Saturday 14th December 2013

A SEASONAL THOUGHT

As your editorial team take a break, from producing our ‘Latest News’, in order to celebrate Christmas among our friends and family, your long suffering reporter has just one more request to make of you.

Please take a few moments to read the newsletter from the Door of Hope Charity which was produced last Christmas by our Club member The Reverend Phil Streeter. He and his dear wife, Diane, do such selfless work in difficult circumstances. I do not ask or expect you to contribute. Just spare a thought for those good souls who try to make a difference and if you are so inclined say a prayer for their continued efforts.

Door of Hope Newsletter - Christmas with the Criminals

Friday 13th December 2013

THE SAGA OF THE AERATOR CONTINUES

On arrival this morning I found three men from Southern Water standing in the car park looking vacant. Not unusual, you may think. I naturally assumed that this must be the day when the elusive electrician was to arrive to actually connect up the motor. Fat chance! They apparently were there to put up some conduit in the green shed which houses the new air pump (ready for the electrician?). As a conscientious shareholder, I naturally expressed my concern at their lack of activity. Well, they certainly did not stand around for much longer. No sooner had I joined the bailiff in the lodge than one of the men came in to use our luxurious toilet facilities and when I next looked out of the window they were all gone. Either this was a five minute job or another wasted journey. Any bets?

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MORE CORMORANT CONFUSION

Crumpets and roasted chestnuts, washed down with large cups of coffee, were the order of the day as the 'old boys' observed the multitude of cormorants who were delighted to have the reservoir all to themselves this morning. The lack of anglers enabled them to concentrate on their fishing while enjoying the glorious winter sunshine. They are reputed to each eat 6lb of fish daily. Many people think that when they flap their wings they are drying them but the bailiff insists they do this to help get the food down. Judging by the amount of flapping going on today, they are eating more than their quota.

However, my cursory (yet incredibly boring) research into this theory seems to contradict the 'swallowing' explanation. It transpires that way back in 1997 a Robin M. Sellers wrote a learned paper on "The Wing Spreading behaviour of the Cormorant". Between September 1983 and April 1989 he wasted 5½ years of his miserable life watching cormorants on the river Severn near Berkeley Power Station. His eventually concluded that his findings supported overwhelmingly the wing-drying (or more generally plumage-drying) explanation. He maintains that wing-spreading was performed both by birds which had caught fish and those which had not, and no connection could be found between the incidence of wing-spreading and foraging success. But the wing flapping which I have been recently observing is occurring while the bird is in the water, not on the bank spreading its wings, 'drying' itself. It appears to be happening in conjunction with the act of devouring an unfortunate fish but at such a distance I could be mistaken in assuming that the bird is actually swallowing something. So I think a little more research is required. Maybe I should contact Mr Sellers and suggest he spend another 5½ years observing "The Wing FLAPPING behaviour of the Cormorant" and then come up with another obvious conclusion.

With no opportunity to get close enough to produce a photo of the miscreants I resorted to taking a couple of snaps of the lodge and reservoir - bathed in more brilliant sunshine.

Wednesday 11th December 2013

ANOTHER BUSY DAY

Although plenty of Club members turned up today, only two decided to venture out. Despite the early chill, John Noble was determined to go onto the dam long before the sun had burnt through the heavy mist. Phil Streeter sauntered in at noon. After considering taking out a boat, he also decided to fish from the bank, as it was getting a bit late to justify the cost of a boat. However, given that the fish seem recently to be well out of range of the bank, I do not fancy their chances. In addition, neither of them had a Baby Doll in their fly boxes. Incidentally, the Baby Doll so successfully employed by Mr Burn to catch all his recent rainbows was PINK!

Tuesday 10th December 2013

A DIFFERENT VIEW

Another wonderful day at the reservoir with the water bathed in glorious winter sunshine. A great opportunity to wander around in total isolation and enjoy the complete peace and tranquillity. A good opportunity to mess about and take some unusual photos.

As far as the fishing goes, its a bit of a lottery. Club member T. Burn has consistently caught fish while others have recently failed miserably. On his last three visits he has caught all his fish on a Baby Doll. As far as I am aware nobody else has tried this pattern since his initial success with this fly. At the weekend he caught his four fish limit from a boat. All his fish were taken out of casting range of the bank fishermen. Could this be a clue and a more important factor than the fly pattern being used? I think so. Therefore I would suggest that you opt to go out in a boat if you want a chance to have a successful days fishing before the season ends on the 31 December.

Black Baby Doll

White Baby Doll

Friday 6th December 2013

KENNY ON TOUR

Our favourite superstar has just flown in from LA. Although he is not planning another visit to the reservoir this year, he has promised to make an appearance when we reopen in March. I was delighted to hear from him and have pleasure in publishing a photo of our hero taken during a tour of Europe back in 2005.

We must congratulate Kenny Rogers on his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of fame. This was immediately followed by the 'Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award' at the 47th annual CMA Awards which took place in November. So 2013 has been a landmark year. Sadly no European tour dates are planned for 2014.

Watch out for exclusive photos of 'Our Kenny' at the reservoir next March.

Tour of Europe 2005 on a Suzuki 1500cc Intruder 169

Thursday 5th December 2013

FALSE HOPE

A reservoir bathed in early morning sunshine tempted no fewer than three anglers to venture out today. However, the last couple of days have proved surprisingly difficult and the odd angler who has tried to find fish has failed miserably. Conditions today appeared perfect at the outset, but as the morning progressed it became overcast and colder. By midday one angler decided to give up due to the cold and lack of fish. Although the other two had not returned by the time that I finally left the comfort of the lodge, I doubt if they would have been any more successful. So another disappointing day when the trout refused to be tempted by anything the anglers could 'throw' at them.

Wednesday 4th December 2013

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM OUR LEADER

Just received (via e-mail) from our beloved Club Chairman, basking in the sunshine on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Good to know that the Club profits are not being wasted.

Monday 2nd December 2013

EXPERT FISHERMEN

With so few anglers bank or boat fishing, conditions have been ideal for the cormorants who flock to the reservoir each day to enjoy an easy meal. All last week we could observe the cormorants, from the comfort of the cosy lodge, as they provided us with a very good indication of the best fishing spots. Any prospective angler would be well advised to also spend a short time observing their activities from a distance before rushing out to fish.

View from the Dam

Last week I watched four Cormorants apparently working in unison as they continually attacked a large rainbow. Although I am not aware that these birds are known to hunt in groups they were certainly not bickering among themselves as they constantly harried the unfortunate rainbow, who had obviously been sufficiently damaged to be unable to escape their relentless attacks.

At this time of year we would normally be at our lowest stocking level as we go into the winter. However, with the awful weather that we have experienced this year fewer fish have been taken and the reservoir is still full of rainbows. As a result the fishing should be exceptionally good. Certainly the cormorants think so, which is why they come in such numbers.

With an ageing membership it is hardly surprising that so few HFF Club members have dared venture out in the recent unsettled weather conditions. However, it is surprising that so few visitors have taken advantage of our winter price. Where else can you enjoy the exclusive use of a 55 acre trout water all to yourself? Then even the cormorants would be forced to buzz off.

View of the far bank from the jetty on 1st December

Saturday 23rd November 2013

WINTER WARMER

The photo says it all.

Friday 22nd November 2013

IT'S GETTING COLDER

Although the lodge can be very cold and damp at this time of year, once the wood burner has got going it is not only very cosy but can become almost tropical. So, given the continued miserable weather, it is hardly surprising that cribbage and darts are the order of the day. The standard of darts is appalling, but there are some fair crib players among the 'old boys'. If the unsettled weather continues I expect the 'Shove' board to make its first appearance next week. Despite all these indoor activities you can rest assured that anyone prepared to go fishing and risk a soaking can rely on the 'old boys' to keep a watchful eye on them from the comfort of the lodge. Should the angler return cold, wet and miserable they can at least be assured of a sympathetic reception and somewhere warm to recover.

Wednesday 20th November 2013

IT’S NOT OVER YET

One brave angler ventured out on Sunday and caught two rainbows using a Baby Doll.

On Monday morning two anglers could be seen enjoying a slightly chilly but fine early morning’s fishing. There was not a breath of wind but it was overcast. Steven Stern was already out in a boat when I arrived and John Noble appeared a little later and opted to fish from the bank. Although there is no sign of the sun breaking through the clouds it was not as cold as forecast. Considering that we are now half way through November, it was a very pleasant day to be at the reservoir. On Tuesday I was pleased to see that both Club members had managed to catch fish.

On Tuesday morning two more anglers decided to brave a bright but rather chilly morning. Hopefully they will also be successful.

Monday 18th November 2013

LAST CHANCE SALOON

The next few weeks could well be your last opportunity to venture out. Not necessarily to go fishing but to go anywhere. Indeed, you may not even be able to battle your way out of your front door.

According to the Express newspaper in its recent headline, life is about to come to a complete standstill and the last thing that you will be thinking about is doing a bit of fly fishing before the season at Powdermill ends on 31st December. Indeed, come the 1st March it could still be the last thing that you are considering, given that you have survived the worst that the weather is predicted to throw at us over the next few months.

Words such as “horror winter”, “100 days of heavy snow” and “worst winter for sixty years” are enough to send most people stampeding to the nearest supermarket to clear the shelves.

So, before the onslaught commences, now is the time to enjoy one last fly fishing outing before life as we know it ceases for the duration.

The “View from the jetty” below is the most recent photo taken of the reservoir. Treasure the scene. You may never see it again.

View From The Jetty

Friday 15th November 2013

WONDERFUL WEATHER WASTED

Despite the beautiful sunshine on Wednesday and Thursday, not a single angler took advantage of the change. Club Member Steven Stern was the last person to go fishing and he caught one fish despite the unsettled and inhospitable conditions. The next few days should also bring more beautiful sunshine.

To counteract the early morning chill and damp, the ‘old boys’ have been lighting the wood burner in the lodge. Consequently they have taken the opportunity to enjoy yet more free food. At this time of year it’s chestnuts collected along the lanes leading to the reservoir. A couple of mature sweet chestnut trees are all you require to provide a reasonable crop within a few minutes. The smell of them roasting on top of the stove is wonderful. Tasty too!

Monday 11th November 2013

DESOLATION

A brief visit to the reservoir this morning served to highlight how bleak and miserable it continues to be. Despite the pleasant sunshine on Sunday, we are now back to normal!

A lone car which looked as if it had been dumped in the car park turned out to belong to Colin, our local birdwatcher and observer of wildlife. At first sight, I was not sure if it had been abandoned as it’s in a bit of a state (even worse and older than mine), full of litter, and even had his entire set of keys left in the driver’s door. I realised who it belonged to as he had left his name and mobile phone number on a scruffy piece of paper on the dashboard. Should any car thief or house burglar read this, do not rush out to the reservoir as it really is not worth the effort and hopefully he has found his way back by now and read my rude note left on the driver’s seat.

My only signs of life were the four geese casually grazing in front of the lodge. With no fire made up and no wood in the log basket, I decided that even I did not want to hang around and risk hypothermia. No sane person was going to phone and ask any sensible questions regarding fishing and, despite my assurances to the contrary, I really have not been the subject of PPI.

However, just before I managed to escape, a very nice chap phoned and offered to install (on trial) a cold drinking water dispenser for our staff to enjoy - totally free of charge! Amazing! It did cross my mind that I had never actually seen Vic drinking a glass of water and after a couple of days in our environment, who would dare us it? Nevertheless, one should never look a gift horse in the mouth (something to do with its teeth giving away its age). So I eagerly agreed and went on to explain how excited our employee would be at being given exclusive use of his own cold beverage facility. Sadly, I do not think one is likely to materialise.

As I write this, there is a weather forecaster on the TV wittering on about light showers while outside its hammering down with no sign of a let-up. So we are faced with the prospect of yet another week of abject misery! Oh, and for anyone that’s interested - Colin Fagg registered his first blank of the season on Saturday. I can only assume that even he could only withstand so much rain before finally admitting defeat.

Not wishing to leave you on a ‘downer’, may I recommend a quick visit to www.umbrellaheaven.com. They have an amazing range and even stock a number for coarse anglers, but nothing suitable for a fly fisherman. I feel a project coming on!

Sunday 10th November 2013

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE - SATURDAY REVIEW

In our continued efforts to educate the ignorant readers of our ‘Latest News’ we have to ask you what our headline brings to mind. Most of you will just assume that we simply refer to the actual current weather conditions. The more intellectual among you might immediately think of “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. Written in 1798, this is the longest major poem by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Another useless and inconsequential thing that I learned at school! Before you all rush to put fingers to keyboard, just bear in mind that it turns out that he was just another nutcase and drug addict, like the majority of our revered poets of the period. So not all bad then!

To your (not so sophisticated) ageing reporter, the title immediately conjures up a completely different image. That of Tommy Steel. Although I was not a fan, I clearly remember him singing the awful song “Water, Water” which was featured in the film “The Tommy Steel Story” and immediately became a hit in 1957. The lyrics were loosely based on Coleridge’s poem and the song reached No.5 in the UK hit parade. Yes, I really was alive in 1957.

Autumn Reeds

Born in 1936 and still very much alive, you would expect our Tommy, now 77, to be ensconced in some quiet retreat in the country with his wife of 53 years, surrounded by his memories. No such luck. He is about to star in the musical Scrooge (for the umpteenth time). It opens at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton next Tuesday 12th November. It then goes on to Leeds, Blackpool, Brighton and the last performance is at Llandudno on 11th January 2014. Why can’t he retire gracefully like the rest of us?

So having provided you with more useless and inconsequential information and wasted another few precious minutes of your miserable lives; How is the fishing?

Well, what happened to the poor chap who went out last Friday in the usual miserable conditions and was the subject of my recent disparaging comments? He proved us all wrong and actually caught two nice rainbows, from the East Bank, both on a Cat’s Whisker. So why bother to heed my advice - or anyone else’s for that matter. Just come along and do your own thing.

This morning (Saturday) the weather is really awful. However, our heroic regular visitor, Colin Fagg, is out there in a boat in the torrential rain. He must be completely insane! But I bet that he catches fish!!!

Serenity, In Between The Rain

I am told that Sunday is supposed to be the best day for some time to come and we have a number of visitors who have booked boats. So maybe we will have a little more action to report.

With the persistently unsettled weather, anyone insisting on fishing has been virtually guaranteed to have the entire reservoir to themselves. Where else can you exclusively hire a 55 acre fly fishing facility for twenty quid? But you do have to be prepared for us to suggest that you might be slightly insane!

Anyway, we still have 52 days before the season ends and the water is still stuffed full of fish. We believe that we need to reduce stocks to enable the remainder to overwinter successfully. So, should there be a lull in the constant deluge, please take the opportunity to experience an enjoyable, cheap day’s fishing, in the Autumn sunshine, before the big freeze sets in. Not that I am a pessimist!

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ANOTHER UNSETTLED DAY - FRIDAY REVIEW

At this time of year, please take care when driving to the reservoir, as the rain continues to wash mud onto the lanes. This combined with this weeks hedge cuttings, left strewn all over the road, make conditions somewhat slippery. In particular, try to avoid arriving just before school starts as you are sure to meet some panic stricken mother racing along in a 4x4, desperate to get little Tristan to school - and she is not going to stop, slow down or even move over to avoid you but simply stares fixedly ahead. Should you have the misfortune to be unable to avoid them, please ensure that you have practiced driving backwards as they have no idea how to put their vehicle into reverse.

The Lone Angler, In Unusual Light Conditions

Despite the difficulty of getting to the water and the miserable weather, one lone visitor arrived Friday morning and insisted on fishing. He opted to fish from the east bank despite being told that the dam was a better bet. By the time that I left, the wood burner was pumping out plenty of heat. Just as well, as at midday there was a torrential downpour, complete with hailstones. If the poor chap made it back to the lodge he may have been able to eventually dry out. The forecast for the afternoon was awful but as I write this the sun is shining with not a breath of wind. A lovely afternoon! I only hope that our lone angler is still in a state to enjoy it.

Few people have fished this week and most have not stayed long. Needless to say the changeable weather seems to have upset the fish, which have been hard to find. As most anglers have fished from the bank and found it hard, it would seen that the fish are either not reachable from the bank or are not feeding. A boat could well prove to be an advantage but make sure that you have waterproofs.

A Cosy Warm Lodge

The last fish to fall to a dry fly was taken by John Noble on Tuesday. His fish were taken on a Daddy and a Grey Wolf. Not the sort of flies that I would suggest at the moment, but what do I know! Most people are now using lures of various descriptions, so my advice is to use what gaudy abominations you have confidence in. Be prepared to ring the changes and experiment. But, if I am really honest, being a fair weather angler, a visit to the reservoir is best spent in the warmth of the lodge listening to the ‘old boys’. And NO, I am not one of the ‘old boys’ but sometimes I feel like one.

Saturday 9th November 2013

BEWARE OF THE MONSTERS

With the continued wet weather, local farmers are not able to get onto the land, so a number decided that this week that it was a good time for as bit of hedge cutting along the lanes. By the time that I reached the reservoir I had driven round in circles trying to avoid the giant tractors which are a ‘must-have’ for any local farmer. These monsters tend to straddle the tarmac with all tyres churning up the verge (where there is one). I think that it’s time to send them back to where they belong – which is not on the relatively tiny fields which make up the Sussex and Kent countryside.

For some real nostalgia, go along the Bodiam Road (between Bodiam and Sandhurst villages) during the hop picking season, when you can see the little tractors, designed to run in between the rows of hops, trundling along the road in the direction of Sandhurst with their trailers, laden with hops. Are these the smallest tractors still in commercial use?

THE SAGA OF THE AIR PUMP ALMOST REACHES A CONCLUSION

Having eventually arrived at the reservoir, I found that the men from ACL Engineering Ltd had already arrived in force with even more men and vehicles on their way. They had come to finally solve the problem of the broken air pump. The dilemma which faced them was how to get the old air pump out of its green tin shed and onto the back of a lorry. When I eventually left, the problem was still being addressed.

I was informed that the new pump was already on its way and trundling down the A21. It apparently is made in Belgium and hopefully will not be as difficult to install as its heavy predecessor. Will it be installed by the time that I arrive on Friday? We shall see!

With the lack of a working air pump the trout were able to utilise the natural temperature layers to remain reasonably comfortable throughout the earlier warm weather. Can you remember that far back? So I am not convinced that the air is of real benefit to us. However, it is not intended to benefit the fish but to improve the water being extracted.

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COLDER NIGHT TEMPERATURES HAVING AN EFFECT

A different, but equally attractive, young lady from the Environment Agency arrived to take water samples this morning. She recorded a surprisingly cool surface water temperature of 54^oF (12^oC). Ideal for the trout, but a bit chilly if you fall in. So be careful on the dam as it can be slippery when wet.

The cold temperatures have really brought out the Autumn colours and the reservoir surroundings are really spectacular with lots of browns mixed in with the greens. Are there more beautiful trout fishing venues in Sussex and Kent?

Saturday 2nd November 2013

AUTUMN COLOURS

Only one Club member ventured out in the persistent drizzle today and no one was stupid enough to fish yesterday. However, at some point during the next two months we must surely have the odd fine day when Club members can take advantage of their extended season ticket and visitors can benefit from the £20 day ticket (four fish).

The heavy rain has now coloured the water and will probably put a stop to all the surface action which has been so enjoyable of late. I expect that lures will now come into their own and the dry flies will have to be put away until next year. Despite all the gloom and doom concerning the weather, the fish are in fine fettle and catches are well above the norm for this time of year. Anglers who manage to pick the right day and dodge the rain are actually enjoying their fishing which is not always the case this late in the year. Hopefully, more visiting anglers will take advantage of the winter price and experience the beauty of Powdermill with all its varied and changing autumn colours.

Tuesday 29th October 2013

IT’S ALL OVER?

I apologise to, and sympathise with, anyone who has suffered as a result of the recent weather, but out at the reservoir it really bears no comparison with 1987. Driving to the reservoir at 8am from the Pottery Lane end (Brede) was a doddle. There were plenty of leaves and twigs on the ground where the road goes through the woods, but I was surprised at how clear it actually was. I had to stop once, down the hill to the reservoir entrance, to move a branch but that was all.

On my arrival, the reservoir was bathed in sunshine and the wind had definitely dropped. Shortly after, Lee Partridge, the Bailiff’s eldest son, pulled in with his car covered in sand (from Camber). As usual his vehicle was full of sacks of feed for his pheasants and the rest of the available space inside (mainly the footwells) littered with rubbish. A real working vehicle, which used to belong to Keith Blundell, which explains all the dents. Vic, the Bailiff, was just off to a shoot (he ‘Picks-up’) despite the continued threat of gusty winds. It will be interesting to hear how the birds flew and how the guns fared in these conditions.

Not long after we had made our first cup of coffee the phone started ringing. Members wanted to know what had transpired overnight and I was able to assure them that the only indication that anything unusual had occurred was that the plastic table and chairs left out on the grass had been blown around.

Around mid-morning Colin, our local birdwatcher and observer of wildlife, arrived half way through his circuit of the reservoir. He reported that there was not any really significant storm damage in the woods; plenty of leaves and twigs but only a handful of fallen trees. As far as wildlife is concerned, he did see a kingfisher and a couple of birds rarely seen around the reservoir, which I best not mention. Unfortunately, he also saw a large number of cormorants at the far end of the reservoir. Most were sat on the large dead tree which is their favourite lookout point. The number of these birds appearing each day is now causing us a great deal of concern. I have never seen so many trout with cormorant damage and with more birds now appearing I dread to think what damage they could be doing.

On the way home, heading towards Sedlescombe and the A21, I got as far as the four beautifully maintained Holly trees on Reservoir Lane when I was confronted with two men with chainsaws clearing a fallen tree. There was nothing for it but to back up and return via Brede. It is hardly surprising that all the suppliers of panel fencing around Hastings had sold out by Monday afternoon.

PS. By the way, the Bailiff still went golfing on Sunday!

Monday 28th October 2013

WEATHER UPDATE

Sunday morning finds me laying on the sofa watching Formula 1. There has been plenty of rain overnight but at the moment the garden is bathed in glorious sunshine with only a slight breeze. However, we are experiencing some heavy showers which occasionally disrupt the satellite signal.

This is not the awful weather that was predicted, but I would not want to be outside partaking in any sporting activity as one could easily get caught in a very heavy shower. I certainly would not expect anyone to be foolish enough to go fishing at the reservoir today. Rumour has it that these conditions may well even be sufficiently unpleasant to put off the Bailiff from golfing today. This will be a blessed relief, as we will not have to endure a shot-by-shot replay on Monday morning. So Monday in the lodge could be a reasonably relaxed affair, with the regulars just basking in the heat of the wood burner while munching toasted crumpets dripping in butter. Don’t worry about their cholesterol levels - they all take tablets!

WINTER WORKOUT

There are lots of improvements planned with some being scheduled for as early as January and February when we are closed. Having obtained a 25 year lease, we are more confident in embarking on long-term projects and hopefully we will see many changes for the better during the next couple of years. We hope that this will include better access and facilities for disabled anglers.

Reed Cutting In Preparation For Work Around The Jetty

Unfortunately, not everything we would like to do is possible as we have to remember that the prime purpose of the reservoir is to provide water to Hastings and the surrounding area. Angling requirements sometimes have to take second place.

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POSTSCRIPT

The motor racing has now ended with Sebastian Vettel being victorious and wrapping up the Championship for the fourth time. And the sun is still shining and it looks really lovely outside. So I am going into the garden after lunch to cut my hedges. Yes, I am not joking. That’s how good it is. Maybe I can report on the mayhem tomorrow.

Sunday 27th October 2013

ANGLERS ARE HEEDING WARNINGS

Having arrived at the reservoir just after lunch on a very pleasant sunny Saturday afternoon, I was greeted by just four cars in the car park, which I recognised as all belonging to regulars. So I just dumped the petrol for the mower and strimmer at the cottage. I did not want to hang about in case the impending apocalyptic weather caught me out and falling trees blocked my return to civilisation, down the narrow lanes.

No doubt others did not want to risk being caught outdoors either, so missed out on yet another good day for fishing. I understand that the end of the world is now due on Sunday/Monday. So that’s another two days when no one in their right mind will go fishing, even if the sun is shining! The forecast for the remainder of the week is not supposed to be much better (given that it had not been sufficiently apocalyptic to cause ‘the end of the world’).

So is there any good news? Yes, but only if we can survive the apocalypse and hang on until the end of next week, when we will see some glimmer of hope. Next Friday is the first day of November. We are then into our ‘Winter’ Prices when you can fish all day for a mere £20 for Four Fish.

SADLY WE HAVE HAD TO DECLINE THE INVITATION

There I was ploughing through the usual plethora of junk mail that HFF is bombarded with on a daily basis. Imagine my excitement on finding an invitation from Action For Charity to partake in another exciting adventure which I could add to my ‘Intrepid Reporter’ CV.

Climbing Ben Nevis would be a piece of cake after my many mountain exploits (you’ve seen the photos). Cycling 25 miles on a road? Easy, it would be akin to a Sunday afternoon stroll but on wheels. You only have to look at a photo of your ace cyclist taken just last month. As for messing about in a small boat on an inland water! Do I need to say more?

So now comes the hard bit. Where on earth do I find three other HFF Club members capable of making up a ‘team’? Most Club members would probably have difficulty surviving the journey to Scotland, let alone completing the challenge. The few that might cope with the physical stresses would certainly fall out and probably end up attacking each other.

Hopefully, something more suitable may eventually drop into the inbox. In the meantime, I’ll keep ploughing through the remainder of the daily dross.

Sadly this challenge is only open to teams of four. Visit www.actionforcharity.co.uk for more details of the challenge along with many others.

Saturday 26th October 2013

APOLOGIES TO OUR FRIENDS AT SOUTHERN WATER

I will not keep banging on about how enjoyable the fishing is at present. Even the Bailiff admits that we have never been so well stocked at this time of year. Colin Fagg, our most regular visitor, had his usual six fish the other day. These were caught on buzzer and Montana patterns. Club member, John Noble could only manage five, but these were all on dries so he actually did really well in difficult conditions. Earlier this week we predicted that Bob Sanger was destined to take his limit using his suspender buzzer. However, it transpired that he could also only manage five. He must try harder and go out sooner, rather than hanging about and disrupting the ‘old boys’ in the lodge for half the morning!

So what of the coming weekend? By the time that you read this, you will probably have experienced it, unless my lazy editorial team have got on with it for a change and made the effort to enable me to close the stable door before the chickens have come home to roost.

However, I do not expect to hear that many anglers fished at the weekend as they will have all been scared off by the latest histrionics. Ever since Michael Fish got it wrong, the weathermen have ensured that the slightest potential blip is turned into a guaranteed major climatic catastrophe. This weekend is no different with predictions of torrential rain and winds approaching 100mph.

The Lull Before The Storm At The Deserted Reservoir

This week the Daily Express warned of;
“Apocalyptic weather to batter UK - expect relentless rainstorms and terrifying wind. Ferocious storms will batter Britain this week - with gale-force winds and torrential downpours expected.”

They followed this up with;
“A potential storm of the century this weekend, followed by more volatile weather next week – and above-average rainfall for the rest of the year.”

And later;
“You've seen nothing yet as 90mph gales and rain are set to lash Britain. THE “storm of the century” is poised to unleash devastating 100mph winds and torrential downpours on Britain.”

The Daily Mail took a more relaxed, matter of fact approach with;
“Britain faces its worst weather since the 1987 Great Storm with forecasters warning that 90mph winds carrying heavy rain will strike in the coming days. The hurricane-force conditions are likely to damage houses, fell trees and cut off power, with motorists warned against all but essential travel through late Sunday and all of Monday.”

Before I cause too much alarm and general panic let me assure you The Times headline is the less frenetic;
“Wild and windy start for half-term holiday” “weathermen said yesterday that the strongest winds recorded for several years will batter the south East with gusts of up to 80mph”

David Lyons' image of a ferry, with passengers on board, leaving Newhaven harbour, East Sussex, in a violent storm won the Your View category in the Take A View - Landscape Photographer Of The Year Awards

However, they accompany their article had this amazing photograph, which we are delighted to be allowed to reproduce here. It is of a ferry leaving Newhaven harbour in storm, by David Lyon. It won the ‘Take a View’ category in the Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards 2013. What I wouldn’t give to take a photo as good as this.

With the country bracing themselves for disaster, it seems that Southern Water are not so daft after all. So let me be the first to apologise for ‘slagging them off’ over the building the incredibly costly fortification surrounding the overflow. I always knew that my show of faith in retaining my meagre shareholding, purchased in the frenzy of privatisation, is once again proving to be safe and secure. Money well spent!

It now transpires that their timely action could well have ensured that the inevitability of Powdermill becoming the scene of a major, climate based, disaster has been averted. Well done, chaps. I will never run you down ever again – until the next time.

So don’t forget to visit our website early next week to see photos of the apocalyptic devastation. Apocalyptic? I don’t recall Mr Fish using such words. Please come back Michael, all is forgiven.

Monday 21st October 2013

ANOTHER MIXED WEEK

It would appear that we still cannot rely on settled weather as we continue to alternate between dry and wet days. However, Thursday and Friday proved to be excellent as far as the fishing was concerned with every angler catching fish. Wandering along the dam on Friday I was able to photograph Bob Sanger landing a fish before I continued along the dam towards Brian McCarter, who I noted had already got a bag in the water. A couple of minutes later I was having to rush back to take more shots of Bob landing another fine rainbow. Both fish had taken one of his recently tied fly patterns with a small piece of white foam material attached to aid buoyancy. Although there was not a great deal of surface activity, the fish were obviously interested and I will be surprised if I do not see that they each entered six fish in the returns book when I have a look today.

Bob Sanger Fishing at Powdermill Reservoir

Saturday was supposed to start with the odd shower but gradually clear, with temperatures reaching 17^oC. So, safe in the knowledge that the weather forecasters could not possibly continue to get it wrong, off your intrepid reporter went in search of adventure. The plan was to walk along the cliffs at Dover to the South Forelands Lighthouse situated between the ferry terminal and the village of St Margaret’s at Cliffe. Not only did your miserable reporter fail to reach the lighthouse, but he and his equally miserable companions could not even see it in the distance, due to the low cloud which accompanied the driving rain.

So was the weekend as bad at Powdermill? Did anyone bother to fish? We shall find out on Monday. But I will not be surprised to find that anyone braving the unpredictable weather did indeed catch fish. After all, the fishing really is good, which is more than we can say for the weather. Maybe it will all change next week.

Sunday 13th October 2013

SEASON OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS

Friday was wet but, as I write this, the continued misery forecast for Saturday has not materialised. Looking out of the window, we have wall to wall sunshine. Prospective visitors to Powdermill will have decided long ago not to bother as a result of the predictions. What a waste of a lovely day for fly fishing at the reservoir!

This year, like most other venues, we have had a shortfall in income. This is due to having had such bad weather at the start to the season which kept visitors away. So we need every ‘good’ day we can get before the year ends. With the water stuffed full of fish and the quality of fishing currently being exceptionally good, the last thing that we need is someone incorrectly telling everyone not to venture out.

The charlatans - who make a good living conning the innocent into believing that they have special skills and psychic powers which enable them to foretell the future of our unpredictable weather - have a great deal to answer. Why do we bother with weather forecasters? If they were in their sister occupations of Fortune Teller/Palm Reader or Psychic Medium contacting the dead they would be so unsuccessful that they would either be penniless and/or in jail. Or better still, burnt at the stake as Witches/Sorcerers having been overheard spouting mumbo-jumbo to confuse the innocent gullible peasants who are too frightened and feeble to make up their own minds.

The early mornings last week consistently began misty and damp but gradually the water and its surrounds came to life as the sun burnt through. Our photo, taken on Wednesday at 09.30am, shows the very last of that morning’s mist (where the colder water coming in from the River Rother meets the slightly warmer water in the reservoir).

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MUSHROOM MADNESS

I have never seen so many different fungi around the reservoir. As a lover of mushrooms, I wish I was able to positively identify any of the ones which are safe to eat. Sadly, despite the ‘country’ background of many of our Club members, we do not have a single one who claims to have sufficient knowledge to risk picking any of them. What an awful waste.

Saturday 12th October 2013

A BOOK REVIEW BY THE REV. PHILIP E. STREETER

"IMAGES OF ANGLING"
Three centuries of British Angling Prints
by
David Beazley

Creel Press. 2010.   Price £50.00

I have always had an interest in old prints and engravings. In my long-ago twenties, hours were spent water colouring 19th century landscape engravings that I had wickedly removed from old books. After mounting them on board, I even succeeded in selling a few.

David Beazley's fine art book is a treasure chest of reproduced prints, engravings and lithographs (350 of them) that cover three centuries of angling. If you are nostalgic about an uncrowded, technology-free Britain of halcyon summers, quiet winding rivers and pastoral landscapes, then this is the perfect book for you. It breathes innocence, serenity and a mesmeric historical other-ness.

The reproductions of these old prints, engravings, etc, are admirable. In all of the coloured as well as black/white pictures, anglers are depicted in idyllic surroundings. They are seen applying their angling abilities beside tranquil rivers, lochs and lakes, proving, as Timothy Benn says in his introduction, "that there is indeed more to fishing than simply catching fish."

The written text, expertly researched, does not crowd out the pictures in attempts to save on printing costs. Images gladly parade on every page, immediately softening the blow for any reader who shrinks from tackling voluminous amounts of print. The paper is smoothly skin-soft, and the dreamily reproduced pictures either contain an angler or depict an angling scene.

They range from the elegantly pastoral to the rough and tumble humorous. From a print by Francis Barlow dated 1671, to a last laugh picture by Henry Mayo Bateman dated 1922.

Beazley's meticulous research is impressive. It evidently gobbled up months, even years of time and money, yet there is no sense of arduous toil and labour. Fly fishing and its historical connections are the passion of his life. Hours would have been spent in on-line research as well as well trawling galleries, institutes and colleges in his quest for rare and ancient angling prints. In fact, his interest in the subject spans 30 years, all of which have been channelled into this beautifully produced book. Artistic, informative (measuring 24cm by 31cm), and evocative of "far away and long ago," it has the charm and sophistication to grace any coffee table.

I purchased the last copy from Orvis in Tenterden, Kent. God, or was it Isaac Walton grinned at me, for I purchased the book at a very much reduced price that would paint you green with envy. I'm sure it would be obtainable from Farlows in London, if not, take a trip to Amazon.

"Images of Angling" would make a superb Christmas present to yourself! You might even feel generously tempted to forward copy to John Thackray our website editor.

Rev. Philip E. Streeter

Friday 11th October 2013

A VERY BIG FISHY TAIL

Written by Bernie Meaden

I Don't Remember Vic Stocking This One

Back in August my granddaughter Anna Meaden travelled to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic to visit her father who is serving there as a police officer. As you probably know Ascension is famous for two things, one, Being an RAF base and stopover for our troops travelling to the Falklands Islands during the 1982 conflict with Argentina and two, an amazing place for big game fishing.

Anna's fishing experience only extends to fly fishing with her dad so game fishing was never high on her agenda, however, her dad persuaded her to take a trip out with a friend of his who operates a deep sea charter fishing boat, she reluctantly agreed thinking it would be a great way to top up her tan, oh boy how wrong she was!! This is what Anna said.

"There were three rods set up and we got bites on two of them. Craig [the skipper] tried to reel one in but it broke free after about five minutes. A tiny American woman took the other rod and attempted to reel it in, she was really struggling and wore herself out after only a couple of minutes. She later said it was more difficult than giving birth to her two children.

"I took over and strapped myself into the harness with the rod in a holster in a metal plate in front of me. The fish then took around 400m of line and I kept having to reel in whenever there was a bit of slack, it was the hardest thing I have ever done. It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to reel it in. I've got bruises up my arm from banging against the reel and bruises on my legs from the metal plates."

Eventually Anna was able to overpower the fish and the crew managed to drag it on board.

Back in the island capital Georgetown the fish had to be lifted off the boat by a US military crane. Anna arranged for the fish to be filleted and divided into hundreds of portions which were distributed among the islanders. Well done Anna, your male cousins are not the least bit jealous, honest!!

Anna Meaden (In Pink); Age 16, Height 5ft 4"  ;  Tuna 250lbs, No Contest!!

Wednesday 9th October 2013

MORE OF THE SAME

The first quarter of October has continued to be as good as the latter part of September and, so far, the fishing has been as good as it has ever been at this time of year. Virtually everyone is using floating lines and such flies as Daddy Longlegs, Hoppers and Muddlers. There is plenty of activity on the surface and the dry fly fanatics are having as much fun as they do during the mayfly period.

Although the returns book will confirm that the fishing is good, it does not tell the full story as most anglers are hooking more fish than they actually land. A large number of fish are being hooked, played but eventually lost. When added to the number of missed takes, aborted follows etc, most anglers are experiencing a great deal of action.

Colours Begin To Change

A Large Shoal of Fish Rising Last Monday

The warm, sunny weather has made being outside very comfortable and enjoyable which obviously adds to the pleasure of Autumn fishing. Although we are informed by the forecasters that the weather is due to get colder, there is no reason why the current spell of good fishing should not continue. The nights are already colder even if the days are warm and as a result the fish have certainly become much more active than they were even a few weeks ago. Anglers are commenting on the super condition and fighting ability of the fish and, with the reservoir being so full of rainbows, we are hopeful that the good fishing could continue until we close at the end of December.

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WINTER SEASON - NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

Visitors With the shorter days and potentially more unpredictable weather we are once again offering visiting anglers the opportunity of fish all day for the price of an evening ticket. So from 1st November to 31st December you can fish all day for the following :- Day Ticket:  £20 (4 Fish Limit) (From 8.00am Until Dark) Boat:  £10   (For 1 or 2 Anglers)

Members Given the awful weather at the start of the season Club members will be able to continue to fish on their current season ticket until the end of December at no additional charge. However, during November and December Members will be restricted to a 4 Fish Limit in order to maintain consistency with visitors and avoid confusion.

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FISHING STATISTICS UPDATE

The fishing statistics for October have been updated. Visit the Fishing Statistics page for more information.

Sunday 6th October 2013

THE ABOMINATION NEARS COMPLETION

Having arrived very early on Friday morning, I was surprised to see that the men from Morrison Utility Services had already arrived. This was to be their last day as their task was almost complete. From a distance and in the gloom of a cloudy and dull dawn, the newly constructed metal barrier around the outflow did not look too overpowering.

Some observers have since described it as Southern Water’s answer to The Angel of the North. In my view both are about as useless as each other. Am I a Philistine? Probably!

According to the ‘Angel’s’ designer, Anthony Gormley, its significance was three-fold: first, to signify that beneath the site of its construction, coal miners worked for two centuries; second, to grasp the transition from an industrial to information age, and third, to serve as a focus for our evolving hopes and fears. I look forward to someone explaining the significance of Southern Water’s latest contribution to the natural look and beauty of the reservoir.

However, I have no doubt that we will soon get used to it and we may even come to appreciate its aesthetic symmetry. After all, Theodor Adorno, a noted German sociologist and philosopher suggested that “asymmetry probably results most effectively in beauty when the underlying symmetry on which it is built is still apparent”. B*ll*cks!

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FURTHER ADVENTURES OF YOUR INTREPID REPORTER

Some visitors to our website, having initially expressed concern at the recent lack of Latest News due to your reporter’s absence, now want to know what he was up to. We cannot give too much away as his activities were not necessarily all strictly legit.

So we simply show your intrepid reporter, accompanied only by his trusty companion to share the photography, in the base of a very remote, steamy volcano. Should they have been there? Best not to comment.

Unfortunately the photos do not give a true impression of the steam and smoke which emanated from the fissures or the burning heat which almost melted the soles of our boots. Not to mention the sulphurous smells! Amazing.

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MASTERCHEF

Steven Stern, retired GP and Amateur Chef extraordinaire, has excelled himself with his latest culinary masterpiece - Kataifi - which rivals the very best ever tasted by your voracious but discerning reporter.

Kataifi is a popular Middle Eastern pastry

Amateur Chef Extraordinaire

Kataifi is a popular Middle Eastern pastry made with a special form of shredded dough that is also called kataifi. It’s very thin dough made with wheat and water, shredded into extremely thin strips. Cooks need steady hands and patience to handle this pastry which resembles Shredded Wheat. Most forms are sweets, typically with nuts and honey which make them flavourful, crunchy, and very sweet.

Steve is used to having to pander to the demands of his increasing army of fans who eagerly devour his amazing cakes when he arrives with one. The Bailiff drools over Steve’s Guinness Cake. But your reporter feared that this latest request might prove a step too far. However, not only did the Master-Chef succeed in producing a delicious traditional version of Kataifi but also produced another super version with an apple filling. What a star!

What can we test him with next?

Saturday 5th October 2013

FRIENDLY FERRETS

I enjoy seeing rabbits. Many people see rabbits as vermin. I understand that rabbits can be a serious menace and do need to be controlled. I even enjoy eating rabbit, as long as it’s not a portion of chewy old buck sold to me by the Bailiff’s eldest son, Lee.

I like ferrets, but not everyone does. However, I cannot see why anyone would object to the use of a ferret to hunt rabbits. So, on Tuesday, I was pleased to see the Country Boys with their ferrets, back on the dam after a long absence. They caught a total of ten which hardly makes a dent in the huge population.

Given that many people see ferrets as vicious creatures prone to biting it is even more delightful to hold such tame and well disposed and inquisitive creatures. These two ferrets clearly enjoy being handled and are totally at ease with people. But the Country Boys are not getting any younger and I wonder how long they will continue and how many more opportunities I will have to see them in action.

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MAKING THE BIRDS PAY THEIR WAY

Those of you that have visited the reservoir in the past few months will have encountered the Bailiff’s four geese or at least trodden in their deposits. How can so few birds produce so much **** (henceforth referred to as goose droppings). Apparently, a single goose can produce 700lb of droppings per year.

It occurred to me that there could be a market for this which could supplement the Clubs meagre income. So I did some perfunctory research only to find that this is far from being a novel idea.

Goose droppings are rich in nutrients and aids the growth of different plants, including cabbages, turnips and tomatoes. I was even more encouraged to find that there are different ways of combining the goose droppings to get an even better all-round fertiliser including mixing with leaves in equal proportion. It just so happens that we also have no shortage of leaves at the reservoir. During the Autumn the ‘Wood Butcher' takes it upon himself to weep the path to the lodge (he has his own broom). The Bailiff is too lazy to do so and cannot see the point and, after all, we have not provided him with a broom. Anyway, it would only add a few moments for Woodie to stuff the swept leaves into sacks. And while he is outside coping with the leaves he may as well pick up the droppings. I am willing to fund the £19.99 for a Handiscoop 32” Easy Reach Poop Scoop from Amazon as my contribution to the project.

Further research reveals that our current battle with the ever advancing reed bed could also be used in our money making enterprise as reeds can be used to produce a very potent fertiliser. So if added to the other ingredients we have a real winner.

There is no point in just cutting the reed stems as the roots just continue their onward progress and the reeds are now threatening to overrun the boat jetty. This is why the Bailiff has recently been cutting down the reeds adjacent to the jetty in preparation for the roots to be dug out. A few reeds were originally planted by the Club. It just goes to show what can happen if a few stems of Phragmites Australis are left unchecked.

Friday 4th October 2013

IMPROVED WEATHER THIS WEEKEND?

Weather forecasters predict that the current heavy rain will move away at the weekend and once again be replaced by more pleasant weather. The fishing has continued to be good with only five anglers failing to catch anything during the past ten days. Surprisingly, some of these were members who have no excuse. One ‘blanker’ continued to ignore the evidence as the bailiff, having worked out what the fish wanted on that day at that time, proceeded to demonstrate how to do it by hooking eight fish (but only land four of them).

So when you visit and feel that you could do with some advice, why not ask the Bailiff. At worst he could tell you to shove off as he wants to go golfing, attend a boot fair or just simply lounge around. Or, if the mood takes him, he could show off and demonstrate how easy it really can be with the right method and fly.

Floating lines are still favoured with Daddy Longlegs still being popular. There seem to be more Daddies around than normal this year. However, I understand that sedges are also in evidence at the moment and using the right method with a sedge imitation can prove deadly.

SOUTHERN WATER PREPARE FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

You may remember last year’s story of SW being so concerned about the possible undermining of the dam by rabbits digging burrows that they employed a gang to fill in all the rabbit holes along the dam. Twenty-four hours later the rabbits had dug them all out again!

Last year, we had a problem with floating weed which got blown into the far corner of the dam. A significant amount went into the overflow and started to clog up the grill in the tunnel. We notified SW who eventually cleared it. This obviously got the SW ‘experts’ thinking and I assume that during their deliberations someone mentioned the great Storm of 1987.

If dying weed can clog up the outflow grill what could a flotilla of giant tree trunks do?

So this year’s lunacy has become a much more costly affair as it has now been deemed necessary to construct a giant barrier designed to withstand any conceivable attack on the outflow. Your intrepid reporter is so stunned by what is plain for everyone to see that he is unable to be sufficiently rude and abusive to express his true feelings. Your reporter has every right to be incensed as he is not only a SW customer but also an unfortunate shareholder.

After the storm in 1987 a great many trees did indeed fall in the woods surrounding the reservoir. After 25 years there are dozens still to be seen along the banks with their tops in the water. However, I am not aware that any tree left the bank where it stood, leapt into the water and floated away. Anyone arguing that bits of trees blowing off could cause a problem needs to appreciate that anything short of a giant trunk can still find its way past the barrier between the horizontal struts.

My horror and amazement at the crass stupidity of this latest farce is not necessarily shared by anyone else associated with Hastings Flyfishers. However, I look forward to someone, ANYONE, explaining what on earth is the thinking behind this wanton waste of our money.

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WINTER IS AROUND THE CORNER

Although we currently do not have enough seasoned logs stored for this winter, we do have a trunk felled last year ready to be cut. However, I understand that one should split the logs as soon as possible as the timber hardens and becomes much more difficult to split. I was therefore pleased to see this year’s logs being prepared and stored away. Kindling is also an important requirement so we are also busy amassing large quantities of this.

We are fortunate in having two first aid kits full of bandages and plasters, as at some point I expect Alec Chisholm (our chief kindling chopper-upper) to require some emergency medical care. He uses a very sharp bill hook and even if he manages to avoid chopping off one his fingers he is likely to get a splinter in the eye, as bits go flying off in all directions as he hacks at the pieces of wood.

Monday 30th September 2013

GOOD FISHING

I am pleased to say that everyone who fished on Saturday ended up catching fish. Indeed, having reported that Colin Fagg and Geoff Piltcher had not caught anything by the time that I left, the returns book shows that Colin eventually caught his six fish limit and Geoff managed three.

Only four anglers turned up to fish on Sunday morning. One went out in a boat, and two opted to bank fish, despite the wind having become stronger and still blowing onto the dam. The fourth angler, Reg Kent, decided that it was too windy for him and chose to stay in the lodge and moan at me all morning.

It will be interesting to see if Sundays anglers can emulate the success of the Saturday boys despite the slightly more difficult conditions. I will find out from the book today.

Sunday 29th September 2013

ALL’S WELL

Some of you may have noticed the lack of news during the past couple of weeks. No, the fishing has not been so bad that we dare not report the facts. Far from it. It’s just that your intrepid reporter has no competent assistant to provide cover in his absence.

After a fortnight away from the reservoir, it did not take much persuasion to make a brief visit on Saturday. On hearing that Chris ‘Theme For A Dream’ Richards was going that afternoon to do a bit of bank fishing it seemed a perfect opportunity to take some photos and get up-to-date with happenings at the water. Chris only really enjoys using dry flies and, as the Crane Flies (Daddy Longlegs) are now around in reasonable numbers, it is an ideal time to concentrate once again on this method.

On my arrival the breeze was blowing onto the dam which was not ideal. However, the returns Book showed that the fishing had been good during the last week with most anglers catching fish. A wide variety of flies have proved successful including Daddy Longlegs, Shipman’s Buzzer, Montana, Olive Damsel and Claret Hopper.

I spotted the two regular Saturday boat fishermen (visitor Colin Fagg and member Geoff Piltcher) both fishing with sub-surface flies and retrieving relatively quickly. However, I could not see any bags over the side of either boat. A third boat was out with two visitors on board but they were too far away to see what method they were employing. There was no sign of Chris who I found tucked around the corner at the far end of the dam. Brian McCarter was sat with his wife having lunch under the oak tree on the far bank and a couple of other visitors were also fishing from the bank, making a total of eight anglers.

There had been another fish delivery earlier in the week and there were plenty of fish in the reservoir and a number showing on the surface. However, the bank fishermen were finding it difficult with the gusting breeze. After a short while one of the pair of visitors in the boat hooked and landed a fish. I sat chatting to Chris and succeeded in distracting him sufficiently and he missed a take. His Crane Fly imitation was so small that I could not see it in the ripple but you could not fail to see the very determined take. Soon after he cast towards a rising fish and seconds later we both saw the swirl as the trout took the tiny fly and he was into a hard fighting fish which proceeded to jump and shake violently before being eventually landed. A nice, full-finned, fish with deep red sides. Not long after, he hooked another but it got off.

I saw Brian, having finished lunch, hook a fish on the far bank. He had to call his wife for assistance having left his net some distance away.

Having seen three fish landed in a short period, in far from ideal wind conditions with no flies in evidence, I returned home happy in the knowledge that, whatever the conditions you can still catch fish, and that the reservoir and the fishing had not suffered during my absence.

Crane flies (Daddy Longlegs) are non-venomous and non-biting. At least 4,250 species of crane flies have been described worldwide and there are 300 species in Britain with the commonest being the entirely harmless Tipula Paludosa. The larva of the European crane fly is commonly known as a leatherjacket. These larvae can damage lawns by feeding on the roots of grass plants. They only live for around three days as adults. I used to have a cat that enjoyed eating Crane Flies. They must be good for you as she lived two weeks short of her 20th Birthday. Come to think of it, she also loved catching and eating common houseflies and I am not so sure that they are as good for you!

Monday 9th September 2013

IT’S GOOD TO SEE HER BACK

We have missed Laura from the Environment Agency as she has been on a well deserved holiday. We were wondering where she was as we had not seen anyone for a few weeks. Maybe they had sneaked along without us noticing. However, tests seem to confirm that the water quality in the reservoir is as good as it gets. Oxygen levels are fine.

The dreaded green algae has not appeared this year. There are probably a number of reasons for this but the vigorous plant growth in the shallower water this year must be a factor.

The temperature tests that we carry out are more comprehensive than those taken by Laura as the Environment Agency obviously do not need such detailed information. We take readings from all over the reservoir and at a variety of depths. Our tests show that the surface water temperature has dropped by 4°C since our last test, but the temperature at 25ft has remained fairly static at 58°C. Most fish are currently being taken on or near the surface rather than deeper down. Plenty of fish can be seen moving on the surface but they are not necessarily easy to catch and it is often difficult to see what they are taking.

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AN UNHAPPY MAN

Despite the hot weather on Thursday yet another fish delivery arrived from Hooke Springs. We were very concerned about the difference in temperature between the water in the delivery tanks and the higher temperature in the reservoir. We had made elaborate plans in case any problems arose but the fish were absolutely fine.

Long ago (on 20th July to be precise) we commented on the summer attire of Alan, our usual delivery driver from Hooke Springs. Despite his objections, our lawyer confirms that nothing that we printed could be considered libellous. However, his long-suffering wife was so embarrassed on seeing the photos that she made a point of ensuring that he was respectably dressed this time. So, despite the heat, his unsightly legs and knobbly knees were concealed by his Sunday best long trousers and his weedy upper torso was adorned with his idea of a youthful and trendy Hawaiian-style tailored shirt.

Sadly, we have to agree with his wife that, despite all her efforts to cover his inadequacies with tidy clothes, he is still no Mr Universe. Should Alan attempt to refute this in addition to pictures from the official photo-shoot we are also publishing a paparazzi shot taken after he had removed the shirt in order to avoid splashing diesel on it. Thank goodness, he did not see fit to also remove his Sunday best trousers!

Come on Alan, you surely did not expect us to say something flattering.

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ANOTHER APOLOGY REQUIRED

Accompanied by his wife, a Club member who had better remain nameless, arrived last Thursday midday, just as the fish delivery was being unloaded. Naturally, wishing to avoid catching the new ‘stockies’, Anthony Clark went to the far end of the dam. His wife was looking forward to basking in the glorious sunshine while reading the latest romantic novel. After all, being married to Anthony it is hardly surprising that she would occasionally want to escape to a perfect fantasy world with a handsome hero.

Unfortunately, she had hardly reached the end of the first chapter when they were obliged to return. Many of the ‘stockies’ had beat them to the end of the dam and had almost leaped onto the bank in their eagerness to be caught. With six fish in his bag, her peaceful day was ruined and the prospect of having to put up with her husband for the rest of the day meant that she was not a happy bunny. Sorry! But next time, check when we are stocking.

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YET MORE COMPLAINTS

We all appreciate that it is difficult to please everybody but the HFF News editorial team are getting a bit fed up of the barrage of complaints from members and visitors who consider that they have been hard done by as a result of some embarrassing disclosure or, at the other extreme, no publicity at all. So in order to placate yet another of our indignant readers here is another apology.

John Hammond has lodged a strong protest on behalf of his grandson, Matthew. We understand that, since being photographed in a boat with granddad, Matthew has not stopped whinging at the absence of any photos in ‘Latest News’.

John Hammond With His Nephew Matthew

Now, had Matthew done something special or unusual during this trip, the full weight of our editorial team would have been thrown behind the story which would certainly have been accompanied by some of our high quality photographs. However, as Matthew’s grandfather failed miserably to enable the wretched lad to actually catch a fish, we are obliged to resort to showing you boring photos of Matthew being rowed around the reservoir, full of anticipation and enthusiasm, only to eventually return sadder but wiser. Sorry Matthew but it’s better to find out sooner rather than later that granddad’s idea of a good time is not necessarily yours. In future, stick to the Nintendo.

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EVEN MORE COMPLAINTS

Having decided that they could handle the task of sanding down boat No. 5 (the latest subject of our refurbishment program) the Bailiff and the Reporter set about the task in their usual haphazard and cavalier manner. The phrase “Bodge-it and Leg-it” comes to mind. When our Boat Refurbishment Oberführer (better known as ‘Theme for a dream’) came to inspect their efforts he was horrified. Well you can’t be good at everything.

The general consensus of the ‘old boys’ sitting in the lodge is that the reporter should stick to what everyone knows he is good at - insulting and upsetting people. However, they are still trying to decide what the bailiff is good at!

Undeterred by the apparent justifiable criticism, the duo now seem determined to continue trying to do just enough to the unfortunate boat to “get away with it”.

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OUR INDEPENDENT OBSERVER

Early on Friday morning, while sitting on the dam watching both the Bailiff and Reg Kent fail to tempt the odd rising fish, ‘Colin’ came sauntering along the dam from the direction of the woods. He is a keen birdwatcher and observer of wildlife in our area and is one of the 40,000 volunteer birdwatchers, in partnership with professional research scientists, who collect data on birds and other wildlife on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

Just before he arrived we observed two Curlew Sandpipers flying across the reservoir. He informed us that he had seen three that morning. As we all sat admiring the view a lone Cormorant arrived and flew down towards the western arm of the reservoir, probably to perch at the top of the dead tree at the far end, which is a favourite observation post for the Cormorants. I have never seen as many trout with marks where a Cormorant has attempted to catch them as I have this year. It is surprising how many survive such attacks but it makes you wonder how many don’t.

To our left, an attentive Great Crested Grebe with her two small chicks pottered around at the edge of the reed bed near the boat jetty. It’s a bit late for such small youngsters, so we can only hope that they survive their first winter. At the same time a Little Grebe was happily diving under the anchored boats, until it was disturbed by Club member John Hammond stomping along the jetty. John fished all morning but only managed one fish. Fortunately for his grandson, Matthew, he was able to avoid yet another mind-numbing experience by going back to school.

I was fascinated to see ‘Colin’ with his A6 sized plain exercise book in which his detailed observations were meticulously recorded. On returning home, my curiosity aroused, I had a look at the BTO website and discovered that since 2012 there has been....

....“a BirdTrack app which enables in-the-field record gathering via Android smartphones, a huge step towards streamlining the series of events from finding and identifying a bird to capturing the record for personal interest and to maximise its value for conservation science”.

So ‘Colin’ had better discard his dog-eared notebook and join the 21st century ornithologists.

Monday 2nd September 2013

WHERE TO FISH?

The very pleasant weather during the past couple of days is apparently set to continue so the fishing conditions should remain very comfortable. A light breeze, not too hot and no rain. What more could you ask for.

The best of the bank fishing is to be found at the far end of the dam opposite the valve tower where fish are being taken on or near the surface. Elsewhere fish can be seen feeding, but tend to be just out of casting range.

Beautiful Weather for Boating

Boats are also often making straight for the collection of buoys next to the tower where fish are being regularly taken. However, fish can be taken anywhere around the main body of the reservoir. The west and east arms are being ignored by anglers, who are assuming that the shallower water is less likely to be holding significant numbers of trout. This assumption is probably right but if nobody tries we will never be absolutely sure. However, for the best chance to observe a Kingfisher, the west arm is the best location and it’s worth going down there briefly just for a chance to see one.

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A RARE APPEARANCE ON THE WATER

It is not often that we see Peter Kirman actually fishing. He splits his time between his homes in East Anglia and East Sussex so is often not around when the fishing is at its best. When fishing Powdermill he always takes a boat and does not necessarily follow the crowd and tends to do his own thing. He claims to be our longest surviving Club member and also happens to be a founder member of Highwoods Golf Club.

The Lesser Spotted Peter Kirman

Although he regularly makes an appearance in the Clubhouse, he will not necessarily bother to fish unless weather conditions are to his liking. So it was good to see him rowing off the other day for a brief session and subsequently returning with a brace of fine fish.

Sunday 1st September 2013

STEEL BANDING WANTED

Your reporter (man of many talents) is in the process of repairing our best squirrel-proof feeder. Unfortunately, our super squirrel-proof feeder proved to be far from squirrel proof. The pests have even succeeded in gnawing through the metal gauze. To complete the repairs a small bit (about 12 inches) of steel banding/strapping is needed. These days, most firms use plastic-type banding for securing items, so finding any of the metal kind has proved unsuccessful so far. Anyone got a bit?

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MAN OF THE MOMENT

Our recently retired local GP, Steven Stern, has been out fishing twice this week. Both boat sessions have started at some ridiculously early hour (fishing starts at 6.30am from June to the end of August). His inability to relax and enjoy a few extra hours in bed seems to have paid dividends as his ten fish total is the best performance this week. An added benefit of bouts of insomnia is that you can often experience some magical moments as the reservoir awakes from its slumbers. Your reporter is unlikely to experience any moments, magical or otherwise, before 9.30am.

Steve took this photo on his very early arrival, only to find that someone was already out in a boat. I can only apologise for what should have been a super photo, but a decent camera is the last thing that most of you consider packing in your bag. I detest cameras in phones. I could forgive Steve if he had not admitted having a half decent camera, but claimed that he did not want to carry any additional baggage due to his lack of puff!. You only have to see the size of his bag to realise that half its contents cannot possibly be necessary and what can be more important than the ability to record a special moment for posterity or just for your personal pleasure.

Saturday 31st August 2013

SEASON OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS

Sunday sees the start of September when the early morning starts cease and we revert to an 8am opening. However, the onset of shorter days means that the afternoon/evening sessions start at 2pm (rather than 4pm during the summer months). So if you cannot spare a full day, now is the time to take advantage of a long session in the afternoon/evening for only £20 (4 fish limit) and a boat for £10.

With the onset of autumn the water should begin to cool and the fish will become more active and are normally easier to catch. We are now awaiting the appearance of the Crane Fly (Daddy Longlegs) which should encourage everyone to get back onto dries. Our trout love these, so make sure that you have some of the various patterns in your fly box.

Thursday 29th August 2013

TUITION

Although we do not have anyone professionally qualified to train a prospective fly fisher in the art of casting, our bailiff is always willing to give beginners a brief free casting lesson to get them going. About half an hour is as much as you need, after which it’s mainly down to practice. Our photo, taken last week, shows the bailiff watching a beginner’s technique, after having initially given him a lesson on the lawn. This prospective fly fisherman has previously coarse fished.

Peter Jackson - Junior Flyfishers

The Bailiff Teaching Casting

Most HFF Club members started their angling escapades as sea or coarse fishermen and came to fly fishing much later in life. So it is good to see youngsters being brought to the reservoir to experience our sport at an early age. Last month, Peter Jackson visited the reservoir and brought his two grandsons (8 and 9 years) for a taste of fly fishing and to enjoy a bit of quality time with them. They fished in the third cut-out which has deep water fairly close in. The photo of them was taken a couple of days before the cut-out was strimmed. We like to leave the wild flowers to finished blooming before carrying out our final cut of the season.

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BOATS

Work has started on the refurbishment of yet another boat. This one should be a little more straightforward than the last two. The initial stage is to rub down the paintwork both inside and out. The front and rear bulkheads will probably be strengthened and fibre-glassed before the entire boat is repainted and new outboard motor mounts are fitted.

Boat Refurbishment

Metal Oars

Anglers occasionally had been reporting that there was a leak in Boat 11. This eventually proved to be simply down to an ill-fitting drain plug, which, since it has been adjusted, is causing no further problems.

We are gradually replacing any worn out wooden oars with lighter and relatively maintenance-free metal oars. Some anglers say that they prefer the old wooden ones, but our ‘experts’ claim that the metal oars are easier to row, requiring significantly less effort.

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CLUB COMPETITION AND BBQ 2013 PHOTOS

All the photos from this years very successful Club Competition and BBQ are now available.

View in Dropbox (No sign up needed).            View on our Facebook page.

Wednesday 28th August 2013

END OF AUGUST

The returns book continues to show a confusing variation in the number of fish caught and the methods and flies used. However, the underlying conclusion that you can draw from it is that, despite the time of year, you can still catch your limit if you use the appropriate method at the time.

Boats are able to find fish at all water levels but bank anglers are sometimes reporting that they can see feeding fish but the trout are often just too far out to reach them.

The recent rainfall has raised the water level by about 1½ inches and it is no longer crystal clear. With the recent reinvigorating rain, the entire reservoir surrounds look fresh and green and it is difficult to concentrate on the fishing when there is so much to see and enjoy.

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THE HOLLIES

No, not the ageing pop group, but a line of trees. For those of us who travel to Powdermill from the direction of Sedlescombe we have the privilege of admiring the four Holly trees along Reservoir Lane. These are always kept beautifully trimmed. As I passed them on midday on Tuesday, they were receiving their late summer cut which will ensure that they go into the winter in an invigorated state and, hopefully, end up covered in berries.

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MORE COMPETITION WINNERS

At the recent BBQ our visiting ‘doggy’ expert was kept busy assessing the various qualities and attributes of the canine attendees. We are pleased to be able to publish photos of the winners in the various categories:

- Winner - Best Attack Dog

- Winner - Most Vicious Looking Attack Dog

- Winner - Best 'Softie'

- Winner - Best Tommy Cooper Impersonation

- Winner - Best Looking Couple

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THANK GOODNESS FOR KORKER’S

Last week we promised to reveal the meaning of the above headline.

As usual our highly skilled BBQ Chef and his glamorous assistant were provided with the same three food items to feed the five thousand at the annual ‘Do’. Namely, Fish Burgers, Beef Burgers and Sausages.

Tim Stacey obtains the Fish Burgers from what I can only suppose is a very dodgy source. Your reporter maintains that they contravene the Trade Descriptions Act, as he does not believe that they actually contain any trace of fish and simply consist of rather mushy mashed potato encased in a highly coloured breadcrumb and sawdust coating. However, his opinion is clearly not shared by the vast majority of gannets who insist that they are delicious and cannot get enough of them. Anyone would think that the hoards had fasted all day in order to be able to consume as much free food as possible. No further comment necessary!

Keith Blundell obtains the beef burgers and the sausages. The burgers are from Bookers ‘Chefs Larder’ range. The first worrying sign that all was not well this year was when our highly experienced BBQ Chef commented that they did not appear to cook in the normal manner. Some diners subsequently confirmed that they were ****. Someone suggested that the apparent deterioration in quality was probably due to the lack of horse! In fairness to Bookers, much of their ‘Chefs Larder’ range is perfectly ok. However, a quick trip across the Channel to get some ‘lower fat’ cheval burgers could be the solution to our woes.

So now you will be beginning to realise the significance of our headline. Suffice to say that your wise reporter has restricted himself to only devouring the sausages from the BBQ over the past few years, knowing that they are made with loving care and are less likely to upset his delicate stomach. Yes, he really cannot find any reason to complain about the excellent quality sausages that we purchase each year from the highly acclaimed local suppliers based in Rolvenden. Korker Sausages are a high quality product and it was nice to see that one of the Hoad family (manufacturers of Korkers) was prepared to risk making an appearance at the BBQ. However, his confidence was well founded as I did not see any vegetarians who could have taken him to task (unless they were the people concentrating on the fishless burgers).

Your reporter managed to devour three Korker sausages, all nicely cremated (just how he likes them), before the hoards of gannets cleared them out. More than one Club member has mentioned that the Korkers sausage rolls are particularly ‘moorish’. Last week a visit to the highly recommended Hope Cottage Farm Shop and Tearoom (Hooe Road, Ninfield, Battle, TN33 9EL; Tel: 01424 892342) resulted in the opportunity to sample a GIANT Korker sausage roll. Delicious!

Monday 19th August 2013

ANGRY ‘WINNERS’

Having felt obliged to publish a photo of the Club Competition winner as soon as possible, we have set about wading through the seemingly endless collection of incredibly boring photos taken on the day, in order to select only the most flattering. However, we are being put under intolerable pressure by the other prize winners who insist that we publish photos of them receiving their awards. Apparently relatives and friends, who managed to avoid attending the prize giving, are refusing to believe that they are good enough to win anything. Well, under normal circumstances they would be right, but the bar was so low this year!

Club Competition Winner 2013: Mick Coleman

However, Ted Stevenson was the only angler to catch a fish from the bank, so I suppose he deserves some recognition. In the last couple of weeks I have had to regularly remind him to stop looking miserable, so I am pleased that he has something to smile about at last.

Martin Brignall caught the heaviest fish. Heaviest fish? You must be joking! What happened to all the 5lb+ fish we stocked two days earlier to ensure that at least some of the incompetent anglers would accidentally catch one of these larger stockies.

Only Fish from the Bank - Ted Stevenson

Heaviest Fish - Martin Brignall

Having proved that your intrepid reporter is as inept as his fellow Club members, we can only hope that next year he will be allowed to do what comes naturally and simply wander around taking ‘snaps’ and gathering incriminating and derisory stories to embarrass and annoy his hapless victims.

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CRIBBAGE FINALISTS

To avoid any further complaints, the editorial staff also decided to rush through photos of the Cribbage Competition prize winners receiving their prizes. These were awarded to the winner and runner-up. Alec Chisholm beat ‘The Wood Butcher’ in the Grand Final by two legs to one. Having settled into his comfy chair, and feeling somewhat exhausted after a long hard day, Alec sent his granddaughter to receive his award.

Only HFF members could decide to hold an indoor competition in summer during the hottest time of the year. Hopefully indoor competitions will be scheduled in the winter as we are adding Darts and Shove Ha'penny competitions, so lots to keep members occupied while basking in the heat of the wood burner. We have a Shove board but no ‘proper’ coins/discs. Can anyone oblige?

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AERATOR LATEST

With the continued relatively warm weather, the surface temperature of the reservoir remains at around 20°C. Our fish delivery last week was a very fraught affair due to the difference in temperature between the delivery tanks and the shallow water off the dam where the fish were deposited. Temperature and oxygen levels are both important factors, but there is no indication that oxygen levels are a cause for concern as fish seen cruising along the surface are stress-free, active and looking for food.

The lack of aeration is resulting in the water being significantly cooler the deeper you go. This would seem to be a benefit, as fish can always find cooler water. So we do not necessarily need to worry about the current lack of aeration, which is just as well as it is doubtful that the system will be in operation this season. However, it is a mixed blessing as many anglers miss the fun of ‘fishing the bubbles’, which is always exciting and can be particularly productive during evening sessions.

Our intrepid reporter has been informed, by an unnamed insider, that our friends at Southern Water are now proposing to replace our existing air pump with a new more efficient model rather than attempt a repair. The modern pumps use a great deal less electricity and are easier to maintain and more reliable and robust (I am beginning to sound like a salesman). A site meeting took place last Tuesday and we await further developments with interest.

Sunday 18th August 2013

A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL?

The Club competition and BBQ took place on Friday 16th August. The weather could have been a great deal better but could also have been a great deal worse. We had some light showers during the afternoon and early evening but overall everything was alright in the end.

One of the good decisions made on the day was to persuade ‘Theme for a Dream’ to go home and get one of his giant pop-up tents to erect alongside the Club’s marquee. The tent was vast and ensured that, with both tents covering half the lawn, we had ample shelter to accommodate everyone in comfort during the busy BBQ evening. So any people who may have decided not to brave the weather definitely missed out.

I am sorry to say that the fishing competition which took place in two sessions (boat and bank) and lasting a total of seven hours proved, yet again, that the ageing HFF members not only lack stamina but are totally devoid of any imagination or innovative ideas when things get hard (unfortunately, on this occasion, me included).

Yes, your unfortunate reporter, feeling far from intrepid, had been forced by the bailiff to partake in this miserable affair. Suffice it to say that after an hour on the bank, where most of the time was actually spent sneaking along the dam taking photos of his hapless fellow contestants, he got bored and returned to the lodge for a coffee only to be forced to return by the angry spectators who did not want to be disturbed as they relaxed in the morning sunshine.

Lunch was a pleasant and extended affair as most anglers, having seen Alec Chisholm and your reporter depart the dam, became confused and assumed that the session ended at 12 noon rather than 12.30pm. So, most found themselves enjoying a leisurely 1½ hour repast, before having to return to the fray. Unfortunately, after a pleasant start, the weather during the afternoon session gradually became windy and overcast.

Your reporter and Alec sailed away in the wheelie boat for the afternoon session and joined all the other boats making for the deep water, as everyone had also done in the morning. Your foolish reporter had gambled on the rain staying away until later, but bang on 4pm, as per the latest forecast, down it came. This reminds me of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, which teaches us to be prepared. (Phil Streeter, our ‘Reverend’ Club Member would be proud that a member of his fishing ‘flock’ has even heard of virgins!). Without any form of wet weather protection, your increasingly miserable reporter had to resort to engulfing himself in a large black dustbin liner supplied by Alec. It was hardly surprising that many boat and bank contestants sneaked back early, although the wheelie boat still managed to get back first!

Undercover Reporter

Your reporter simply cannot bring himself to provide details of the performance of the individuals involved in this competition as everyone would be seriously embarrassed. Suffice it to say that the only visitor on this particular day caught four fish, while fishing a “muddler” as he drifted down the middle of the reservoir. This was one fish more than our eventual winner. Also the visitor did not take seven hours to do it!

Tim ‘The Expert’ Stacey with overall competition winner Mick ‘The Plumber’ Coleman

The weather gradually cleared up during the evening and, as a special treat, we were entertained, for the first time ever, by Phil Streeter and his guitar. It turns out that he has a surprisingly good voice and rumour has it that people actually enjoyed it. Even your reporter is hard pressed to find anything rude to say about his performance. Unfortunately, he only entertained us with one song. Yes, I did say ONE song. Hopefully, he can be persuaded to learn a second song before his return performance, by popular demand, at next year’s BBQ.

The Reverend Phil Streeter - Folk Singer Extraordinaire

Sam Hills

Thanks to the usual crowd who worked so hard to make the evening event such a success and everyone who contributed prizes for the raffle.

A very special Thank You also goes to Sam Hills who, yet again, made some beautiful and highly sought after sticks to be given as prizes. This year he also made a stick especially for the bailiff on the occasion of his 65th birthday. It has a brass putter head and a couple of trout engraved on the collar. There are many lucky Club members who have had the good fortune to receive a ‘Sam Hills’ Stick over the years.

A selection of the other 300 photos taken on the day will be published here shortly.

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MORE ENTERTAINMENT PLANNED

Spurred on by the success of our first ‘Guest performance’, we are planning to book additional guest appearances next year.

Fortunately, Barry ‘The Fishmonger’ Morgan, noted for the tale that he told at the last of his wild parties (The saga of the lady stuck to the bathroom floor), will not be allowed to repeat it at our gathering.

However, Terry ‘The Cuckoo’ Beeching is planning to extend his repertoire and mimic some of the other old Kentish birds and may even amaze us with some local animal impressions. I have warned him against imitating a magpie in case someone rings his neck or, for that matter, any wildfowl in season in case someone has a gun handy and definitely no impersonations of a badger lest he wants to get run over by the bailiff. However, imitating one of our local wild boar would be acceptable, as they are never heard or seen around the reservoir; they just make a mess and bugger off!

Terry ‘The Cuckoo’ Beeching. A Skinfull?

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THANK GOODNESS FOR KORKER’S

Why the headline to this piece? Well, like all reporters, I am biased in my views, have hidden agendas and don’t really care who I offend. So, in the next few days, after consulting our lawyers, the full story relating to this headline will appear in ‘Latest News’. Watch this space.

Thursday 15th August 2013

This year, we have arranged for a well known and popular local singing star to perform for Club members and their families and guests. Please note that no cameras or any form of recording equipment is allowed during this performance.

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LATEST FISH DELIVERY

Another delivery of rainbows arrived on Wednesday from Hooke Springs, to coincide with the Competition on Friday. A few larger fish were included in this consignment in the hope that some will be caught by the competitors to add to the excitement.

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A GOOD EACH-WAY BET

Our resident Bookmaker and BBQ chef, John Chapman, is busy calculating the odds for Friday's annual Club Competition. This is followed by our annual BBQ.

More famous for his baking skills rather than his angling prowess, Dr Steven Stern confounded our bookie by being the only person to catch six fish this week. Has Steve found the secret to success at this time of year? He may well have done, as he arrived early and apparently caught half his fish before many others had got out of bed. Well, that will not help him on Friday as the Competition does not start until 9am. However, judging by the current performance of other so-called ‘favourites’, he could well be a very good each-way bet.

Dr Steven Stern

Sunday 11th August 2013

TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS

This time last year we took a number of temperature readings around the reservoir and found that the water temperature was more or less the same at all depths. However, the aerator had been on for some time and this was obviously very effective in producing an even temperature at all levels.

On Friday we carried out the tests in the same locations and were very surprised at our findings, so on Monday we repeated the process. The only difference between the two sets of readings was a 2°F drop in surface temperature as a result of a cooling breeze. The tests that we carried out at a depth of 20ft were roughly at casting distance from the dam. The 30ft depth relates to the deepest areas of the reservoir.

We have always worried about oxygen levels at this time of year and have always wanted to have the aerator working. This year, with the aerator still out-of-action we were naturally getting concerned about the welfare of the trout. However, with the significantly colder water the deeper you go, we are finding that the fish are still willing to continue to feed and do not even seem concerned about following your fly up from the depths, as they can simply return to the deep cooler water. So we currently seem to be better off without the benefit of the aerator as long as there is sufficient oxygen.

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ARE WE BECOMING BORING?

Regular readers of our latest news are complaining that we have recently become somewhat serious and appear to have stopped insulting Club members and are never rude about visitors.

So to redress the balance, I am pleased to publish photos, all taken this week, of Paul Strivens doing press-ups on the jetty, a visitor hiding his knobbly knees and Barry ‘The fishmonger’ Morgan looking ridiculous, as usual!

Visitor Hiding Knobbly Knees

Barry Looking Ridiculous

Paul Strivens Press-ups

Friday 9th August 2013

A QUIET MONTH SO FAR

Here we are in August, when the fishing is traditionally hard and most anglers are doing something else. However, we are pleased to find that the fish are still prepared to go for our flies and are even being caught on dries. With the impending appearance of the flying ants (any day now), dry flies could once again be the only thing to use. We have vast colonies of ants in the field below the dam, which is why Southern Water contractors do not mow it. As a result, when the flying ants appear there are literally millions of them. When the prevailing wind blows them onto the water the trout have been known to go absolutely bonkers and the entire reservoir is a churning mass of constantly rising fish.

This morning (Wednesday) Club member Ron Woodruff caught three rainbows while fishing a Shipman’s Buzzer on the surface. He missed another half dozen before the fish suddenly departed. He thinks that they were taking some very small fly which was white in colour and that the white on the shipman’s could well be what attracted them to his fly. Virtually all the fish taken from the bank are falling to dry flies whereas most boats are fishing deep. Boat fishing has not been easy over the last few days and as a result there is little to choose between bank and boat.

AN ENDLESS LIST OF JOBS

Last week the shed located on the east bank finally had its roof re-felted and the roof trusses have also been reinforced. Although the interior is less than salubrious, it provides a welcome shelter if you are caught in a downpour.

The third cut-out has been strimmed for the second time this year and is looking very good. With the slight drop in the water level, we can now tackle the tree stumps at the water’s edge in both cut-outs 2 and 3, where the stump grinder could not reach. An opportunity to get the chain saws going at last!

This morning (Wednesday) we finally finished messing about with boat 7 and aim to actually get it into the water on Friday and start work on the next patient.

Emergency repairs to the floor in the lodge have had to be undertaken as a result of a combination of wet rot and woodworm causing sections to collapse. Although the repair to the floor at the entrance to the weighing room is reasonably permanent, the latest repair at the front door is a semi-temporary measure which will require some major work in the future.

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FISHING STATISTICS UPDATE

The fishing statistics for July have been updated. Visit the Fishing Statistics page for more information.

Tuesday 30th July 2013

LULL AFTER THE STORM. WHAT STORM?

After a weekend which did not live up to the forecasters predictions of horrendous weather conditions, but ensured that few anglers were prepared to risk a soaking, Monday was warm, sunny and breezy.

A very brief visit to the reservoir resulted in a rendezvous with the geese who had somehow managed to escape from the bailiff’s garden and were strolling around the almost empty car park.

Only two members had taken to the boats early this morning. ‘The Fishmonger’ came wandering back from the jetty at about 10am, demanding that someone make him a coffee having skipped breakfast in order to make an early start. ‘The Dentist’ had sailed off down the reservoir looking for fish in locations other than where most are currently being found, in the deep trench along the aerator pipe. I await the outcome with interest.

Saturday 27th July 2013

A WARM RECEPTION FOR THE NEW ARRIVALS

Another shipment arrived from Hooke Springs on Thursday morning. If we had any doubt that we were in the middle of a heat wave we only had to look at Alan’s attire. Not noted for his sartorial elegance at the best of times, Alan had excelled himself by ensuring that all his colours clashed. Exposing his knobbly knees did not add to the overall effect. It got so hot that, after all the fish were transferred from the tanks, he even decided to remove his willies and go for a paddle.

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CONTINUED GOOD FISHING

As the fish were being unloaded we noticed that Colin Fagg had abandoned his position and was cruising quietly towards where the fish were being deposited off the dam. For a few moments we were not sure of his intentions, but we should have known better as Colin has no need to resort to desperation tactics. Needless to say he had already caught his limit and was just coming for a closer look. I particularly like his new hat.

As usual, all the boats caught fish but none of those who caught their limit were as quick as Colin. However, the bank remains empty of anglers and I do not expect the current batch of ‘stockies’ to stay long in the shallower water and will soon join the others in the deep.

The cool breeze is currently making boat fishing very comfortable, but the forecast for the weekend is for thunder, lightning and all manner of mayhem. After all, it is the first of the holiday weekends. For some inexplicable reason, the last lot of thunder did not put the fish off, but I expect the cowardly type of angler that frequents our reservoir will stay away; me included. So anyone prepared to disbelieve the forecasters, or just ignore them, could find that they have the place to themselves.

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SMOKING IS DANGEROUS

Having had a productive week’s fishing, the old boys were smoking again on Thursday morning. It’s a good job that we are not subject to a Food Standards Agency hygiene inspection and rating as they don’t have minus figures. After Alec had had finished making a mess, Vic decided that he had better do the washing up. This is such an unusual occurrence that I could not resist recording it for posterity.

Alec Filleting Ready to Smoke

Vic Washing Up The Smoker

Thursday 25th July 2013

SUPERB FISHING - EXPERIENCED FIRST-HAND

Half a dozen boats were out today and Chas Hards was the first to return with his limit, soon followed by Jeffrey Piltcher. It was quite windy which took the edge off the heat and resulted in very comfortable conditions for boat fishing. Fishing in the deep water appears to be a must. Bank fishing is now an unknown quantity as the banks remain empty with everyone taking to the boats.

I had threatened to go out today to see first-hand how the existing stocks were faring in this heat, before tomorrow’s new shipment gets ‘mixed in’. The bailiff, clearly concerned at my lethargic attitude this year, was not prepared to let me wheedle out of my threat. A couple of hours was all it took to confirm that not only were the fish in superb condition, but they were feeding well. The fish were actually taking flies at varying depths, although those taken near the surface at the end of the retrieve are likely to have been following them up. I saw a couple of visiting anglers in a boat using floating lines, but sadly did not observe them catching anything. Intermediate or Sinking lines are virtually mandatory in these conditions.

Green fritz bodied flies with white marabou tails are currently favoured by Geoffrey Piltcher who uses this pattern on a size 10 hook with an intermediate line, which he counts down for 60 seconds before starting to retrieve at a medium pace. I preferred to use a sinking line and took fish hard on the bottom as well as near the surface at the end of the retrieve. All my fish came on this colour combination which I had tied over twenty years ago and cannot remember ever using before today. My preferred orange Fritz with a brown marabou tail and the all-black version elicited no interest. I ended up with identical flies on the point and the dropper, but all fish were taken on the point fly.

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THE FINAL

Despite the current heat-wave, the cribbage competition reached its climax this morning. The grand final played between Mick Wood and Alec Chisholm was a very serious affair, which went to right to the wire in the third leg. The ‘Wood Butcher’ took the first game, but Alec ‘The Smoker’ Chisholm came storming back to take the second leg and then took an early lead in the decider. Woody fought back and on the home straight it was neck and neck. It was so exciting that your intrepid reporter actually abandoned his seat in the far corner in order to get a closer look at the action. In a final flourish, Alec managed to peg out to become the winner of the inaugural tournament, from an initial field of 36 contestants. Years of playing crib when he should he should have been working as a welder in Southampton Dockyards has finally paid off.

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ANOTHER CULINARY DELIGHT

No champagne for the crib finalists and the bored spectators, but as luck would have it Dr Steven Stern arrived with his latest offering, which made an excellent celebratory substitute. You could describe it as a cross between a cake and a pudding, but was clearly intended to be a dessert as it came with a tub of cream. If you had told me that he was bringing a gooseberry cake, I would not have been very keen as this fruit is certainly not my favourite. How wrong can you be? It was delicious.

Barry ’The fishmonger’ Morgan declined to partake in a slice as he was concerned about what it might do to his weight. I could have assured him that it could hardly make his pot any worse, but thought better of it as dividing it by four instead of five seemed to be quite an attractive proposition. In order to save the others from having an excess of calories I also decided to put his share of the cream in my coffee. Happy days.

Wednesday 24th July 2013

A DIFFICULT DAY?

Only three anglers were out this morning (Tuesday), all in boats and all Club members. With the occasional shower and some distant thunder it was pleasing to see them stick to their task. It was not surprising that most sensible people had heeded the weather forecasters who had managed to be reasonably accurate for a change. As a result of the falling atmospheric pressure, those of you that understand these things will not be surprised if the fish ‘go off’ today. A glance at the returns book tomorrow morning will probably confirm my worst fears, but then tomorrow is another day!

SLOW PROGRESS

On 12th June we reported that the second refurbished boat had been returned to the reservoir. What I should have said was that it was returned to the lawn in front of the lodge where it has remained ever since. In all honesty, we have continued to do things to it but progress on the finishing touches has been very slow. However, with ‘Theme for a Dream’ in charge, there was a final flurry of activity (in-between the showers) and I hope that we are now in a position to launch it at last. Well, at least, very soon!

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BELT & BRACES

Ex-Club member John Austin (Photo: Right) made an extremely unkind and uncalled for remark about dear old Reginald Kent. On the Hastings Fly Fishers Facebook page he posted the following in response to the photo that Reg attempted to take of your intrepid reporter - “Seems his photography is as good as his fishing !!”.

This is callous and cruel and totally unwarranted. I must point out to Mr Austin that the freedom of the press does not extend to any Tom, Dick, Harry - or John for that matter - who takes it upon himself to bully poor innocent pillars of the community. There is no room for two of us on HFF pages!

Mr Austin clearly does not appreciate Reginald’s hidden skills and talent for lateral thinking when facing piscatorial posers. For example, recently when the mayfly hatch ceased and nothing could be seen on the surface and everyone else had switched to other more appropriate methods, Reg for some inexplicable reason, put on a dry mayfly and reputedly caught two rainbows. He is therefore likely to have the honour of being the last person in 2013 to catch on a dry mayfly.

Also, in his continued efforts to produce the ultimate dry fly that is actually permanently buoyant, he has developed his own ‘Belt and Braces’ system of dry-fly preparation. We are unable to divulge the actual method, timings or sequence of stages, but it involves the use of a combination of Gehrkes Gink floatant, Mucillin Silicone Dressing, and his latest acquisition - Frogs Fanny. We have to admit that one needs a healthy bank balance to embark on such a costly project but Reg claims to have developed a completely unsinkable fly. Indeed, when the unsuspecting trout takes his fly it is rumoured to be unable to return to the deep and has to resort to whizzing along the surface. I kid you not!

Reg Kent

John Austin

So, in retribution I am publishing a photo of John Austin in the hope that you may come across him at some angling venue (he also does sea and coarse fishing) and take the opportunity to abuse him.

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MORE FOOD WANTED

When ‘Theme for a Dream’ arrived this morning with the necessary equipment to continue the never ending refurbishment of Boat No7, he also brought a large number of courgettes, grown in his father’s garden, to distribute among the poor and needy.

Unfortunately, for those Club members who may be partial to the odd marrow or courgette they did not even make it out of the car park, let alone into the clubhouse. The Club’s greedy reporter, noted for his avarice where food is concerned, insisted on taking the lot. Greedy b*st*rd? Certainly not. It’s just that you need a lot to make a little as they are nearly all water. As a result, many people dismiss marrows or large courgettes as tasteless or unpalatable, but I can assure you that treated correctly these superb vegetables are delicious. I particularly recommend the recipe in my mother’s old Larousse Gastronomique book from the 1950s “Marrow au gratin (Courge au gratin)”. Delicious.

Sorry chaps, better luck next time.

Monday 22nd July 2013

GOOD TIMES CONTINUE

With the continued settled weather there is no change to the tactics that we have been recommending for the past couple of weeks. We are very pleased with the current fishing prospects and continue to insist that the right methods will produce bag limits. However, we make no apologies for also keeping on about the beautiful and peaceful surroundings which make Powdermill so special and set it apart from any other reservoir, which is why so many refer to it as a lake. So continue to shun bank fishing in favour of a boat and get among some of the hardest fighting rainbows while trying not to be completely distracted by the amazing setting.

THE SINNER

A couple of eagle eyed readers have emailed to complain about Terry ‘The Cuckoo’ Beeching following the photo which we published last Thursday showing him attempting to phone Bill ‘The Carer’ Payne. The closer view confirms his guilt. With no prescribed penalty, the lynch mob will probably take the law into their own hands. His ‘Carer’ is currently too busy to minister to his every need, being somewhat preoccupied with the blackcurrant harvest (I love Ribena), so Terry cannot rely on Bill to plead his case. An even closer look at the photo reveals that ’The Carer’ has pinned up a picture of himself holding a monster rainbow. What a poser!

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VIC PARTRIDGE JOKES

Vic Partridge thinks that fast food is hitting a pheasant at 65mph.

If Vic Partridge has 5 chocolate biscuits and you take 2 away, you have about 3 seconds to give them back.

Vic Partridge just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.

Vic has a photographic memory. Sadly, he does not have any film.

Vic has the right to remain silent. Anything he says may be misquoted and used against him.

Man: “Can I have a fly rod and reel for my son?”.... Vic: “Sorry sir we don’t do trades”.

If I agreed with Vic we'd both be wrong!

Vic and his son, Lee, are out in the woods when Vic collapses. Lee takes out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps "My dad is dead! What can I do?" The operator says "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure that he's dead." There's a silence, then a gunshot is heard..... "OK, now what?"

What did Vic say when his boat hit a stone wall..... "Dam!"

The only reason Vic still likes to go fishing is that it's the only time he hears someone tell him, "Wow, that's a big one!”

Q. If Elaine is shouting at the front door and Vic’s dog is barking at the back door, who would he let in first?
A: The dog, of course. At least he'll shut up after you let him in.

Q. What do you do if Vic throws a pin at you?
A. Run.... he has a grenade in his mouth.

I was just told that Vic’s dog chased someone on a bicycle and bit him. Boll*cks, Vic’s dog can't even ride a bicycle.

Lee: “Dad, what does 'gay' mean?”
Vic: “It means 'to be happy”.
Lee: “Are you gay?”
Vic: “No, son. I have a girlfriend”. (Think about it).

Sunday 21st July 2013

PHOTOS WANTED

People ask me why I am always keen to have photos taken by visitors to the reservoir but steadfastly refuse to encourage Club members to do the same.

William ‘The Carer’ Payne, Cliff ‘Theme for a Dream’ Richard and Timothy ‘The Master’ Stacey have all tried and failed miserably to produce acceptable photos which meet our exacting standards.

Reginald Kent normally can be found sitting in “Tackle & Gun Shop” in Tenterden High Street, where Keith Blundell informs me that Reg has his own chair. On Thursday, for some inexplicable reason, he decided to come and annoy us at the fishing lodge. He does this sometimes, but we do not usually mind as he seldom has his hearing aid turned up (something to do with saving battery power) so we can normally say what we like to or about him and he is none the wiser. However recently, due to the significant increase to his State Pension last April, he has taken to switching it on more often and ‘tuning it in’.

Not content with just sitting around demanding that people make him cups of coffee, on Thursday, he decided to follow me down to the jetty where I was intending to carry out a simple repair to the cradle which holds the life buoy positioned at the end of the walkway. Most anglers are totally incompetent when it comes to handling a boat and, as a result, the life buoy is constantly being rammed. The buoy seems to be impervious to the regular battering, but the metal cradle has not been so resilient.

Not content with getting under my feet, Reg wanted to take a photo, as he seems to think that I do not normally carry out such highly skilled and important work. After a great deal of badgering, I reluctantly passed him my camera and after some initial instruction he managed to take a photograph.

It gives me no pleasure to publish the result of his efforts. Perfectly in focus, but the camera does that on its own. In fact the camera does everything but point itself in the right direction.

Saturday 20th July 2013

WHY BOTHER?

I spend a great deal of time and effort trying to provide good advice to enable visitors to catch fish. This week I have gone out on a limb and predicted that everyone going out in a boat will catch fish.

More fool me.

I did not allow for the arrival of members of the ‘Jolly Roger Club’. I think that that is what they call themselves, although only two participants were actually sporting a scull & crossbones badge. The rest of the motley crew were attired in a variety of casual gear. Anyone would think that it was summer!

There were supposed to be eight of them but unfortunately only six made it as one of the wives is having a serious operation. We hope all goes well.

They had arrived later than planned, due to an accident on the A21. I also arrived late (at 09.45am) only to find this group of reprobates standing around waiting for the ‘Chef’ to finish preparing breakfast. The feast consisted of fried eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes and beans. What, no hash browns! Being ravenous after a long drive, of up to 100 miles, they were not prepared to wait for all the items to be ready and immediately got stuck in to bacon butties.

Eventually, at around 11.15am, having cleaned up all the food, they decided to set sail and do some fishing. It seemed that no sooner had they gone out than they were back for a leisurely lunch. When I decided to abandon my busy and never ending work schedule at around 1.15pm, they were already well into their lunchtime banquet.

My subtle enquiries established that not a single fish had been caught by them during this long and arduous morning session, although they did claim to have had plenty of takes. They clearly did not seem to understand or appreciate that their cavalier attitude to fishing was endangering my reputation as an honest broker, whose advice can always be listened to and believed. Now, fly fishing is supposed to be a very serious business and not something to enter into lightly. It is not just a case of coming to Powdermill to enjoy yourselves, especially not at my expense.

So, I now am forced to retract my previous forecast and now predict that anyone arriving at the weekend and looking in the Returns Book will see a whole load of “Nils”. Please do not just assume the worst and immediately go home. Just bear in mind that all the boat fishermen on Thursday caught their limits because they were all dedicated, conscientious, skilled, diligent and accomplished fly fishermen like you and me. The majority of the fishermen on Friday were a load of wasters, no-hopers and party revellers and not the sort of people that you would normally wish to associate with.

I was so incensed by their determination to enjoy themselves that I even steadfastly refused to be bribed with any of the breakfast items and not even the rather inviting looking lunchtime sausage rolls. After all, (and ladies please note) having reached peak fitness after my latest Mountain expedition it is important that your intrepid reporter continue to maintain his sylph-like appearance.

So for those of you who are considering coming to Powdermill to enjoy yourselves. My advice is DON’T.

Friday 19th July 2013

EXCELLENT SPORT

A cooling breeze on the water meant that Thursday morning was more comfortable for the three anglers who ventured out in boats this morning. Our most regular visitor, Colin Fagg, very rarely returns without a limit and he was joined at 11.30am by the Bailiff and Alec Chisholm in the wheelie boat. I will expect all three of them to have caught their limit when I inspect the returns book on Friday.

However, if Alec and the Bailiff make as much mess of fishing as they did of setting out from the jetty, I could be proved wrong. What a palaver!

The fishing is exceptionally good if you take a boat and fish near the bottom. Bank fishing is proving very hard but not a single boat angler has failed to catch fish this week and most have had limits.

Sadly, because we are noted for our superb mayfly hatch, anglers flock to our water during this period and then forsake us for the remainder of the year. The up side is that anglers who do come at this time of year find that they have almost all 55 acres to themselves and can enjoy some excellent fishing, in superb surroundings and in total peace with only the sound of nature all around them.

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SOUTHERN WATER WORKING AGAINST THE CLOCK

With the continued hot weather, Southern Water now needs to be ready to switch on the aerator to stop different temperature layers developing. Apparently if this occurs the layers can reverse during the cooler nights dragging up sediment from the bottom. The sediment in suspension would then be drawn off into the water treatment plant. When the aerator is operating, the trout (and some magnificent Rudd) not only appreciate the turbulence but it can result in a feeding frenzy as food is drawn into the bubbles.

So are we ready? Not quite, but they are working on it. Our favourite Southern Water engineer (an expert on air pumps) has been working extremely hard to resolve the problem. Normally SW only carries out tasks with a minimum team of six people. It is sometimes the case that fewer staff turn up, but they will only be inspecting (looking) not necessarily doing physical work. So you may wonder why we have only one man tackling the broken air pump. It’s simply because he is one of the few who knows what he is doing, is very hard working and conscientious, and is prepared to toil away in almost unbearable heat inside the all-metal building that houses the equipment. So, when the air finally comes on, just spare a thought for our unsung hero. His name and address has been withheld in order to protect him from his colleagues who may feel that he is letting the side down.

The air pump has blades which open out as the motor starts and speeds up and then go back as it goes off. Having been idle all winter it is hardly surprising that the oil has gunged-up (my technical term not his) and it could necessitate a major strip down. The saga continues, but we are confident that his persistence and skill will prevail.

Thursday 18th July 2013

MAD DOGS & ENGLISHMEN.....

Despite the soaring temperatures during the past few days our ageing Club members refuse to stay indoors in the cool. Those few foolish enough to row or motor off in a boat have almost exclusive use of the reservoir, but they are at serious risk of getting sunstroke. Fortunately, the more decrepit members, who simply sit outside on our new picnic tables and argue as to whose turn it is to put the kettle on, can always be relied upon to watch every move that the anglers make. So should someone on the water collapse due to sunstroke one of the observers could possibly leap into action.

Now, anyone in his right mind would assume that the chance of seeing fish, let alone catching any in this boiling heat and dazzling sunshine would be pretty remote. Well, this could not be further from reality.

Photo Note: Don Burt, with heavy coat in case it gets cold!. Also note the trendy Clintons plastic bag.

Before Don Burt set sail on Tuesday I rushed out to take what I thought could be the last photo of him alive. It would not necessarily have been his last photo, as I would have been obliged to take some candid shots when he was eventually recovered from the middle of the reservoir. Unfortunately, he eventually returned with a bag of fish, so my chance of making a few quid by selling the story and photos to the Nationals was thwarted. Sadly, catching fish is not considered by them to be news.

On Wednesday morning it was even hotter. On this morning, two idiots set sail. We boys on the bank witnessed no apparent activity from either boat. As the temperature rose we were actually forced to go inside.

Terry ‘The Cuckoo’ Beeching, in an effort to reverse his appalling recent run of ‘bad luck’, had gone out in a boat on his own. His ‘carer’ was fed up of taking him out, only to have to put up with his incessant moaning due to his consistent failure to catch anything.

Don Burt, rowing out on a completely deserted and flat-calm reservoir.

Terry Beeching, pointing to a Cormorant mark on one of his fish.

We were not surprised, therefore, when he came sauntering back at about 10.30am, as we just assumed he had just given up. More fool us. Although he was in full view in his boat and we had not seen him play or land a single fish, he was brandishing a bag limit of super rainbows.

Terry reported that, before he returned, he had motored over to Chas Hards, the other foolish angler (presumably to brag about his success) only to find that Chas had already got three fish. With Terry’s ‘expert’ advice he will undoubtedly catch his other three. However, before Chas was able to make a glorious return to an appreciative crowd, we old boys all decided to go home, having had a surfeit of coffee and having also run out of absent members to ‘slag-off’.

So, to sum up. So far this week, only four Club members have gone out in boats during the heat of the day, yet all have caught fish. Did I not mention Dr Stern who went out on Monday? Yes, even he did not return empty handed and he’s not noted for catching fish, just for baking cakes!

So what’s the secret? There is no secret, just a realisation that during this hot weather the fish are deep down. Members prepared to endure the heat, put aside their floating lines and ‘acceptable’ flies and take to the water are all catching fish. So put on a sinking line and get your lure down to where the fish are as they are only too willing to provide you with plenty of sport.

Photo Note: Three of Terry Beeching’s fish on the scales.

For those who prefer more comfortable conditions, why not just come and enjoy an evening’s fishing (starts at 4pm until dark). As it gets cooler, it is even possible to enjoy an evening rise, if there is sufficient fly life around. I should point out that, even this morning, Terry could see a few fish taking very small brown coloured flies off the surface but he did not bother to try for them as he was already getting plenty of takes with his sinking line. He did consider changing after fish number five but was fearful that he would then fail to get number six. After all, he desperately needed to get a limit after having to fish for so long in the shadow of Bill ‘The Carer’ Payne.

The odd member who has attempted to fish from the bank in shallower water has had little or no success, so I have to advise any angler actually wanting to get among the fish to take a boat and seek out the deeper water.

Terry trying to pass on the good news to his 'Carer'. Sadly, no signal!

Some of the ‘boys’ who cannot believe that the Cuckoo’s broken his duck!

Tuesday 16th July 2013

WILL THE REAL INTREPID REPORTER PLEASE REVEAL HIMSELF

Being better known for his inactivity and lack of enthusiasm when its suggested that he make an effort and go fishing, it is hardly surprising that some people assume that your reporter is actually one of the laziest people, incapable of making an effort to stir himself let alone appear as ‘Intrepid’ as he often claims.

So, as promised, here are a few photos of your intrepid reporter making light of some of the most rugged, but spectacular, trekking areas in the European Alps. The Bavarian Alps, particularly the area on the immediate border with Austria, is seriously underrated by British visitors who tend to make for the better known Austrian resorts.

Your hero’s greatest achievement on this trip was the descent of the Rauschberg mountain (5,335 ft). Accompanied by his wife, the pair ascended the mountain via the cable car. However, on the spur of the moment, they (well, ok it was all my idea) decided to come down on the route which the locals had apparently warned against, because of the precipitous slopes and steep gravel or shale paths which made walking down very difficult and treacherous. However, your handsome hero had obviously not been paying attention when this was first mentioned.

Monday 15th July 2013

WHAT A DISGRACE

"It's not the winning but the taking part that counts". It's a phrase echoed by the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who said "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”

These sentiments could possibly be employed to minimise the humiliation suffered by HFF at the hands of the Eastbourne branch of The Fly Dressers Guild when they trounced us in the annual competition at Powdermill. I am very relieved to have been away when the competition took place as I was thus spared the embarrassment of witnessing the appalling performance of my fellow Club members, where “fighting well” was certainly not a phrase which could be applied to them. The less I say the better, as I can guarantee that at least one participant would be incensed by my views. Do I care? Certainly not! So here goes.

Geff Pilcher

Paul Strivens

On a very hot and bright sunny day when there is no sign of fish anywhere near the surface, what should you do?

Before I answer this difficult question let me, in all humility, state that I have only made the effort to fish three times so far this year, so it would not be unreasonable to suggest that, given my lack of effort, I have no right to pontificate and advise anyone on the appropriate tactics to apply in such conditions. However, given that this was ‘billed’ as a competition, all be it a friendly one, let me simply make the following naive observation :-

Regular visitor, Colin Fagg, and Club member Geff Piltcher were not involved in the competition, but I am informed that they were the only other anglers to fish that day and that they each caught their 6-fish limits, having started long after the competition began and finished long before the competition ended. In fact, Geff did not bother to saunter out to his boat until 11am and was back by early afternoon. Sinking/intermediate lines and ‘lures’ were the methods that they both employed and all their fish were taken deep.

It is true that the EFDG only just beat HFF, but that is no excuse. The bailiff has provided me with the statistics but I am too ashamed to publish them. The only Club members worthy of being excluded from the list of wasters are Paul Strivens and Bob Sanger. Even Bob had to be shown the way and even given the right fly (a Humongous) by his opposite number in the boat, but at least he had the sense to take notice.

Note : The photo of a selection of ‘HUMONGOUS’ flies, as available from www.troutflies.co.uk, look identical to the fritz flies that I have been using for years.

Humongous Flies

Bob Sanger

Paul apparently actually caught his fish without any outside help. When I spoke to Paul earlier this week he admitted to being somewhat surprised at his good fortune, but then I always suspected that he’s not as daft as he looks. These two were our top boys, catching three fish each. So how do the rest of you explain yourselves? What price an orange fritz and sinking line now!!!

In my humble opinion, the only satisfying outcome from the entire debacle were the photos taken by Bill Payne, who is gradually learning to match the style of your reporter’s simple ‘Happy Snaps’. Thanks Bill (but now you realise that you can’t take really good photos and still catch fish. Not even one fish!). Bill cannot make the excuse that he was also looking after ‘The Cockoo’ as Terry ‘The Cuckoo’ Beeching had the good sense not to make an appearance on this occasion. He was apparently sulking, having been out-fished by his ‘Carer’ on recent visits.

So next year in similar conditions leave the conventional gear at home and come armed with a line that sinks and a few multi coloured Fritz lures.

It’s the taking part.... B*ll*cks! If you can’t beat them join them!

Sunday 14th July 2013

HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?

The answer, in the case of Hastings Flyfishers, is only ONE. But it is preferable to have a further four people sitting around, casually watching and advising him. Well, it’s important that we maintain adequate levels of ‘care’ to ensure that we comply with all Health & Safety requirements.

So why did we need four onlookers?

Obviously we would require one to operate the mains power cut-off. But that’s in the other room and you would have to climb onto a chair and remove a heavy wooden cover to get at it, which would be extremely difficult and dangerous, so let’s not bother.

One qualified to use the First Aid Kit. Yes, we have two First Aid Kits – possibly an administrative oversight (ie: a cock-up) or a wanton extravagance. So we keep one permanently locked away for ‘best’. Unfortunately, the ‘every-day’ one probably lacks vital items.

One poised to make some hot, sweet tea should anyone become overwrought with the drama of it all.

And finally, One to operate the camera, should our resident electrical expert fall off the ladder or get electrocuted. This naturally falls to your intrepid reporter as he is the only person permanently attached to a photographic device and whose regular seat provided a perfect view of this latest assignment.

All onlookers need to be ready with lots of helpful advice. No one is needed to hold the ladder, pass up tools or assist in any way. Just as well.

Unfortunately, nothing untoward occurred so I was forced to resort to taking photos of a man up a ladder. However, he had no replacement bulb, so the entire process will have to be repeated when a new bulb arrives! Let’s hope something more exciting happens then.

YOUR SAFETY MATTERS

In all seriousness, we continue to carry out our comprehensive review and maintenance program in an effort to ensure that we provide a safe, secure and pleasant venue. If you have any comments or suggestions we are always only too willing to hear your views, either in person or via the website. Anything, no matter how apparently insignificant, will always be given our best attention.

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A GARDENING TIP

There are not many gardeners who would encourage rabbits to nibble their plants. Neither do we, which is why we have to resort to having the rather unsightly netting around the ‘flower boat’. (Similar wooden figures as seen in the ‘flower boat’ are available from John Chapman Enterprises. Contact chapm440@aol.com for latest prices).

However, there was no such protection for the plants in the decorative metal wheelbarrow (available from John Chapman Enterprises. Contact chapm440@aol.com for latest prices).

The result was that all the soft new growth was nibbled and we were expecting the worst. However the outcome was simply to invigorate the two plants in the wheelbarrow (yes, only two plants) which became much bushier and have already filled the barrow with a riot of colour. Well, maybe not quite a riot, but I think that’s the word often used by seed suppliers when describing what you can expect from their pathetic paper packet containing a few ‘valuable’ seeds.

Fortunately, John Chapman Enterprises do not supply flower seeds. But the actual plants can be obtained each spring from Martin Brignall, but you have to supply your own rabbits.

Martin does not have a personal email address but can normally be found surrounded by sheep somewhere on Romney Marsh. He is also our accredited supplier of hens eggs, but he rarely remembers to bring any when he comes fishing.

Saturday 13th July 2013

THE WATER

Laura, from The Environment Agency, arrived on Friday to carry out her usual tests and take samples of the water.

With water continuing to be slowly extracted and no forecast of significant rainfall in the next few weeks we are likely to see the reservoir level continue to fall. However, it is normally already much lower at this time of year so the gradual drop in the water level is still considered to be insignificant as far as the fishing is concerned.

Despite the rise in temperature the fish are not showing any signs of distress and continue to feed and are fighting hard when hooked. With the forecast of continued very hot weather for at least the next few days, it is likely that fish will continue to be found at deeper levels. There is no sign of the aerator being switched on, so the fish are still well spread throughout the reservoir.

To get down to the deeper levels where the fish are, there is now a definite advantage in fishing from a boat.

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MORE NEW STOCKS ARRIVE

With the delivery of yet another full load of rainbows on Thursday, the reservoir is at its highest stocking level so far this year. Although the mayfly hatch is now over and fewer visitors are therefore coming to fish, the fishing is arguably ‘easier’ as a variety of methods can now prove successful. As we are primarily a fishing club, rather than a commercial outfit, we are just as keen to maintain good stock levels during the quieter visitor periods as our members still want to experience excellent fishing throughout the entire season. So from now on, it is an ideal time to enjoy some superb sport without the crowds which you can sometimes encounter during the mayfly period. Unfortunately, being known as a superb mayfly water means that many anglers only make the effort to come during this period and therefore miss out on the excellent fishing we provide from the beginning of March through to the end of December.

It is a great pity that so many anglers only come for the mayfly hatch as they really do miss so much of what the reservoir has to offer during the rest of the year. At this time of year I think that the reservoir is at its most beautiful although many prefer its autumn colours. It should be noted that we tend to suffer much less than other venues when the temperature rises, which is why we can continue to maintain high stocking levels throughout the summer. However, in general, fishing from a boat rather than from the shallower water off the dam or bank tends to be more productive from now until the end of September. Having said that, because it is so much more peaceful at this time of year there are always boats available.

Given that we only have a dozen boats available on our 55 acre reservoir, it is hardly surprising that you are never short of places to fish - in total isolation and peace and quiet.

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FISHING STATISTICS UPDATE

The fishing statistics for June have been updated. Visit the Fishing Statistics page for more information.

Wednesday 10th July 2013

FLY FISHING IN THE BAVARIAN ALPS

Despite the number of rivers, streams and mountain lakes that we came across, all stuffed with some superb wild trout, we only saw two anglers. One was fly fishing for trout in the river Traun just outside the small town of Ruhpolding. He was standing in the shallow, slack water on one side of the river and casting into the fast run on the opposite bank, where trout of around 2lb to 3lb were waiting for food to be brought to them. Because I was crossing the bridge above the angler I had no opportunity to approach him. However, there was no evidence that he had caught anything and the trout, which I could clearly see from my vantage point, were totally ignoring his offerings.

The other angler was float-tubing on Lake Mittersee, which is one of a string of small lakes on the mountain road between Ruhpolding and Reit im Winkl. As we walked around part of the lake, we watched him cautiously moving along the inaccessible far margins.

Sunday 7th July 2013

ANOTHER WONDERFUL DAY

Thanks to everyone who participated, helped or just came along to enjoy the annual club competition against the Eastbourne Flydressers Guild.

Here are just a few photos from the day with more to follow along with a full report. Many thanks to Bill Payne and the Eastbourne Dressers Guild for the photos.

Friday 5th July 2013

LET THE SUN SHINE

Once the sun comes out, so do many of the inhabitants of the 'old peoples home' who normally reside inside the lodge. Their time outside is normally spent bird watching, commenting on the casting abilities of those anglers in view, arguing over who's going back in to make the coffee, monitoring the number of fish caught, sitting thinking or in the case of the vast majority, just sitting with vacant looks on their faces.

Its going to be a glorious weekend for fishing with temperatures touching the low twenties with a light south-west breeze blowing onto the dam, perfect for the club competition against the Eastbourne Flydressers Guild on Saturday.

Old Peoples Home

Arthur Packham

Wednesday 3rd July 2013

PEACE AT LAST RETURNS TO POWDERMILL

As you can see from the photo, John "Your Intrepid Reporter" Thackray is away for a well deserved break and his usual permanent position in the lodge is empty!

There has been much debate and worry over the silence that has fallen on the club this week but we are now beginning to quite like it, will your chair still be there for you when you return John?

Also in John's absence we have been making good use of his cup which is more like a vase anyway!

Make sure you use this time to your advantage by coming along and enjoying your fishing without the fear of his camera being shoved in your face and your photo ending up on here.

WHO SAID REFURBISHING BOATS WAS EASY

The work involved in restoring our ageing fleet of boats is not one for the faint hearted. A great deal of time and effort as well as skill is required to ensure that the almost indestructible fibre glass boats will still be floating when most of us are long gone. Although the very popular green 'plastic' boats require much less maintenance, time will tell if they can outlast their much older fibre glass companions which in theory can continue to be renewed.

Monday 1st July 2013

WINNER OF THE MOST DISAPPOINTING VIDEO COMPETITION

There have been many superb photographs taken at Powdermill by some very talented amateur photographers who also flyfish. I am always delighted to be able to include their efforts on our website and am often humbled by the incredibly high quality and innovative images that they produce. I simply claim to take 'snaps' and am happy to just 'point and shoot' so I really do appreciate how hard it can be to produce some of the wonderful photos.

Sadly, I cannot say the same for the aspiring film makers. It would seem that the transition to moving pictures is not as simple as one would assume. I can honestly say the there are only two videos produced by amateur film makers that I have enjoyed and be impressed with. The remainder are either boring, badly filmed, have awful sound/commentary or, in my humble opinion, are simply rubbish.

So let's at least praise the two videos worth watching which have both been produced by Club member Russell Platten.

Friday 28th June 2013

WATER

Unfortunately, I missed Laura from The Environment Agency when she came early this morning (Thursday) to carry out tests and take samples of the water. But my tardy arrival did not deter her from leaving me the initial results of her tests. Thanks Laura.

With water being extracted, albeit slowly, and no top-up rain there is now a noticeable, but relatively insignificant, drop in the water level as far as the fishing is concerned.

The 17.1ºC water temperature is still very comfortable for the trout. At this time of year I would expect it to be at around 18ºC and in danger of rising above that.

The latest Air saturation percentage has caused some considerable confusion among the slackers who spent most of their time playing truant instead of applying themselves at school. This seems to pertain to virtually all the HFF members who are all so old that the highlight of Science at school in the middle of the last century was playing with blobs of mercury. As this has subsequently been proved to be a lethal substance, it goes some way to explain their current state. It also proves the importance of education at an early stage as, fifty or sixty years later, they are still blindly unaware of the science that supports the world around them. However, the saying that “a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing” is painfully illustrated by the ‘Wood Butcher’ who, on hearing the figure of 101.9% air saturation, quick as a flash, asked incredulously how you can have more than 100% of anything.

So, here goes. BUT if you do not need to know or couldn’t care less about Oxygen Saturation and Conductivity, please ignore the blue text below and move on to the next topic.

A simple example of how water can exceed 100% oxygen saturation is to imagine that the dissolved oxygen reading of a relatively stagnant lake at night is 9.65 mg/L when the temperature is 17°C. This corresponds to 100% air saturation. During the next day, the sun warms the water to 22°C where 8.22 mg/L represents the 100% air-saturated value. However, the temperature change has occurred rapidly enough to prevent the oxygen in the water from ‘escaping’ to the air because of non-ideal equilibration conditions. The lake still contains 9.65 mg/L of dissolved oxygen, but now the temperature is 22°C where 9.65 mg/L corresponds to 117% air-saturation ({9.65/8.22} x 100). If the lake had been equipped with an efficient aerator, the equilibration process would have been rapid and prevented the observation of readings greater than 100% during the temperature change.

Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical current and in water is affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids. Conductivity is useful as a general measure of water quality. Each body of water tends to have a relatively constant range of conductivity that, once established, can be used as a baseline for comparison with regular conductivity measurements. Significant changes in conductivity could then be an indicator that a discharge or some other source of pollution has entered the water. Conductivity is also affected by temperature: the warmer the water, the higher the conductivity. For this reason, conductivity is reported as conductivity at 25 degrees Celsius (25 C).

Now, before you assume that I am a right little know-all I must stress that, in my youth, all my academic achievements (of which there were few) involved the arts and not the sciences. Due to my lack of expertise in this field, I was obliged to select the simplest explanations from the plethora of incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo that can be found on the net. So in truth I am probably as bored and confused by these explanations as you are.

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SAD NEWS

On Tuesday at around 11am, one of the three goslings disappeared from the area of the car park where the family were wandering around contentedly eating the grass and depositing vast amounts of the results of their excellent digestive systems for the unfortunate anglers to tread in. We can only assume that it was taken by a fox, probably to feed its cubs as there was no sign of even a stray feather left behind. It is surprising that the parents did not make sufficient noise to attract someone’s attention, but no one saw or heard anything. So now there are only two.

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FISH DELIVERY

Robert, the manager of Hooke Springs Fishery, eventually delivered the latest consignment of rainbows. As it is about twenty years since he last came to Powdermill it is hardly surprising that he got seriously lost. The ensuing saga of the faulty phone and his attempts to contact us is too protracted a story to relate here. Suffice it to say that we have now found a way to answer the phone by putting it on ‘loudspeaker’.

So until it is mended or replaced, please bear in mind that, if you phone, you will be able to be heard by everyone in the room. No swearing, no ‘slagging’ anyone off and, above all, no Indiscretions of any kind unless you want everyone to hear about it and even have it published on our ‘Latest News’ web page. How will you know when it’s fixed and everything is back to normal? Easy; it will be when your conversation no longer sounds as if it is being conducted in a tin can which is doubling up as an echo chamber and you can hear the rude comments being made by listeners in the background.

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FISHING

With the delivery of a new consignment of fish yesterday and further deliveries arriving each week during July, the fishing should become easier than it has proved so far this week. The current trout population have undoubtedly become ‘wiser’ and spoiled for choice and seem to be more capable of distinguishing the real thing from the dry fly angler’s pathetic imitations.

Even the ‘lure men’ are finding that a full belly results in trout being even less inclined to snap at some unrecognisable monstrosity, let alone sum up the effort to chase it.

The latest batch of ‘new boys’ should make the fishing easier, but it’s surprising how quickly they learn. Although there are fewer mayfly to be seen they are still consistently appearing and with the amount of other fly-life around most anglers are still content to fish dries.

However, some anglers are equally happily using intermediate or even sinking lines with various sub-surface examples of the fly-tiers art dragging along behind them. And despite being scorned by the puritanical doctrinaires, they can catch fish while others struggle. For example, you should never knock young Mr Pilcher’s various Tadpole varieties or even my infamous Orange Fritz. Each to his own and everything has a place in the scheme of things at Powdermill – apart from the Booby which continues to be banned by the Bailiff. And rightly so!

Thursday 27th June 2013

PEACE RETURNS & PROSPECTS ARE GOOD

After the hiatus of Tuesdays competition between Sussex and Kent, tranquillity returns to the reservoir. With just a very gentle breeze and weak sunshine the reservoir is not only looking at its best, but for the time being is providing comfortable fishing from both bank and boat. Despite the perfect conditions few anglers were in evidence yesterday morning and not a single visitor had appeared by the time that I left at around 1pm. The fishing in the last few days has not been easy as the trout appear to be stuffed with a wide variety of insect life, particularly the ubiquitous mayfly.

A large number of rainbows were last stocked on 11th June and, with no new deliveries for two weeks, even the most recent introductions seem to have become reasonably well ‘educated’. Never fear; for those of us who are experiencing difficulty in tempting the current residents, I am pleased to announce that another large consignment will be arriving today. This consignment will restore stocks to their maximum level and should make it easier to find some fish which are neither wise nor full of food.

On the basis of the previous delivery, the newly introduced fish should start taking flies off the surface almost immediately. One assumes that they follow the example of others which have got used to feeding on the various creatures that are currently in abundance all over the reservoir.

The reservoir, both above and below the water, is certainly full of a wide variety of life, which from now on should make it interesting for those who want to “match the hatch”. Those still keen to use mayfly patters should still find enough of the real thing for some time yet. The Hobbies are still around which is a sure sign that there are plenty of mayfly to come. Most references to the Hobby suggesting that its primary quarry at Powdermill should be the huge number of dragonflies that abound at this time of year. However, I have yet to see one even attempt to take a dragonfly, whereas they can be readily observed taking the much smaller mayfly.

So as we approach the last few days of June and slip seamlessly into the start of yet another month, the prospects for July look to be very positive. Normally July heralds the start of the summer lull. But this year certainly does not conform to the norm. The reservoir level is only a couple of inches below the overflow, the water remains crystal clear, water temperature is still good for the fish, plant life is excellent, fly-life is abundant, wildlife is all around you and some Club members are even known to occasionally smile and be thankful for their lot!

Visitors always appreciate the beautiful surroundings that even the most miserable Club members are unable to ignore. So with the reservoir now looking its very best and the prospect of yet more good fishing ahead, why are there not more visitors coming to experience a day in paradise? Why not make the effort; we promise that you will not be disappointed.

Wednesday 26th June 2013

SUSSEX v KENT

Winston Churchill once stated that "Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential". Well, there was a distinct lack of ‘strength’ among the sixteen ageing participants in this year’s battle of the Counties between Sussex and Kent. Some even failed to make it to the end of the competition. There was even less indication of any form of intelligence, as the vast majority stuck to one method as they blindly hurled their dry flies as far as possible onto the apparent lifeless water. However, in fairness to the ‘old boys’, there was plenty of effort, but it was mainly misdirected and there was no chance of anyone showing any potential.

Winnie would probably have been heard to say that “Never in the history of Hastings Flyfishers have so many caught so little”.

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm”, is another of his sayings, but he clearly never imagined that there could be such a collection of failures who could so rapidly lose all enthusiasm and talk themselves out of any hope of success even before they had started.

In deference to my ageing colleagues I am not prepared to identify the appalling performance of individuals. Suffice it to say that the sixteen Club members caught a grand total of three fish. Yes, I did say THREE fish. Half way through the five-hour farce, a visiting angler came strolling along the dam on his way home with three fish - which he caught all on his own.

At the outset, as there was no organised allocation of ‘pegs’, there was a general stampede for favoured spots, well before the 2pm start. However, everyone pretended that they were not really bothered and tried to look as if they were just sauntering along the dam while trying to keep ahead of their rivals. Nevertheless, no sooner had each arrived at their chosen location, than they all immediately began franticly casting, on seeing their neighbours do so. Norman Harle, having beaten everyone else to the ‘hot spot’ between the Valve Tower and the overflow, promptly caught a fish which he was forced to return, as there was still some considerable time before the 2pm siren was due to be sounded.

So, eighty man-hours of fishing resulted in just three anglers recording one fish each. Some anglers actually hooked, played and lost fish. Martin Brignall almost landed two trout, but fortunately lost both close to the net where his wife, Sue, was waiting with net in hand. I say ‘fortunately’ because his miserable failures avoided a formal complaint being lodged by the Sussex team captain on the basis that his captures would have been ‘assisted’. Martin is not noted for his ability to multi-task and is obviously incapable of doing two things at once. Reg Kent apparently had a fish take his fly but failed to react, even after it tried a second time to hook itself and despite shouts of abuse from Keith Blundell, his fellow team mate who could not understand Reginald’s inactivity.

The entire afternoon seemed to continue in this vein, with your lethargic reporter being obliged to wander along the dam, taking the odd ‘snap’, without any real enthusiasm. Despite my general disbelief at having to observe the atrocious performance of each and every one of the contestants, I was obliged to pretend to lend a sympathetic ear to the general whining.

Much to everyone’s relief, 7pm finally arrived and, thanks to the generosity of KB, a few drinks were consumed while prizes were awarded to the undeserving. The Sussex team were the overall winners of the competition as all three fish fell to their team members. So, only five Sussex team members failed to catch a fish while the entire pathetic team representing Kent could not muster a single fish between them, despite being the outright favourites.

Thanks to Jack Russell having apparently developed some incurable disease (on realising that there was an entry fee) and withdrawing from the Kent team, your hard done by reporter, who was destined to make an appearance for Sussex, felt obliged to stand down in order to even up the numbers, on the pretext that he could then concentrate on photographing the contestants and report on their achievements. Regular readers of our latest news will have noticed that Club members are so vein that they insist on having lots of flattering photographs of themselves as well as glowing reports of their innumerable successes.

Well chaps, on this occasion you have all been nothing short of appalling. Even I would have struggled to produce such a diabolical performance.

The competition between HFF and the Eastbourne branch of the Fly Dressers Guild takes place on Saturday 6 July. I dread to think what mind numbing performance we will produce against such worthy opposition. Thank goodness that, on this occasion, I will be on holiday; far far away!

Tuesday 25th June 2013

SETTLED WEATHER

The wind continues to play its part in making fishing difficult from parts of the bank, but boats can always find sheltered spots. Mayfly continue to hatch and dry flies are still the favoured option. The forecast for this week is for settled, calmer weather. I was pleased to find that Monday morning started fine with not a breath of wind, making fishing conditions comfortable for both boat and bank anglers. this could turn out to be a good week to experience the excitement of the mayfly hatch.

Friday 21st June 2013

ANOTHER PHOTO SHOOT

Catherine and Andreas visited the reservoir on Wednesday evening to see what wildlife was about.

In Wednesday's news I stated "Even the two Hobbies flying high up in the treetops did not appear to be feeding on mayfly." How wrong I was.

Catherine says "I then spent a wonderful hour being rowed around the reservoir by my other half, snapping the two beautiful birds that were milling about (not particularly energetically, and always at the level of the treetops - on closer inspection of one of the attached photos, you can see why - hundreds of mayfly were hovering around above the canopy).

These are some of Catherine's photos taken on Wednesday evening.

Wednesday 19th June 2013

BETTER TIMES AHEAD?

Warmer weather and a calmer breeze made for comfortable fishing today (Tuesday), shame about the fish. "Why is that", I hear you ask.

Well now, everyone knows that I am not one to complain, but this morning I was obliged to leave the comfort of the ageing and somewhat decrepit armchair in the corner of the lodge, which is my 'location of choice'. This in itself is not entirely unusual, as I often have to wander aimlessly around the reservoir annoying anglers and then adding insult to injury by photographing them.

Don Burt

Jim Adams

However, on this occasion I was being forced to accompany someone, who had better remain nameless, on a foolhardy fishing expedition which eventually took us to virtually every corner of the reservoir. My only consolation was that because we were in the wheelie boat, complete with electric motor powered by a lorry-sized battery, I was not obliged to have to row for miles. Our search for a rising fish, or any fish for that matter prepared to actually consider the possibility of taking one of our dry flies soon seemed futile. Mayflies were appearing all day, but never in large numbers, and although fish were rising they were always where we had just been, where we were going, or everywhere but where we were at the time. Even the two Hobbies flying high up in the treetops did not appear to be feeding on mayfly.

Eventually, one suicidal rainbow took my Grey Wolf at around midday.

Dr Steven Stern

The afternoon was even more unproductive, but at about 5.30pm, as we decided to make for the shore, the breeze abated and mayflies began to appear in greater numbers. Rising fish became more prevalent and The Reverent Phil Streeter landed his second rainbow while fishing dries from a boat next to us. At this stage we were fishing in a spot recently vacated by a visiting angler who had had his six fish limit on dries. My somewhat demented boat partner, who had not had a touch all day, despite trying a vast array dries and even resorting to 'underwater' creatures such as the Daiwl Bach and mayfly nymph, was all for taking advantage of this increased activity. However, as by this stage we had both dismantled our rods, my pathetic cries of protest finally persuaded him to grudgingly end my misery. I suspect that we could well have turned our backs on what looked like being a cracking evening's sport. Tomorrow will tell when we take a peek at the returns book.

Plenty of Boats Were Out at the Reservoir

So, it was a day of mixed fortunes with at least one limit bag, but quite a few blanks being recorded by the time we left. What should have been an ideal day for dry fly fishermen proved to be difficult and sub-surface flies probably took more fish. Not everyone was even using floating lines which is sad as Mayfly Season should not really be about pulling flies blindly through the water. You can do this at any time during the rest of the year. But don't listen to me as, when it comes to fly fishing, I know next to nothing and can consistently prove it by failing to catch sufficient fish to placate my demanding family. However, I am renowned for cleverly avoiding having to clean even the small number of fish that I manage to land. In fact I am proud to reveal that I have not had to gut a single fish this year. What's the secret? Simple, persuade my boat partner, Alec Chisholm, to fillet all the fish that are destined for the smoker. Oops, I mentioned his name.

Visiting Anglers to Powdermill Reservoir

Sunday 16th June 2013

COMPETITION DATE CHANGE

EASTBOURNE FLYDRESSERS GUILD
The club competition against the Eastbourne branch of the Flydressers Guild which we announced as being on Saturday 29th June will now take place a week after on Saturday 6th July. We apologies to everyone for the inconvenience and hope that members who were due to fish in this competition are still available. Could participants please contact Vic Partridge to notify him of your availability.

Eastbourne Flydressers Visit Back In June 2011

Saturday 15th June 2013

BETTER WEATHER, HARDER FISHING?

Although Friday turned out to have the best weather of the week, it was still windy for most of the day. Some anglers had their limit but a few others blanked. The number of mayfly that could be seen varied considerably during the day, but where reasonable number were found, rising fish could be seen. Anglers were catching on mayfly nymphs as well as dries. There is no sign of an end to the hatch and we still expect mayflies to be in evidence during the whole of June.

Visitors at Powdermill Reservoir

Water conditions are perfect and fly-life is abundant. Fish stocks are greater than in past years and we have had many compliments concerning both the quality of the fish and their hard fighting abilities.

At midday the emerging mayflies were being harassed by a Hobby all along the west arm of the reservoir. It was catching most of them quite high up along the southern tree line. At one point two hobbies were observed.

East Arm - Powdermill Reservoir

There appear to be thousands of blue dragonflies around the reservoir but we did not observe the hobby feeding on any of these. At the farthest end of the east arm we observed hundreds of these damsel flies crammed together laying their eggs on a weed-bed no bigger than twelve square metres. The result was a spectacular swathe of vivid blue on top of the weed which was truly amazing, reminiscent of a bluebell wood.

The number of young birds that can be seen around the reservoir is particularly pleasing despite the usual predation.

If you can pick a day when the weather is sufficiently pleasant to want to go fishing, there is no doubt that you still have plenty of opportunity to enjoy our 'Mayfly Season'.

David Nichols

Friday 14th June 2013

THE FISHMONGER DOES IT AGAIN

A very happy angler, Barry 'The Fishmonger' Morgan with his 11lb rainbow, which he captured this week.

Barry is proudly modelling the outfit much favoured by discerning anglers and taken from the 'Kentish Country Bumpkin' range. Ever since Beau Brummell revolutionised the way men dress in the 19th century, New Romney in Kent has been synonymous with the sartorial - so much so, in fact, that Barry has developed his own Kentish style which he hopes will be adopted by the renowned tailors of Saville Row.

The trousers are the very latest in modern sophisticated attire and represent the ultimate fashion statement for the over sixties, combining style with 'country' practicality. The generous 'cut' allows for ease of movement and the patented 'Instant Zip' provides minimum delay for the incontinent.

Dual shape knee-pads are not only decorative but provide added support when crawling through the undergrowth. This is particularly beneficial for those of you awaiting knee replacement surgery, who will appreciate the additional padding. The differing pad shapes enable users to distinguish between their right and left legs, by reference to the comprehensive manual which can be provided with the trousers as an optional extra.

Both the over-shirt and the contrasting under-vest do not have collars in order to save material and thus help save the planet. These comfortable items have been designed to appear well worn and attractively unhygienic; commonly known in the trade as 'casual scruff'.

The outfit is rounded off with a elegant, pigeon fanciers style, flat cap made specially to colour co-ordinate with the trousers.

Glasses are by Specsavers. Users are able to regularly mislay them, as when you buy one, they get another one free. In the unlikely event of the sun ever shining these can be substituted with sunglasses which can also provided by Specsavers at extortionate prices. Well, you didn’t really think that the second one is actually ‘free’.

Unfortunately, your intrepid reporter was not on hand to take this photo, which is why Barry’s feet are missing. Bill Payne, who uses very expensive and sophisticated photographic equipment, either lacks the skill of your intrepid reporter/photographer or was too embarrassed to risk including the orange socks (I am not kidding). Had the shoes been shown, I understand that they were traditional lace-ups carefully selected from the British Red Cross Charity Shop, located at 42 High Street, New Romney - Tel. (01797) 367021. A wide range of used shoes always in stock.

Barry, what do you look like? Almost as ugly as the fish! But well done, old boy!

Wednesday 12th June 2013

A MIXED START TO THE WEEK

Some superb fish arrived this Tuesday from Bibury Fish farm. The weather still continues to play a major role in life at the reservoir. However, despite of the changeable conditions, Mayfly continue to appear daily and should continue to do so for the rest of this month. Virtually everyone is dry fly fishing and even those normally dedicated to other methods are being 'lured' into using dry-fly methods when confronted with rising fish all around them.

Bibury Fish Delivery

Bibury's Wonderful Trout

Fishing a dry can be exciting enough but when you can cast to a rising fish and see it take your fly it is the ultimate thrill. While waiting for this morning's fish delivery, the Bailiff decided to have a few casts (after all, it was only drizzling). I foolishly decided to leave the shelter of the lodge and accompany him in the hope of getting some good photos. Not many fish were rising, but he did manage to cast to rising fish which took his fly. The sequence of four photos illustrate how a proficient angler can easily release a fish (even with a barbed hook) without even touching the fish, let alone taking it out of the water. If only others who want to catch and release could do the same. Sadly, I have seen too many instances of fish which would have been far better off being bashed on the head than eventually returned, which is one reason why we do not allow visitors to catch and release.

Catch and Release - The Bailiff on the Dam

The second of our rowing boats has now been refurbished and returned to the reservoir where it is awaiting the fitting of new rowlocks before being returned to the water. Due to the unavailability of more practical transport, the boat came back on a somewhat unusual trailer.

The Second Boat Being Refurbished High quality photos can be viewed and downloaded from Flickr. Click Here to follow the link.

The Geese Are Growing

Lee Partridge Finds a Long Snake Skin

Anglers arriving in the car park are now regularly having to avoid the family of geese, now that Sodom and Gomorrah are allowed to take the youngsters out for a stroll. They will shy away from anglers and are not aggressive so those of a nervous disposition need not worry.