Autumn Update

Fancy a bit of cold weather fishing? - It might be worth it this Autumn and Winter

Even though we are at the end of what, traditionally, would be thought of as the trout fishing season, there are a few things going on both with the fishing at Burrator and with the Burrator Fly Fishers Association (BFF) that will, I am sure be of interest to you all:

Winter Opening
As many of you will already know Burrator is staying open for fishing throughout the winter. The only time the water will be closed is the first two weeks of March 2015. What is more SWLT intend to stock the reservoir over the winter on a monthly basis. A stocking for November went in last week. The cost of fishing will be £8.00 per day and there will be a two fish per day limit. (More than one permit can be purchased if wished). Season Permit holders can continue until the end of November, after which there will be a three month season permit available (December, January, February) for £75.00 with a four fish per week limit. This will be available online and by phone from SWLT. Alternatively Season permit holders can purchase day permits during that three month period. Personally speaking, I shall do that since it is very hard to predict what the winter weather will be like and how consistently fish-able it will be.

Day permits will be available from the self service hut at Burrator which will be open every day. I am also given to understand that the sale of permits at the petrol station in Yelverton has now ceased because of their availability on site. The thing to remember when using the self service system at Burrator is that you will need to have the correct money (£8.00) or a cheque for that amount. There is no facility for obtaining change. This is exactly the same arrangement as operates at Siblyback and Kennick.

I have already been up and talked to a few anglers making use of this extension and seen some fish caught. So, in my view this arrangement is a very welcome initiative from SWLT and the more we use it the more likely it is to continue in future years.

Boat Fishing
The boat fishing on Burrator has now finished for this season. The two boats are to be removed in the next week or so and, according to Kit Hancock, taken to Kennick to be stored, and repaired if necessary, until the 2015 season when they will be back with us. The use of the boat by BFF members, guests and the occasional visitor from Kennick has been reasonable. It has been out  twenty two days between late April and mid October; on average once a week; not as much as I had hoped but an improvement of last year. Obviously, the winter fishing reported above will be bank only.

November Competition - Revised Date and Venue
We were due to have our November competition at Rose Park the small 'Put & Take' fishery near Alturnun, Cornwall, this coming Thursday 13th November. However the unanimous view of the membership present at our club meeting last evening was that this should be postponed until later in the month because of the dreadful weather forecasts for the rest of this week, and we should change the venue in the light of Burrator still being open and stocked which, of course, we did not know when our competition programme  was made out in February. So The November competition will now be at Burrator on Wednesday 26th November, and will be for the best two fish. I hope to see as many of you as possible there.

December Competition
This regular pre Christmas event will take place at Bake Lakes as usual. The date is Saturday 6th December. Again it is a 10.00am start and the prize will be for the best two fish. There will definitely be mince pies, cake and glass of sloe gin or something similar. So be there!

Christmas Meal at the Jack Rabbit
As has been the case for the last two years, there will be a Christmas meal on the evening of  Monday 8th December at the Jack Rabbit. Drinks from 7.00pm and sit down to eat at about 7.30pm. There is no set meal. It will simply be personal choice from the pub's normal menu. Though the club funds will run to paying for at least some of the wine. By popular request spouses/partners of various kinds are welcome to attend also and thus far four members, at least have indicated that their better halves will be coming along.