Work Parties and Fish Refuges

April 2026

Hello All,

First of all a very big thank you for all the work today.  After a slow start to the volunteer list we ended up with an excellent attendance of 23 allowing all the day’s planned work to get completed. All the gabion cages on the top pond have been re-sited to the centre of the pond.  The customary straw sausage is in place to help control of algae growth. Additionally 2 tanks are now fitted up allowing us to make our only barley straw extract. This can be quickly applied to the pond should it be needed as an immediate response to any algal blooms that do occur.

The silt collection barriers from the top pond have been reworked and should perform more effectively in flood conditions. Pegs have been dragged to remove any obstructions

Much of the earth dug out by the badgers on the central track has been bagged up and transferred down to the bottom pond as we continue efforts to reduce any leaks and maintain the water level and the back corner of the bottom pond has been opened up more with the removal of some low hanging branches from a big sycamore down there.

Stakes are in place to number the bottom pegs so they are more easily identified.

Some further planting at the water’s edge has taken place.

The results of all this together with a general tidy up  of the paths around the ponds and  removal of any low hanging branches that may hinder casting have left the ponds looking really good.

Well that’s just a little feel for the work done today. Now here’s the rub…

We still have work to do and this is a reminder our next workparty is Saturday May 2nd. I have a few names to date, which I have listed. Sorry if I’ve missed anyone out who have also said they would come. If you expected to be on the list or hadn’t said you were planning to come just let me know. It would be good to get another good attendance. 

Steve

May 2025

3rd May W/Party Feedback – Thanks for the great turnout at the weekend workparty, the excellent work done and also at the earlier April event.  The ponds are now ready for the opening date of 15th May. Given the recent warmer weather let’s hope the fish will respond with a bumper start. Don’t forget to record your catches so we can monitor progress.

One or two things to note – 

• Please remember the gabions cages in both ponds. One or two of these have been reset and/or moved position. They are all marked with small yellow or white buoys so please give them a suitably wide berth to avoid being caught up in them.
• The equipment lockers have been cleaned out and lifted off the ground. Where possible stored equipment has been labelled with owner’s name and membership number. If you have equipment in the lockers please ensure it is labelled with your name and number using the available markers and tape.
• In one box there is an old green fibre glass rod that has seen better days. Unless it is claimed I would like to remove it. Please contact if it is yours. 

October 2024

Hello all, we just wanted to provide you with an update of work that has been undertaken at the ponds during October 2024. Firstly, a big thankyou to the dirty dozen (they didn’t arrive that way!) who made it to the work party on a filthy day.  Matt Rumpel was there as usual to do a great job of strimming around the site.

Some repair work was finished on peg12 to make it safe, replacing a couple of decayed timber lengths. Additionally much of the time was spent building fish refuges which are intended for both ponds once next week’s match is out of the way and before stocking takes place. 

Following on from this, the refuges have now been installed. Please take note there are a number of fish refuges in the top pond. All have been marked with a small yellow polysterene buoy and a number are sited in shallow water either side of fishing pegs. Hopefully they will attract fish to the area and provide a safe area from predators. Naturally anglers will be hoping to benefit from that but please allow sufficient room to avoid getting caught up on them. Each of the refuges are  roughly a metre cube size.

For the time being only one has been placed in the bottom pond. When time permits more will be added down there.

I’ve had 2 or 3  recent reports of a cormorant or goosander visiting the ponds. Please make sure you let me know or record in the catch book if you see anything.