Venues Report
RIVER ROTHER
Levels are just about normal for winter now and there is good flow on the Rother. We can expect some flooding if we get periods of high rainfall, but for now conditions are good.
Coultershaw
Barbel are still being caught but not a frequently as earlier in the year. The barbel anglers are also reporting that they are catching more eels on their barbel rigs. Perhaps the eels are getting a taste for boilies.
Shopham & Coates Castle
Not much change in the quality of fishing since the last report, the silver fish have tailed off a bit, but it is well worth while going down on either bank with a bucket of mashed bread and fishing a big bread hook bait. This method has accounted for a number of chub over the last few weeks.
The big news at Coates is that we have finally managed to sort out some winter car parking. After a couple of false starts around the top of the track we have been given permission to park in front of the barns. Please take a look at E-mailer No.6 for an aerial view of the parking area
Fittleworth
Although we are yet to hear of any barbel from Fittleworth this year, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they haven’t been caught as some of the barbel anglers are a secretive lot. However we are still getting reports of good nets of roach and dace on the stick float.
RIVER ARUN
Watersfield
Watersfield continue to fish very well whatever you are targeting, there are steady numbers of barbel coming out from the usual areas and you can also expect the odd proper chub and bream. If you fish small baits, it really does not matter where you go, you will get a constant stream of bites, it’s just down to you to hit them and land them. We also have reports of a lot of eels and some good sized pike coming out of Watersfield.
When you are parking at Watersfield, please consider other anglers and leave them space to get into the car park. There have been a number of occasions recently when the car park has been effectively blocked by inconsiderate parking.
Stopham
No reports from the pike anglers here yet, however I’m sure we will hear from them in the coming months. There are still plenty of small fish to be had here using either a light feeder or float fishing tactics.
STILLWATERS
Hurston Lane
Match Pond
Good mixed bags of bream and carp continue to be reported from the match pond.
Middle Pond
There are plenty of fish still moving in the middle pond although they are proving quite elusive at the moment.
Tench Pond
Fishing in the tench pond is almost at a standstill as the colour drops out of the water for the winter months. We are considering totally stringing this pond over the winter to further discourage cormorant activity.
Stemps Wood
Fishing continues to be good from both ponds. A tree has gone down in Cart pond in the area of peg 16 but Nelson feels that he will be able to get it out.
Chichester Canal
The big news here is that the EA have recently introduced around 3000 skimmers and tench to the canal. We understand that they were introduced in the area of the canal basin. As we don’t have catch books on the Chichester canal we have to rely upon anglers reporting their catches so if you have any interesting information please let us know. One member recently lure fished from the bypass up to the basin and reported numerous pike but none of any great size. As in previous years the lower reaches of the canal have now become more difficult as the colour drops out of the water and the best bet is to fish the basin area and the stretch down to the bypass bridge, particularly after that recent introduction of skimmers and tench.
Petworth Park
Very little activity reported from Petworth Park, which closes at the end of December until the 1st April.
The Granary
Fishing has slowed appreciably on The Granary although there are still carp coming out with the best reported in the last month being around 8lb. A stocking of perch will be going into this water in early December.
Please remember to fill in the log books when you fish a session, they make these reports possible.