Home - Ravenfield Ponds - Coarse Fishing in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK

i think option 3 is a good way to go,

Stuart, you have offered three suggestions that you feel would improve the ponds. Whilst other people are welcome to cast their view I would not expect anyone to have a go at you even if they have an opposite point of view.

As I am on the committee I feel that it wouldn't be fair for me to comment on the above as there would be a lot of implications that need to be considered and discussed.

Rest assured that I will pass your comments on to both Terry and Martin this weekend. I will also put it forward for the September committee agenda.

PS - hope you dont mind but I formatted your post a little to make it easier to read. I have not changed any content at all.

Although option 3 seems like the best. I think to close the pond would be a mistake . My vote would be for option 2. Rake and poison the lake in the winter months and at the start of march and then to be looked at my the bailiff/committee members on a weekly basis. We all want our venue to be the best it can be. Tight lines

sighsee i mean let the carp anglers have the use of the great pond for a 1 year period

Out of all the ponds on this superb fishery . The great pond is my least favourite. I love all the pegs i have fished so far on the carp lake. It also does not have the annoyance of match anglers. Telling me about there enormous bag of skimmer bream. I totally agree that something wants doing about the condition of OUR premier lake. Lets hope the powers that be listen and take the appropriate action. Respect and tightline

I don't want to seem negative but here are just a few problems to consider.

- The lake cannot be drained dry, it is spring fed and there is always water 6 inch to 12 deep from the island to the dam.

- I have it on good authority, from someone that has tried it that the dye trick does not work, not even in ponds that are contained, i.e. water does not run in and out.

- Last time the lake was drained down, before it became the Carp Pond, it took the EA four days to remove all the fish by electro fishing. This puts an enormous strain on the stock, particularly carp, that need high currents to stop them just swimming away from the electrode, and as a result some died.

- If carp were put into the Gt. Pond they would go backwards, the pond is stuffed with fish already and more would simply limit the food supply for all of them.

- If they went into the Gt. pond how would we get them out? Don't forget the cages/islands so it can't be netted. It too would need to be drained down, and electro-fished and we'd have to get a contactor to do it at possible £700/day!
And where would we put all those bream, roach, perch, tench etc while this was on going?

- The treatment we used last time must be done as soon as weed starts to grow, miss that and it doesn't work so winter is totally out of the question. Anyway the idea is irrelevant since it is now illegal, the chemicals, (all makes) have been withdrawn for the market and safe replacements are currently under test and results are not expected for two years. Don't blame me blame the EU!

- Having said all that killing lilies is OK, we have the stuff, it simply needs spraying on the leaves in August. No-one may have noticed but Keith and I did some last year. However many anglers like the lilies, so control is the principle here.

- And remember carp like weed too, so it's a case of trying to keep both the fish and anglers happy.

In the short term, until new chemicals are available, I can't think of anything we can do other than drag the weed from the day it starts growing, but keep the ideas coming. Some anglers have cleared swims where they fish and they are catching too, they've just adapted their techniques to the conditions.

cheers for the reply martin

Other lakes are having the same problem with weed and all have the same EU restrictions around weed killer. In the short term the only solution is to adapt your approach and in the longer term we need to do some serious raking in Spring.
And sadly, the reality is that you will lose some anglers because they consider the lake "unfishable."

I know im a newbie, and joined only on a winter ticket this month, but i see little mention of what happens to Canadian pond weed when it is raked and broken, it germinates straight away causing more of a problem and 10 times worse.

Lillies are great for a carp lake but under control as someone has mentioned, i think getting rid of lillies completley would ruin the naturally beauty of the lake.

sorry if ive over stepped the line being a newbie.

john

Not a problem John, we welcome sensible, serious comments and I'd rather anglers air their views here rather than whisper and mutter where no-one can hear.
The main problems with weed are that,
- some want it, some don't.
- some anglers are unable/unwilling to adapt their fishing when it is present.
- too much is a problem....as is too little.
The secret as with many things is getting a balance, afterall the fish love it. Unfortunately the balance this year tipped in favour of too much, but even so a number of anglers have demonstrated that fish can be caught, without dragging them thro' tons of weed, it's called margin fishing, or so they tell me! We do however have a number of options for next year which we are considering and discussing with the EA.

Yeh margin fishing love it, dont think ive cast further than 50 yds this year.

The only problem with tons of weed even if some anglers prefer it, is that not every angler is of the same experience or even used to fishing weed, like you say a balancing act.. hopefully will be able to get involved round the lake helping out when you do work partys etc..

Thanks, I'll let you know if/when we're busy.

Can i ask a couple of questions as i am not familiar with the lake as yet.

Has there always been a problem with excessive weed growth or is this a realatively new occurrence?

Are there any bait restrictions ie amounts and types or whats the situation regarding inputs from agricultural run off etc???

I ask because a long term solution would be to decrease the nutrient input, for excessive plant growth requires two main things.....nutrient over load and excessive light levels, cut out one or both and plants should decrease. Not an instant fix but a fix nonetheless and its better than nothing.

Chris,

It has always been a problem. It is an old estate lake with many tonnes of silt in the bottom. Other lakes were dregded some years ago but the lie of the land prevented us from doing this one. Years ago it was one mass of lilies, so much so it was impossible to row a boat. Glyphosphate sorted the excess here but of course others take their place. The situation was not helped with the big flood in 2007 when allsorts came down the valley.
One possibility we are investigation is treating with dye.

I noticed in some of the pics that some weed had been cleared. Where was this put? Might be a silly question and im sure you know but leaving it on the banks will also increase nutrient input as it decomposes and leaches back in.