BFFA February 2016 Competition at Newhouse Fishery

Wednesday 24 February saw a small group of six members gather at Newhouse Fishery for the monthly competition.  The weather forecast was giving a frosty start and some sunshine but in the event there was no frost and a few drops of rain dimpled the surface of the lakes as we were tackling up.  A cool north easterly breeze blew down the lake and raised a small ripple.  The late winter sunshine was warming in any sheltered spot, though.

The competition began at ten o'clock  and PeterM was into a rainbow on virtually his first cast.  Sadly it slipped the hook as it neared the net.  A short time later three of us were into fish simultaneously with David's being by far the biggest at 5lb.

Several members had their bag limit - 3 trout - by lunchtime and the results at the 3pm weigh-in are below:

1) David, three trout for 10lb 2oz including one of 5lb, the best fish of the day.
2) PeterP aka *Pedro (Rooster) - see below*, three trout for 6lbs exactly.
3) TonyH, three trout for 5lb 13oz.
4) PeterM, three trout for 5lb 9oz.
5) Pat, one trout for 2lbs exactly.
6) TonyV, nil return.

So David gets both the bottle of wine at the next meeting and the £6.00 in the Sweep. He also gets a further bottle of wine from the nice lady at Newhouse the next time he goes. She was quite disappointed not to be able to present it this afternoon.

*Pedro (Rooster)* refers to Peter's very recent trip to Costa Rica where he boated a superb Roosterfish and an equally superb sailfish. Fantastic fishing!

Peter's Sailfish - Costa Rica

And Peter's Roosterfish

Pat tackling up at the hut

PeterM waiting for the start

David into his first and winning 5lb fish

PeterP (top left) lands his first trout

Pat prepares to net David's five pounder

A very pleased David holding his five pounder - also his personal best

TonyH fishing the channel by the island

David landing trout number three

David's bag limit of three fine rainbows

TonyV casting from the end of the wooden jetty

Looking down the valley

Newhouse fishery

BFFA Visit to Milemead Fishery on Saturday 20 February 2016

In 2015 I spoke with Paul Evenden of Milemead Fisheries about the BFFA visiting the fish farm to see where the stocked trout in Burrator came from.  He and his brother Andrew had been at Milemead from the mid eighties and had gradually expanded the trout side of the business along with a very successful coarse fishery.  Paul & I arranged a day for the visit - 20 February 2016 - which turned out to be a wet and dreary day.   Seven BFFA members met at the fishery  and my wife, Sue, also came along.  Sue & I had owned a small trout farm - Woodley - less than a mile away from Milemead in the eighties and some of our equipment went to Milemead.  Indeed, Paul said to us that we might recognise a delivery tank that was beside one of the ponds.

Paul gave us the background of how and when he & Andrew purchased the 22 acres in the 80's.  He told us about the rearing of the trout from fingerlings to the size required for stocking in the many reservoirs and lakes they supply.  We saw trout from about 4oz up to 6-7lbs, mostly rainbows but also including blue trout and brown trout.  Some were destined to be stocked at Burrator including a few of the very big rainbows.

Paul was able to answer the broad range of questions that we put to him and we all agreed that the visit was very interesting and much appreciated by the members who came along.

Paul started the tour with a rundown of the operation at Milemead



One of my old delivery tanks from Woodley Trout Farm

As Paul lifts out a net full of fingerlings, Sue reflects that she no longer has to get wet & cold dealing with trout!



David asking Paul a very trouty question 

Paul explains the feeding regime for various sized trout

Paul feeds the trout in one of the ponds

Some of these rainbows are destined to restock Burrator in a few weeks

Meeting on Monday 8th February 2016

Dear fellow members

This  just a brief reminder that our first ordinary general meeting will be on Monday next 8th February.  This meeting and the subsequent ones in March and April will start at 7.00pm (not 7.30pm as was previously the case). This earlier start time was voted for at the January AGM and will be trialed for three months. We will vote again on the matter at the April meeting.

There is quite a lot of information about Burrator and other fishing to be discussed so please come along to the meeting if you can. The venue is, as usual, at the Meeting Room at the Travelodge Hotel by the Jack Rabbit Pub just off the Derriford Roundabout in Plymouth.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The season to come...