Many thanks to the following members for helping to move three tonne of Siltex from the car park to the lake on Saturday 8th March. George, Ken, James, Charlie, Jon, and Mick.

Many thanks also to Drew and Carl from British Aquacare for adding the Siltex to the lake.

That’s now the second application this winter. The hard silt should be starting to soften and become less compacted, and the bad silt should start to disappear.

Hopefully, a good season for the Carp anglers lies ahead.

No power tools for today’s visit, just a trusty digging spade!

The objective for today’s visit was to dig out 4 swims to give better access to the river along the section behind the convent school, and at the far downstream end of the fishery.

This will give anglers a much more stable environment to fish from.

I swapped the brush cutter for a chainsaw, on this visit to the river Mole.

There were some fallen tree limbs blocking a pathway to one of the very popular swims along the fishery. Two hours later, swim reopened ready for anglers!

Electrical work was carried out by SSE Power in our car park during November 2024. As a goodwill gesture, SSE Power replaced the gate to our car park, and levelled the surface for us.

This will make access and parking much better, and more secure from now on.

Another day on the brush cutter! This time, to clear a patch of brambles that were encroaching on to the main path along the fishery, and blocking access to the river.

Once the brambles were cleared, it was evident that a small tree was growing amongst them. This will be cleared in early april, to allow more light into the river.

Myself and committee member Mick Caminarides were equipped with brush cutters, to re-cut the pathways to the swims on our river Mole fishery at Cobham. This was done to ensure the river is accessible right through to the last day of the coarse fishing season, the 14th March 2025.

The lake was given the first of a series of Siltex applications in November 2024. The work was carried out by British Aquacare, with a lot of help from the CALPAC bailiff, George McKee.

This process has been started to help with the reduction in silt levels in the lake. This should improve the water quality, as well as increase the invertebrate population within the lake.

The next application is due to take place on Sunday March 9th 2025.

The final work party at our Padworth fishery on the river Kennet prior to the new season starting next Sunday, was carried out yesterday, with help from some of the Thatcham AA members.

The pathway was cut, all swims prepared, and new swims created by the removal of tree limbs, the sign on the car park gate was replaced, and the car park grass was cut.

This follows Friday’s update from the Kennet Hatchery Project, that they had successfully transferred 1/2 a million fertilised Chub eggs to the tanks, along with 1000 Barbel eggs. If there was any reason to be more positive about the future of the river Kennet, this is the news we all want to hear, and be a part of.

Enjoy the new season on the best kept fishery on the Lower Kennet.

After leaving Padworth, I travelled to our river Mole fishery at Cobham, and carried out the first herbicide application on the Himalayan Balsam.

It will be a long process to eradicate all of it, but if I can keep it manageable, it will stop it taking over the fishery.

Tight lines for the 16th.

Work Party completed at our Bulls Lock fishery today.

We cleared all of the swims ready for the start of the new fishing season in June. We also treated all of the Japanese Knotweed saplings with the appropriate herbicide.

I am confident that we will completely eradicate the Japanese Knotweed within two years. We have managed to kill at least 80% of it with last years two applications of herbicide.

I arrived at our Yalding Two fishery at 5:50pm and left at 7pm. It’s amazing how much you can do in 70 minutes with a pole saw.

One of the nicest swims on our stretch of the river Beult is now ready to be fished again, when the new season starts on June 16th.