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From The Chair
A very successful year for the club, the highlights include the best membership figures 1997. Reasons for this success are many, great work by your Officers, Committee and Bailiffs along with some forward thinking stocking and management programmes.
Harefield No1 was chosen to be the lake concentrated on in terms of stocking, in an attempt to produce a well stocked family friendly water, this process will continue this year as we seek permission to move surplus stock from Rowley and or enhance with new fish.
This magazine and its Editor Dave continue to impress me, and I well know the chore it is to compile, please continue to support him in this efforts, the reward will be worth it.
As champion of our website I continue to be please but not complacent, keep the pictures of all things fishing coming in, not just of your latest catch but your favourite funnies and especially great views of fishing, the lakes and its wildlife. More fish reports and water reports are required, these keep everybody interested and help grow the membership.
Special General Meeting - Proposed Rule Change
The forthcoming meeting has been called as a Special General Meeting by the Committee to discuss a rule change that has been considered by the Committee and requested by many in the membership. It involves the age of Junior members, the rules are below the proposed changes are in (BOLD):
6.4) A candidate for Junior membership must be aged over 15 (12) and under 18 (17) years of age on 16th June in the year of application, Juniors under the age of 15 years must always be accompanied by and under the strict control of an adult member. All Juniors must always be accompanied by and under the strict control of an adult member at Rowley Lake. An applicant for Junior membership may be required to be interviewed by the Committee. A Junior member must on application for membership of the Society provide evidence of his ability to swim.
*** Make subsequent amendments to rules ***
I look forward to seeing you all at the Special General Meeting on Wednesday 24th November 2004.
Most of you I do not need to remind to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner while on HAS waters, however to the minority who we notice and get us noticed; please shut gates, stick to the footpaths, lock locks, do not drop litter, worry livestock and read your rulebook. If the small minority get us noticed it places our sport at risk.
Tight Lines
Vince
Membership News
I'm pleased to announce that membership has gone extremely well so far and after a good year last year we have still managed to attract a healthy amount of new members as well as retain a lot of last seasons. We shouldn't rest on our laurels though, so if you know of people looking for some good sport let them know we are open for membership.
I'd like to inform our disabled members of a change for them when applying for membership; Instead of sending us proof of disability, we now require them to send us their concessionary rod licence for which they have already shown proof of disability. This is a much better method and means we don't have to have too much personal paperwork around. It will however mean that those members will have to obtain their seasons licence before applying for membership, a small price to pay for piece of mind I'm sure you'll agree.
Unfortunately I have to finish with a bit of a whinge. Could members please send a fresh photo and not remove it from last year's membership card as this tends to jam up the laminator. Hopefully this year we will be scanning photos electronically and keeping them on the database so this could be the last year of members supplying a photo so I'm sure you will all want to have yourselves looking good for years to come.
Tight Lines
Paul.
Denham Quarry Security
Many Members may have experienced incidents such as so called 'joy-riding', fly-tipping etc. around the Harefield Lakes caused by people gaining unauthorised access to the area, presumably using our keys or copies. This causes your Committee endless hassle, with the need to involve the police, arrange for cars to be removed from the lake etc. To regain some control, it has been necessary to change the keys/locks about every 3 years; but inevitably keys get into wrong hands again. Not only is this expensive, but it also requires unnecessary work.
We have initiated discussions with our Landlords, the London Borough of Hillingdon, and the other Users using the main gate, to consider the fitting of a new lock with what is claimed to be a key that cannot be duplicated except by licensed companies. Unfortunately, being sophisticated they are very expensive, and we will need to ask Members for a costly but refundable deposit against each key. The amount of this deposit to be agreed by all organisations on the Quarry who use this gate. As always, it will be important that you treat these keys like a credit card - do not lose them (you will have to pay a further deposit for a replacement), and under no circumstances lend them to anybody. If you do lose them, it will be in your interests to inform a member of the Committee as soon as possible.
The LBH will hold a list of all User members who have a key, and if the key is as good as claimed, we will have good opportunity to trace any that pass to unauthorised people. We hope you will see that this action is in your interest, and we will give you an update at our next Member's Meeting on the 24th November.
Terry Skelton
Hon. Secretary
Harefield Pit 1
The beginning of the season started reasonably well with a handful of Carp being caught up to double figures and slowly improving with a 24 lb 8oz Mirror Carp being reported. Andy Kempster has had a few including this 13lb 4oz Common. (left)
Good reports on Bream up to 9lb 8oz. Not many Tench reported this season largest to our knowledge was 5lb 8oz. Silver Fish reports have been better than last season. Stuart Verity reported catching Roach and Rudd to 1lb whilst fishing with his mate Tommy Saunders. However, it was Tommy's 7yr Old Granddaughter, Zara who was on form. On her first ever day fishing she caught 13 Perch and a 1lb Roach on float fished maggot. Well done Zara.
We'd like to thank the Bailiffs and all those members who turned out to our work parties. We started improving some swims up the arm which we intend to finish off during the next close season. At the top end of the lake there were a couple of trees down which have been sawn up and removed so members can walk round the path. More hands make light work.
The shallow end of the lake was very heavily weeded up this season but that gives shelter to the smaller variety of fish from the Cormorants which we seem to have plenty of. Carp were regularly spotted in this area but were difficult to fish for safely.
We would like to bring to your attention that one of our members, whilst fishing the social area, reeled in and retrieved a long length of pink fishing line between 12 -14 pound breaking strain, on the end of which was a treble hook including barbs with an unrecognisable piece of bait and a battery as a weight. We would be horrified to think that it was one of our members using this tackle.
Please keep using the dip tanks as this is beneficial to our stocks.
Finally, we would like to thank the majority of you for taking your rubbish home however, we are still getting the occasional plastic bag and its contents thrown in the bushes.
See you on the bank
Larry Wood & Steve Roberts
Harefield Pit 2
The season started with a bang, as is the norm, with the lighting of a rocket to signify the arrival of 00:00 hours on the glorious 16th. A good few anglers were present for the off planning to stay through to the weekend and, coupled with the good weather and Euro 2004 football that was on at the time, some got together and had a few beers, just to be sociable you understand....
The fishing started off slowly with only the old faces catching in the first few days, Ian and Les doing well with 5 fish from the pylon, the biggest a 28lb 8oz common to Ian. On the Sunday a new member (Gary I think) had a great fish from the Canal bank, a 27lb common to open his account.
Hippy Mitch and Gazza had been plotted up on the Railway bank since the off and were catching consistently using a prototype bait from Premier called Snott-Attract with half a dozen bream (Simon Adnett with a 12lb Specimen), all doubles with the biggest being 12lb 12oz and new lake record. (see cover)
A move during the early part of the second week paid off for Mitch as at 5am on the Wednesday morning a mirror carp of 30lb 12oz took a liking to the cork ball fished alongside his Snott-Attract and gave itself up to be photographed.
Hambo got off the mark with a common on the Friday to set his mind at ease after chasing his a*se around the lake all week for no joy. Squire got off to a good one with one of the originals at 27lb on the Saturday and new member Scottish Ronnie so nearly got of to a flyer but lost a fish at midnight.
Gary (silver transit) and his mate fished the weekend on the Canal bank and managed to winkle out a common and lose another fish in the weed which was now becoming quite bad all over the lake.
The start of July saw Ginger have 4 fish in 48 hours from what was to become a popular swim over the coming months, including one of the originals that he had been looking forward to meeting at a spawned out weight of 25lb. Gasman moved into the swim as Ian left and had 4 runs in the next 36 hours, unfortunately losing 3 in the weed but landing a pretty 18lb mirror.
Les and Squire were in the opposite corner on the same weekend and had 5 runs between Friday night and Saturday morning landing 4 fish including commons of 26lb and 32lb.
Jim Kedge was fishing during the weeks to take tench and bream, some into double figures, using floats and light ledgers for his fishing. Stuart the bailiff was having a dabble here and there as was Phil Skidmore and his friends who were also after the bream using light gear and catching fish to over 12lbs on float rods.
The second weekend saw some good angling by Scottish Ronnie who watched the water and got on some fish by moving on a new wind and landed a pasty common within an hour of casting out. The same night our Editor in Chief, Super Scoop, had his first fish from the lake on only his second night, a 19lb 14oz common from the Bridge swim.(right)
Nathan the Jockey (another new member sticking with it) got his first fish of the season, a glorious 21lb mirror from the Pylon on the Sunday morning. WELL DONE BOY!!!
The next few weeks produced fairly well with fish coming amongst the weed including a 31lb mirror to Hambo and a Lake Record common to Les at 32lb 10oz. Gasman had a 23lb linear from the corner and Johnny Johnny had a great common of 28lb 8oz off the Marina Bank.
Into August the Canadian pond weed was starting to take hold but fish were still showing themselves off and willing to be caught. Ian and Les went off on a fishing holiday to France in the first week and as expected the fish decided to play ball in their absence.... Hippy Mitch played a blinder and went and managed to snare a cracking Mirror of 35lb (left) on a cork ball fished next to Snott-Attract while Nathan the Jockey bagged himself a 30lb mirror from the opposite end of the lake on the same day. Johnny Johnny also had a couple of runs in the Reeds resulting in a 23lb common.
Ian fished a couple of days on the Rocks when returning from France only to lose 3 fish in the weed. Hambo had a couple of fish from the Jetty, a 23lb mirror and a 22lb common on consecutive mornings. Nathan had another common of 23lb on the weekend of 14th August, whilst yet another new face "Ratboy" James had 18lb and 20lb commons from what was now known as "Vulture Bay." (Bailiffs bailiff when they're balliffing, not when they're fishing, you lot know what I mean, woof woof!!) Transit Gary had another nice fish from the Reeds on Sunday 22 August, a 25lb mirror being the only fish of the weekend from the lake.
The months of September and October are the most anticipated of the season, traditionally being times of bumper catches, what would the lake produce for those still fishing it? Squire started well with a fish of 22lb and Ratboy James sneaked into Vulture Bay and also had a 22 lber. Nathan had midweek success with yet another 22lb common from the Railway Bank, whilst Deano turned up and lost one after fishing just down from Nathan.
Baldy Les got into the swing of things the following weekend with a gorgeous mirror of 26lb from the Peat bank. On the Bridge swim new members Mark and Andy from Taplow had a 22lb common and lost 1. Johnny Johnny was rewarded for his effort after doing lots of overnight trips by catching a pristine 25lb common from the Railway Bank. Scottish Ronnie banked himself another PASTY of 18lb the following weekend and the Taplow Transit gang also had one from the Bridge.
Ian and Stuart the bailiff started their yearly campaign for the perch around this time and were having great fun catching small perch and pike on jelly worms and spinners from all over the lake. In to the month of October and the weed was rapidly disappearing. The fish were showing well in the middle section of the lake and Scottish Ronnie had fish on consecutive weekends, a massive 16lber (hehehaha) and a 23lb common, don't worry mate the mirrors will come....
Les has had the last carp from the lake at the time of writing, a 22lb common early on the morning of Saturday 9th October. Hambo has found himself a nice pikey area and has been doing well of late, with Ian as his gilly! Over a few mornings fishing he has had fish of 8lb, 10lb, 13lb and 17lb plus some small ones just for fun.
Generally the lake has fished well this season with lots of carp to the anglers fishing for them plus good catches of bream, tench, perch and pike for those putting in the effort for those species.
A small Pike match was held on the 17th and was won by Scoop with the only fish of the match, a 6lb 6oz 'specimen'. (below)
Just a quick word now for those who think this has been a drawn out report. In the past it has been suggested that a lot is covered up about what is caught from the lake, well this has been a truthful diary of the season so far. Rumours always fly around about the lake, Les even had a tackle shop owner ask him when he caught the 40 this season! So far this season six 30lb fish have been caught equalling the record since the new stock went in, a good season by our standards, why not come and enjoy the unique atmosphere with us and try to catch the seventh.
As per usual there is a moan at the end of the report. Firstly, discarded tackle on the bank or lost in trees is a danger to the wild life and not a pretty site for the other users of the lake. On a few occasions this season the management have had to remove leads and hooks from trees. We have asked before and will do so again, if you do lose any tackle please inform either Ian or Les as soon as possible so we can remove it, our numbers are in the magazine. The litter problem around the lake has been minimal, but being on a public footpath there have been instances of rubbish and toilet roll being left in swims, again let us know so we can deal with it. That's about it for this year so far, all the best for the rest of this season and for seasons to come.
Ian and Les
Stop press ... Eric Skidmore has an 18lb pike, the biggest of the season so far....
Pike Match
A Pike match has been arranged on Pit 2 for 28th November. 8:00am meet for 09:00am start. £3.00 entry and winning weight takes all. Interested members should just meet in the workings on the day. This may be the start of something regular. Just a bit of fun on a Sunday morning and a chance to meet other members. Dave Hambly has been organising and his telephone number can be found on the Officers list for any enquiries.
Rowley Lake
John has asked me to write this editions fishery report as time has been a bit short for him this season, so here we go.
It's been another Bream marathon over on Rowley. The internet has 151 reports of Rowley captures and Bream take up 95 of them! Generally the fish are of the usual size of 4 to 4lb 8oz but fish of 6 lb 4oz have been reported.
Carp have been coming out fairly regularly and I recently had a fantastic nights fishing on the island banking 3 fish of 16lb 8oz, 21lb 2oz and 21lb 11oz, my best nights fishing ever, I think. John Westley reported a very similar result recently I hear and I chatted with John about our captures and he agreed with me that all the fish caught were in great condition. John went on to say that he had one of the ghost carp at over 20lb!!
Marc Trayler was another one to have one of the ghosties with his one going 17lb 14oz (left). Well done Marc. I had a few nights on Rowley at the start of the season with Andy Kempster and we had 8 carp between us (Andy getting 5 of them) biggest fish was 19lb 4oz. We caught Bream and Tench and something which is becoming a bit of a regular occurrence for me at Rowley, a pike on a boilie. 3 in 3 trips now.
Tench fishing has been slow with only a dozen or so captures reported on the web. Several fish over 5lb (below, Steve Jenner with a 5lb 7oz fish) and a few over 6 and the largest of these was to Chris Peart with a 6lb 3oz fish.
The lake itself is looking great and the closed season work parties are showing their worth. Island trees have been removed and the swims have really been improved by it.
John Miles our Fishery Manager at Rowley is making enquiries into netting the fishery and possibly removing some of the Bream and silverfish and transferring them to Pit 1 in Harefield. If agreed, this will take place in the colder months of Winter and under supervision of experts in this field.
A fishery report wouldn't be complete without a couple of gripes though, the island gate lock isn't being used properly and it is being left with too much slack which leaves enough room for someone to squeeze through. Please ensure that the gate is secure.
Bailiffs patrolling the lake have experienced 'waste' in some swims, mainly the island. It's unacceptable for this sort of behaviour and is easily avoided with some forethought.
One of our members leaves a brolley hidden on the island for people to use. It has gone missing and he is appealing to anyone that may have taken it by mistake to return it please.
All in all a good season so far at our Iver fishery.
Regards
Dave Cargill
The Fisherman's Prayer
- Our fisherman
- Who art on riverbanks
- Angler be thy name
- Thy fishing season comes
- Thy casting will be done
- The weather will be heavenly
- Give us this day lots of bites
- And forgive us our laughter
- As we forgive you, your lies about the one that got away
- Lead us to a shoal of fish
- And deliver us a big catch
- For thine is the Carp
- The Pike and the Tench
- For ever and ever
- Amen
Do's and Don'ts
Dip Tanks The use of dip tanks is essential to prevent the pollution of our waters and stop the spread of harmful diseases. They are provided at all of our fisheries and must be used before commencing fishing.
Litter This is one thing we have to keep reminding everybody about. The dropping of litter is unacceptable. It's not hard to take home your rubbish is it? I know I don't want to fish amongst old fishing line and crisp packets, and it's also dangerous to wildlife. So put a rubbish bag in your tackle bag.
Licence Always carry your membership card together with your current Environment Agency Fishing Licence. Please also make sure you are displaying a H.A.S car sticker when parking on H.A.S. property.