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Dorchester Fishing Club - Annual Report 2003
Another
season of extremely dry weather and low water. The river, although the
lowest seen for many years, has held up well and the ranunculus growth has
been excellent along some stretches.
The worse affected was the Upper Water and badly needs the winter
flush through (fingers crossed). Hopefully the newly installed
fence will start to it’s job in the coming seasons.
The grannom hatches were blighted by chill
winds, which kept the fish down. This was until the first mayfly appeared
and fishing soon picked up.
Fishing during the long hot summer days was difficult. Fish didn’t start
moving until dusk, when the Blue Winged Olive spinners started to fall.
These produced some good, but frantic fishing for an hour or two.
The long hot summer also brought out the
‘litter louts’ and campers. Over the summer months, the Keeper cleared
away approximately 20 bin bags full of rubbish. Unfortunately there is
very little that the Club can do about them and the situation may
worsen in the next few years. The Countryside & Rights of Way
Act is about to open up the water meadows from Loder’s Garage, right up
to Cuckoo Pound. This will mean that walkers and picnickers will be able
to roam freely over them. This may involve the Club having to rethink the
maintenance of riverside path that we have created. There is one glimmer
of hope; the act does not allow camping or lighting, causing or risking a
fire. Plus, the local authorities have to employ wardens to police the new
areas and this is the route the Club will use to report any problems. For
more information www.countryside.gov.uk
The new Members day held in
March was a great success. The weather was perfect and we even saw some
trout rising. This will now be an annual event, although I do know that a
few of the ‘guides’ were a little uneasy showing new Members their
favourite hot spots!
The Managing
Committee
Nick Giles inspects the
River Cerne
Keepers Corner
Another season almost over! Where has it gone? I had better start getting
ready for next season.
Back
in July we had a fantastic evening with the Ponds, Lakes and Fisheries
Association, myself and John Grindle gave the members (it was a good turn
out) a guided tour of the lower water, then we all got into the water to
have a close look at life on the river bed followed by the highlight of
the evening, curry cooked on the bank!
Despite the fabulous summer everything grew like mad, I don’t think I
have ever done so much mowing and strimming, and a tiny bit of weed
cutting.
The Frome on the whole, despite being desperately low now has looked good
all season.
D.F.C
signs went missing as quickly as I put them up on the lower water so we
decided to leave the first hundred yards un-keepered to deter riff raff.
Day
ticket sales again have been a great success, and some enjoyed the fishing
enough to add their names to the already huge waiting list.
I have been busy gravel washing for the past week or so, hopefully this
will benefit our Trout, and the Salmon when they return to us this winter,
perhaps a few of us could get together to keep some records of spawning
fish on the cleaned gravel.
My daughter Liberty, who is now two, and I have spent a few sunny
afternoons surveying the invertebrates and small fish species on the
Stinsford and the lower water, trust me its alive!
The clubs AGM is rapidly approaching, come along for a natter, and you
might even see a slide or two of what I have been up to in the last year
or so.
Well
another fantastic year I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have,
there is plenty of winter tasks ahead, so if you fancy a breath of fresh
air give me a ring.
John E Aplin