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