25 Feb 2022

Well, we picked a pretty wild weekend to begin fishing at Powdermill this year!! Despite the rough weather, some of our members who said “I’ve never missed an opening day”!! managed some good catches including some 6 fish limits.

The weather has now improved a bit we hope and is beautiful here today. Although we are continuing to offer batch tickets of 5 or 3 days or half days for this year, which work out a bit cheaper, we shall also be doing day tickets.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE 2022 PRICES

We hope to see you soon for some enjoyable days at Powdermill

14th Feb 2022 : New Season (almost!)

We are getting close to the start of the season on Saturday 19th February and hope you are all looking forward to some early fishing, hopefully the weather will stay good and the lake is now well stocked so ready to go!

I still have not heard from all members with subscriptions and I should be grateful if you could get these in now as soon as possible please if you are planning to join us again this year.

Whilst Vic is still waiting for his operation and during the time he will be recovering afterwards, he will not be able to bail any boats required. Bobby is going to help us with this for the time being, when he is able to. There will not be any boats bailed before 9am during this time and we would ask you to please bail your own boat if you require one to take out earlier than that. Please bear with us during the time Vic is not available and if you are able to give any help it would be much appreciated.

For all day visitors, fishing and boats must be paid for at the time of booking when Mary is at the office on 01424 870498 every weekday morning between 8.30 and 12. For any other information or booking out of those hours, please ring Mary on 07831793036, but again, if possible please, keep to those office hours just to assist us for the time being.

Hoping for a good season and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone up at the lake very soon.
Chris, Tim, Vic and Mary

23rd June 2021 : Day Tickets!!

DAY TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!!

We are continuing to offer 3 or 5 day Batch tickets for fishing at Powdermill and will also now be offering single Day Tickets from 1 st July. The Price for day or half day is as follows:-

Single Day Ticket £45.00
Afternoon Ticket £35.00

Boats £12 or £6.

We are still operating a booking in system. Please speak to Mary, Club Secretary for further details.

CORONAVIRUS NOTICE: TUESDAY 24th MARCH

WE ARE NOW CLOSED

UNFORTUNATELY, IN VIEW OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS, HASTINGS FLYFISHERS’ CLUB IS NOW CLOSED. STAY SAFE AND WELL AND WE WILL SEE YOU ALL WHEN THIS CRISIS IS OVER. THERE WILL STILL BE PLENTY OF FISH IN THE LAKE!

CORONAVIRUS NOTICE


Although the situation with the Coronavirus is uncertain and there are new developments every day, we want to assure all our members and visitors to Powdermill that we are doing all we can to protect you, and we are open for fishing as normal.

We are constantly disinfecting and cleaning communal areas and equipment and it would help if you could bring your own pen for your use only. Please help us as well by following the guidelines of keeping your distance from others and washing your hands often. If you would prefer not to come into the club house to sign in, there are catch information slips in the weighing room, which we will collect and enter for you. We can also take payment by bank transfer or credit card if you ring us when you are planning to fish or when you arrive at the lake, so that you do not need to come in to the Club house.

We have a further stocking arriving shortly, there are plenty of fish in the lake and the fishing and weather are improving all the time. It’s a lovely place to be out of doors, with seating outside the club house, for a view of the lake and a visit will cheer you up in these difficult times.

We are here every day and hope we shall see you soon.

March News


With the lovely sunshine we have had this week, the water is beginning to clear and at last, the fish can see the fly!

We have had some decent catches coming out of the lake with several 6 fish limits being taken on black and green flies, mostly from the bank. Everyone has benefitted from these encouraging conditions and generally feeling much happier in these strange and difficult times.

Definitely good for wellbeing to be able to get out in the fresh air and forget about the doom and gloom for a little while!

Paul Strevens had a very nice fish, which was estimated to be between 8- 10 lbs. Unfortunately, he had already used his limit on catch and release so it could not be substantiated and was returned, but witnessed by other anglers and even allowing for “it was this………………big!” it must rate as fish of the month so far!

We are open every day – come and see us!

February News


Despite the terrible February weather, anglers have managed catch 50 rainbows from Powdermill this month.

It seems to have finally stopped raining and hopefully things can only get better now. Spring must be in the air as the Bailiff’s resident geese have started to nest and lay eggs, hedge greenery is starting to appear and we had a visit this morning from 5 Canada geese on the lake before they took off and went on their way again.

Further fish stocks will be going in shortly and we are also now selling flies and pre-owned tackle in the club house reception.

Opening Week


Despite the very windy and unpredictable weather for the first week’s fishing, some keen anglers have braved it and been rewarded with fish.

Visitor catches have included a full bag of 6 fish and another of 4 fish with a nice rainbow of 2lb 14.

The recent stocking of the lake have included fish of 6-8lb. None have come out yet so they will still be there waiting for you, hopefully when the weather improves.

2020 Season


Fishing starts on Monday 17th February and we have started the stocking schedule with bigger and larger quantities of fish ready to start. We are offering better fishing and facilities this year and hope everyone will have a good season.

Bacon rolls will be available in the club house for opening day and we hope to see all old and new acquaintances for the new season.

News Flash

Jim Adams - Funeral arrangements

I am sure that many members and friends would like to pay their last respects to Jim.

His funeral has been arranged for 11.00am on Wednesday 22nd January at Hastings Crematorium.

December 29, 2019

Very sadly long time member Jim Adams passed away peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning.

He was aged 87 ( b 25/8/1932 ) and grew up as a member of a trawling family in the Ramsgate area. He joined the RAF and had a successful career as a fighter pilot. In later years after leaving the RAF he was a commercial pilot and also a pilot instructor for Dan Air.

Jim loved country pursuits and was an excellent fly fisher and a very keen shot.

RIP Jim.



Jim Adams 1932 - 2019

Fishing news – w/c 9 December

We knew they were in there somewhere!!

One of our visitors took a 6lb rainbow from the lake last weekend. Unfortunately, he did not leave us any information as to the catch so we are unable to share this with you, but it goes to show perseverance will get the results!! The Directors have been negotiating with our fish suppliers to plan next season’s stocking prices and delivery schedule and, as promised, these will include some bigger fish and an increase in stocks.

AND ANOTHER ONE!!

One of our members, Phil Streeter, has finished off a brilliant season by not only achieving his total catch for the year, but landed a beautiful rainbow of 5lb 9oz on Tuesday to make up his final total. Well done Phil!

This is the second larger fish to come out of the lake this week and it seems that a couple of beautiful frosty mornings have continued to lower the temperature at Powdermill and they have started to feed, and, following the previous spell of non-stop rain, we have a good level of water again.

With all that in mind and the Club house renovations almost complete, Powdermill looks like the place to be next year!! See you there.

Fishing news – w/c 28th October

Although the fishing is still quite challenging at Powdermill, following the recent stocking of larger fish, some good catches have been made.

During the past week fish of 4.5lb and 5lb have been caught on sedge pupa as well as fish of 2lb and 3lb, all good size and in excellent condition.

They are there, and now that the water is filling up after the rain and the temperature is going down, they are getting hungry and ready to take the fly.

In between heavy showers today, the lake looked beautiful under a strong rainbow with the leaves now turning colour and showing as reflections in the water – a lovely spot to spend a few hours with still some good fishing to be had!

October 16

Now that the water temperature has dropped we are restocking, including some 4 - 8 lb fish

Summer July and August Newsletter

Traditionally a slow time for fishing with many fisheries closed but Powdermill stayed open with reduced catches but with some happy anglers in the warm weather.

The catch book lists many flies that were used to tempt the trout who were staying deep due to the high water temperature and strong sunlight. However there were several anglers who were catching on a regular basis and member Keith Blundell lead the way with a 3.00 lb rainbow caught on 16 July using a cormorant. This was not using the Vietnamese boat method and was a proper fly not the bird. He is our July Fisherman of the Month.

August continued in the same manner with high water temperature and lowering water the fish were going deep. Water was now being drawn off for the residents in Hastings which required the boats to be moved to the far end of the reservoir. Again there is an interesting list of flies being used with a variety of coloured blobs and lures with the occasional snake. The aerator was active and proved to be a must visit area for the boat anglers.

Member Brian Braun landed a 2.8 lb rainbow on a Daddy and is the August Fisherman of the Month for this and for a catch of six as well.

June Newsletter

The Mayfly season continued with consistent catches throughout the month from both bank and boat anglers. Trout were mainly around 2lb with the occasional 3lb being landed by members J.Walters and C.Frigg early in the month.

The heaviest fish of the month was a 4.8lb trout caught on a mayfly nymph by member J .Russell who is our nominated Fisherman of the Month.

Later in June many course fish mainly Perch with the occasional Rudd were caught by boat on a variety of flies.

The club fishing competition on 21 June was well attended with competing members working especially hard. B. McCarter landing four fish at 7.3lb all on buzzers and this years’ winner M.Redman five at 10.2lb. The Bailiff advised that all competitors really had to use all their local knowledge changing flies frequently to catch the wary trout.

A BBQ featured at the end of the day where competitors, club members and family and friends were able to relax and enjoy the cooking. (See pictures below)

The aerator has not been operating recently and the surface temperature of the water is not detrimentally affecting the fishing so early July looks promising for all anglers at Powdermill.



Click on pic above to see lots more!

May Newsletter

After a slow start to the month with variable weather the Mayfly arrived with large hatches throughout the day.

Members immediately started catching maximum limit fishing from the bank and then as the days got warmer taking to the boats with impressive catches.

Member Chris Johns landed a 3.0lb fish on 9 May using a Mayfly nymph and the following day a visitor G Bowen caught a 4.15lb Rainbow on a dry Mayfly.

Visitors were now returning to Powdermill in large numbers and fishing from the boats with great success with 15 and 16 May having catches of a 5.0 fish by D. Crouch as the heaviest fish of the month and club members John Noble with a 3.7lb and B.McCarter with a 3.8lb caught on a Hopper which nominated him as our member Fisherman of the Month.

There have been several more fish in excess of 3.0lb but there are many larger fish still to be lured to the plentiful Mayfly hatches.

The numbers of fish caught this year is slightly more by 8% than May last year with all fishermen being more successful. Perhaps the warmer weather has helped and the long period without rain.

It will be interesting to see how long that Mayfly will remain the preferred fly and when the fish will be attracted to other flies.

A reminder for club members that the members annual competition followed by a barbeque will be held on Friday 21 June. If you wish to compete or attend the BBQ please advise the Bailff Vic Partridge as soon as possible.

April Newsletter

A strong month for fishing at Powdermill with many maximum catches by members and visitors using the boats or fishing from the banks.

Our Bailiff has put a great deal of effort into tidying the bank areas and they are now accessible to most anglers who enjoy the short walk and the temptation to catch the big one.

Stocking continued throughout the month and the fish are proving to be hard fighting and choosy about their choice of fly.

Early Mayflies flies are becoming popular with Montana or Brown Fritz continuing to be attractive. A scan of the catch book shows many different flies being used including some nymphs.

However the two largest fish caught in April both by members were a 3.0lb Rainbow caught by M. Coleman on a Hares Ear on 30 April and a 3.1lb caught by R. Stone caught earlier on 13 April using a Black Taddie so he is nominated as Fisherman of the Month.

The annual competition between EFDG and HFFC took place earlier in the month and finished in favour of EFDG whose team took better advantage of the weather conditions to fish the deeper parts. HFFC Member Dick Telford was the best bank fisherman.

March Newsletter

The new season continues extremely well with a 30% increase in fish caught compared to the same month the previous year and with a similar number of anglers. Both boat and bank being very successful. One consistent and most effective fly used by many anglers was a Damsel in various colours fished on an intermediate line just below the surface. The Montana was also popular and sometime a team of nymphs.

However one member using a Brown Fritz caught a 4.4 lb rainbow on 7 March from a boat so John Thackray is our Fisherman of the Month.

The number of visitors also increased in March with Greg Ellis catching a 5.4 lb fish using an orange bodied gold head Damsel again from a boat.

The clubhouse has now been installed with new windows so is fully waterproof and draught proof.

The weather is improving and slowly getting warmer so April could be a great month at Powdermill with the arrival of some more fish stock. So book a boat early to explore the Powdermill fishing areas that cannot be reached by bank fishing.

Latest News

Our facebook page is now up and running. https://www.facebook.com/HastingsFlyFishers/

If anyone has any pics or news please email natalie@adventuregolf.co.uk

February Newsletter

A most enthusiastic start to the new season with a week of dry sunny weather and a very good turnout of both members and visitors who all enjoyed catching the new season’s rainbow trout.

Fishing was lively both from the bank and boat using a variety of flies with Damsel or Montana proving very popular choice with the anglers. The water was still very cold so most fish were caught fairly deep.

Visitors to Powdermill had early success with fish at 3.13lb and one at 4.8lb and several at 2.0lb.

The members were very active too with Phil Streeter showing early form with a 4.6lb fish caught on a Greenfritz on 24 February and Peter Ralplh with a 3.14lb caught the following day on a Montana.

However they were both upstaged by member C. Johns who landed a 5.8lb fish on a Damsel on 20 February. He is nominated as our Fisherman of the month.

The monthly fishing statistics web page has now been modified to show in addition to the total number of fish caught the number caught from the bank and from a boat.

This came as a suggestion from a member who has not yet offered to collate the numbers from the catch log but maybe he will bring cake to the clubhouse!

NEWS FLASH: Opening Day

Mid February and we could not have imagined that the weather would be so mild and pleasant. There was a good turnout of anglers today on our opening day and most caught fish.

It looks like the fine weather is to continue for a while so why not come and pay us a visit. There are a few memberships left for the season and it is always best to join early.




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NEWS FLASH: 12th Feb 2019

Today we received our first delivery of Rainbows, 600 lovely fish from Bibury in the Cotswolds. Our bailiff Vic Partridge is seen supervising the unloading. The reservoir is now full just in time for our opening day this Friday 15th February.

All indications are that this milder dry weather will still be with us at the end of the week so with a southerly wind forecast why not come down and give it a try.




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NEWS FLASH: 2019 SEASON

Stocking is taking place now.

Looking forward to seeing you at the season start: 15th February 2019

December Newsletter

The season finished with a burst of activity on 27 December with six members closing their season’s activity with a morning “fish off” informal competition at Powdermill. The fish certainly had not been advised of this event as they all went into hiding and not one was caught.

So it was left to one intrepid member angler to catch three fish, over the next consecutive days, two on day one and a single on day two. He fished from a boat along the west arm using a white and green Cats Whisker and the photographic evidence is attached.

So member Gary Dyer closed the season with three trout the largest at 1lb.6oz, the only fish caught in December and is named the Fisherman of the Month.

News Flash : 12th December

A members end of season “last fling” competition is taking place on Thursday 27th December 9.00am - 12.00. If you would like to take part and have not already done so please let Vic know.

November Newsletter

A very quiet month at Powdermill due to low water in the reservoir and mixed weather making fishing very difficult. Fishing from the bank was virtually impossible due to the water level and the dam was slippery. Taking a boat out required a major effort to leave the dock.

The promised rain was very sporadic and it was not until the end of the month that water was being pumped in which started to raise the level but it was very cloudy and still has not started to clear.

Not surprisingly the number of anglers was low as was the number of fish caught. However a special Fisherman of the Month award goes to Mark Redman who caught three trout in one session on a Diawl Bach. Fellow member John Noble caught the heaviest fish of 1lb 12 oz using a Buzzer.

There are only a few weeks until the end of the season which closes on 31 December so if you are inclined to wet a line before then we would recommend you to be extremely careful walking on the side of the dam to the water as it really is very slippery and we do not want any accidents. If in doubt check with the Bailiff or a club member.

We wish all Members a very merry Christmas.

October Newsletter

The air temperature dropped quite considerably and the water temperature followed however the little rain we experienced did not prevent the water level falling to 51% of capacity.

This made fishing difficult but rainbow trout were now being caught but not in large numbers. Montana and Daddies were the favoured flies but several club members were firmly keeping to nymphs and catching some hungry fish.

Terry Beeching caught a 1lb 11oz fish on a PTN and our Fisherman of the month P. Wild a 1lb 12 oz. on a Cats Whisker.

Visitors returned to Powdermill and even used a boat to search for the elusive large trout. The largest caught was a 2lb 0oz fish caught by E.Stacey on a Blue Flash Damsel. Two other visitors each caught a 1lb 14oz trout on a Buzzer and Hares Ear.

Course fish were not so evident this month with only the occasional perch being landed.

It is unlikely that there will be any further restocking this season but there are still plenty of fish in Powdermill as very few of the September restocking have been caught.

Let us hope that the rain soon returns to this part of East Sussex to give us all some active Autumnal fishing.

September Newsletter

The hot weather continued and the water level dropped further perhaps due to greater usage by the south coast inhabitants.

Fishing was limited to Rudd and Perch in limited numbers and the only trout caught was a 1 pound 5oz by a visitor on 30 September.

The whole summer activity is well summed up by this reprint taken from Trout Fisherman magazine courtesy of the Editor Russell Hill.

“Autumn is most welcome this year. The hottest summer since the late 1970s left many waters struggling with high temperatures, excessive weed and fewer anglers visiting- some venues even had to shut. We cannot stress enough that we should support our local waters now that the cooler weather is upon us. Their very future could well depend on it. The good news is that fish will be active now… and hungry, so let’s all enjoy the terrific sport on offer during late season”

The attached photograph shows Paul Strevens and Bob Sanger fishing from the bank as described on the October newsflash.

Newsflash 6th October

During the last week stocking has taken place and I am pleased to announce that the first positive entries are appearing in the catch book since 17th July.

This morning I spotted Bob Sanger fishing into a cool north wind on the dam and he had had 2 takes and one rainbow in his hour of fishing.

The favourable weather forecast for next week might give us the chance of a little sport before the onset of winter.

July & August newsletter

The hottest summer in England certainly affected fishing at Powdermill with the fish not feeding due to the extremely high water temperature. The aerator moved the water around but did not assist in reducing the overall temperature.

However, members were certainly active in July and persistent in searching out the elusive trout by fishing from a boat or on the bank. Several fish were caught just under two pounds with our Fisherman of the month Phil Streeter landing a rainbow of 2lb 4 oz on a Shipmans.

In August the temperature got even higher and the water level dropped to 67% of capacity with water temperature in the low 20’s. It seemed that the only thing moving at Powdermill were the Ducks as the trout were not rising and still not feeding. Course fish were evident with six perch and few rudd caught with one member reporting in the catch book that he was only there for “casting practice”. So there is no Fisherman of the month for August.

The short term weather forecast suggests some lower air temperatures with very little rain but there are a lot of fry on the surface which may now stimulate some activity by the now hungry trout.

Sizzling Club BBQ 2018

Some great photos of the recent club BBQ





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June Newsletter

The Mayfly season carried right through to the end of the month with some good catches during the last week.

The fish were becoming selective over the size of fly they were taking and anglers were now using smaller flies or resorting to Shipman’s or other buzzers as takes were just below the surface.

Boat fishing was consistent throughout the month with good catches especially around the Aerator as the water temperature tended to be cooler there than around the reservoir fringes.

The hot weather has made fishing very challenging but many visitors have persevered and caught some very active fish around 2.0 pounds.

Two HFFC members each caught a 3.0 pound fish, A.Clark and W.Lewis and so both are jointly nominated as Fisherman of the Month. However both Derek Coles and Terry Beeching twice caught their six fish maximum so this will be taken into account for future monthly nomination.

We would again remind all boat anglers that we recommend that a buoyancy aid is worn and that they are available in the clubhouse after signing in and there is no charge to use them.

The boat jetty has been recently lengthened so that boats can now depart in deeper water as the reservoir level drops during the summer hot days. Currently the level is at 94% of capacity so bank fishing has not been affected.

May Newsletter

After a slow start to the Mayfly hatching due to strong northerly winds and low air temperature they finally arrived and “Duffers Fortnight “ started with some impressive fishing and very happy anglers with maximum catches.

Bank fishing from the dam was popular when the winds were from the south and visitors were active in the boats using mayfly dry flies and nymphs with two four pound fish caught and landed. Their success showed in a 32% increase in fish caught by visitors over May 2017. The month was so popular that overall total anglers caught 26% more fish during the month than in 2017.

HFFC members were very active with P.Robbins catching a 3lb8oz fish and a 3lb10oz fish and D.Bates also a 3lb 10oz fish however this was surpassed by Mick Wood who caught a 3lb 15oz rainbow on a mayfly and is nominated as the HFFC Fisherman of the Month for May.

There was a regrettable omission in the April Newsletter as no Fisherman of the Month was shown. In fact it was very much a family affair as Mark Nicholls with a 4lb 4oz Rainbow caught on a Damsel and David Nichols with a 4lb 2oz caught on a Mayfly on the same day are jointly nominated as worthy Fishermen of the Month for April.

There has been a considerable increase in boats being hired at Powdermill and it is important that attention is brought to all anglers of the safety notice in the clubhouse and the safety advice on the HFFC website recommending that lifejackets or buoyancy aids are worn when fishing from a boat. The waters can be very cold even if the air temperature is high and safety is very important for all anglers.

To end on good news, there are still mayfly hatches occurring at Powdermill and the fish are still hungry so book a boat, wear a buoyancy aid and enjoy some great fishing.

News Flash! - 18th May 1018

The mayfly hatch is building up momentum and there is great sport to be had. Powdermill is fully stocked with hard fighting rainbows and a visit is highly recommended.

News Flash! - 17th May 1018

Longtime member Jim Adams ventured out in the wheelie boat and is pictured playing a 2.00lb rainbow. He wished to be remembered to all members and friends.





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News Flash! - 8th May 2018

THE MAY FLY HAVE ARRIVED!

April Newsletter

Stocking continued throughout the month with fish from two suppliers. All are hard fighting fish with some larger fish among them to tempt all anglers.

The weather again affected fishing with seriously strong winds that affected bank fishers as it was blowing onto the dam making casting very tricky. We had some very warm days and a few cold days then an absolute downpour throughout the day at the end of the month. However, this did not put off anglers and many regulars were soon catching their six fish limit. Overall total anglers were down on last year but two whole days were lost due to adverse weather and visitors using boats were limited due to the strong winds blowing across Powdermill.

A visitor Mr A. Silkin fished from the dam and caught 5lb5oz Rainbow on a Damsel and another visitor Mr G. Bush (not from Texas) landed a 4lb2oz fish so they were not put off by the weather pundits.

HFFC members were active and eight caught fish over 3lbs with two just over 4 lbs, D. Nichols 4lb2oz on a Buzzer and M. Nichols at 4lb4oz using a Damsel.

Some more fish were restocked at the end of the month and the weather started to really warm up with some fly hatches. Fish were taking emergers and occasionally a fly from the top but so far there are no active signs of early Mayflies.

You may have noticed some tree felling behind the Bailiffs house and rumours are that he is preparing to have a vegetable garden to supply him and the rabbit population with some tasty morsels or that he is a long term weather forecaster and is ensuring that the club house is supplied with plenty of logs for the autumn.

Anyway who would be a Bailiff and have to bail out the boats after that all day torrential rain storm.

To end on good news… The Mayfly are coming soon so book a boat.

March Newsletter

A very strange start to this season with snow on opening day followed by icy temperatures and high winds. This encouraged the fish to stay deep and temporarily stop feeding. However a rise in temperature and a drop in wind strength encouraged members to venture out and catch some of the new trout stock. The earlier news flashes showed some interesting photographs of activity at Powdermill and reported on some of the results.

There were many notable catches with some members taking their six fish catch allowance.

The outstanding fish was taken by member Derek Coles fishing from a boat who landed an 8Lb 13 oz Rainbow on a Cats Whisker.

Two members then caught 4Lb fish, John Walters and Bernie Meeden, with eleven other catching fish of just over 3 Lbs and a visitor with one at 3lb 10oz .

As it was still cold and the water temperature was low fish were caught on Diawl Bach , Damsel or Buzzers.

Overall the number of fish caught was lower than March 2017, but the number of anglers was also lower due to the adverse weather especially for the first week of the month.

The good news is that the weather is getting warming and the fish are rising and there are signs of early fly hatches. So now is the time to make a reservation for a boat and search for other large fish that are getting hungry. Our Fisherman of the month award goes to Derek Cole for his early season catch.

News Flash! - 26th March 2018

Despite the periods of inclement weather during the month Powdermill is fishing really well this year. Rod averages are around 4 per angler and fish of over 8lb have been caught.

With just over a fortnight to go until our annual match with Sussex Fly Tying Guild the reservoir is looking in fine fettle and a visit is highly recommended.

News Flash! - 14th March 2018

New member Mike Lambert with his first ever Rainbow this afternoon which weighed in at 1lb 8oz. Well done Mike and welcome to Hastings Fly Fishing Club.

Fishing has been very good this week. On Monday member Derek Coles caught an 8lb 13oz Rainbow from a boat and on Tuesday 70 fish were taken with several anglers having bags of 4 - 6 fish the majority being from the dam.

News Flash! - 1st March 2018

This was the reservoir on the first day of the season. A very bleak set of pics and in fact the first time in at least 20 years that fishing was not possible on the first day.

Our bailiff Vic Partridge was lonely figure this morning when under normal circumstances there would be a good turnout for 1st March. Let’s hope we can get started next week!



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2018 - FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

It’s now only a few more days until the opening of the 2018 season on Thursday March 1.

There is now plenty of water at Powdermill and Southern Water shows the level at the reservoir at 100% full.

Fish have already been delivered and six hundred arrived last week with several larger trout among them. There will be another delivery next week from a different supplier who always provides some hard fighting “specials”. The boats have all been refurbished and the jetties have been renovated.

The bank cut-outs have been attended to and the brush cleared to provide anglers with improved casting areas.

There is plenty of wildlife activity at the reservoir and spring flowers and foliage will shortly be seen.

The wood burning stove in the clubhouse is in good use with facilities for hot drinks available.

So plan on fishing on opening day and call the Bailiff to book a boat.

A reminder to all shareholders that our AGM is on Sunday 4 March at Three Oaks Village Hall commencing at 1000 so put that in your diary as well and come and tell us that you were the angler that caught the first fish of the season!



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December Newsletter

The fishing results for November showed that the fish are still very elusive in spite of falling water temperature and some rain they are not being tempted to take dry flies.

Our Bailiff insists that there are still plenty of trout in the reservoir but for some unknown reason they are not willing to currently feed on our flies. He has researched some other fisheries in the southeast and they are experiencing the same difficulties in catching.

However our members and visitors have had some success as some small trout averaging around one and a half pounds were caught as was a solitary brown trout which was of course returned to the water. All were caught on nymphs.

There was one larger fish caught by John Noble of two pounds four ounces on a Diawl Bach and so he is nominated as our Fisherman of the month.

The working party for 23 November had to be postponed due to bad weather and was reconvened the following week on 28 November when we experienced a sunny day. The cut outs and bank areas were trimmed with all dangerous branches removed as well as the scrub over the ground.

The result is cut outs back to original size at the water with no branches behind to catch your back cast and a wider angle at the water to cast from into deep water.

Thanks go to Tim Stacey and his team of Derek Cole, Dick Telford, John Varley and Vic Partridge for their efforts. Also thanks to Don Burt and Paul Strevens who made up their own working party!

The Directors and Secretary would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to seeing you at the lake for another great fishing year in 2018!



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November Newsletter

The colder weather at the beginning of the month certainly encouraged some promising fishing activity but the lack of sunny days reduced the number of fly hatches. As well as a distinct lack of Daddies to attract the trout anglers were using nymphs and buzzers with some success.

Several fish over two pounds were landed by Peter Ralph, John Noble and D Russell with the heaviest caught by Paul Strevens at 2lb 5oz on a buzzer who is the nominated October Fisherman of the Month.

We had a delivery of fish during the first week of the month and very few have been caught so far, so we hope for a few sunny days to stimulate a hatch and for the fish to resume their feeding. Vic Partridge is adamant that there are plenty of fish in Powdermill waiting to be caught but it will be challenging to search them out and tempt them to take your fly.

Boats are readily available for you to explore the water and try some exotic wet fly in the depths and perhaps hook a new heaviest fish of the year currently standing at 5lb 9oz caught in May .

There will be a work party on Thursday 23 November to tidy the cut-outs and reduce the growth of encroaching trees. This will reduce the chances of back casts catching in them. All you need to bring is a lopper and pruning saw and perhaps cake for when we have finished and adjourn to the clubhouse.

We plan to start at 0930 so if you can help please liaise with Tim Stacey on 01424 439633.

Powdermill Lodge is now occupied by the Bailiff and we wish him well in his new home.

October Newsletter

Good news, the air and water temperature at Powdermill continues to fall resulting in some new fishing activity.

The last week in September saw rainbow caught from the bank by club members using nymphs with some multiple catches. P Jenkins and J Noble caught five fish between them all just under two pounds on Diawl Bach and Damsel.

Our Fisherman of the month for September is John Noble with his catch of three fish the largest at 1lb 10 oz.

Flies are now proving attractive to the fish with Daddies and Hoppers. Vic Partridge had success with a Hopper earlier this week.

The advance weather forecast continues to show a lowering of the air temperature with some more rain forecast. This will continue to stir the fish to come up to the surface for feeding.

Restocking will now resume and the first of our postponed deliveries will arrive this week with more planned for this month.

As a member told me yesterday we should have an entertaining winter season.

So let us all get down to Powdermill this month to take advantage of the good fishing weather and book a boat to explore and find those rainbow trout.

OBITUARY: Edward (Ted) Stevenson

The Directors and members are very sorry to learn of the death of one of our longest serving members, Edward (Ted) Stevenson, on 12th September 2017.

Although Ted had resigned from the Club 3 years ago, due to his continuing ill health, he had still been able to visit the lake and Club House, on occasion, up to about a year ago.

During the time Ted had been a club member he had contributed a great deal of his time and enthusiasm in helping to run the Club. He was a Director for many years and, when he was in good health, he was always the first to organise and help with annual bank clearing and other manual work. He will also be remembered by many for his interest and pursuit of snakes around the lake and could often be seen over on the far bank, with his long forked stick, having discovered a snake asleep in the sun.

Ted’s wife Bet was also a Club member for many years and they could often be seen together fishing in friendly rivalry. After her death some years ago, Ted donated a seat to the club in her name and when he was still able to get along the dam, he loved to sit there reminiscing.

He was a kind and generous man and it is sad to know we shall not see him up at the lake again, but he had many enjoyable years at the Club, and made many friends, and made a generous contribution with his time.

We send our condolences to his daughter Jane and family.

Fishing all set to improve!

Due to the water temperature at Powdermill ( currently 22 degrees ) the fishing has unfortunately been poor!

In fact it looks like the fish of the month for August will go to the ONLY fish caught in the month ( by a rather embarrassed John Noble ). Vic reckons the temperature needs to go down to around 17 degrees before things improve.

The good news is that we have a number of stockings owed to us by our suppliers that we have been able to defer until September and October when hopefully we should see some sport.

This happened last year and a lot of fish were caught in October, November and early December. I fact I recall Bob Sanger catching a 5lb rainbow from the dam in the late autumn.

Lets hope we can finish the season on a high note! Watch this space!

August newsletter

May, June, July and into early August there were Mayflies still hatching with Vic’s special fly proving deadly as ever. Catching activity dropped off with the increased air and water temperature and the lower water level.

The exotically named flies did not appear to tempt the trout in July but Damsels and Hoppers and Diawl Bach were evident and a few anglers caught their maximum. The largest fish was a 3lb 1 oz. Rainbow caught on a Hares ear by a visitor to Powdermill. He or she cannot be identified as their name was illegible in the catch book.

However prime contenders for the members’ Fisherman of the month nomination with maximum catches were Don Burt, Vic Partridge and R Medding.

But special mention must go to Dick Telford who put down his camera and in a special effort to catch a single rainbow managed to hook 16 Rudd. Looking through the catch book for 2017 this momentous event appears to be possibly the highest number of fish ever caught at Powdermill at one time by a single angler! This leaves him with the unenviable task of beating 17 by the end of this season.

So the Fisherman of the month for July is shared between R. Medding with a 2lb 9oz Rainbow caught on a Damsel and Dick Telford who is keeping his fly a secret.

Finally the Bailiff’s new house has been completed with the exterior all painted and with the new terrace. The attached photo shows the latest but the interior curtains may be changed!

Annual Members Competition

New pics from the Club Annual Members competition and BBQ ...



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July Newsletter

The Mayflies were still very evident throughout the month of June and there were good hatches during the warm days and especially in the evenings. The winds were variable so there were some good catches from the banks and all boat fishers had success.

But many fish were also being caught using Buzzers and Nymphs tied on small hooks on long leaders. This variation in diet for the trout was used by several anglers from the dam on pegs close to the club house.

Many visiting anglers continued to take out a boat so they explored all the water. At the beginning of the month they had good catches as the mayflies were the preferred fly.

There were few large fish caught but Keith Blundell landed a Rainbow of 3lb 4oz and there were a few anglers who caught their maximum with fish around 2lb. But our Fisherman of the month nomination goes again to Terry Beeching who using a Mayfly (was it the Bailiff’s design?) caught a 3lb 12oz rainbow. This is his second nomination and he still does not get a silver cup so we will wait and see at the end of the season what his reward may be.

The Club annual members competition was a well-attended event with 22 fish caught and congratulations to the winning member Derek Coles. The competition was followed by a BBQ with over 60 members and family and friends attending. Thank you to everyone who made the day so enjoyable.

As reported earlier the Bailiff’s new house was erected and the utilities have now been connected. The terrace has been added with a beautiful view of the reservoir, a great place for an evening G & T.

The club was approached by Matt Lingard who is starting up a business of video advertising for companies so we are lucky enough to have a wonderful video of “Powdermill Hastings Flyfishers” to be produced and it is now available on the home page of the HFFC website. Starring members John Walters, Bob Sanger as the Anglers and Vic Partridge as The Bailiff and featuring the current resident Hobby catching a mayfly; with some great photography of the flora and fauna and historical details of the reservoir. We hope you all enjoy it.

Building works contine at a pace

The building work and construction of the two new buildings is now continuing at a fast pace with the arrival of a cottage for the Bailiff Vic Partridge.

Described in estate agent terms as a two bedroomed wooden cabin with fitted kitchen, full bathroom and lounge with outside terrace and private parking. Situated in a secluded wooded area with stunning views of the reservoir with its unrivalled wildlife and hard fighting trout. Also home to the famous wooden reindeer shown in the photograph. The building is now being connected to the main utilities and the exterior wood is being prepared for painting and the terrace will then be attached. The ground work for the second similar cottage for visitors has been completed and will be delivered very shortly.



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Kent v Sussex Competition

pics from the day



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Newsflash 20th June

The latest issue of Trout Fisherman magazine 21 June-18 July has a ”Where to fish around the UK” article and features a half page and photographs of Powdermill reservoir trout lake and the fabulous Mayfly hatch.

A very positive article and a great picture of an unnamed very well dressed angler in boat number one with an electric drive about to land his catch. But who is this angler ? Is he a member or a visitor? If anyone knows him please let us know.

Newsflash 7th June



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Martyn Brignall was fishing last Friday at the annual Hobbs Parker day and his wife Susan was there with her trusty camera to record the event. This coincided with the start of work on the foundations for the new lodges.

June Newsletter



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The Mayfly season arrived with some great catches and some difficult weather. On 26 April we had snow at Powdermills but our Bailiff Vic Partridge with Don Burt were already out boat fishing with Mayfly, caught their maximum and returned apparently looking like two cold snow covered abominable snowmen.

However it was a visitor Mr R Denney who caught a 5lb 9oz Rainbow on 4 May using a Mayfly and he can be seen with his fish on a previous latest news page.

For the rest of us we were spared the snow yet had to share the strong North East winds which made fishing from the dam awkward and boat handling tiring if you had to row. Yet in-spite of the changing conditions over 1300 fish were caught. Nearly all with Vic’s special pattern Mayfly, a slightly different size and colour from previous years but Damsel and Buzzers were used during the bright sun days when fish were not taking off the top.

So May has been a good month for fishing and the numbers of visitors is increasing with 225 in May with many using the boats. For some it was the first time they had been to or heard of Powdermills so let’s keep up the momentum to increase their numbers. The fishing statistics page has now been updated so you can see the latest details of catches and visitors and largest fish and fly details. There will be some further changes to the website in June that were discussed at the AGM in March. There was keen competition for the Fisherman of the month with special mention of two members for their strange sounding exotic fly, Phil Streeter for using a Baby Doll and John Thackray for an outrageous Orange Fritz. Will these make the fly of the year pages?

But for using “conventional” flies and for two good size catches of 3lb 9oz and 2 lb 10oz the May nomination for Fisherman of the month goes to Mick Wood.

Work has commenced on construction of the site of the new three lodges adjacent to the club house. Some trees have been felled and ground work was very much in evidence this week. More photographs will appear as work progresses.

Newsflash : 25th April



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Last Friday we were hit by small incredibly heavy torrential showers. Did this have any effect on the hardy souls already out on the water? Not at all - they were all having an incredible time catching our hard fighting rainbows!

The anglers are not the only ones benefiting from the mayfly hatch. It has been possible to see up to eight Hobbys at a time picking up the mayfly in their claws whilst in flight and transferring them to their beaks. These dashing little members of the falcon family are always a joy to see at this time of the year.

Dick Telford kindly sent in some of his excellent photographs. He also remarked on how well his new Snowbee waterproofs coped with the deluge.

May Newsletter

(Apologies for delay John Varley sent it to Chris and he only just remembered to post it up!)

The good start to the season continued in April with many six fish limits being attained by both club members and particularly by visitors.

There were no monster fish caught with most fish at just over 2 lbs 2 oz. but all were hard fighting and very selective what they were caught on. Nymphs and buzzers were again the popular choice of flies for most fishermen with dry flies in evidence at the end of the month.

There were good catches from the dam as the winds were more often favourable and not from the north or north east blowing into your face.

Boats were being used by our visitors who were all catching their limit. This is a reminder to book a boat in advance of your visit as with the Mayfly season now starting they will be at a premium.

The last piece of the boat dock is still afloat and attached to the dock so the expense and time of the work party was well spent. There are some extra photos in the club house of the antics of the work party which will not be seen on the website.

There were several members who were considered for this month’s Fisherman of the month recognition award with six of them all catching their limit on more than one occasion but one person showed more consistency on each of his visits and that is Don Burt who is the April award nominee.

Le Picnique: 9th May


Every year we have a visit from a delightful party of anglers from Northern France once the mayfly hatch starts. They fish in the morning but by 1.00pm they are all back on dry land setting up "le picnique" which is a ritual taken very seriously. They are always very hospitable to passing anglers with their copious supply of wines and aperitifs. They had a great time and by late afternoon they had all appeared to have bagged up despite some boat control issues occasioned partly by the vicious north east wind.

When I arrived yesterday afternoon I was fortunate to take the last boat on the jetty so I would strongly recommend any intending to visit to phone our bailiff Vic Partridge on 01424 870498 ( best between 9.30 - 10.30am ) to reserve a boat

Comments from a happy visitor : 7th May


I thought you would like to see the stunning fish I caught on Thursday which turned out to be a new PB. I can't thank the club enough for an enjoyable day and for allowing guests to fish your fabulous water. My Father and I had a tremendous day. What Vic and the club do to keep the fishery in the wonderful condition it is is remarkable: The quality of fish stocked are superb and I very much look forward to returning again soon.

Newsflash : 5th May


The mayfly have been hatching in increasing numbers all week despite the chilly north wind. A glance at the catch book shows numerous bags of 6 fish have been taken on dry fly. Only yesterday a visitor landed a beauty of 5lb 9oz on a dry.

Just over a week ago we had a freak winter sleet/snow storm lasting just a few minutes. To everyones amusement who should be out in a boat but our bailiff Vic Partridge and member Don Burt who was desperately trying to catch the last of his six fish. According to reports they looked like a pair of snowmen ( abominable? ) when the storm cleared.

Newsflash : 25th April

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The reservoir continues to fish well and some good bags are being taken. Latest stockings have produced some very hard fighting Rainbows so there is plenty of good sport to be had.

Over the last few days anglers have begun to notice mayfly emerging and it is rumoured that Dick Telford has already caught on a dry mayfly. This trickle should soon increase to our usual level of mayfly hatch so if you are looking for some action packed dry fly fishing get down to Powdermill.

The spring colours are a sight to behold at the moment and while her husband Martyn was fishing on Sunday Sue Brignall took these lovely pictures.

Pictures from our recent Sussex Flydressers Competition

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NEWSFLASH 8th April 2017


Our annual competition against Sussex Flydressers took place on Saturday. This was a very close run affair with nearly 100 fish caught only 13.5 ounces separated the teams with Hastings Fly Fishers the victors with a total weight of 85lb 10oz compared with Flydressers 84lb 12.5oz. The match took place on a perfect spring day and was followed by an excellent BBQ.

Largest individual bags were as follows;
Mr Watson 11lb 5oz
Mr Walters 11lb 2oz
Mr Croucher 10lb 12oz

Best fish Mr Russell 2lb 7.5oz
Best fish boat Mr Wood 2lb 2oz
Best fish bank Mr Strevens 2lb 1oz
Best bag boat Mr Black
and best bag bank Mr Payne

NEWSLETTER April 2017


A good start to the season with high water at Powdermills and well stocked with some great fish to catch. The water was remarkably clear and the weather was favourable. On the third day a 5lb 1oz Rainbow was caught and the following days saw several fish over 4lbs and many anglers taking their six fish limit. Boat fishing was popular and fishing from the dam was bringing good results. The fish were caught mainly on a variety of buzzers and also damsel flies.

At present the water is very clear and the winds are favouring fishing from the dam. If you want to fish from a boat weekends are popular so do not forget to book in advance. The word has gone out that we are going to have a good season and the numbers of visitors is most encouraging with many of them taking boats and catching their limit. See previous latest news photographs to confirm the catches.

On Monday we had a working party of seven members who repaired and re-floated the last piece of the boat dock which had become partly submerged. New floats had been purchased that are watertight so will not sink. Unfortunately none of the members had brought any sparkling wine for the launching and renaming ceremony so we ate Lemon drizzle cake and drank coffee instead. All very PC and in accordance with health and safety! Watch out for some photos of your fellow members in marine engineering action.

We plan on a monthly newsletter this year to highlight events at HFFC and encourage you to send in photographs of fishing action. We are also going to select a Fisherman or Fisher lady of the month from our members for a special accomplishment during the previous month.

So for March the award goes to Terry Beeching for the 5lb 1oz rainbow trout caught on 3rd March using a bloodworm. Sorry, no silver cup for this and to prove that size does not matter we will look at other fishing activities for this award.

Newsflash 6th April 2017



A few days ago Vic the bailiff was in his house when he noticed a van ( which he didn't recognise ) drive past and park in the car park. It was only just light and thus far earlier than most of us commence fishing. He went up to the lodge and could see someone tackling up on the dam. After completing his normal morning routine ( getting the log burner going for our members ) he noticed that the van driver had not completed the book or ( most importantly ) paid.

Vic strolled along the dam to confront the person and was amazed to see him reading the paper with 3 rods out all equipped with electronic bite alarms. He also noticed a spinning rod assembled for action with a huge plug attached.

After a friendly exchange of good mornings Vic asked him what he was fishing for.

Angler: "Pike"
Vic: "Sorry to spoil your day but there are no pike in this water"

Angler: "There must be. I've been told that there is a good head of pike here".
Vic: "Who told you that?".

Angler: "Members of my club Cranbrook AC".
Vic: "Then you've most definitely been misinformed. There are no pike here".


At this point the angler's face glazed over.

Vic: "Do you know where you are?".
Angler: "DARWELL RESERVOIR"


It would appear that he relied on his sat nav. ( never a good idea ) to bring him to the general area then spotting an expanse of blue on the map jumped to the conclusion that it must be DARWELL Reservoir!

The POWDERMILL reservoir is fishing well at the moment. The water level is full and the water is lovely and clear. Good bags of Rainbow are being taken on a wide assortment of flies.

06 April 2017 : JETTY WORKING PARTY !



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29th March 2017



A Great days fishing from one of our new members Will Lewis - well done!!




COME ON OUT ITS FISHING VERY VERY WELL !






Tim wondering what to do with new jetty floats!



Some more pics of Powdermills at its best

13th March 2017


Gary Dyer kindly sent in the attached photo showing water starting to trickle down the overflow. Not only do we have a fully stocked reservoir but as an added bonus it is now full of water!

Sue ( ace photographer ) Brignall was able to take some photographs on Saturday ( a beautiful warm early spring day ) whilst her husband Martin was catching his usual bag of 6 fish.

Pictured are Keith Blundell fishing with John Austen, Geoff Pilcher in a boat and Bob Sanger landing a fish from the dam.

I understand that all of the aforementioned caught 6 fish on the day.

8th March 2017


At Powdermill we seem to be in a most fortunate position at the moment in that our water level is only a few inches below the full level.It is anticipated that it should be completely full within a few days. Several other local East Sussex/Kent waters still are a long way from full which necessitates fishing in deep and slippery muddy conditions.

Several bags of 6 fish have been taken in the last few days by bank anglers and 4 fish of 4lb and over have been caught in the past week. Yesterday member John Noble landed a superb fish of 4lb 8oz from the dam.

Newsflash : 7th March 2017


A steady start has been made to the new season with some good bags being taken. Indeed 2 rainbows in excess of 4lb have been caught. This is despite a plague of broken/damaged wrists and arms which has struck many of our members in the run up to the opening day! We wish Paul Strevens, Tim Stacey and Keith Blundell a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing their names in the catch book again.

5th March 2017


“At the AGM on the 5th March, the Darwell Cup for the heaviest fish of the season was won by Gary Dyer with a fine rainbow weighing a smidgeon under 6lb.

On inspection Gary saw the cup dates from 1956, shortly after the time when his Grandfather took him out for a days fishing at Powdermill. Gary cannot recall whether their efforts were successful, using the split cane rods now consigned to his attic. However he does remember the existing club hut as it then was.

Members were able to leave their rods assembled in racks along the wall, held in place by hinged wooden pegs. Adjoining were pine cupboards for tackle and kit, each with a brass mount for the members personal or business card. Tilley lamps for lighting of course! The door was left unlocked.

The original hut still stands. Notwithstanding various improvements during the last 60 years years, it retains its character including the clubroom with library and wood burning stove faithfully maintained by Vic the bailiff. In an age of increasingly sophisticated fisheries, Powdermill offers the chance to step back in time and enjoy its unique surroundings without sacrificing the chances of a good bag.”

1st March 2017 - START OF NEW SEASON!!!



News Flash 14th February 2017


Today we received a consignment of 600 superb rainbows ( as counted and verified by Don Burt ) in readiness for the start of the new season on 1st March 2017. More deliveries will take place before the end of the month. The photo shows Don and Vic Partridge ( Powdermill's bailiff ) superintending the business end of the delivery chute.

News Flash 12th February 2017


NOT LONG TO WAIT UNTIL START OF SEASON

The new season starts on 1st March. Only just over 2 weeks to go!

The reservoir water level is only around three feet down and rising. Hopefully it will be full by the end of the week. Stocking has commenced and so all being well we should have a fully stocked full reservoir for the start of the 2016 season.

News Flash 17th November


The reservoir has been fishing well this week now the water temperature has dropped. On Tuesday four members fishing near the lodge in front of the reads and in the corner of the dam all caught and saw plenty of action on hoppers and daddies. Richard Telford caught 3 including a beauty weighing 5lb 3oz.

Looks like we have a window of opportunity to catch a few fish before the onset of winter and with the beautiful autumnal colours a trip to Powdermill is highly recommended.

News Flash Monday 31st October 2016

Good News!

The water temperature at Powdermill has now fallen from a 20.5 high to a more seasonal 15 degrees and this seems to have brought the fish back onto the feed. Over the last 4 days 28 rainbows and one brown trout have been caught and last Friday member Bob Sanger landed a rainbow of 5lb 10oz as part of his 6 fish bag. Another bag of 5 fish was taken by another member yesterday.

Nearly all of these fish were caught from the dam.
Take the chance to enjoy this exceptional autumn sunshine at the beautiful Powdermill Reservoir before the onset of winter.

LATEST NEWS - AUGUST 11th 2016

Member Dick Telford was quietly minding his own business this afternoon fishing from a boat near the bubbles enjoying the sunshine when all of a sudden a rainbow leapt from the water and landed on his lap and then finished up in the bottom of the boat. Ever the sportsman and witnessed by his boat partner Dick ensured the fish was returned to the water non the worse from it's experience. The big question must be - who was the most surprised, Dick or the fish?

Sadly two hours later Dick had failed to attract any interest to the business end of his line!

THE NEW POWDERMILL MAYFLY

ITS NOW OFFICIAL POWDERMILLS MAYFLY IS CALLED THE MAYJUNEJULY FLY !

June saw just under 300 fish caught on the mayfly and we are still seeing lots of hatches and catches in July.

There has never been a better value time to visit us with July and August all day tickets reduced to just £25! The lake is very well stocked so don’t miss out on this great opportunity for some of the best fly fishing in the south east.

Club Competition Friday 24th June 2016

The event was brought forward from its usual time in August in the hope that this would improve catches. This certainly worked with nearly everyone getting amongst the fish with several catches of 5 or 6 rainbows. It was a great day and the only disappointing aspect was that the number of participants was down. It was a shame that it was not better attended as it was a super days fishing.

Paul Strivens was a worthy winner with a bag of 6 fish totalling 10lb 2.5oz.
Joint second place went to Terry Beeching and Peter Ralph who each had 6 fish for 9lb 11oz.

Finally a big thanks to everyone who helped and the high quality raffle donations, special thanks toVic his hard work preparing the venue and to his son Lee for laying on an excellent BBQ. Sue Brignall became our official photographer and some of her great photos are below.

URGENT NOTE FOR MEMBERS - CLUB COMPETITIONS

If you are not already aware our annual club competition and BBQ takes place this Friday 24th June. If you intend to participate and you have not yet informed Vic or Mary could you kindly do so as a matter of urgency. They will also need to know if you will be attending the post competition BBQ and prize giving.

If you would like to donate a raffle prize please can you give it to Vic. This year we are also providing a breakfast bacon roll!

Boats will still be available for visitors on this day.

Our KENT v SUSSEX match takes place on Friday 8th July. As usual this will be fished from the bank. If you would like to participate please contact Vic asap

Monday 6 June 2016

At least it is warmer this week. Last week on a couple of days the temperature was lower than that on Christmas day! This made the dam an unhospitable place for those who ventured out to fish from the bank. Having said that there was no shortage of fish being caught. Mayfly are continually hatching in numbers and the trout are feasting on them as can be seen from the surface action.

This month will see the majority of the dry fly action so a visit to our fully stocked reservoir surly is a must for all fly fishermen ( and women ).

Some days there have been very few boats left on the jetty come late morning so it would be prudent to phone our bailiff Vic Partridge between 9.30am and 10.30am to make a reservation.

Newsflash Wednesday 18th May 2016

The mayfly have officially arrived with hatches increasing by the day! The rainbows in the fully stocked reservoir seem to have cottoned onto what a good source of food they are judging by the surface action yesterday and the corresponding catches.

If you fancy some fast and furious fly fishing then get down to the reservoir as soon as possible whilst the action lasts.

Boats are proving very popular so to avoid disappointment especially if you have driven a long way it is recommended you ring our bailiff Vic Partridge to reserve one. You can get him between 9.30am and 10.30am on 01424 870498. Take a look at these great photos taken recently by Martyn Brignall's wife Susan whilst he was fishing. Two are of Paul Strevens hooking, playing and landing a rainbow and the other 3 are wildlife near the dam.

Mayfly

The first mayfly have been spotted at the reservoir. The big question is now who will be the first to catch on a mayfly this season! With calmer warmer weather arriving it is suggested a visit to Powdermill should not be delayed.

The water is fully stocked with a fine head of fighting rainbows and most anglers are taking a good bag. To avoid disappointment at the approaching busy time if you would like to reserve a boat please ring our bailiff Vic Partridge on 01424 870498 between 9.30 - 10.30.

Fishing Competition

Our annual competition at Powdermill Reservoir against Sussex Fly Dressers Guild took place last Saturday 9th April. The match usually takes place at the end of June/early July but had been brought forward in an attempt to improve catches. This certainly worked as in fact only one blank was recorded. Ironically this unfortunate person is a much respected member of Hastings Fly Fishers who has recorded bags of 6 fish in his previous visits this season.

A total of 59 fish were caught with a total weight of 110lb 3oz. Of this 67lb 6oz were caught by SFDG and 42lb 13oz by HFF. A resounding victory for SFDG gaining revenge for last years narrow defeat.
The heaviest fish weighing in at 4lb 9oz was caught by Mr Raw of SFDG.
Heaviest bags were taken by the aforesaid Mr Raw ( 12lb 4oz ) and Ray Burt ( 11lb 12oz ) both SFDG.

The warmer weather this week has brought about an increase in the number of anglers and several bags of 6 fish have been taken. Mayfly nymphs, damsels nymphs and montanas have been used successfully. If you are taking a boat out it might be worth expending the energy to row to the western arm where there appear to be plenty of fish

April 15


'Some more great photos from Bob Whelan showing why you should hurry out to visit us! The real reason for his visit was to catch his limit which he and his guest Peter Rogers succeeded in doing.'

April 10

"Powdermills at its best on Sunday 10th April " photo by Bob Whelan

April 08

Although a rise in temperature would not go amiss most anglers are catching fish and in fact several have caught 4-6 rainbows. Even the writer managed 6 last week ( see picture ).

The reservoir is fully stocked with splendid rainbows and a visit is highly recommended.

April 08

Managed to tempt 6 very hard fighting rainbows today, all of them around 2 lbs. 4 were caught on a mayfly nymph and the other 2 on a tiny black buzzer. Things are looking good for an early mayfly hatch.

Malcolm Holden

March 31

Storm Katie left its mark with three large pine trees down near the entrance to the reservoir. Fortunately, it did not block the driveway so it's business as usual.The wind was so strong on Monday that Vic deemed it necessary to ban the use of boats as a safety measure. On the rare occasions he is forced to do this he will always put a "NO BOATS" message on the boats blackboard at the entrance to the lodge.The strong winds and disappointing weather over the Easter holiday kept numbers down but most of those who did fish managed to catch (yours truly excepted!).

We had a delivery of fish yesterday and hopefully with warmer more settled weather forecast we can get on with some serious fishing. The stocks are high!

March 18

There was most definitely a call for thermals with this weeks perpetual freezing North and East winds blowing down the reservoir. We are now fully stocked and some of those hardy souls who did venture out got amongst the fish.

On Tuesday John Noble fished the dam and accounted for a fine bag of 6 rainbows totalling almost 12lb and this morning two visitors took 6 fish each.

The fish were taken on a wide variety of flies including buzzers, nymphs, mayfly nymphs and damsels. It appears to be a question of seeing what works on the day. Here's hoping for some gentle south westerly breezes as soon as possible.