Fishery Developments

2010

This winter the Fisheries Team concentrated on improving access to our waters for both members and future bank maintenance work. 4' gates were installed on the Glyme, Sherborne and other Windrush waters to allow easier access to the banks and also to allow the new grass cutter along the banks. We were fortunate to have an offer of help from Sparsholt, which was used to create some structures and channel narrowing at Little Farringdon. Hopefully this will have an impact on the flows and fish holding capacity on this water. Several bridges were built including one on the Sherborne Estate Water. Two pontoons were constructed on the Upper Lake at Cornbury and steps down the all pontoons were cut. Three waters have been fenced. (1)The Dikler at Bourton on the true left bank to include a cattle drink. Similar at (2) Widford below Widford Bridge and finally (3) Asthall on the true right bank on the lower reach. Club funds together with grants from the Wild Trout Trust and the EA were used to complete this fencing.

2009

Work has commenced on the fisheries. A new bridge has been built across the Upper Dikler to enable the fisheries team to get a grass cutter along the true left bank. Another bridge has been built at the Dikler this time at Bourton, again to enable a grass cutter in to cut banks back. There was also some work carried out clearing some overhanging trees on this water. Much work has been done at Little Farringdon, the Glyme and Widford. Some large fallen trees should be rmoved at Southrop as welll as some bank protection measures.

There will be a members work party taking place in February after the shooting season is over. Dates and details to follow. See 'News'

2008

Introducing gravel at Abbotswood

There has been a great deal of work carried out on both the Dikler and Leach this winter. All of the upper Dikler water is now very accessible. Numerous structures have been installed and 60 tonnes of gravel have been introduced to improve the rivers spawning capacity. On the Leach at Southrop, Lechlade and the upper section at Little Farringdon, again a lot of work has been completed making these beats very fishable. The top section of the Glyme has been cleared of a lot of overhanging obstructions and should be a definite place to target at some stage this season. We need to thank the Wild Trout Trust for giving us a grant toward the work on the Leach and Dikler, as well as the members of the club who generously supported the raffle to raise funds for the river development. In late August a further 60 tonnes of gravel was put into the Dikler at Abbotswood.

2007

There has been a lot of work carried out on the Dikler over the winter. Work has focused on the first section of water downstream of the second lake below the road bridge. Many sections were very overgrown and many trees had fallen into the river blocking the flow and causing vast amounts of silt to be built up. Work has started on the removal of instream reeds in key sections. This will encourage the river to self clean exposing the gravel beds underneath. Already there has been a significant improvement with gravels being exposed in many places. Last week the EA installed an egg box below the weir and have plans to install a second in the near future. For more photographs, please go to the 2007 album.

2006

Major work has been carried out on several of our waters including the Windrush at Widford and Stanton Harcourt, the Coln, the Leach at Southrop and Little Faringdon. A total in excess of 200 man hours has been spent between the fishery team and outside contractors. Work includes clearing fallen trees and overgrown banks. At Little Faringdon, several groynes have been installed creating some new deeper pools in the hope of attracting trout to remain in what was shallow water. Several new fences have been put up, stiles repaired and installed. This summer, for the first time, arrangements have been made for outside contractors to help the fisheries team with the grass cutting.

 

A major clearance of the stock pond was completed at the end of the summer 2005 before the 2006 stock was introduced. Bibury Trout Farm pumped out the water into an adjacent field, before using high pressure hoses to dislodge the silt at the bottom of the pond. This was then also pumped to the field behind a large bund of straw. The pond was netted before the draw down and many large ells and chub were transferred to the river along with many gudgeon, minnows and perch. Reeds were also removed from the edges to help with the netting. The pond was limed before it was topped up again to kill any remaining fungi etc. the new stock of fish are feeding and growing very well, with virtually no losses except for the resident otter!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005

The clubs fishery officers in conjunction with outside contractors have spent a great deal of time this winter clearing stretches of the Leach at both Southrop and our new water at Little Faringdon. Numerous large fallen trees have been removed and paths cleared. Our new waters have map on this site to help you locate them. The Southrop section is a wild trout fishery and the Little Faringdon section has been stocked with brown trout. The water here is generally very clear and offers challenging fishing to those who are interested in small river fly fishing. It is possible to wade most of this river, but take care as some of the pools are quite deep.

Last years trial introduction of Ranunculus in the Coln has been a success. Many plantings have established themselves and have developed into healthy weed growth in what was a river devoid totally of plant life. The Environmental Agency in conjunction with Vaughan Lewis are now about to extend this program and introduce more to our stretch of water over the next few weeks. See 'News' for details.

 

 

Water voles are being released in the Glyme Valley as part of a project by WildCru (Wildlife Conservation Resource Unit) of Oxford University.  Water voles are a declining and threatened species of mammals within the UK.  Particular threats include loss of/fragmentation of habitat and predation by alien North American mink .  Wildcru are attempting to reestablish colonies of water voles in suitable habitat in the Glyme valley. They are actively controlling mink by humane trapping.  The club has agreed to tailor its bank cutting regime to optimise conditions for the voles. members are asked not to interfere or disturb any of the field equipment associated with this valuable project.

2004 

 

The Glyme:

Lewis Egg Box
A major improvement has taken on this lovely stretch of water to improve the natural reproductive capacity of the river. With the support of Blenheim Estates, several tonnes of gravel were selectively placed above the Stratford Bridge, to enhance spawning of the native stock. In December with eggs from the Environmental Agency, a ‘Lewis Egg Box' was set up at Wooton and has recently produced some healthy alevins, which were released into the river. A section of fencing was put up to prevent cattle encroachment below the bridge and the development of the reeds flams containing the river and narrowing its width.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Windrush at Widford:

New footbridge at Widford The section above Swinbrook Bridge on the natural left bank was fenced in October 2003 preventing cattle encroachment. It is hoped that over the next two years the banks will re-establish themselves and also encourage insect life. The footbridge above the stock pond was replaced and the stock pond was reinforced with extra netting to prevent access by predatory birds. Several trees that had fallen into the river were removed and some willows were pollarded together with a number of bushes.

The River Leach:

River Leach After the Christmas break, the fishery officers spent several weekends clearing away the dead and overgrown trees lining the banks of the Leach. Several groynes were constructed using the clubs winch to secure the trees in the correct position and held in place using stakes. The river has been transformed and it is hoped that many members will gain better access to this lovely water. It has a very good stock of wild fish and is not stocked artificially.

 

2003

 

Stanton Harcourt:

 

Several working parties were involved in tidying up the banks and removing blockages due to fallen trees over the winter of 2003. A large section of bank in the field adjacent to the Black Bridge is to fenced to prevent cattle encroachment and to encourage the regeneration of marginal habitat.

 

Coln:

The River Coln With the aid of the Environment Agency (EA), Ranunculus has been seeded in cages in the hope to reinstate it, in what has been a section of river devoid of weed growth over the past few years. This planting program is to be extended during the year, with the EA providing resources including staff time to plant up areas of the river. The main problem with this type of reinstatement is protecting the weed from swans and the EA are looking at measures to prevent the disturbance of the newly seeded weed until it becomes established.