Bank Fly Fishing For Reservoir Trout - A New Dawn - Part One. It can be argued that reservoir bank fly fishing for trout has long since reached a peak and has sadly been in a steady decline in terms of the numbers of bank anglers taking part for many years.

It is certainly true that the attendance on the banks of the big four Anglian Water Reservoirs is no longer near the same level or scale as previously. When Grafham was at its peak it was not uncommon for the limit of 400 x bank fishing day tickets to be sold of a day and then numbers of unfortunate anglers had to be turned away when that days allocation of 400 x tickets had been reached. Typically on any given day at Grafham in recent seasons, now a mere 20 - 30 anglers on a very busy day seems to be the going number. That is nothing short of a massive crash in numbers.

At Pitsford it was not uncommon to turn up at 07:30am on a cold and frosty late April Sunday morning to find at least 20 - 40 anglers standing shoulder to shoulder from Rigsbys Point to Holly Tree Bank and then all along the famous Sermons Bank to The Gravels. This is in the days before the track that encircles all of Pitsfords "Big Half" had been built, so all of those anglers had taken significantly long walks to get to those bank side spots along Pitsfords South Shore. In recent years, once the initial early season rush of anglers is over, many day ticket folks never to be seen again it has to be said, there is left a very small hard core number of regular anglers giving miles of available empty bank fishing.

Though this is great if you like to spend time alone on the bank side it is a little worrying when put in the context of "a viable business concern". Ultimately a loss making venture is not sustainable, it is never guaranteed that all the countries trout fisheries will reopen next season. For example Draycote was closed for a number of years by Severn Trent Water. This was newsworthy enough as it certainly invoked Anglers' fury over closure of Draycote Water fishery. It only became one of the Places To Go after it reopened again for the start of the season last year in 2011, when running the fishery was tendered out to a third party company called Fishery Management UK Ltd to run it as a trout fishery for Severn Trent Water.

Both Ravensthorpe and Rutland have been run by third parties in years past. In Ravensthorpes case it was run by Edward Foster and at Rutland by Roger Thom, both venues for several seasons. So leasing out a substantial sized reservoir is a well trodden path in trout fishery management.

So the really big question is how to get a new and sustainable influx of fresh anglers into the sport to both bolster revenues and avert the truly terrible notion of loosing the fantastic fly fishing for trout facilities at Pitsford, Grafham, Ravensthorpe and Rutland we all need and enjoy?

The intention of this piece is to flag up several ideas that if grasped have genuine revenue earning potential that can be easy big winners for all concerned. These would include Anglian Water who provide these waters, the new anglers brought into the fantastic sport of fly fishing and of course those who already enjoy, and wish to continue enjoying the sublime art and beauty of fly fishing for trout. Let's not forget also all of those many small local businesses such as B&Bs, shops, garages and the like who benefit from the ancillary trade that happens from the numbers of people drawn to these four major reservoirs.

Youth Fly Fishing Day

One recent outstanding example of trying to bring fresh blood into the sport can be seen from the excellent Rutland Water Fly Fishers who after their first very successful inaugural day last year in 2011, have continued this as an annual Rutland Youth Fly Fishing Day - Rutland Water into the new season in 2012.

It would be fantastic if the local clubs connected to Grafham such as Grafham Water Fly Fishers Association, or for Pitsford and Ravensthorpe Mid Northants Trout Fishers Association can pick up and take from this example and have their own equivalent Youth Fly Fishing Day on their respective venues. It would seem obvious that this would be something Anglian Water could do a lot to foster and promote.

1. Extend the Youth Fly Fishing Day from Rutland to the other three reservoirs.

So in no particular order of preference here are a few suggestions which have huge potential that in my humble opinion warrant some justified consideration by anglers, the public and Anglian Water.

Some of the ideas and suggestions here may seem very controversial to some and to others basic, glaringly obvious and possibly quite trivial. It is my hope from these acorns that follow, for each to receive genuine constructive criticism so that they can grow, and take flower for the benefit of all the water users and not be restricted to just the bank trout anglers.

Though most of the focus below is mainly directed at Pitsford Water, many of these following suggestions are just as applicable for all of the Anglian Water reservoirs.

Boat Fishing

Boat fishing has for a long time been the major revenue earner nowadays on all the venues. Unfortunately some boat fishers ruin the bank angling fishing by both anchoring, drifting and motoring within a few yards of the shoreline regardless of any disruption they may cause to other boat or bank anglers.

Currently the existing rule is that no boat may encroach closer than 50 x metres to any bank angler. This rule is WRONG as it allows boat anglers to motor up a few yards out from the bank ruining any potential bank side fishing for anglers unfortunate to turn up just after this has happened. It is not uncommon to be walking to a bank side spot only to have one or more boats plough through the intended fishing area at full throttle. This is particularly prevalent at bank side "points". This is a selfish and stupid behaviour and an indicator of other broader negative issues in the wider general society of a lack of consideration for other people.

Practising for, or actually taking part in a boat competition is no excuse for ruining other peoples enjoyment. Plenty of photos of this selfish behaviour similar to this boat positioned less than ten yards out from the dam wall at Grafham can easily be provided.

This boat rule needs changing so that boats are not allowed within 50 x metres of the bank regardless of any bank anglers being there. Often bank anglers simply cannot approach an area as there are one or more boats so close into the bank the fishing is ruined for extended periods.

1. Change the 50 x metres exclusion rule for the boats to the whole shoreline not just 50 x metres away from bank anglers.

Club Match Discounts

There are still many Fly Fishing Clubs scattered throughout the UK. Some encouragement is needed to get them to have Pitsford as a regular fixture in their match calendar each year. Regardless of these clubs having a club bank or boat based competition a discount could be offered if they prepay for day tickets, boat tickets and for preallocated boat numbers. Perhaps even a further discount could be offered if they want a mid week booking as opposed to a weekend booking. Obviously a minimum number of anglers would need to be decided to justify this - possibly as low as ten anglers?

If a full welcome pack was provided to facilitate and make the organisation of these Fishing Club outings much easier it would be a huge bonus. For example if could contain say the fishery rules, a prepared logging sheet for capturing the anglers details and the weight-in results, a fishery map and any other relevant details that would benefit the enjoyment of the day out for all the participants.

Engaging local pubs who could provide lunch time meals - possibly discounted due to the numbers of anglers involved - could be added into the days offering as a standard fare.

Once a full welcome pack for Fishing Club visitors was created it could also be offered to the many day ticket anglers who visit and take up the three day fishing holiday package option.

1. Offer discounts for prepaying Fishing Club bulk bookings.
2. Create a welcome pack for those anglers taking part from a prepaid Fishing Club bulk booking.

Cormorants

Once Pitsford could claim to have huge shoals of coarse fish such that the netting of these was a great and easy revenue earner for Anglian Water. It was possible to wade out in well known parts of the "Little Half" in May and June amongst huge 3lb - 4lb roach, rudd and hybrids that were so intent on spawning they would totally ignore you as they swam around your legs. Those days are sadly long gone. It is no coincidence that this decline in coarse fish stocks marries up to the arrival of the permanent cormorant flock that has taken up residence at Pitsford for many years.

Cormorants are an apex predator that will relentlessly consume fish including eels from a few mere ounces up to over 3lb 8oz in weight every day of the year. They also inflict severe damage to fish much larger in size by attacking with their formidable beaks. This cormorant damaged 5lb 15oz Rainbow Trout is proof of the damage they do. Doubtless there are many more, both trout and coarse fish, that die unseen due to the injuries they have received from cormorants.

A polarisation of coarse fish stocks is taking place. Anything up to 3lb 8oz gets eaten, any fish stocks larger than 4lb decreases in numbers due to mortality and combined with old age this leaves a very small dwindling number of spawning capable fish. This in turn leads to an ever decreasing number of fry spawned each year. It is a very sad spiral of decline in coarse fish stocks inflicted by the cormorant. Once the waterway is stripped of prey they just move on far and wide, leaving their inflicted damage to the aquatic ecosystem done. They only remain at waters stocked with trout as it is an easily catchable protein rich food source for them. Each time the stocking lorry turns up at the reservoir it is like sounding the equivalent of a dinner gong for the cormorant!

A much more sane and robust management of Cormorants is needed. There is always hope that the damage they have done can be reversed but it will be a long, long haul to stop this terminal decline of coarse fish stocks. I strongly recommend that you support the Angling Trust in all their endeavours to resist and fight this plague of black death throughout the UK's waterways at Cormorant Watch.

1. Cull and reduce the huge number of cormorants on the UK's waterways.

Discounted Day Tickets For Youth

Learning to fly fish is not easy, there are a lot of skills to learn and it takes quite some practice, to offer some encouragement when learning whilst young perhaps there could be some more extensions to further the day ticket options aimed at families and the under 18's who are able to present a valid current Environment Agency Rod License.

1. A Quarter Price 2 x Fish Limit Day Ticket For The Under 18's.
2. A Half Price Sporting Day Ticket For The Under 18's.
3. Both a Morning or Afternoon Sporting Ticket Option For The Under 18's.

I would imagine there are several other ticket options that could be offered based upon this simple premise of discounting for youth.

1. Extend the day ticketing options for youth

Part Two

This is Part One of a sequence of posts under the Bank Fly Fishing For Reservoir Trout - A New Dawn banner. Expect to see at least a further three parts to this piece.

Check back here often to see the next instalment or better still subscribe to notifications to get an automatic update when the next part is added

Bank Fly Fishing For Reservoir Trout - A New Dawn - Part Two
The next instalment in this sequence of ideas: Bank Fly Fishing For Reservoir Trout - A New Dawn - Part Two.

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