Angling at Compton Verney – 2014/15 season

There’s a small community of anglers at Compton Verney who fish all year through but for a rest period from the middle of March to the middle of June. Regulated by a membership, the angling helps to keep a tradition alive that stretches back in one form or another to at least the seventeenth century. Fish caught previously include Common, Mirror and Ghost Carp, Bream, Tench, Roach, Pike, Perch and Gudgeon. What follows is a condensed version of a bulletin that is shared amongst our anglers for interest and update:

Membership

The 2014/15 season will begin on 16 June and run to 16 March 2015

After opening up two seasons ago to boost membership numbers, we have decided to close membership once again. Keeping the membership at present levels will help us to protect the developing environment, thus preserving the atmosphere for all at Compton Verney.
If you’re aware of any potential anglers who would like to join, but as yet haven’t; there is still time before membership closes to new members from June 1st 2014. All current anglers are of course eligible to re-join as usual.

Angling Members Gathering 

Wed 28 May 2014, anytime between 5.30pm and 7.30pm

This year’s meeting will adopt a more informal approach, using the timber visitor lodge building in the main car park, and a small gazebo on the lakeside.

This new format will make it easier for those who simply wish to renew membership. But please do stay a little longer and catch up with fellow anglers and the Grounds Team who will be at the gazebo during this period.

Staff will be available in the lodge to process renewals between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

Night Fishing

Sat 23 August – Sun 24 August

This season a night fishing event is being arranged in association with angling member Trevor Matthews. Final details have yet to be arranged, but please contact Trevor to register your interest in the first instance on 07952 960485.

Fish

In February we introduced some tench to the upper lake. Although this is against our longer term plan to crop fish, we felt that on the whole adding some new stock wouldn’t deter the overall plan. The newly introduced stock, a hundred tench, were selected for their breeding potential and were reared by our regular consultant Andrew Ellis.

Maintenance

The Grounds Team have been busy during the closed period carrying out shrubbery regeneration to sections of the Ice House Coppice. Although a little bare at present, it is expected that the shrubs will bounce back, creating more of a dense feature in future. Planting in the gaps will feature native plants in many cases, with a view to increasing its attraction to wildlife.

We’re looking forward to seeing the anglers return next month, and judging by the fish activity across the lake, we would hope for a good start to the angling season.