Dorchester Fishing Club - Newsletter July 2001

News
After our unique three month absence because of the Foot & Mouth outbreak, what did we find when we finally returned on the 26^th May to fish the river? - low water (how, after all the rain we had over the winter) - lack of ranunculus (signs pointed towards a good growth this season) - banks & silt washed away (not surprisingly) - new gravel beds & new lies - a missed grannom season, but could we have fished if we wanted to? the river was in flood during April and first the part of May - River Keeper working flat out (in between watching the wildlife!) - anglers fishing, instead of gardening & peering longingly from bridges (yes you were all spotted!) — It has been a strange start to the season. All in all the river and it’s wildlife had a long rest from anglers and walkers. The richness of the spring colours on that first day more than compensated for the long absence and wet winter. At least the mayfly seemed to be sympathetic with our plight and it was still in evidence with some fine hatches; providing us plenty of good sport with trout in tip top condition.

There was also a delay in the stocking of the river and this didn’t take place until after the mayfly season. They are all marked, so don’t forget to record any fish you catch that has a blue dot. To avoid double entry, please only record these fish once in the box “Marked with Blue Dye” and not under the size of the fish. The new pocket catch returns card will give the Managing Committee valuable information and at the end of the season you only need to return this completed card to the Honorary Secretary. Interestingly the Game Conservancy are to study the effects and best stocking methods for different types of fisheries. This together with our results will help our stocking policy in future years.

Obituary

B Pitman (Brian) - River Keeper 1986-1995 - Brian sadly passed away on May 1^st 2001 after a courageous battle against cancer. Brian’s tremendous sense of fun, love of life and general mucking about will be greatly missed.

The AGM has been booked for Saturday 1^st December, once again we will be having guest speaker(s) and a buffet lunch, more details in the October letter.

By John E. Aplin

I am writing Keeper’s Corner in early May whilst the sun is shining and it is quite warm. The Frome’s waters are still cold and the usually abundant fly life can only be described as sparse, with the rising fish few and far between. This is the only consolation that I as keeper can offer our members whom as a result of the foot and mouth have been unable to tread the banks of our beloved rivers.

The weather records have had a field day “wettest winter” since records began, “coldest April”, “coldest May day” and now the hottest “May day” for three years!

I would like to thank all our members for their understanding and patience throughout this foot and mouth crises, a terribly frustrating time for us all.

However, I feel the fishing should be open before mayfly is over and you will be pleased to hear that I have been able to continue with my work on the main river, so it will all be up to its usual standard.

We have received consent from the Environment Agency for weed cutting and as in previous years, I will be looking for the odd volunteer. As the weed growth has been slow due to the winter floods, weed cutting will not be until later in the year.

The River Cerne looks just as a pure chalk stream should look, a great asset for the Club. Just recently whilst tidying up there, the most amazing thing happened that I thought I should tell you about. A yard or two away from where I stood, a minnow leapt from its home onto the bank closely followed by an eel of about a pound which promptly grabbed the minnow, then returned to its watery hole. This all happened in a second and as you can imagine, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes.

Another wonderful sight happened whilst mowing the grass on the lower water by the fishing hut when a deer crossed the path in front of me and swam across the river over the Finding’s field. You see some wonderful sights on the river, most of which happen when I don’t seem to have my camera.

I hope you all enjoy the river for the remainder of the season and remember that there is more to fishing then catching fish.

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