LEE ANGLERS' CONSORTIUM
LEE ANGLERS' CONSORTIUM
NEWS
22nd July 2010
Other River Users
Whilst on holiday I took a call from a narrow boat owner moored
up in the Stanstead Abbotts area. He states that he had a window smashed by a leger
weight cast from the towpath. This happened the day prior to him taking his boat
away for his holiday. The window required hurried repairs at considerably personal
cost and inconvenience. I therefore ask all anglers to be particularly careful when
casting weights towards boats. No-one likes their property damaged and this incident
is likely to be reported to the canal users group albeit that it cannot be proven
and as always there are irresponsible participants in all pursuits. Incidents like
this give angling a bad name irrespective of the fact that from time to time our
tackle is smashed by cyclists and nothing seems to get done about this issue.
Litter
I have had an email from an angler concerning the disgraceful litter left behind at Feildes Weir. When this area was refurbished a few years back there were litter bins around the platforms. Unfortunately , this facility was abused and litter was piled up around each bin. The place became infested with rats and as a result all the litter bins had to be removed. So please take your litter home with you as we have no collection or disposal arrangements with BW. This applies to where ever you are fishing as it cannot weigh any more than when you bought it from home at the start of your fishing session.
4th June 2010
NEW NATIONAL FISHERY BYE LAWS
To clarify the local (Lee Navigation) situation these
bye laws really do not make any changes. The Navigation below Aqueduct Lock continues
to be designated as a still water and therefore is open to angling all year. Above
Aqueduct Lock is is ruled as a river and therefore subject to a close season from
15th March to 15th June inclusive. The LAC, as supported by its landlord, British
Waterways, has a ‘no’ fish removal policy which will always override the ‘national
bye laws. I therefore draw your attention to the paragraph in purple and underlined
below. So despite what you may read in the bye laws or in the ‘angling press’ any
fish removed from the Lee Navigation will be committing an offence of theft and in
some cases,it will contravene the new bye laws. The LAC lodged an official approach,
in the consultation period, to the EA on the grounds that the new bye laws did little
to protect the fragile fish populations of our river. However, our comments were
ignored.
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY NEWS RELEASE
New national byelaws are coming into force at the beginning of the new fishing season.
From 1 June, anglers will be restricted in the number, species and size of freshwater
fish they can remove. The byelaws apply differently on rivers and stillwaters.
On
rivers, once the season opens on 16 June, anglers may only remove each day:
*
Up to 15 small fish (up to 20cm) of barbel, chub, common bream, common carp, crucian
carp, dace, perch, pike, roach, rudd, silver bream, smelt or tench
* Up to two
grayling of 30-38cm
* A single pike of up to 65cm
Anglers who remove more or different
fish than this, will be committing an offence and risk a substantial fine.
Anglers
can still remove:
* ‘Tiddler’ species, such as gudgeon
* Non-native species,
such as zander
* Ornamental varieties of native species, such as ghost or koi
carp
Anglers will still need the owner or occupier’s permission to remove fish from
private waters and fishery owners may also impose their own stricter rules.
On stillwaters,
anglers may only remove fish if they have written permission from the fishery owner.
Someone who takes fish without such permission will be committing a byelaw offence,
as well as one of theft.
To protect threatened stocks, from 1 June all rod-caught
eel and shad must be returned to the water alive, including when they are taken from
estuaries and coastal waters.
Environment Agency Fisheries Manager Adrian Taylor said:
“These byelaws achieve the right balance – they allow anglers to remove some freshwater
fish for the pot or for bait, while still protecting valuable coarse fisheries. Stillwater
fisheries will also be protected, but fishery managers will have the flexibility
to allow anglers to take fish away.
“The Environment Agency wants to work with the
angling community to make the most of these new powers. Fishery owners and clubs
can help us focus our enforcement by providing prompt, accurate information on where
and when people are removing fish illegally. We also want anglers to spread the word
that mandatory catch and release is now generally the norm.”
18th February 2010
Angling Trust
The Trust have just launched its Campaign Strategy 2010 “Fighting for the Future of your Fishing”. Go to its web-site www.anglingtrust.net and then its home page. Click on the Angling Trust logo in the middle of the page which takes you to the press release and the download link is at the foot.
18th February 2010
End of season pike and perch
Ware Town downstream to the Tumbling Bay is producing big predator fish to lures. Firstly an unconfirmed bag of 5 perch with the best of 4 lbs. Then on the 17th father and son worked their way down the Navigation to the Tumbling Bay with a terrific catch of 2 big perch and 17 pike between them. Two of the pike were 24 and 28 lbs.
8th February 2010
Season 2010/2011
The new season starts on 1st April 2010. Newsletters will be posted in the next few weeks so that you can apply for your tickets (individual and club) which are now in stock. Alternatively a ‘PDF’ version can be downloaded from this site. You will find the newsletter on the ‘meetings page’ and an application form under ‘membership’.
30th January 2010
Fish Reports
Now that the water is clearing roach are showing under the A406 to punched bread and crumb. You can expect good bags up to double figure nets.
Last week two brilliant bags of bream were reported. Firstly at Stanstead Abbotts near the A414 bridge. One angler had 17 bream between 3½ and 4 lbs for about 60 lbs. He was feeder fishing with maggot and liquidised bread. Secondly further upstream at Hertford Meads 11 bream were caught up to 8 lbs again on the feeder with liquidised bread and breadflake on the hook. Friday 5th saw another bag of 30 bream up to 6 lbs taken from the same swim on the Meads.
Also there was a picture in the Anglers Mail of a 4½ lbs perch caught lure fishing from the Ware car park. This is still LAC fishing albeit from the opposite bank as our licence covers the fishing on the whole of the river.
3rd December 2009
Fish Reports
Before the continuous rain in the last few days I had reports of really big bags of quality roach taken on hemp and breadpunch from right under the A406 road bridge. One member had 22 lbs, 28 lbs and 22 lbs on three consecutive days. These fish were witnessed by our bailiff, Tom. I have a mobile phone photograph but it is not clear enough to include on the site. Hopefully they will be back on the feed when the coloured water clears but at least the colour will give some protection from the cormorants. I also received reports of big perch coming from Rye House and Stanstead Abbotts.
Olympic Otters
Some of you may have seen the statement from the Mayor of Newham who wants to use the Otter as the Olympic mascot. The ODA will be including habitat enhancements for otters and he hopes to see otters running around Bow in 2012. I have been in touch with the Angling Trust and they have agreed to write to the Mayor explaining the lack of fish to sustain an otter influx. Indeed otter releases in this part of the Lee could in fact be cruel on these animals let alone our dwindling fish populations. Their main diet is the eel which is now becoming an endangered specie. Natural England ‘s policy is for natural recovery of otter populations rather than releases of captive bred animals. Why not have a Lee roach as a mascot to remind us of the beautiful shoals that the Lee was once famous for! Sowerbutts the London pole maker made his name on roach poles for the Lee angler.
19th November 2009
Latest Information
I apologise if the site has been off air, or untidy and a bit slow. Three weeks ago my PC suffered problems and I had the hard drive reformatted and Windows Vista reloaded so the machine was back to factory settings. It has taken three weeks, in my spare time, to hopefully get it back and running properly.
Last week the EA introduced 500 roach and 500 chub at Enfield (Island Bridge) they were part of their annual restocking programme and the fish were about 4/5 inches long.
I have had several reports of big perch coming from Stanstead Abbotts and Rye House. These fish are usually caught on lobworms. Martin, our north beat bailiff, has verified fish up to 4lbs and together with chub up to 5lbs caught at Ware earlier in the year it proves that there some decent fish in the Navigation. I have also been sent photographs of carp between 12 lbs and 20 lbs coming from Enfield and Ponders End. In addition a bag of 6 bream weighing 35 lbs. We have also seen roach up to a pound in various stretches throughout the autumn. However, these fish are not widespread and you will need to spend some time locating.
The EA have recently carried out their annual surveys and I have yet to learn the results. They have sent some pictures in of bream, pike, carp and and a eel caught in the surveys. The EA also reported seeing shoals of good size roach between Ponders End and Stonebrige. Let us hope they can survive the winter and the attention of cormorants and poachers.
Hopefully, I will include some of these pictures on this site when I find time and after I have updating my web designing software.
9th October 2009
Feides Weir Access
Please note that access to Feildes Weir from Ratty’s Lane has been lost. The owner
of the land at the bottom of the lane i.e the car park area, states that he cannot
continue to pay for clearing the rubbish left at the bottom of the lane. This is
not thought to be angler’s litter but nevertheless the access to the towing path
and weir pool has been fenced off and padlocked. The nearest access points are Rye
House and Dobbs Weir. Please keep an eye on this site for any further information.
20th August 2009
Angling Trust
Most visitors of this site will be well aware of the formation of the Angling Trust and of its extreme importance to you as anglers and to the overall welfare of our sport. However, unfortunately anglers have failed to join up. The AT’s projected membership was at least 20,000 but it now reports that no more than 9,500 anglers have become members. Just because your club or Consortium have joined does not absolve you of putting your hand in your pocket at just 40 pence per week. This low membership leaves a big hole in their budget and as a consequence they have had to curtail their activities. Therefore by not joining the AT anglers are effectively failing to protect their sport.
5th August 2009
Annual OAP/Disabled Angler’s Match
For the match report see ‘Reports’ page
Northern Beat
Bailiff, Martin Phipps informs that one angler on opening day had a 10.08.00 lbs bream and a 2.08.00 eel above Ware Lock. Also a 19 lbs miror carp was caught above Stanstead Lock and a 17 lbs mirror was caught at Hertford. It looks like the Lee Navigation is becoming a water holding good specimens.
Dredging Tottenham to Old Ford
British Waterways, in partnership with the EA is currently managing a £2 million dredging programme to improve the Navigation, tackling the problem of poor waste water quality. Historically the river has suffered from years of abuse. Riverside industries discharge unwanted waste into the waterway. Sewage treatment works use the river to dispose of effluent. Homes were built in the area with mis-connected pipes, and fly tipping and general littering has been common place. These combined actions have resulted in a build up of silt and obstructions in the river which must be cleared as part of a wider programme of improvements to the waterway. Further work will be required and BW are already working with local authorities to reduce and rectify the number of sewage mis-connections; liaising with water quality management board to develop education and awareness initiatives to prevent fly tipping and littering; and promote the importance of the long term improvements to Deepham sewage treatment Works to reduce sewage and silt discharges and odours. (Web editors comment- I have looked back in my diary to note that I was still catching 10 lbs of mainly dace and roach, just below the ice rink up to 1990 and then by 1993 catches declined and finally the cormorants arrived in 1995. There were even chub down at Springfield. Was the water quality better in 1990 than in 2009?)
Two Tings Cycling Campaign
The 2009 campaign, which BW will be manage in house, is expected to be expanded by adding events outside central London, such as the R.Lee. In April BW announced that as a result of the success of the nation’s first tow path ranger that it, in partnership with Transport for London, has employed a deputy to help the many visitors to capital’s canals to enjoy them safely. The press release mentioned cyclists mentions cyclists and pedestrians but nothing about anglers!
22nd April 2009
Hertford Visitor Moorings
Work continues to replace the timber waterway wall until June. If you go along there
you may be a little confused as the someone seems to have mistaken the R.Wye for
the Lee.
Dickers Mill ‘The Meads’ Development
Our riverside habitat is under threat from this development. I was promised to be kept in the loop of the planning applications by the appropriate planning authorities but I guess , money talks the loudest. I assume the development will be all the way along the green fence.
20th March 2009
British Waterways creates new homes for water voles.
British Waterways is recycling the sludge and silt it removes from the River Lee
Navigation into new riverside residences for water voles. Throughout February and
March 2009 British Waterways is undertaking a programme to clear silted areas of
the Navigation. This programme will ensure a clear navigation channel for boaters
this Summer as well as having a unique benefit for waterway wildlife. Rather than
dump the sludge-like silt brought out of the river, it will be recycled into a series
of new water vole habitats. The new residences will be installed along the far banks
between Cheshunt and Waltham Town.
British Waterways’ ecologist, Leela O’Dea explains:
"The dredged silt from the Lee Navigation is just the right sort of material that’s
needed to create a soft bank, which is the best environment for burrowing animals
like the water vole to make a nest in. These new habitats will help support the local
vole population and encourage more of these shy little creatures to make the river
their home."
Just over a year ago, in February 2008, Government announced full legal protection for water voles, better known as 'Ratty' from Wind in the Willows. The water vole is the UK's fastest declining mammal, with habitat destruction and predators, notably mink (an invasive species), decimating the population over the past thirty years. By creating new soft banked areas along the riverside, British Waterways is reclaiming land for the voles and returning it to a more natural state for them to thrive in.
The Navigation will be spot dredged from Waltham Town Lock to Aqueduct Lock removing
any shallows and these materials will be deposited behind the newly installed bank
protection, silt analysis has shown that none of the deposits are contaminated. The
work has been programmed outside the fish spawning season. 
All the work is being
carried out from the water to reduce the environmental impact of dragging silt across
the channel disrupting the aquatic habitats and daily testing of dissolved oxygen
takes place to ensure that the work is not having an impact on water quality. The
turbidity created is limited to the immediate vicinity of the dredging machine and
does not cause plumes down the navigation, after work we are finding that this effect
is limited to a few hours. In addition the hazel being used will act as a medium
for fish spawning, unfortunately we were not able to angle to it improve this function
as this would impact on the width of navigation. Eventually a reed fringe will establish
on what are currently barren banks. Although some trees have been cut back to install
this there are still long stretches which remain overhanging. The majority of the
work has focussed on the section between Waltham Common Lock and Aqueduct Lock.
Land drainage consent was sought from the Environment Agency which ensured the different regulatory functions including fisheries and biodiversity had the opportunity to comment on the scheme,
11th March 2009
WARE ANGLING CLUB 
Ware Angling Club control the fishing on the bank opposite the tow path at Amwell which is alongside the Herts and West Essex bird reserve.
On Friday 6th March 2009 there was a fish stocking of 250lb of roach and skimmer
bream up to one and a half pound in weight introduced into the River Lee Navigation below
Hardmead Lock. This was a joint enterprise by Ware Angling Club and British Waterways
to revive the fish stocks on this stretch of the river. 
The fish had previously been
resident in side ponds at the Caen Hill Lock flight on the Kennet and Avon Canal
near Devizes in Wiltshire. They have been removed from that location as part of a
project to restore the ecological balance of the ponds and are being re-homed across
the waterways in locations where fish stocks have been depleted. This restocking
will obviously be of benefit to the LAC stretch at Amwell and the LAC would like
to support the efforts of Ware AC to preserve Lee Navigation angling.
20th February 2009
River Lee - Bow Back Rivers
British Waterways is to dredge the river Lee to bed level between Old Ford Lock and Ferry Lane Tottenham, removing 16,000 cubic metres of contaminated silt. This is to be supported by a grant from the Environment Agency of £2 million. Although the work will improve the river for freight barges the main purpose is to improve water quality. It is planned that the works will be completed before the fish spawning season i.e. by the end of April.
The Olympic Development Authority has confirmed that they are to provide in the region of £4 million to additionally dredqe and provide ancillary works to facilitate freight to the Olympic Park. BW has offered any help it can to ensure the works are completed by the time the Olympic Delivery Authority constructs the wharf on the east bank of Waterworks River (Thornton's Field Railway Sidings) so as to facilitate the water freight option.
The construction of Prescott Lock continues at pace and is expected to be fully complete by April. Successful barge and unloading trials were held with the Authority, Bennetts Barges and the Green Barge Co. before Christmas on the Lee and Waterworks River through Prescott Lock. The construction of a temporary wharf at Bow East on the River Lee Navigation is now complete with an aggregate hard standing at the upper level on the EWS rail site which can accommodate a 60 tonne crane with extendable jib and with six new mooring rings. Containers have been unloaded successfully from barges during the trials. The London Waterway Commission has held a meeting and discussions with Westfield, Lend Lease, Crossrail,Thames Water, Veolia, Bywaters, London Concrete (Bennetts Barges), Department for Transport and agreed that there is approximately 25 years further development potential in the Stratford area which could use water transport following the Games. Discussions have been held with the North London Waste Authority to investigate the forthcoming procurement of waste services for the north London boroughs and how water transport may play a part in moving materials to and from a waste processing site on the Lee. The Olympic Delivery Authority reports that it's already achieving its target of 50% materials by weight to the Olympic Park by sustainable modes through the use of rail, therefore water transport continues to lie at the fringe of transport options. Road haulage continues to remain significantly cheaper than water transport. It is thought that this is due in part to the fact that the principle barge operator is obliged to account for the cost of capital over a three year period rather than discount it over a longer period. The Commission is suggesting a review of the transport sustainability targets and seeks to reduce the 50% use of road, by the inclusion of carbon reduction targets and other measures.
12th January 2009
Angling Trust
The new website states:-
A Trust for all Anglers
The merger of the six angling conservation bodies creating the Angling Trust, the new voice of angling was completed to expect Monday January 5th 2009. It represents more than a million regular coarse, game, and sea anglers. Angling contributes £3.5 billion to the economy and supports 37,000 jobs. The embodying process will take place on 4th January. Nearly 2,500 individual anglers and clubs have already signed-up to the trust which will run a campaign to conserve marine and freshwater fisheries, promote and protect all recreational angling against commercial over fishing, habitat destruction, poaching and disease. The Trust also plans to develop coaching and education or new and experienced anglers, increase participation in national and international competitions and tackle growing problem of predators which attack our fisheries.
Individual membership is £20 a year which includes public liability insurance, newsletters and magazines. Members will be enrolled in Fish for Free(www.fishforfree.net) an innovative loyalty programme which generates credits for fishing equipment, permits and the freshwater fishing licence. Clubs will be able to join Fish Legal which provides advice and takes action against polluters. The website www.anglingtrust.net is now live and will be developed further over the next few weeks.
This service is currently not available as the download speed is too long.