[Bury St Austins Fishery - Rudgwick, Surrey]

Not sure I'd describe Morden as lovely anymore! I moved out 2 years ago to the definitely lovely

West Sussex countryside.

I should change my forum name to RudgewickMike (assuming its possible)

[Bury St Austins Fishery - Rudgwick, Surrey]

Dan

Not sure if this is going to be much use, but I live in Rudgwick and have wandered round it a couple of times but never fished it.It is controlled by Carshalton Distict Angling Assoc. and consists of 2 lakes, the smallest is less than an acre and I think gets match fished a bit but looks like a pretty decent lake to teach someone on. The larger lake is 2 acres (maybe) and looks quite inviting and last time I was there saw some decent fish moving around (carp?)

Doubt if this helps much (!) but let us know how you get on as I may join the club as its very local.

 

Mike

[Pike fishing dusk]

Lovely pics

and yet people still ask us why do we go fishing?

[Zander around London]

Yep definitely some to be found in the Thames, around teddington lock in the cut (had a tiddler of about a 1lb on maggot a coupla

seasons ago!) and rumours of them in the tidal section as well. Not much left of the season though so good luck

 

Mike

[Christmas Stockings]

Well done the EA!

Always good to see where some of the licence money goes.

[collectors?]

Maggots .

Built my self up a nice collction in the garage as well as boot of the car, its taken me a few years but its

been worth the effort (my wife is especially proud) but this year i'm branching out in to trout pellets with my speciality being ones with a tinge of mould.

Any offers ?

[Wildlife]

Fishing the River Mole last winter I saw 2 kingfishers locked beak to beak having a right

old fight dunking each other in the river ! Fortunately after a couple of minutes one of

them let go, so no fatalities. Even after 30 odd years of fishing I never tire of seeing that

fabulous flash of blue as a kingfishers skims by.

[First Ever Fish]

A bootlace eel about 8 inches long , back in the days when the rivers were full of 'em.

its funny but considering how much I love fishing I can't remember what year it was ! I reckon about 1973/74 (probably why I can't remember) from that point on I was as deeply hooked as that unfortunate little eel.

[Responibility of Fisheries.]

I have had my licence checked by the EA 3 times since June each time at the same fishery (BuryHill) out

of about 10 visits , which would seem to bear out AT's claim. Although I think this may be down to pure

convenience on their (the EA's) part.

I agree Ferg that the fisheries should be able to sell licences and but also the EA bailifs should be able to sell

them on the banks. I reckon it would be a lot easier than chasing the non licence holders through the courts

(assuming you can get them there) for a small fine.

[Mitchell Match]

Here's mine

 

Does need some cosmetic work too... Needs the same cosmetic work in terms of paint coming off... Never did get round to using her...

 

It's yours if you want it and you pay the P+P..

 

BTW it's traditional to offer Ferret 50p for anything he's selling

 

Thanks MrMathew but I've put in an offer for Ferret's match, although he would'nt except 50p !

[Mitchell Match]

I have a blue 440a, needs a good service(seems to be sticking a bit) but in very nice usable condition.

Can post a picture if you need it.

 

Make me an offer.

 

I'm interested (won't be £113 though !) , a photo would be nice

 

cheers Mike

[Your favorite species?]

In the summer Tench, for the winter anything I can catch on a float in a river.

[Mitchell Match]

The earlier mitchell post got me all wistful (must be my age as I bought a centrepin earlier this year !).

I had a Match (in blue) for over twenty years, but it got nicked. It was bought in about 1977 or 78 which I

think made it one of the orignal 'proper' (ie French ?) ones.I have read that the later production models were not as good, which leads me to a couple od questions : how do you tell the good early models?

and does anybody on here fancy selling me one ? or know of a reliable source.

I intend to use it so doesn't have to be mint and I know its a bit of a nostalgia trip but I've yet to use a better reel.

 

Mike

[Rod Licence checks]

A) 34

 

40

 

C) 1 per year ave. (but twice this season )

[rod license huh 24 quid for 5 months?]

How about a 9month licence for those of us that keep the old closed season

 

You got my vote !

[Poll, would you eat coarse fish?]

While on a moter bikeing holiday in the Arden Belgium a couple of weeks ago, I managed a couple hours fishing on a river, caught a half dozen barble, kept one for the BB back at base camp that evening, very tasty but full of those terrible little bones in the flesh like pike have.

 

You ate a barbel ? oh good god, what have you done ? I'll have to call the Police...

[Fishing widows]

in all fairness to my lovely wife (just in case she reads this!) she is very tolerant and understanding

about my fishing addiction/affliction but for some reason she just doesn't get excited by my tales

of my days fishing, her eyes just glaze over and she falls asleep (perhaps I should get her a carp rod !!)

But she never minds providing I at least cook dinner the night before.

[Fishing widows]

speaking will only end up with arguments take my word ,when asked to your thoughts the words "mind your own business woman its mans thoughts ,go and make tea" would have stopped it before any ill feeling could have raised its ugly head

 

Thanks for that piece of advice Chester1.....I now need to change my shirt and put cream on my

second degree burns !

[Fishing widows]

After a long and only moderate days fishing I was seated in our lounge with my dear wife when the conversation turned as it often does to the more important matters that affect our life at the moment. Our only son is due to go to university in a few weeks time and we are also contemplating moving house and area later this year. In a momentary pause in the conversation I was asked whilst gazing (apparently) in deep thought through the lounge window “what are you thinking about?” my wife asked, assuming I was considering our lives impending changes. I replied “ I’m not sure whether to hair rig pellets or use a bait band”. There was what I can only describe as a disappointed sigh followed by a muttered obscenity!

So, do the rest of you have understanding partners or do they think you’ll grow out of it some day ?

 

Mike

 

(Ps which is the best ? bait band or hair rig ?)

[Keepnets (Unity)]

Newt as a pleasure angler (aren't we all ?) that occasionally uses a keepnet I don't use it so I can 'admire'

my catch at the end of the session, it is so I can build up a bag of fish. I have noticed as I'm sure others have that some fish (roach, chub) in smaller rivers can be easily spooked by returning fish immediately

to the swim. As said I use one infequently and the fish are never lifted from the water but allowed to swim

out by lifting the net from the bottom. I do have concerns however over the treatment of the fish during

weighing in at matches where fish are tipped/tumbled from net to net.

 

mike

[Defra cuts]

I couldn't agree more Gozzer

[Should we be paying 4 the privilege?]

I don't personally see how anybody can fish with 4 rods effectively or safely regardless of how many licences they need/have (but I guess thats for another topic!). But I would still like to know what the alternative to a rod licence is ?

It seems a lot of people are skeptical about the use of the licence money but even if they use as little

as some people think for the anglers benefit, its still got to be better than none.

[Should we be paying 4 the privilege?]

Been an excellent topic this , but at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious the alternative

to having a licence is to NOT have a licence, In which case on those (few) public waters , some of

which I fish, who would control them in regards to water quality,fish stocks etc. Also would that

mean an end to minimum rods per angler ? I can see those speci boys turning up with 8 rods !

 

just for the record i've had my licence checked twice within 10 days , an all time record for me !

[Should we be paying 4 the privilege?]

As has been said before its only anglers , as far as I know, that actually care about whats IN the water.

The other groups of water users (boaters, canoists , dog walkers, ramblers et al) probably only care

that there actually is water and with a few fluffy ducks bobbing about on top to make it look pretty.

This is why that providing a good chunk of the money goes towards maintaining the water quality

and fish stocks, I don't mind paying for a licence regardless of the type of fish and fishing it helps

to maintain/preserve.

[Should we be paying 4 the privilege?]

Yep I have no problem what so ever in paying £25 for a licence (probably be cheaper if

there wern't so many tight ar**ed dodgers about as well!)