Chairmans Chat May 2026

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It's just a month into the new season, yet the effort to maintain our waters continues. The impressive progress in transforming the Bopeep pond carpark and swims into a more accessible year-round facility is ongoing.

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I extend my gratitude to the small group of volunteers and committee members who have spent many days, weekends, and evenings dedicating their time to bring this project close to completion.

To further this effort, we are organising another work party this weekend on Saturday, May 2nd, from 9 am to 1 pm to move topsoil from the carpark to dress the swim edges and also tidy up around the water to prepare it for reopening.

While our recent focus has been on Bopeep, we recognise that other waters also need mowing and strimming. We will address these issues in due course, but I would love to see more members at our work parties, as it often involves the same familiar faces with the occasional newcomer, who help maintain the waters in the condition you expect.

We will soon commence work parties on our other waters, needing to tidy up the river sections before the season opens in June.

Combe will also require tidying.

Given the current weather, I anticipate the Combe fish may begin their spawning process in the next few weeks. Once this starts, the water will be closed for two or three weeks to allow the process to occur and for the fish to rest and recover.

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Events.

May is when the club really starts engaging with our events program. We have our first JCC Junior League on Sunday, May 17th, at Nyewood. We are always looking for more assistance, so if you can spare a few hours to help the juniors, please contact Andy Reed or Shaun Ireland.

At the end of the month, we will attend the Petersfield Festivities to promote the club and its activities.

In June, we have the first "Get Fishing" event on June 13th and then the Junior Open event on June 27th, again at Nyewood. We are always open to help.

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Waters

All of our waters seem to be fishing well. Both ponds at Nyewood are performing well, and Combe is yielding Carp, Bream, and the occasional early season Tench.

The only water yet to fully awaken is East Pond. As usual, its depth means it takes a bit longer to emerge from its winter slumber, but I am sure it won't be much longer before it starts fishing well.

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Membership.

I would like to apologize to any members who experienced a delay in receiving their membership. This was due to an unforeseen change we had to make at very short notice and the usual issues with the postal service. This has now been resolved, and normal service has resumed.

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Tight Lines

Steve Chapman

PDAC Chairman