New owners at Curleys Fly Fishery – want to hold a meeting to set a new direction for the fishery

Everyone who has an interest is welcome to attend

The EA have just completed some flood defense work on the Mersey in Warrington – and have redesigned the river bank to create new free fishing pegs.

So here is a map – and the post code is WA1 2HT

The fishing pegs are in the area marked in red – and parking is available on the street behind

The river is tidal at this point – so please check tide times before you fish.

If you catch anything – please let us know how you get on

Salford Friendly Anglers are very pleased to announce that we have entered into a lease agreement with the Canal and River Trust – to take on the angling rights on the Rochdale Canal from Castlefield in Manchester City Centre – all the way (9 miles) to the Walk Mill Lock 63 directly above the Rose Of Lancaster pub in Middleton.

Its got some cracking fishing. In recent years some very big pike, tench and bream plus great fishing for roach rudd and skimmers.

We hope to run some evening matches on the canal this summer

The EA found two category 2 parasites in the gills of the fish they took away from Kingfisher Lake for a health check earlier this week.

This means that no further fish movements will be allowed to take place from this lake.

Both roach and bream had Ergasilus Sieboldi and Egasilus Briani infestations in their gills. Don’t ask me what this means its all Greek to me (or latin).

The upshot of it all is – no more nettings, no fish movements, and if the Forestry Commission wish to de-silt the lake – then they will have to do it with the fish still in the lake. If they do decide to go ahead with the de-silting, which is in every ones best interests, then we will try to protect fish stocks as best we can using aeration pumps to help combat the silt loading in the water.

An EA fisheries team came down to Kingfisher Lake this morning to net a sample of fish, prior to the removal of all fish, draining of the lake, and a big de-silt operation later on this summer.

Kingfisher Lake was last de-silted in 1995, and in recent years the silted area has built up dramatically and now covers nearly a third of the lake. Its possible to access the central island without getting your feet wet, so the land owners (Forestry Commission) have decided that its time to sort it out.

Todays preliminary netting was necessary to take a small sample of fish to ensure that they are not carrying any notifiable parasites or diseases.

Once the fish receive the all clear from the scientists, the EA will come back to complete a thorough netting operation, and move the fish to other lakes within the Phillips/Drinkwater Park area.

The EA team found some lovely pound plus roach, nice bream and tench, a single crucian carp (though there are probably a lot more hiding in the wee/reed beds) and plenty of pike. Not a single carp was netted, though again, that doesnt mean they’re not in there.

Kingfisher was last netted in 2011 to thin out the stocks of stunted silver fish, and over 10,000 roach and rudd were removed and re-stocked into Drinkwater Park lake. The proof that this thinning out of fish stocks worked was the large numbers of bigger roach, and bream which were absent in 2011, also the large number of small skimmer bream which were none existent in 2011. The thinning of numbers has resulted in better growth rates of the fish we left in, and also given the bream a better chance of growing on, and breeding.

Its hoped that all works will be completed in summer 2015, and that water levels will be back to normal as soon as possible. We will then re-stock the lake in winter 2015/16

Apologies for the quality of the film – its my first attempt a filming/editing

Please take a close look 20 seconds into the film  – Ian Hayes rendition of Swan Lake is taking place on the far bank

Do we anglers get value for money from the money we contribute to the Environment Agency via the rod licenses that we buy?

Rod License income to the EA has been between 25 to 30 million a year in recent times ……. do you think we get good value for this contribution to the nations coffers, is it spent well, or could the Angling Trust or Association Of Rivers Trusts deliver better value for money ?

Do we anglers get value for money from the money we contribute to the Environment Agency via the rod licenses that we buy?

Rod License income to the EA has been between 25 to 30 million a year in recent times ……. do you think we get good value for this contribution to the nations coffers, is it spent well, or could the Angling Trust or Association Of Rivers Trusts deliver better value for money ?

Many thanks to the 13 hardy souls who turned out this morning to take part in our Annual Winter Litter Pick at Drinkwater Park Lake.

SFAS members braved the gales, driving rain and hail, in fact we braved everything short of a blizzard. We must be mad.

Despite the adverse conditions – we managed to fill a record 50 bin bags of rubbish – more than doubling the previous record number of 20 bags.

We did of course find all the usual suspects, drinks cans, water and energy drinks bottles etc. This years special finds included a paddling pool, tent and a Claude Butler mountain bike. Oh yes – also a pair of leopard skin knickers – we’ve kept those so if the angler who lost them would like to claim them back – just leave a message on our facebook site.

One thing which we all noted, was the distinct lack of fishing litter. Very little fishing line, hook packets, dead bait bags etc. It did make us wonder if anglers are getting a bit more blame for litter than we deserve.

So many many thanks to Mick Doddy and family Kasey and Tiffany (pic below), Piotr, Grzegorz, Phil and Phil, Lee, Paul, Mark, Derek and Peter for giving up your time this morning. Your efforts are much appreciated.

Special thanks to Kasey and Tiffany your dad told us that you thought our clean up was much better than playing computer games. We all know that fishermen tell tales…………but thanks all the same.