Silver End Front Pit

This statement by the Committee regarding Silver End Front Pit is to counter the misinformation that seems to being spread regarding 20-30 fish deaths and the unwillingness of the EA to help.

There have been only 4-5 independently verifiable carp deaths in the Front Pit at the beginning of May.  None of the other 20-30 carp deaths that are being said to have occurred have been notified as they were found and verified by a second person.  Our General Secretary, Steve Nelson, has been fishing both Pits on a regular basis in the 4-6 weeks and has not seen any dead fish.  Nor have other members who regularly fish the Pits have seen dead carp on the Front Pit other than the ones the Committee know about. The Carp to 26lb that have been caught were all in good condition.

It is not true to say that the EA has shown no help with investigations.  They have attended the Front Pit on three occasions with the Fishery Manager, Steve Mason, tested the water quality. and confirmed water oxygen levels are acceptable.  They have made suggestions about improving the movement of water within the Pit to try and keep silt suspended.

They have actually advised that many other waters have had  fatalities of over 30 carp caused by the long cold spring with intermittent hot spells.  Fish were, therefore, not in the best of condition when spawning started.  This is likely to have more affect on the older fish.

There is no evidence of fish being affected by parasites and certainly not to the point that it would cause a fish to die.

Silver End Pits are discussed at length at our monthly Committee meetings.  There has been some restocking in the past two-three years and some further restocking next year is being discussed.  However, it is not easy to source larger carp at an affordable cost.  We have been criticised by carp anglers in the past for stocking smaller carp.  There is always also a risk when introducing new fish into a water even when they have been tested by the EA.

Restocking has taken place recently at Marney 2 with 100 bream around the 3 pound size and 450 bream around the half pound size. the fish came from a fish farm .

Also 70 tench have been introduced into Elm Farm Reservoir and 300 crucians provided by the EA into Marney 3.

To deter fly tipping outside Hunts Farm Reservoir, a gate with our combination lock has been installed by Wilkins on the track. The farmer also has his own lock on the gate.

The river only permit which was for the winter period only is now available to cover the whole river open season between 16 June 2018 and 14th March 2019.

Only available from the Membership Secretary.  Download a an application form on the Joining page.

Owing to the parking of non-members cars on our car parks at the Marney complex, a chain with our combination lock has been installed at the end of the track before the entrance to the field. 

Fish Welfare Rule - fish spawning

The Committee has decided to introduce a new Fish Welfare rule with immediate effect.

This new rule is an alternative to closing waters for extended periods which is not viewed as practical as fish spawn on and off at different times.  We trust members to act responsibly.

The Association has published a member's Privacy Notice which is a document that sets out the ways in which it gathers, uses, discloses and manages member's data. 

It fulfils a legal requirement to protect a member's privacy under the Data Protection Regulation.  Links to the documents are on the website Homepage and below.

KDAA Data Protection Policy

KDAA Privacy Notice

If members past and present have any queries on the content of the documents please contact Fred Merrin.

I am delighted to advise that we have set up a coaching scheme for juniors aged eight and over. This is a joint venture with Kelvedon & District Angling Association and Maldon Angling Society and the plan is to hold coaching sessions throughout the May-October period on a variety of waters, split between the two clubs. Those enrolled will be welcome at all sessions, and we’ll cater for both novices and those who already fish.

The scheme is aimed primarily to bring juniors into the sport whose parents do not fish but also to develop the skills of juniors new to angling.
They do not need to be members of either KDAA or MAS.

We will be running this through accredited Angling Trust Level 2 Coach’s Graham Garnham and Chris Burt, who both hold Enhanced DBS checks, Safeguarding & Protecting Children, First Aid course etc.

We’ll be teaching them everything to get them hooked, from starter sessions using a 4 metre whip, onto full tuition on float rods, feeders and pole fishing. Every variation we can in fact, the aim is to capture their interest and give them a sport for life!  Tackle will be provided.

If you know any child who would like to enrol into the scheme please let us know, parents who’d like to learn to fish too are welcome, though they might have to share the same swim. There will be nominal charges only for bait and tackle replacement.

£7.50 per day or less for Family Groups, Coaching dates are set for;

19th May, 9th & 23rd June, 7th, 21st & 28th July, 15th & 22nd Aug, 8th & 23rd Sept.

For more information on this venture, please see our website : www.anglingcoachinginitiative.co.uk or send us and email at : aci.info@anglingcoachinginitiative.co.uk

Our Facebook page can be found here : www.facebook.com/Angling-Coaching-Initiative- 377571599384078

We still need additional Volunteer Assistants to make this initiative a success, if you’d be prepared to help at some or all the sessions, can you please contact me? You would only do as many or as few sessions as you want. We are already funding three of our Volunteers to take the Angling Trust level 1 Coaching qualification, to strengthen our team. We plan to role this scheme out to other clubs too in the future so you can join us with that in mind.

So if you would like to join the initiative please visit the ACI website to download enrolment forms or contact me.  

Coaching dates here and on the Match Fixtures page.

Enrolment and parent consent form

Adult consent and enrolment form

Volunteer Assistant form

Chris Burt

Angling Coaching Initiative

3 Great Cob Chelmsford CM1 6LA

Email:  aci.info@anglingcoachinginitiative.co.uk

M 07917 781299

The AGM held at Spring Lodge Community Centre. Witham on the Sunday 14 January 2018 with 24 members attending. 

The following recommendations by the Committee to change the rules were discussed and agreed.

a) The meeting agreed that subscriptions should be amended:-

Adults £80 to £85

Senior Citizens £45 to £50

Intermediate £50 to £55

Parent & Junior £95 to £100

Disabled £45 to £50

Husband & Wife £100 to £105

Hunts Farm Reservoir only Adult £25 to £30 Concession £15 to £20

Night permits No increase

Juniors No increase

River only permit No increase

This is the first increase in three years and is essentially to cover known increases in water rental within the next two years and continued fish stocking.

b) Rule change agreed:-

Conduct Rule 9 to be amended “ Members shall not reserve swims. Any angler leaving a swim must remove all their tackle and sundry items. Bailiffs decision to be final.”

c) Rule change 

Conduct Rule 4:- After some discussion an amended proposal by a member was agreed.

“Members must not take dogs on Association waters at any time other than Seabrooks Reservoir. For a trial year members wishing to take a dog on Seabrooks must obtain a dog permit from the Membership Secretary and must keep the dog on a lead at all times and tethered in the member's swim while fishing.”

The Committee has subsequently made a further amendment to the rules:-

Fish Welfare Rule 9 now reads 'Members must not have in their possession on the bank or put into the water more than a total of 4kg of boilies and 2kg of dry groundbait and/or particles in any 24 hour period.'

Seen a cormorant or goosander? Please let the Angling Trust know!

At the Angling Trust we recognise the enormous damage that cormorants and goosanders can do to fish stocks in both rivers and still waters. We want to do more to enable fishery managers to be allowed to control these highly destructive birds.

The Trust has written to the Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, demanding a doubling of the number of cormorants licensed to be shot in England annually to 6,000 and for the removal of requirements for evidence that goosanders are damaging fisheries before a licence will be issued.

They have relaunched the Cormorant Watch website for you to log sightings of cormorants and goosanders. The data provided will help us push for more effective control of these birds in England, Wales and Scotland, where goosanders in particular predate heavily on declining salmon stocks.

A Working Party was held on Saturday 6 December on Silver End Front Pit to enlarge the dug outs and cut back foliage on the east bank.  

Thanks to the twelve members that helped including the four non Committee members.

Four members have been banned recently for breaking various rules at Silver End Pits, for example, fishing with three rods before the 1 November, leaving rods unattended, swimming, to clear weed. refusing to show a membership card to a Bailiff, reserving a swim, and drinking alcohol.

Members please make sure you read the rules in your handbook and on the web site thoroughly. Any infringements will result in the severest action in order to protect both other members fishing, our waters, our fish and bank side neighbours.

Silver End Front Pit had 24 Carp introduced in November, ranging from 10lbs to 21lbs.

Tiptree Reservoir had six carp between 11.25lb and 19.0lb and over 50lb of Rudd stocked in October and approximately 145 Carp from 2 - 5lb, plus some good quality Rudd in November.

Layer Marney 3, had 300 Crucian Carp supplied by the Environment Agency from their own Fish Farm in December.

Another local lake, NOT KDAA, has had some fish deaths. Oxygen problems have been ruled out. A virus is the most likely cause. Cefas are doing tests to find out which one.
To protect our waters no angler should turn up at our waters with a WET keepnet, landing net, sling, mat or any other item of tackle. All such items must be thoroughly dried, preferably baked in the sun, and be with no moisture at all. This is the only way of ensuring that any virus is killed.
Spraying with a disinfectant is not a solution as the virus can easily survive in parts the spray does not penetrate. Dipping tanks are also not viable as equipment needs to be soaked for at least half an hour and the solution needs to be changed frequently to be effective.
Thorough drying is the most effective way of stopping the transmission of deadly viruses

John Joyce
Chairman

Sadly, Dave Foster, a member of the KDAA for many years and a former Vice-Chairman died last week.  He had been ill for the past year.

His funeral is at 11 am on Thursday 14 September at the Three Counties Crematorium, Braintree.

A new page has been added to this website to provide the facility for members to Sell, Swap or Buy surplus fishing tackle.

Access the page on the bottom menu button in the left margin of the site or click here.

The EA have been out to test the water at Silver End due to an orange algae which has sprung up. 

Their investigation has revealed that the Front Pit is saturated with bait and due to the very hot weather, lack of rain and low water level is causing the algae.

Consequently with IMMEDIATE effect, the Committee have introduced a bait limit of 1kg of boilies per 24hr period and absolutely NO particle whatsoever untill the lakes recover.

This bait limit is on both the Front and Back Pit as they are connected.

1st Rus Metson 26.10lb mirror, 2nd Tony Varrow 25.8lb common, 3rd Sam Sutton 19.9lb  mirror and Graham Foakes-Jones 19.6lb mirror,

The Back Pit was not used as the carp were still spawning.

Thanks to the 12 members, mainly Committee members, that turned up to help at the Working Party yesterday at Seabrooks Reservoir. Good progress was made in cutting out swims on the south bank and making them safer. Also lopping overhanging branches around the reservoir. There is very little weed at the present time. 

Recovered a lot of lead weights from the bushes on the islands due to anglers overcasting

It appears that a number of KDAA anglers are parking in Western Lane to gain access to the Back Pit. This is against the Fishery Rule on page 20 of the current handbook. One angler even blocked the entrance to the horse field and was abusive when challenged. This stupid behaviour must stop now. Anyone found parking in this lane is in danger of a life ban.

John Joyce - Chairman

The recent Silver End Front Pit stockings on two separate dates in October consisted of 13 fish of which 5 are mirrors from 11lbs to 19lbs and 8 are commons from 12lbs to 19lbs.

Eight of the thirteen fish are over 14 lb. One of those is 18lb and two are 19lb.

These fish are to replace the older fish that have died over the past few years.

As these fish are used to a natural diet they are expected to pack on weight when exposed to a diet of boilies.

The winner was Gez Jones with a 19.5 lb common on the Back Pit and runner up Nathan Appleby with a 15.5 lb common on the Front Pit.

Conditions were challenging overnight with heavy rain.  Over £1700 has been collected for a cancer charity.

The Committee has amended Fish Welfare rule 9 to remove the boilie feed limit of 2 Kg.  The limit on other ground bait including particles remains in force.

Anglers are requested to use commonsense in the amount of boilies they feed into the water during any fishing session. 

The limit may be re-introduced as an amendment to the Fishery Rules that apply to an individual water.

August 2016.

Apply for a Guest ticket on line via PayPal, particularly useful if you are unable to get to a Tackle Shop in time before you wish to take a Guest fishing. 

Retain a copy of your emailed PayPal payment receipt to show a Bailiff, if requested to do so.

Link to Purchasing Guest Tickets page on the How to join page or click here.

In addition to the facility to purchase Guest tickets on-line via this website.  New and existing members may now pay their membership subscription on-line. Visit the How to Join web page.

Complete and submit an on-line form with an attached photograph and make payment via your PayPal account.. You may use your PayPal receipt as proof of membership until your membership card and handbook arrives in the post.

This facility is particularly useful if you are unable to get to one of our Tackle Agents in time before you wish to go fishing or do not wish to post your application..  There is, however, an additional £7.25 admin fee to cover our PayPal charges and postage.

The Working Party held on Tiptree Reservoir last Friday and Saturday completed building 20 fishing platforms with the aid of a mini digger.  They also cleared vegetation and cut back trees to open up more swims.  As usual the work was carried out by the small number of members who regularly turn up to help on working parties.  The swims on this previously overgrown water are now very accessible.

A new gate to the left of the existing one has also been installed with an improved access track to the new gate

The Committee has determined the fishing limits of 15 dedicated pegged swims for carp anglers on the Silver End Back Pit.

Carp Anglers may fish any area of water provided there are no other anglers already fishing in the designated swim they wish to fish. If another carp angler starts fishing in an adjacent swim then they should both only fish within the dedicated fishing zones as shown on the map in the Handbook and on the Silver End Pits webpage..

Will all members wishing to fish the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation please check the specific rules on page 48 of the handbook before fishing and those relating to the Heybridge Basin

Several complaints have been made against anglers, mainly about fishing where it is not allowed and obstructing the towpath (mainly carp anglers). We have already banned one member from fishing the Chelmer until the end of the year and do not want complaints against any other KDAA members.

Members must be aware that this wonderful facility is shared with boaters, walkers and cyclists. Please be courteous and considerate to these other users. On the other hand, if the behaviour of any other Chelmer user causes a problem to anglers who are adhering to the rules then please report the incident to the General Secretary. As an example, canoes going past your position is not such and incident but deliberately smashing the paddles on the water to scare fish is.

Sorry to have to bring this to your attention but we do not want to lose this valuable angling asset.

John Joyce

Horses at Silver End Back Pit

Amanda Thorpe has had to divide her field into two halves where she keeps her horses., This has meant putting a small gateway in, It is one spring type gateway: ie it looks just like a spring and stretches across

the pathway hooking at one and, attached to post at the other. Please close it after you  have been through. it's not difficult to use.  Amanda cannot have the horses on the back field as the grass is too rich.

The older one has a medical condition which means if he over eats he could become severely lame, this could end up with him having to be put to sleep.

Brian Pike former General Secretary

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Brian Pike, our General Secretary for 18 years, recently passed away after a short illness. Brian only relinquished the position at the last AGM at the age of 82 years. 

Brian's funeral was held  on the 7 July at the North Chapel, Chelmsford Crematorium.

Some of you will remember Brian taking over the Secretary’s position in 1997 because he wanted to “put something back” in to the club. That something lasted a long time and included years of dedicated service in which Brian used his administration skills to build up superb relationships with our landlords and various agencies, all necessary for the smooth running of the club. Brian leaves a massive gap in our

If any of you feel like following Brian’s example in putting something back, even for a few years, then put yourself forward as Brian did for a place on the Committee at the next AGM. Don’t forget all local clubs exist and are run by people like Brian. Without them the clubs could not exist.

John Joyce

More fish for Layer Marney middle lake.

On Saturday 20th June 2015 the middle lake at Layer Marney received the first consignment of fish designed to bring the stocks back up to the desired level for our pleasure anglers. The fish stocked were: -

 ·         500 common and mirror carp 6 to 8 inches

100 tench 8 to 10 inches

·1000 roach 4 to 6 inches

·1000 roach 6 to 8 inches

Membership card clipping is now being brought into force. A verbal warning constitutes a clip if you make it to 3 clips your card will be taken and you will appear before the committee for the relevant action to be taken. Rule breaking will not be tolerated. The main problems are things such as leaving rods unattended, pre baiting, alcohol, and wading in for the purpose of setting rigs and baiting up, to avoid this happening refresh yourself by having another read over the rules in your hand book. Just remember if you don't break the rules then this won't be a problem for you

KDAA now has a Face book page, Please view it for up to date news as it happens.  

Please note that when using the Portaloo toilets at Silver End Pits and at Seabrooks, the following procedure should be strictly observed:

1. Flush the toilet BEFORE use.
2. Flush the toilet adequately after use.
3. Please leave the toilet as you would expect to find it.
.
Thank you.

During a recent burglary of Environment Agency premises, corporate branded clothing was stolen. We have good reason to believe that this could now be used to impersonate Environment Agency employees. Environment Agency officers always carry photographic identification with them, and they never offer any work or advice for cash. Likewise, our officers never demand cash from anglers for licences or for fishing licence breaches.

EWLO 70302 Brenda Cross
Essex Watch Liaison Officer
Essex Police
Chelmsford, Maldon, Braintree, Uttlesford Districts
Direct Dial: 101 extension 420279
Mobile:- 07970 599923
Email :- brenda.cross@essex.pnn.police.uk
Website: essex.police.uk

Chelmsford Police Station, New Street, Chelmsford, CM1 INL

The Committee has negotiated to share access to 14 miles of the river Chelmer from Heybridge Basin to Chelmsford together with Maldon AC and Chelmsford AC as from the 16 June 2009.

See map on the rivers page. Stocked with carp to 30lb, pike to 25lb, bream to 8lb, tench to 6lb, chub to 5lb, perch to 3lb, roach to 1.1/2lb and dace to 1/2lb. Night fishing is allowed with a KDAA night permit. KDAA guest tickets will not cover this river, but day tickets are available on the bank from a Maldon AC Bailiff. 

More information on the to rivers page

Signal Crayfish have been caught in Layer Marney 2 and 3 and the EA are known to be laying net traps in the Blackwater. If members catch any, Please kill these creatures that are alien to our waters.