Sea angling licences “unenforceable and bureaucratic” says Alliance The Countryside Alliance has branded the proposed sea angling licence “unenforceable, bureaucratic and with no obvious benefit to the recreational sea angler”.
The Government has published a White Paper outlining the proposed contents of a Marine Bill, and a sea fishing licence is included in the proposals.
Robert Gray, Countryside Alliance Director of Campaigns, commented: “Any legislation that seeks to improve conservation of our marine environment is to be welcomed, but we have concerns about the White Paper’s proposal to introduce sea angling licences.
“England and Wales have over 2,500 miles of coastline, which will make the task of enforcing sea angling licenses expensive and almost-impossible. The revenue raised by the licences has been earmarked for a range of initiatives such as protecting shore access and improving parking, but it seems unlikely that the revenues will go any further than simple enforcement and administration. We are also concerned that holiday anglers should be liable for a licence that aims to raise revenue to pay for coastal parking.
“It is unclear how much licences are going to cost or how much the well that it is commercial rather than recreational angling that is the biggest threat to marine conservation, which makes it hard to see any tangible benefits.
“The sea angling industry is worth £538m to the economy, and we should be looking to increase participation and welcome people to the sport, especially coastal tourists, rather than scare them off with a layer of bureaucracy that simply cannot deliver benefits.

Who would enforce the licencing ?, not the EA bailiffs, they are at full stretch now and can’t cope with the fresh water anglers. It is attempt for the Government to another cash raising scheme is completely unjustified.
Our rod licences show an increace every year to what purpose ?. More administration?. My mail bag is full of anglers who say what do the still water anglers get out of the rod licence fees. Let us have a look at where the money is spent, a balance sheet that we all can understand, and have our say in how the money is spent. I’m not denying that the EA have introduced many schemes which will benefit anglers in the three disciplines, but at what cost?. Lets hope that the Government throw this sea shore licence fee out of the window.

There are many thousands of holiday makers who perhaps only go sea fishing whilst on holiday and take their kids. It doesn’t matter if they don’t catch its just being beside the sea. Can you imagine going to a post office to get a licence before they go fishing. Many post offices will have been closed anyway.
Already charter boats have to be licenced to carry passengers. This idea of
introduce another tax on our leisure activities is not acceptable.

Sea News
Gwent SAA
Open at St Brides Newport.
local boys didn’t get a look in for the top places. Winner was Steve Llewellyn with 1 bass, 1 cod 4.53kg, 2nd Robert Butcher of Cardiff 1 bass, 2 cod 3.68kg, 3rd Kevin Brouser, Cardiff 2 cod 2.86kg, 4 th Steve Ailmore 2 cod 2.59kg, 5th Chris Reed 1 bass 2.23kg. Mike Williams was the leading Gwent angler in 14 th place, then Gerald John 16 th, Robert Evans 15 th.
Next match is at Sully bendix. 3.30 to 8.30 pm. Book in at the public slipway by 14.30 hours.Limits ; Lavenock point to the Green . Weigh in at 21.30 hrs.






Bristol waters Tel 01275 332339
Chew Valley and Barrows opened their doors for trout fishing last week and anglers enjoyed the best start for over twenty years with great catches of beautiful quality fish.
After a very mild winter in which Chew valley was filled to the brim. Conditions were looking good for the start with light winds forecast and sunny days. And the meteorologists were right! Opening day dawned calm and bright and rods were bending into fish just minutes after the seven o’clock start was sounded.
Anglers caught all around the lake and on various methods. As the day progressed more fish were being taken on smaller flies near the surface and by mid afternoon many fishermen had completed their limit bags and gone home happy. The size and condition of the fish being caught were superb with plenty of five and even six ponders coming out with the best fish taken so far being an 8 lb 9 oz fish caught by Geoff Grant from Woodford Bank on a golden nugget Daddy. The boat anglers did even better than those fishing from the shore. Limit bags of over 30lbs were common, often including 2 or 3 fish over 5lbs all fighting like trains.
Although things slowed slightly over the next couple of days there were still limit bags being taken from most banks even in the brisk and cold NW winds. Best areas so far have been North Shore, Wick Green, Herons Green and Walley Bank. Sinking lines with orange or black boobies were the first successes but Pheasant Tails and Black Buzzers fished slowly on floaters took over as the air temperatures rose and locals and season permit holders are still using these smaller patterns to good effect today.

The Barrows also started well with fish coming from both 1 & 3 and on a variety of flies and lines. As always the ‘Mouse Men’ caught well but those prepared to try alternatives also found obliging fish. With an average weight of 1.07 at present some over-wintered fish are coming to the net and there have been some specimen browns taken too. The biggest authenticated fish taken from each lake every month is guaranteed a prize and so far three tagged fish have been reported winning their captors a free mid-week boat.

Blagdon opens for fishing this Thursday 22nd
Catch to date:
Chew Valley: 1118 fish to 180 rods, an average of 6.2 per rod.
Barrows: 105 fish to 44 rods, an average of 2.4 per rod.
Total fish taken from all waters: 1390 to 276 rods, average 5.0 per rod.



Cwm Hedd Trout Fishery 07980562876
Fishing proved to be more challenging last week – bright sunshine drove the trout down but surface action was excellent during intermitent cloud cover.
Best patterns – diawl bach,bloodworm,damsels and various lures.
Graham Bickerton and Stewart Schofield crossed the bridge to Gods’ country and landed 13 between them on buzzers,diawl bachs and lures. Ian Humphreys took 5 on bloodworm,nymphs and a flexifloss bug. Ken Pascoe kept 4 and returned 8 on damsel and diawl bach.
Trout are in excellent condition and fighting well.

Ravensnest Trout Fishery 01291 689564
Cwmbran angler Dave Jones had a shock when he hooked into a 13¼ lb rainbow it fought like a tiger. Ian Henry a regular from Bristol returned a nice 7¼ lb blue, Colin Davies of Newport returned a 9 lb 14 oz rainbow and Cardiff supreme Steve Leho netted a brown of 8¼ lb which was returned. Paul Wilkes and his son David age 9 caught 4 rainbows for 13 lb 7 oz bf 4 lb 6 oz. Terry Jones,Newport 4 - 13 lb 2 oz bf 4¼ lb. The following all returned 20 fish; Mr Cassidy, Terry Wheeler, J. Probert, F. Smith. Lures, small wets, buzzers, nymphs,PTN and daiwl bach on floating ot slow sinkers were catching.
Seven Oaks Fishery 01446 775474
A quieter week. Brian Miller returned 12 to 6 lb, Pat Kear of Barry 8¼ lb tiger which was returned. Dave Thomas 5 - 18 lb bf 4½ lb r/bow. Mr Long, Pontypool
3 x 4 lb rainbows.


Big Well Trout Fishery 01600772904
All the work on the lodge and surrounding are has been completed. Fishing got off to a slow start then picked up towards the end of the week. Robbin Russell,Pontypool 2lb r/bow, Mike Harrell, Worcester 2 - 5½ lb, Frank Williams ,Worcester 4 - 10 lb 11 oz, Rolland Thomas, FOD 3 - 7 lb, Andy Phillips, FOD 5 - 13½ lb, Martin Cook,Hereford 2 - 4 lb 9 oz.. Catch & release; K. Bateman 8, M. Cook 8, J. Jones 6, B. Jones 10, J. Yemm 5 and L. Harris 9.Traditional patterns did well with one or two anglers using dry patters with a very slow retrieve.
Llandegfedd Reservoir 01291 673722
Fishing has been generally difficult during the mid-week period up to Thursday when an injection of stock fish seemed to improve things drastically. Fish were again found to be holding in Bill Smith's bay and along the northern half of East Bank. Once again, fast sinking lines with a single or pair of boobies seemed to be the most effective method. A sprinkling of larger stock fish livened things up for some anglers with Bill Daniels of Crymlin managing to hook more than one giving him a six fish limit for 23 1/2 lb, the best being 4 1/2 lb. All were taken on boobies and a fast sinking line on East Bank.
Tony Roderick of Pontypool produced the best fish of the week, a 5lb 13oz rainbow taken on hare's ear on a floating line and long leader on North Shore.
The Trout Masters Final was held on Sunday 18th, a disappointing turn out due to high winds and very cold conditions, was won by John Phillips of Abercynon. John found his four fish, totaling 12lb at the Hilton on North Shore. Again these were all taken on boobies, and allows John to progress to the Grand Final later in the year.
With cold conditions and high winds forecast well into the coming week, tactics for those who chose to brave the weather will be similar to the last few weeks, deep and slow with boobies, or for more of a challenge long leaders and floating lines drifted around the shallower areas of bank. Boats should find fish under the trees in Bill Smith's, almost anywhere along east bank and north shore, with the odd fish on the dam wall.



Wentwood Reservoir 01291 425158 Due to the inclement weather fishing certainly slowed up. Fish were caught but it was difficult and for those that did manage to land a fish they were well pleased with their efforts. Several visitors were successful including Mike Dymond 4 fish-8lb, M. Dearman 2 fish- 4lb 2oz,Tony Brinkworth 4 fish-7lb 3oz, and Malcolm Brinkworth 3 fish-5lb 4oz. Members who fished and caught were E.Ricci 3 fish-6lb 8oz, Bob Stoodley 3 fish-6lb 11oz, Ben martin 2 fish-5lb, Dave Ellis 5 fish-9lb 12oz, jack and David Wells shared a boat and each took a limit of 5 fish for an average weight of 2lb 3oz per fish. The north bank again was the hot spot and intermediate and slow sinking lines were mainly used with a very slow retrieve. Very few fish were observed moving on top. Because of the high winds casting has been difficult especially on the east bank. Ben Martin has taken several over wintered fish including a Blue of 2lb 1oz during a boat session. Top flies were cat’s whisker, red and black Montana, orange fritz and gold head damsels.


Bean Hill trout Fishery 01594 529846
The spring may be stop-start, but insects are certainly starting to move around and the trout are indulging in the first serious feeding of the season. Look in the shallow margins of Beanhill and you will already see corixid beetles moving over the silt, each with its attendant silver bubble of air from the surface. Not of interest to the trout yet though, because they have a better alternative in the spring midges, which come off now in ever-increasing hatches at intervals during the day. These are harder to see except for the airborne adults, but look closely on the surface and especially on the down-wind shore for clues, and you will probably find the empty shucks drifting or even catch a glimpse of the emergence itself, which can happen in seconds. The pupae are still tiny morsels coloured mostly brown and olive, but during the spring they are slowly rising to the surface in enormous quantities. The trout engaged in mopping them up, dorsal fins and tips of tails cutting slowly through the ripples, will usually look at nothing else. Unsurprisingly, the anglers who caught this week were using brown or olive buzzer patterns of some kind. As always, the sub-surface hatching pupae are the hardest to imitate, although you read about new patterns for this every month. Diawl Bach was fished singly down and across the wind on a 20 foot leader, so that the drift against the floating line pulled it round in a very slow curve. Beanhill trout at this time of year are quite wild, but 4 rainbows and a very nice brown of about 3 pounds fell for this before the weather cooled and the hatch stopped.
Coarse News
Newport AA
Spring series on Woodstock pond. 20 anglers fished in very difficult conditions. 1st Neil Harrington Garry Evans tackle 43-00-00 peg 8 on pole pellet, 2nd Chris Hall 30-00-00 peg 12 pole & pellet, 3rd Aaron Lindley 21-00-00 peg 2 pole & pellet and 4 th place was Steve Witherick 19-08-00 peg 10 again pole & pellet.
Peterstone Fishery,
Saturday 15 th. Chris Hall (Cwmbran Angling Nobblers) 33-10-0 carp, orfe and bream on pole and pellets from peg 12 on Pencil Lake. Jimmy Tobin (Cardiff) 28-15-0; Mike Eyre (Cardiff Nomads) 26-0-0.

Port Talbot Docks, . Sunday 20 th. Doug Hornblow (Cardiff Nomads) 39-8-0 skimmers on groundbait feeder and double red maggots from peg 6 on walkway. Mal Entwhistle (Glamorgan Rebels) 34-0-0; Mike Towler (Glamorgan Rebels) 29-8-0.

Redhill Fishery , Saturday 18 th. Darren Saunders (Iffers) 28-2-0 small carp on pole and pellets from peg on Sophie's Pond. Gary Thomas (Merthyr) 27-4-0; Alan Simmonds (Iffers) 15-4-0.
Aberglais, Molly's Pond. Sunday 18 th. Colin Reece (Merthyr) 24-1-0 small carp, bream and rudd on pole and maggots over pellets from peg on car park side. Terry Jones (Merthyr) 20-15-0; Ian Cathrew (Merthyr) 19-13-0.