine early in the season, then perhaps another one around Xmas. Of course this is all up to you as I can only produce a magazine if I have material to use. Once again I must say thank you to Steve Jenner who seems to have an insatiable appetite for providing me with lots of material which I am going to use in future magazines. I may even dedicate a section in each mag, to anglers like Steve who like to share there past fishing experiences with you the members. I may title the section "Memoirs of passionate anglers" or something like that. John has written quite a bit on Rowley - who many believe to be our 'jewel in the crown' and contained within is a strong warning aimed at a minority of anglers who had better take heed or suffer the consequences. Hope to see you all down the bank in the new season enjoying the sport HAS has on offer.
Tight Lines Warren
ROWLEY - FEBRUARY I999
The Fishing
Many Carp caught off the top this year for those who could be bothered to apply themselves to this very satisfying method. Tench and Bream very much in evidence and being caught in numbers through the Winter and up to date.
Fishery Management
Liming to continue this Spring. Lilies to be treated as required when they emerge. The soft pondweed that showed itself last summer is still around. Hopefully this will be controlled by fish activity and the foraging of the geese. These birds should be allowed to rear their young this year we will need them if we are not to experience similar weed problems to those we see at Nos. 1 & 2. Small fish cull continue this year. same form as last year, i.e. all smalls into No1. All Pike under 5lb. into No.2. We shall be carrying this out ourselves without the services of the usual contractor so volunteers please. This year it will be on a weekend so no excuses. Usual swim repairs and general tidying up. Attempts to be made to try and alleviate the flooding problem on the west bank.
Security
As you know the fly tippers paid us a visit back in November, cutting the chain on the main gate and blocking access for 2 weeks. There is now a more substantial chain and padlock which hopefully will deter further visits. The incident cost us £ 150 for a skip to shift most of it, the balance being tipped in the woods. Our thanks to Steve and John Whitby at Rowley Farm for their assistance in clearing it. Also be warned that some members have had their cars tampered with. The culprits seemingly being kids with nothing better to do. Keep your eyes open and report such incidents to the police. Also let the committee know so that we can forewarn others. If you see anything suspicious let us know. Challenge as necessary but don't put yourselves at risk. Take relevant details and let us know.
Rules
Like it or not the club rules are there for a reason. Top of the list is conditions of Membership. If you are not familiar with the Rules you will eventually fall foul of them and put your membership in jeopardy. Rules are there to protect your fishing. Break them and you risk losing the fishing on a water for the entire club for all time. Most of the rules are based on common sense, something, thankfully, that most of our members seem to have. However, the small minded minority pop up now and again and put all our fishing at risk. Case in point fires. Not allowed anywhere. The only time a fire should be lit is to burn rubbish etc. at a working party and even then we have to give notification to the Landlord in advance. A few weeks ago a gang of four lit a fire on the island at Rowley. They were there to night fish. It was dark and they obviously thought they were alone on the lake. Either that or they didn't give a shit anyway which is highly likely. Prior to the fire being lit out of the darkness came the cracking and breaking noises of branches and timber being broken up for kindling etc. When I challenged them the lame excuse was - "Ah well we're just trying to get a barby going. " Bullshit, this was a full blown bonfire, built to satisfy their boredom and ward off the cold of a long November night. This little band have already have a dubious reputation and should have known better. They were just taking the piss. To their credit there was not a sign of the night's activities the next morning. however, their departure was coincident with the main gate being left open. No more chances lads.
Fishing the Island
If I had my way the island would be closed for fishing. Don't get me wrong I enjoy fishing the island. It's quiet, secure, private and has good vantage points to other areas of the lake. Why would I want to close it? Because there are some members who abuse the privilege, members who put our fish at risk and piss me and others off in the process. Example: Thursday, 28 January I999. Down for a few hours in the afternoon I set up opposite the small island. There were 2 guys on the main island. From where I am I can't see anyone and I assume they are fishing off the front of the island. The punt Swim and the Bush Swim ( regulars will know which swims these are empty. About mid afternoon an optonic sings out - somebody over there has a run. The alarm continued to sound and eventually they both appear in the Bush Swim. One of them picks up a rod, which I hadn't seen and he's into a fish. Eventually he lands it and I consider him dead lucky to have got the fish out of the bush. I assume he was fishing tight to it because that's generally the only reason one fishes that particular swim. A couple of hours later, just as it was getting dark the same thing happens - not so lucky this time straight into the bush. I assume he lost it because there was no torches or activities which would indicate a fish landed and they packed up immediately afterwards. This is not a one off incident - it happens all the time. I have had accounts of a pair of anglers fishing 2 rods off the front of the Island, one rod into the bush and another rod to the bush in the west corner. How many extra rods go out after dark? Last year we designated the Bush Swim non bivvy i.e. no night fishing in the interests of fish conservation. Recently someone was seen to be bivvied up in the Punt swim with 2 rods whilst a 3rd rod fished for itself into the bush. This situation had been going on all night as the guy when seen was asleep in the bivvy at 7.30am. Back in November I had a call from a very concerned member to say that a fish was tethered in the Bush. I grabbed the chest waders and got over there straight away. I spent the next hour climbing around in this bush chasing the fish from one end to the other. I never actually saw the fish -just the occasional boil on the surface to give away it's whereabouts - but it must have had at least 10-12 feet of line attached as it kept popping up all around and under the bush. Obviously tethered somewhere but on a long line which gave it limited freedom of movement. Eventually, and by now it's dark, the fish stopped showing and despite continuing to search with a strong flashlight it appeared have gone. A member night fishing in a nearby swim confirmed the fish's absence during the following morning. It seemed my thrashing around in the bush had released the line allowing the fish to go free. Weeks later an 18lb. Common was found dead tethered to another bush just a few yards along the bank. There was no lead attached to snag the fish just 10-12 feet of 20lb. Amnesia which the fish had unknowingly tied around a branch. This kind of angling practice is not acceptable and with this I include actually fishing deep within the bush from the main bank. If it is seen to persist, the bush may go, fishing on the island may go, but make no mistake the guilty angler will most certainly go.
John Miles 7.2.99
Harefield No1 ~ The Future
At last we have a reasonable lease period for both number 1&2 and can make plans to develop these fisheries. The emphasis will initially be on No1 with knock-on effects concerning No.2. The idea with No. 1 is to bring the fishery up to a standard where one is almost guaranteed to catch a decent bag of fish and thereby take the pressure of Rowley lake, satisfy existing members and attract new members.
Since October I997 the following have been stocked into No. 1.~
- Crucians - 734
- Bream 868
- Tench 127
- Roach 735
- Carp 150
Most fish were of the 8"~ I0" class with some Crucians and Tench to 2lb and some Roach up to 1-8 The Carp averaged 2-3lb. The above represents an investment by the club of £10,170.00 inc. VAT. Add this to the 28,000 small Roach from Rowley last spring and the fish transferred from Langley in 1996 and you can see that a substantial topping up operation has been carried out. It is also the intention of your committee to spend a further £5,000 over the next 2 years on small Carp, Bream, Roach Rudd etc as follow on stock. Further fish will be added from Rowley as and when we cull. It is not our intention to develop the Lake as a Carp fishery, indeed the proposal is to remove the Carp as they reach double figures and transfer them to No.2 thereby topping up this fishery on an ongoing basis. It is hoped that this investment will attract new members and boost the ailing membership list of recent years. So, please fish the lake and on the strength of your success, encourage others to do so. Remember every additional member brings money into the club for further investment on this and other waters. As part of this ongoing programme would you please report your catches to Lee, our Curator, or any other committee member. In this way we can assess what is being caught and when and thereby monitor growth rates and make adjustments as necessary A lot of work and money has been put into this project so far but we need you, the membership, to make it work. Many thanks John Miles 9/2/99
Harefield Nol - Fishery Report
Since the addition of the latest stocking of Carp, fishing reports received from the members have been encouraging and the fishing prospects look very promising. The new season should bring some excellent fishing, what with the existing head of fish and the current stocking policy. A recent pollution incident of Harefield No 1 was caused primarily from the rain washing off silage / effluent from the fields at Park Lodge Farm. There were Minimum notable effects to the lake and only a few small Roach were reported to have fallen victims. The Environmental Agency were called in to investigate who took readings of the water. Solutions are being investigated to prevent a reoccurrence of this type of incident. All members are to remain vigilant whilst fishing any of the HAS waters and are actively encouraged to report any evidence or suspicion of pollution to the Fishery Managers. The excess of pond weed in No1 is to be treated carefully with, chemicals during the close season to reduce existing, levels and minimise any further growth.
Harefield No2 - Fishery Report
The weed in No2 is to be treated in the close season. Hopefully using the water treatment system "CASARON" as this is seen by experts in the field, as one of the most safest and effective forms of water chemical treatment. However any treatment has to be carried out with the full cooperation of the HOAC, to prevent any complications or misunderstandings in the season, which could effect our fishing. We are also making enquiries as to the method of application for the chemical, as we want to ensure that any treatment is carried out in a safe and professional manner.
Curator's Report
I was hoping to gently take over the position of curator with the guidance of our dear friend Frank, unfortunately this has not been possible as he is now sitting beside the great lake in the sky. It seems that I have also inherited the lack of support from the vast majority of the members in that they seem reluctant to disclose what they have caught throughout the season. The reports that I receive are not solely for the purpose of "pot hunting' but to try and build up a picture of the fish coming out of the society's waters. You will find a sheet of report forms within your magazine, it would be very much appreciated if you could fill these in and return them to me by the end of the season. If you don't want any "publicity" about your captures just make a note in the witness column. The society will be having a draw based on reports submitted for a year's free membership. So lets have some reports come in so that we can hold the draw. Could anyone who has any trophies please contact me so as can arrange to get them back ready to be en graved and polished ready for the next lucky winner. Don't forget they will look very nice adorning the top of your television set.
Lee Winter
Letters to the Editor
Thank you very much for all your letters especially the one's supporting me on the production of the last magazine. Hopefully you will find this one of a higher standard than the last, as I am finally getting to grips with my editing package. Please keep your letters and suggestions coming in. Ed.
Dear Warren,
A short note (a little late) of congratulations on producing a very readable 1st edition. The addition of colour to front and back covers is a great bonus made possible I presume by a modern print machine in conjunction with a PC (that shows how ignorant I am). I hope the new format with emphasis on members letters proves successful thought it must be said that anglers, by and large, are a secretive lot and not given to sharing their triumphs (few) or their abject failures (many). My angling exhibitions, often in the company of Frank Webb, produced modest catches and much frustration by way of snagged and broken lines both in the water and on waterside trees, that and often getting soaking wet and cold made you feel you should get your brains tested! Best wishes to you and to the next magazine.
Colin Head
Dear Warren,
Harefield No1 Stocking Policy
I have learnt whilst performing my duties as Bailiff, that a number of Carp have been stocked into Harefield No. I Whilst I recognise that HAS Committee is trying to do the best for its members and improve the fishing in our lakes, I can not understand how a decision made at a previous AGM has been ignored and overruled by the Committee. I recall the issue of the stocking policy for Harefield No. I whereby it was agreed by the club as a whole i.e. the support of the members, that no Carp (except Crucians) would be stocked into Harefield No1. How is it then that Carp have been stocked into No1 without the members being given a chance to accept the proposal? Is the club now being run by Carp anglers with a secret agenda of their own? I am deeply disappointed at this apparent disregard to the paying members of the club and even more disappointed that the introduction of the Carp will I seriously affect the high quality Tench fishing that is the true quality of No1. I am not alone in my feelings and various anglers have expressed there views to me whilst I have been walking around the lake. I am seriously considering not rejoining the Club in the new season as I feel that the committee has let down and deceived the members of the club and is turning the club into something that is not attractive to me and my style of fishing. I have known you for some time and I am aware of your love for Tench and Bream fishing and are surprised with the likes of you Vince and others that this decision was allowed to be put in place. Can you please add this letter into the next HAS magazine and raise this issue at the next committee meeting, as I would like it to be put on the agenda for discussion during the forthcoming AGM.
Yours sincerely Stuart Verity
Dear Warren,
I'm browsing through an old angling publication recently and I came across the following epigram from 'CHRESTELEROS, SEVEN BOOKS OF EPIGRAMS WRITTEN IN CIRCA I598' Which I found amusing and I quote:
- Fishing, if I a fisher may protest, of pleasures is the sweet'st of sports the best,
- Of exercises the most excellent.
- Of recreations the most innocent.
- But now the sport is marde, and wott ye why?
- Fishes decrease, and fishers multiply
So what's new.
Mr B. Bean
Well, what can I say, it appears that the problem of a lack of fish in the net is a long long one! Ed.
Dear Warren,
Congratulations on your lst Mag issue. In that issue you asked for ways to increase out Membership Nos. Please find enclosed two pages from the "All Sport and Leisure" a free Newspaper covering NW Middlesex, Bucks & Herts As you will see it is dominated by "Boyers", but a couple of other clubs do advertise, maybe we as a dub should consider it too?, or maybe even a small article on the club and its waters? Any way just a few thoughts.
Cheers. G R Pearce, Ruislip, Middix
PS this newspaper is available at most, if not all sporting and leisure centres and library's throughout the LB. Hillingdon.
Thank you for your excellent suggestion. I am currently enquiring as to the cost and also working on a design of an advert, following approval from the committee.
Dear Warren,
A suggestion to increase the new members: put a sign up at No, I in the public picnic area with a contact address and some details about H.A.S, I am sure this will be of some use as I have had to stop several non-members from fishing in this area as it appears to be public water. As far as new waters are concerned I would like us to have some river fishing, please,
Paul Collyer, lver, Bucks
Thank you for your suggestion, which I will put to the committee for consideration. ED
We Slaughtered em
On June 16th I986, me and a few friends decided that we would fish No1 for the big Tench, which at the time to the best of my knowledge would go to about 5-8. Vince Sutton, Mike Rees, Mick Grice, Graham Pearce, and myself set out our stall for the No1 Tench, some of us were fishing with boilies and the others with maple peas. On the opening couple of days of the season we caught 3 Tench and two Chub. The Tench on boilies and the Chub on maples, and that was pretty much how the summer went with visits to the lake occurring every 2- 3 weeks, with not a great deal of success. Vince came up with a good bait but decided he was going to fish No2. Graham could not put the hours in being a Fireman, as his work interfered with his nights fishing, and we left Mike Rees propping up the bar at yet another Ruislip pub so it was down to Mick Grice and myself to do the business on No1.
So the opening night of the 1987 season saw Mick and myself fishing the east bank past the point between the islands (we had previously baited up this swim for all of May and the first week of June and then stopped a few days before the season started. The idea being that we gave the fish plenty of free food every other day for six weeks to get them into the routine and then stop so that they have their heads down looking for food come June 16th. We had our first fish 12 minutes past midnight and we caught regularly through the night. Mick and I had 10 Tench to 4-10 on the 1st night and during the next 2 days had a further 15 Tench to 4-12, so we had 3 days fishing and twenty five Tench between us, not a bad start to the season.
After a few bays back at work we were back on the lake over the weekend and that's how it went all summer right through September where Mick and I fished almost every weekend and the occasional evenings during the week with the odd visit from Graham and Andy Piggott who caught a 5-5 Tench towards the end of the summer, Andy weighed the fish and I took a photo on my camera, only to find out later there was no film in it! and to top it all it was Andy's best Tench from No1. Chris Taylor who used to hold the record for the biggest Tench, Bream and Perch from No2, sneaked up on me one night, he said he was being cautious as he did not want to scare the fish by making unnecessary noises on the bankside, but being cautious he was very quiet and when be popped his head round the bivvy door and said "Hello", I nearly popped my head through the bivvy roof!
On one the weekends when I was fishing on my own I caught 9 Tench during the night but had to pack up at 6am because there was a match booked and I was supposed to be running it. So I packed up all my gear moved it down to the car park arranged the draw and ended up drawing last. After everyone went and found a swim I walked up the lake and to my astonishment found the same swim I had been fishing during the night empty I made mad dash to it before anyone could change there mind. I ended up catching another 9 Tench and won the match. I was accused of cheating so after the match I spent the winnings in the Horse & Barge buying all involved a pint. Looking back over the summer of 87 Mick and I caught 182 Tench between us, and not one Bream at all, must have been down to the bait we were using which was Geoff Kemps evaporated milk and ice cream favour, with a Hutchinson protein base mix 50 - 50. Vince had a code name for it, I can't remember what it was, but it was something daft. (yellow peril vs).
During the season of 87 when we caught all of those fish, we never once did we hook anything which gave us any trouble. We were fishing carp tactics and rigs but with line and weights scaled down to suit the Tench. We fished between the two islands in about 18" of water on a bar that runs between the two islands, either side of this bar the water is about 6' deep. One evening Mick hooked, a fish on top of the bar and it took off into the middle of the lake. All the fish that we caught that year fought well but we had no trouble landing them until this fish that Mick hooked that shot over the gravel bar, Mick said be could feel the line grating on the stones of the gravel bar and then the line snapped. Before we hooked that fish we believed there was no Carp in No1, but that lost fish confirmed that there were indeed Carp in No1.
The following summer I started to look for them, I only ever saw 2 Carp, one about 12lbs and the other about 18lbs. I only ever saw them in the close season, I even fed them floating crust. I never once saw them during the season and neither of them were caught until ten years later when Derek Hart caught one of them which weighed in around 18lbs So we slaughtered the Tench in No1 that season nearly 190 fish in about 24 visits to the lake that's an average of 4 fish per session per angler and 6 of those fish were over 5lbs. The biggest was 5-9 at the time the biggest reported Tench from No1, so we achieved, what we set out to do, catch big Tench and lots of them! Now that No1 has been stocked with Carp the chances are Tench fishing of that quality will never return.
Steve Jenner
Obituary
Members of Harrow Angling Society will be sad to learn the death on 2nd December 1998 of our longtime Curator and current President, Frank Webb, aged 92. Frank and his wife and young son moved to Ickenham in 1957 and he joined H.A.S. in 1958. He was already a keen angler and quickly supported the society in all aspects, attending Members' meetings and helping with close season work. When the position of Curator became vacant in the mid - 1960's he promptly volunteered and was accepted, and so he remained until very recently. I think that I am right in saying that Frank spent all his working life with Spillers Flour Millers, interrupted by war service in the Navy on H.M.S. Indomitable as a P.O. 'Writer? (Clerk). Indomitable was part of the escort with the convoy which fought its way through the Med. to relieve Malta, and to say the least an exciting time was had by all, with many boats sunk or damaged. Frank enjoyed his fishing in a quiet way, especially at Rowley, very often with me, and he also took great pleasure in the sights and sounds of the countryside down by the waters' edge. He was a regular contributor to the Magazine and he loved to attend Members' meetings where he met fellow anglers and gave his Curator's reports. He usually had an amusing story to tell at the end which was fine until he forgot the punch line! All his friends and Committee Members will miss Frank very much. R.I.P. C.R. Head