More water at Felmersham

THE GENERAL COMMITTEE are pleased to announce that, following the relinquishment by Shefford AC, the club has acquired two sections of the north bank at our Felmersham fishery.

Due to changing river flows over recent years, some sections of our existing holdings have become more difficult to fish and we have, on occasions, enviously looked across at the flow running down the far bank.

The prevailing wind also, can make life tricky so we are particularly pleased, with the sport in the river now improving, to have obtained further choice for our members.

The first section, accessed through Pinchmill islands, runs from the islands downstream to Ouse Manor and includes the backwater and main river.

This bank of the main river gives much easier access to the chub and barbel swims of the meadow and further down, where the river now flows through what was a peninsular, members have a good flow of the river on the near bank.

In flood conditions, an eddy is created just upstream from this flow through which will prove useful.

The backwater undoubtedly will produce good tench which have become a feature of the river over recent years. A prospective new member reported to me that he watched one of our guys having a great day’s sport with tench to 7lb from between the lily pads.

For those who enjoy a different aspect of pike fishing, there are good fish to be had and we know of reports of specimens over 20lb.

The lower section is accessed via Mill Lane, Sharnbrook but won’t be available until members receive an accurate map with parking and access marked.

This is tree-lined section and very attractive with the access track coming out opposite our downstream island -- and this looks to have terrific possibilities for good chub fishing.

With around 20 pegs, the section runs from 60 yards short of the railway viaduct up towards Ouse Manor where is becomes very reed.

It is perhaps, unfortunately, isolated from the upstream section and access is not possible from one area to the other as Ouse Manor and its land is now under a different and private ownership.

There are good swims, however, and will be more sheltered than our pegs on the opposite bank - and it’s not so far to walk, being only a five minute downhill stroll from the car.

Parking for a few cars will be provided but ONLY in the designated space and not in the lane itself. For details (until the map is printed in the forthcoming newsletter), please contact the Secretary for the latest news.

We very much prefer to let all our members know about new acquisitions at the same time, but on this occasion, as we are paying for the additional fishery from June 16^th, we thought we may as well tell as many members as possible via email and internet. A newsletter will go out in early August, but please pass the word around. We will put notices regarding the upstream section in the car park by Pinchmill islands.