As most match anglers were going stir crazy with such a long break between Winter League rounds, Match Secretary, Will Carr, was persuaded to organise this match on 20th January. The day looked near perfect for this time of the year; no frost, very light wind and a reasonable colour to the Birches Pool. However, the fish had different ideas! Most of us found it very hard to even get bites, with several of the 13 that fished not bothering to weigh in just a couple of pounds. But, back in form Ken Arnold showed everyone the way to do it by putting 27 Lbs 8 Ozs on the scales, easily trouncing the rest of us, including second place Bob Smith with 14 Lbs 8 Ozs and third placed man Gordon Bradley who had 11 Lbs 8 Ozs. Fourth place went to Clive Biddulph with 9 Lbs 8 Ozs, fifth was Kevin Nicholls with 8 Lbs dead, sixth was Will Carr with 3 Lbs 4 Ozs and seventh with 3 Lbs dead was Paul Stych. 

This was the worst set of weights we have ever had from this pool, which usually can be relied upon to produce good weights at this time of the year. Let's all hope that next Sunday's leg of the Winter League here will fish mutch better!

Member, Andy Pugh, decided to have a chub fishing session on a rather dreary, damp Sunday 20th January 2019. So, he took a few pints of maggots to peg 44 and started to fish. He reported the following:

"I’d caught a few nice chub on the maggot feeder when I hit into something that led me a merry dance for 20 minutes or so. Eventually, I managed to get the net under it – turned out to be a very healthy (long & lean) looking 8lb Salmon, hooked lightly in the mouth, returned unharmed."

If any of you salmon anglers out there struggle to catch a fish this year try a maggot feeder!

See the attached photo of this fish.

Salmon2.jpg (5.37 mb)

Members should not that the Environment Agency has started this consultation. For all the information go to www.linesonthewater.anglingtrust.net/  

As usual, Royal Mail manage to lose more letters each year. Also, some members move house without letting me have their new address and others change email addresses without notifying me, so don't get their renewal letters. Well, for anyone who has not received their letter this year, for whatever reason, please download one of the the attachments below, each of which will give you all the information you need to renew your membership for 2019.

Email Renewal Letter 2019.docx (17.71 kb)

Email Renewal Letter 2019.pdf (14.58 kb)

For those of you that can't wait till the next round of the Winter League, our Match Secretary has booked Melverley, Birches Pool for Sunday 20th January, Draw at 0845 Hrs, for a knock-up match. Please let Will know if you will be coming - 07903 505123 - so he may book you a peg.

Thanks to matchman Paul Stych for spotting the printing error in the January 2019 Newsletter just sent out to members. The date of the AGM should read Saturday 16th February 2019, not the 21st.

I know that you will all be putting the date in your diaries and phones, so shouldn't want anyone to turn up on the wrong date!