12.12.05
BRACKNELL POND WINS TWO NATIONAL AWARDS
The team behind a project to restore a Bracknell pond is celebrating a double success after winning two prestigious national awards. Fish had been dying in the dirty, silted waters of the Mill Pond, off Wildridings Road, but, over the last two years, the pond has been relandscaped in a £175,000 scheme designed to
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08.12.05
PULBOROUGH AA IMPROVES ITS GOOSE GREEN FISHERY
Six of the Pulborough Angling Society's 12 lakes are situated at their Goose Green complex near Ashington, West Sussex. The Goose Green fishery is being improved and enlarged and when the planned work is completed, it is anticipated that the water available for fishing will be at least double it's current volume
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08.12.05
EA STANDS BY SOLUTION TO LONDON'S SEWAGE PROBLEM
Following Ofwat’s call for further investigative work into a solution to tackle sewage overflows into the River Thames, the Environment Agency has raised concerns about further delays in implementing a solution. The EA still believes that the only long term, viable, and cost effective solution is the 35km tunnel
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01.12.05
FISHING MAGIC NEWS
Police officer and regular FISHINGmagic contributor Mark Hodson is back with the second part of his essential feature on security where you and your fishing tackle are concerned. Mark tells us how best to deter thieves by personalising your tackle
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The team behind a project to restore a Bracknell pond is celebrating a double success after winning two prestigious national awards. Fish had been dying in the dirty, silted waters of the Mill Pond, off Wildridings Road, but, over the last two years, the pond has been relandscaped in a £175,000 scheme designed to encourage wildlife, improve the angling facilities and make Bracknell Mill Park a better place for the local community.

Now the work has been recognised at the Green Apple Environment Awards, winning the national runner-up title in the Utilities category, and by the Institute of Fisheries Management [IFM], receiving the Good Fisheries Management Award for 2005.

The project was carried out by a partnership including Thames Water, the Environment Agency, Bracknell Town Council and the local fishing club the Bracknell Herons. The work started with silt being dredged to the sides of the pond to create ledges where native wetland plants now thrive. New reed beds have been planted to improve the quality of the water and to provide cover, food and spawning areas to help increase fishing stocks for the future. Anglers can now cast off from any one of 25 fishing platforms and walkers can stroll along the new wheelchair-friendly circular path that encompasses the pond.

The Bracknell Town Council Clerk, Barbara Rumbold, said:
"The pond was in danger of becoming an unpleasant, muddy mess so our local residents really appreciate the work that has taken place to regenerate this central feature of Mill Park."

Martin Wagner, Thames Water's Senior Environmentalist, said:
"Reeds are one of nature's water-purifiers and help to filter out unwanted pollutants. With 25,000 new reed plants in place, we should now see the sparkle return to the waters of the Mill Pond and hope that pairs of reed warblers come to nest and breed in Bracknell."

The Bracknell Herons fishing club has another reason to celebrate, as they stand to benefit from the £1,000 prize that accompanies the IFM award.

John Sutton, Fisheries and Biodiversity Team Leader for the Environment Agency, said:
"The partners involved in the project have decided that the prize money will help pay for further environmental improvements such as stocking the pond with fish and for a trophy to be awarded annually to Bracknell's best junior angler."

Mike Codd, from the Bracknell Herons, said:
"With the new fishing platforms and cleaner waters, Bracknell Mill Pond is now a very pleasant place to come and fish. We are delighted the prize money from the fishing award will go towards boosting the levels of roach and bream in the water and, with many promising young anglers in our club, the competition for our new trophy couldn't be tighter!"

Source: The Environment Agency - December 2005. Contact: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Six of the Pulborough Angling Society's 12 lakes are situated at their Goose Green complex near Ashington, West Sussex. These lakes vary in size and depth and also offer superb pleasure and match fishing in an unspoilt woodland environment. The lakes contain Carp, Tench, Roach, Rudd, Bream, Perch, Crucian Carp, Hybrids and Eels.

The Goose Green fishery is being improved and enlarged and when the planned work is completed, it is anticipated that the water available for fishing will be at least double it's current volume.

So what has actually be going on down in West Sussex at Goose Green Fishery. Fish South East decided to find out

The expansion of Goose green began way back in March 2005. The following plans show how Goose Green looked back in March 2005 [A] and how it will look when the work is finished [B].

The following describes in detail what work has already taken place and what is still to come.

Phase 1: Lake 3 - 2005/2006
* Pump down lake 3 and remove fish, fish to be relocated in the other lakes on site
* completely pump out Lake 3
* leave pumped out lake to dry out through the summer
* de-silt Lake 3
* split lake 3 into two, create a dam between pegs 20 and the spit of land on the car park bank
* dig out from the newly created dam to the Tench Pond path, this will become Lake 4
* allow to refill with water, plant trees and aquatic plants
* re-stock the lakes

Phase 2: Lake 2 and Hidden Pond - 2006/2007
* Pump down Lake 2 & Hidden Pond and remove fish, fish to be relocated in the other lakes on site
* completely pump out Lake 2 & Hidden Pond
* leave pumped out lakes to dry out through the summer
* de-silt

Phase 3: Deep Lake & New Pond - 2007/2008
* Pump down Deep Lake & New Pond and remove fish, fish to be relocated in the other lakes on site
* completely pump out Deep Lake & New Pond
* leave pumped out lakes to dry out through the summer
* de-silt

The expansion of Goose green Fishery is truly a huge undertaking judging by the work that has already taken place and by the proposed work yet to come. Congratulations to Pulborough Angling Society for all their hard work and effort in turing Goose Green into a quality venue for their members and future members to enjoy for many years to come.

The following pictures show Lake 3 at various stages of its development.

For more information on Pulborough Angling Society in general or the Goose Green development in Particular, visit their website at www.pulboroughas.com/index.html

Following Ofwat’s call for further investigative work into a solution to tackle sewage overflows into the River Thames, the Environment Agency has raised concerns about further delays in implementing a solution. The Environment Agency still believes that the only long term, viable, and cost effective solution is the 35km tunnel. The alternative options suggested in the Ofwat review have already been investigated and rejected by the Thames Tideway Strategic Study group on the grounds that they are not cost effective, and will not provide a sustainable solution for London.

Robert Runcie, Environment Agency Thames regional director said:

"The construction of a tunnel to intercept, transfer and treat sewage from the overflows is the only realistic way forward to deliver 21st century standards for a healthy and vibrant river. The Thames is the only river in the UK where rowers and scullers are forced to paddle through raw sewage. We will continue to press the case for a solution which is urgently needed and widely supported."

The Thames Tideway Strategic Study Steering Group, which includes the Environment Agency, Ofwat, Defra, Greater London Authority and Thames Water will be meeting to discuss the findings of the reports next week.

Source: The Environment Agency - December 2005. Contact: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Police officer and regular FISHINGmagic contributor Mark Hodson is back with the second part of his essential feature on security where you and your fishing tackle are concerned. Mark tells us how best to deter thieves by personalising your tackle with badges and even a simple marker pen. He also offers some great tips on securing your car and the best way to protect yourself from attackers. It's a must read, especially for those who live in or close to high crime rate areas and have lots of fishing tackle that could be vulnerable.

Ever used a multiplier reel? If so, then you'll know that casting with them is not the easiest thing to do. Unlike most other types of reel a multiplier takes some mastering, and even when you think you've got it beat, out spews another 'bird's nest' to be either untangled or cut off. Kevin Perkins, in his latest Alternative Angler column, describes multiplier reels quite succinctly: "To use a multiplier is to embark on one of life's great love/hate relationships; the nearest parallel I can draw is that of owning an Italian car. When they are good, both pieces of machinery are brilliant, and you want to marry them and have their babies, such is the sense of euphoria they can bestow upon you. When they are bad, which in my experience is more often that not, then I am afraid that they both become *** ********, ***** ***** *******s, and there is no middle ground in between!
Trust Kevin to put things into perspective!

Nitepalm FieldLamp: Bivvying up for one or more night's fishing is no longer the simple thing it used to be. It isn't enough these days to erect a shelter and stick a bedchair in it to have a kip on in between bites. Oh no, there are loads of accessories now to make that night on the bank more comfortable and bearable when those indicators are not moving. One of them is a good bivvy lamp so you can have a low light for most of the night so that when the bite alarm wakes you it's easy to find your way to the rod, and with this new lamp from Nitepalm there are five settings to choose from, up to a very bright one that is a wide beamed torch.

Ribble Barbel Record: The barbel record for the Ribble has been broken with a magnificent fish of 15lb 8oz. We have a great picture of it in the Gallery.

Mr Angry: Bob Roberts, aka Mr Angry, is back with more criticisms about the way barbel are handled and the code of practice as documented by the Barbel Society. We don't know if it's what he says or the way he tells 'em, but his comments are not going down too well with some! Read the article and take a look at the forum threads.

User Review Makeover: The nip and tuck to the User Review system has brought some great praise. You like the way it all gels together to give you a complete guide to buying tackle and bait. Click your way over and take a look. Bet you'll like it! And while you're there write a few reviews about your own gear and help to swell the database of this great resource.

Source: Fishingmagic.com - November 2005.
For more on all these articles visit Fishingmagic.com