Brown Trout Spawning

At least five redds have been spotted plus some other areas where fish appear to have been testing the bed rather than cutting up a full redd. This is great news and we should expect more to appear in the coming weeks. All of the redds are associated with low cover or recently pinned woody material - a measure of the success for this year’s work (see below). However we have no reports any spawning fish.

Members fishing the river for grayling during this vital spawning period for our precious population of brown trout must avoid any freshly exposed gravel and avoid displacing any sediment immediately above it.

Platforms on Riverside Lake

Platforms have now been installed on two stands at the western end of Riverside lake.  These will enhance stability and safety of angling on this venue.

River Mimram Habitat Enhancements

This major project to build berms on a stretch downstream from the brick bridge near Riverside Cottage has now been completed.  We thank the Wild Trout Trust and all those members who took park in the management and construction of these structures.

We have already witnessed significant improvement and sorting of gravel and sediment to enhance river flows to improve spawining and holding areas for brown trout and grayling alike

Saturday Morning Park Runs

Members are reminded that rule 21 applies with access to the estate not permitted between 9.00 am and 10.00 am on Saturdays to avoid Saturday morning park runs . 

Poaching, Security Cameras and Reporting Incidents

Following poaching incidents involving nets, a boat and waders and a complete carp fishing bivvy discovered on Osprey Lake three security cameras have now been installed around Osprey Lake. Positioned with advice from the Environment Agency, it is hoped that these act as a deterrent to future incursions.

Fishing without permission is a criminal offence under the Theft Act 1968 and any member encountering poachers should contact the police on 101 quoting code 116/11. As this is only one of many Home Office codes and is rarely used, the call handler will not know what it relates to so members should point out that it relates to the Theft of Fishing Rights and that officers are required to attend.

Signal Crayfish

Members will have observed a large number of signal crayfish in Riverside Lake and Osprey Lake. These are an invasive non-native species competing for the food of indigenous species in the lake and we now have a licence and a number of traps to catch and remove them. These have been deployed at various locations on both lakes.