NEWS UPDATE 24/12/2024
CHARITY MATCH AT LITTLESTOKE UPDATE 24/12/24
Just to update members about our fundraising efforts for the CRUK Shop in Hounslow which comprised our Charity Match at Littlestoke and our ongoing Fantasy League. We had an update from Gabor, The Hounslow Shop Manager. He says that with our help we raised more than £600 pounds linked to our event and the fundraising page and from other sources they raised another £1250. Although not yet finalized by their Finance Team it is already the best result they have ever had in their shop. He goes on to say that without our Club's help it would never have happened. So I would just like to say a great big thank you to everybody who participated and organised the event and to Gabor for his efforts on the day and subsequently for such a great cause which has touched so many of us over the years and continues to do so. I for one would be happy to do it again next year. Those of us who are HPoWAS should be rightly proud of our efforts and I know Gabor is delighted.
Below are just a few memories of a memorable day.
​
Gabor,the Hounslow CRUK manager who took an active part in pre
The Trophy that Gabor kindly donated to the winner of our Charity Match
Official Fund Raising Gear.
Our official Collection Bucket
Trevor setting up pre match on a soggy day
Phil, Bob and Pete complete with Fund Raising Bucket
Necessary setting up on a grey damp day.
.jpeg)
Gary's Runner-Up Weight of 16-12-8
SECRETARY'S UPDATE OCTOBER 2024
Fantasy League The trial has launched on 22 September and will run until our last match of the season at Little Stoke in March. There are a good selection of teams and the website will carry updates of league placings. The entry fees for this contributed to our fund raising for CRUK.Fund raising for CRUK 22.
September saw the beginning of our winter season, and the charity match vs Tring. The Tring contingent was disappointingly small and we won it handsomely with good fish caught and Tim giving a lesson in autumn roach fishing with 157 fish (he counts them!) for nearly 22lb. Full results on the website in the usual place. The match contributed a further £55 to our efforts for CRUK and another £65 secured from donations on the day (with £40 from the owners in Little Stoke House). Ahead of the match nearly half our members made a donation and Gabor (manager of Hounslow CRUK shop) set up a giving page for this event. From these various sources our combined efforts have raised just short of £500 for CRUK – a tremendous achievement and one that so many club members have made possible. Thank you.
News for those who are considering joining us. From 1 November we have a special offer for club membership. The annual sub for seniors is £55 (the website shows rates for students and concessions). From 1 November we offer new membership running to 31 March 2026, for the 2024-5 sub rate plus £10. So that would be £65 for seniors, £37.50 for concessions and £20 for students. The £5 joining is waived so this represents tremendous value with 16.5 months of membership for an extra £5 for new members taking advantage of this offer. Use the form on the website and return it me (address on the form) with either a transfer or cheque. If you transfer the payment please use ref ‘promo 24’.
The weather and what it does to our river. The end of September saw abnormal rainfall and the river rose nearly 2.5 metres in the days immediately after the charity match and into the lower meadows. The fish are used to such variations and by and large can cope as levels last winter rose to new record levels, but it is unique in our experience that the river comes out of its banks in September. If it was just the excess water, the fish will cope but as we all have learned in the past few years, heavy rainfall leads to (more) sewage discharges.
​
In the 15 miles upstream of Litte Stoke is Abingdon where the 1st of 8 neighbouring sewage treatment plants is sited. 1 Dorchester, discharges into the Thame which enters the Thames at Dorchester. The other 7 discharge into small water courses and thence into the Thames upstream of Little Stoke. On 2 October I used the Thames Water map to see what had gone into our water since 27 September from these 8 points within 15 miles of our water. 6 had discharged in the previous 48 hours, of which 3 were currently discharging. All bar 1 had discharged since 27 September as follows:
Abingdon 1 hr 45 mins
Drayton 10 hours 45 mins
Didcot 3 hours 30mins
Culham 55 hours 30 mins
South Moreton 229 hours 20 mins*
Cholsey 0
Dorchester 30 hours 45 mins
Benson 2 hours 9 mins
That’s total of 330 hours of discharge of partially treated and raw sewage in the previous 6 days affecting our water. * tells you that at South Moreton, this has been going on continuously since 23 September- nearly 10 days. If we test in the midst of or immediately after such an event it will show up, but days later with no discharges, the water will return to its customary (average to poor as measured) quality.If you want to see what is happening in real time visit www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map and centre in on Wallingford. Green is good and no recent discharges, amber means previous recent discharge and red signals current discharge. Don’t forget the hand sanitiser!
​
​
​
​
​
​
Match, Trophy and Fantasy Update 24/12/2024
Unfortunately our last Club Match at Littlestoke on the 1st December was cancelled due to high water levels so the Trophy standings are a case of as you were. Go to the Match Section to see the results. You can see the impications of the result in the Trophy Section. Our next match is at Grove Marina on the GUC on the 26th January 2025. Look out for Pete's texts to book on. The Fantasy League, needless to say has not changed and is now 6 matches in. Go to the Fantasy League page in the Members Section to see the full table.
Finally I would like to wish all our Members and their families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and hopefully the weather relents to allow us all to enjoy some fishing in the New Year.
Club Member Help Required with Illegal fishing
I would ask all members, particularly those that fish Littlestoke, to read the above from Chris which outlines the problems illegal trolling on the Thames by boats launched from one of two slipways which adjoin our Littlestoke stretch. As members we can participate in trying to eradicate the problem that Chris has highlighted. Whilst I do not advocate anybody putting themselves at risk we can all make a difference. If you see any issues just use the information on Chris's memo to highlight the problem to the relevant authority.
Sewage and Fishing
I would urge all members to read the above article from Chris which highlights the hidden dangers ever present in our waterways. The press reports on many incidents where river users, particularly swimmers, have fallen ill when using the rivers recreationally. We fisherman are not immune to these problems as highlighted by Chris in his article. It is imperative that we take this issue seriously as some of these bugs can be quite nasty. Taking sensible precautions particularly when it comes to putting line in your mouth and eating could prevent you catching bugs like e-coli. I would urge all members to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in their tackle box
WQMN and General Update 06/11/24
Chris has now collated the last 6 months of water testing data. This can be viewed on the WQMN Details page in the Littlestoke section
He also put up 2 notices yesterday – weatherproofed - (1 by slipway and the other by the gate to the first meadow) which thanks local residents and footway users for their contributions to our CRUK fundraising and gives the final total. It also gives news of our promotional offer for new members from 1 November and details of our website where people can find out we are not just a fishing club but take our environmental responsibilities seriously; with regular water quality testing and a suggestion that swimmers are aware that the tested water quality verges on the unsafe (elevated nitrate and excessive phosphate levels) for swimming and that they can check the current position re sewage discharges by consulting the Thames discharge map https://www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map that gives real-time data and have listed the 8 upstream discharge points.
Useful Information For fishing Littlestoke (Updated 24/12/2024)
Below are two links to the two Thames level measuring stations nearest to Littlestoke at Benson Lock (Above) and Cleeve Lock (Below) our stretch. Although there is some distance between them they still give a good indication of the current river levels if you are thinking of fishing our water. Let me know if it is of some help. If you want more detailed information on these levels go to the Shoothill RiverGauge Map site which gives information on all of the rivers in the Country.
Those members who want to fish Littlestoke or wonder why we have to cancel scheduled matches should click on the link below to read an article written by Chris. This is very informative and highlights the issues we have to face. So thanks to Chris for taking the time to compile this insight. The link shown in Chris's article is shown below at the bottom of the page.
An alternative guide, and in some ways an easier one to interpret is the one to be found on the Environment Agency website at https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/station/7099/downstream. This particular one links to the page showing the downstream levels at Benson Lock but enables you to link to any of the stations on the Thames.