"Gordon MacPherson" wrote in message
...
Dear all,
After Thames Water stopped Farmoor Flyfishing Club using the Farmoor 1
reservoir (they will reopen it next year as a catch-and-release water,
allegedly with no trout under 3 lb) the Club reverted to Darlow - a very
pleasant ex-gravel pit water. The recent floods however have devastated
the area and the lake was closed to fishing until late August. When I went
out at the beginning of September I was horrified to see many trout
swimming around aimlessly just under the surface (dorsal and tail fins
showing), many dead trout and a large dead carp. I did not even try to
fish. I am told that it is most likely to be Argulus - a parasite - and
that there is little that can be done to treat it. So I reckon that is
probably the end of fishing at Darlow this season.
The compensation is that Thames Water is offering concessionary tickets
for Farmoor 2. I visited last Saturday and was pleased (and surprised) to
come away with 5 fish - 1.5 - 2.5 lbs, one on a deep buzzer, one on a fry
imitation and three on a baby daddy long-legs (many others missed - I
think I strike too quickly). All fish caught on Farmoor 2 have to be
killed - the compensation is that these fish have deep pink flesh and a
lovely flavour. We cooked one last night - in foil (160 deg C for 25 min)
with the zest from an orange, the juice from the orange, some salt and
pepper. The juice was reduced at the end and a little Grand Marnier
added - delicious.

Tight lines

Gordon


I managed to find time to go to Farmoor 2 for a day's fishing about 4 weeks
ago. First time I'd been this season. I too asked about the future of
Farmoor 1 and was told a similar story and the possibility of perhaps
allowing soft plastic lure fishing as well. I must say, not something I
would personally like to see for trout fishing on Farmoor 1.

As for the concessionary ticket, I had forgotten this was part of the
negotiated deal with Thames Water with them taking the water back and so for
this season, each FFF member gets a limited number of discounted tickets.

As for Darlow, that is seriously bad news. All the gravel pits are close to
each other and all linked for drainage purposes, so it certainly doesn't
look good for all of the coarse fisheries there as well. Indeed, when the
flooding occurred, all the lakes effectively became one massive lake with
only the road in between, and that was underwater for a while! Even the
River Windrush changed course and ended up flowing through the lakes for
best part of a week or more!

Andy Lawson