With Barbel to 14lb plus and Chub over 5lb from the Rother to his credit Bailiff Mike Kitchener thought he’d try his hand at fly fishing this season.
Mike is pictured here with his latest capture on the fly a Sea Trout of 5lb. Apart from Trout, Mike has already caught Grayling, Chub, Dace and even Perch on the fly.

Caught on a light weight rod and line Mike describes the fight as ‘like hooking a train, the fight was up there with the best fish I have ever caught, it’s amazing what is in our rivers and I hope to catch another soon’

After enjoying some success at Hurston new member Matthew Ellis tackled the Carp in Stemps Pond. During one session in Peg 2 Matthew landed ten Carp to a new PB of 9lb 4oz and also lost six others.

However the Common Matthew is pictured with here came from a later session on Stemps and is yet another new PB of 9lb 6oz.

No wonder Matthew says he is enjoying fishing there!

New member Matthew Ellis caught this stocky looking Common from Hurston Match Pond.

As you can see Matthew was very happy to get his fishing with his new Club off to such a good start. The Carp weighed 9lb 1oz and was a short lived PB for the species.

Mark French fishing on a Guest Ticket caught this 12lb 13oz Rother Barbel on the first weekend of the river season.

Having recently rejoined Luke Marsh got the new river season off to a flying start during an early morning session at Coultershaw.

A delighted Luke landed his first ever Barbel weighing 7lb 6oz.

Lukes second fish of the new season was this double figure Barbel taken just forty minutes later in the same session.

Weighing in at 10lb 8oz it fell to the same tactics, a combination of halibut pellet and groundbait feeder.

Well done Luke, not a bad PB for the start of the season.

Rother Bailiff Mike Kitchener decided to celebrate his recent Birthday by taking son Oliver for a session at Petworth Park Lake.

They had a fantastic day, between them they caught 9 Bream to 5lb, 3 Tench to 5lb including the one on the left, plus Skimmers and a net full of Roach. They also lost a few good Tench and a Carp.

Well done guys! What a great way to celebrate a Birthday.

New member ‘s favoured method of fishing is a roving approach on our rivers. However recently he has enjoyed a couple of static sessions feeder fishing on Petworth Park Lake.

Webmaster Les Heath caught up with him whilst visiting the water and took this picture of Kevin with a Tench he had just landed.

Kevin has had some nice Tench to 4lb along with good Bream since deciding to sample our stillwater fishing until the rivers open again.

Young Jack Horton hadn’t been fishing for several months but still managed to show dad Trevor how it’s done by landing this PB Common of 5lb 8oz on a recent trip to Stemps Pond.

Time you gave Dad a few tips Jack.

Having spent most of his first season fishing for a Barbel new member Terry Kennard finally achieved his ambition of catching one of the Rothers’ specimens when he put the net under this magnificent 14lb 4oz beauty.
The fish was hooked and landed during a heavy downpour of rain on the 26th February at Coultershaw.

Well done Terry! – and now you’ve broken your duck in some style you’ve still got time to catch some more this season too.