Chairmans chat – Nov 2025

Dear members,

As the winter months bring longer nights, the time spent at the bank becomes even more valuable as we challenge ourselves to catch that once-in-a-lifetime fish or simply to make a catch!

I hope to join you more often now that I have some time away from the events we've held throughout the year.

As your committee, we remain committed to working hard to develop your club and its waters for the present and future.

This winter, we will conduct stock evaluations on our waters and have already arranged for the introduction of additional stock fish. We will be netting to assess stock levels and fish conditions at Nyewood. These nettings will occur in December and January. If you can assist, please contact Andy, Shaun, or myself.

 

We also plan to continue the work parties. We've already started at Bopeep to remove the weed and will need one more session to complete the task and tidy up the bank side. The committee will monitor the pond in the coming weeks, and if the rainfall persists, we may consider reopening.

The next work party is scheduled for Coombe on November 8th, meeting at 8:30 am. This will involve general tidying, including cutting back bushes around the pond and removing tree limbs on the path past the toilets on the new bank to allow the pathway to receive light and dry out.

I urge any member who can spare a few hours to join any of our work parties and lend a hand to the usual crew.

 

Donations.

The Committee are committed to improve Nyewood ponds, with additional islands to assist improving water quality and to offer refuge from predators, such as Cormorants. This process will not occur over night, but over time as available funds are minimal each year. The committee will continue to apply for grants where available, but in the meantime we are looking for donations to help to progress with our commitment.

We are seeking for the following items to help with completion of various projects.

 

1. Pallet Box (to store protect our 100m Seine net)

2. Trolley Cart (to transport various tools and seine net on site)

3. Wire Mesh Panels 2mx1m and 1mx1m (to build additional islands)

 

 

 

 

 

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Please reach out to Shaun if you have any of these items and wishing to donate. thepdac@gmail.com

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This year, we've welcomed a significant number of Junior & Juvenile members, totaling 106 so far. Most have joined through the Development Programme's GET FISHING events, with many trying angling for the first time. Following this introduction, the Programme continues to support families by providing further instruction and offering free, suitable equipment, generously donated by our members. Our supplies need replenishing, and additional donations of second-hand tackle are necessary to maintain the support the Development Programme provides. If you have any unused or extra tackle, we would be grateful to receive it and pass it on. We accept all types of tackle, including coarse, fly, and sea. Items we don't pass on are sold at car boot sales to raise funds for the programme. Please contact Shaun at thepdac@gmial.com

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Sponsorship.

Following a successful summer of Junior events and activities, made possible with the support of JCC Lighting, whose contribution we greatly appreciate, we are now looking for new sponsors to back our program for 2026/7. Please review the sponsorship packages listed below my report. Your support can inspire the next generation of anglers.

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Committee Vacancies.

I encourage all members to consider volunteering to fill the various vacancies within the committee. We still require a treasurer. Please review the vacancies listed below my report.

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Please if you are out on the bank and catching, please send in you catch reports so we can show other members the best from our waters. ​​​​​​
Keep up to date with the latest information via our website and Facebook page. 

Tight Lines for now
Steve Chapman  PDAC Chairman 

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Exchange Book Diaries - Andy Reed

I haven't posted much since I stepped down from the match secretary position. However, I thought I'd share something that might interest you all. For many years, our club has had exchange permits with other clubs, but it seems they are rarely used. Why is that? Perhaps our club members aren't interested, or more likely, they aren't aware of these other waters.

Hopefully, this will change.

Steve Chapman, our Chairman, and I have been discussing the idea of using the exchange permits and fishing in these waters. We plan to report on each location, suggesting the best methods and baits, and identifying the species found there. Steve and I aim to start this before the year ends and continue into the next season. With this information, we hope our members will explore these other club waters and enjoy new venues.

Tight lines, Andy