Anglers see one that didn't get away - but in India, not on the Rother

Petworth & Bognor Angling Club held their annual anglers' evening, where guest speakers Huw James and Richard Donnelly gave the audience a good idea of what fishing in India is like.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Nov 2011, 07:47 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 19:28 BST

A visit to the famous River Cauvery in Southern India in February for a couple of weeks fishing for the huge Mahseer was very different to fishing our local rivers.

Pictures from the trip showed fishing for these wonderful species and they told of their experiences along the way, what they saw and the people they met – making for a most interesting evening, which ended with a chance to see the rods and reels required to catch a Mahseer.

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The locally-made bait was the size of a cricket ball, but the fish loved it. They were all released back into the river as elephants wandered around nearby – a fishing trip like no other.

Back on the more sedate Arun and Rother, anglers have until recently had to cope with very low water levels, making the fish look for the deeper stretches, and results have suffered.

However, chub remain the dominate species on the Rother with quite a few 5lb-plus coming from Coultershaw and Fittleworth, while some record roach have been caught from the Arun at Coultershaw.

Recent rain will help and the rivers now have more of a flow, so float and maggot are proving popular for dace and roach, making a slow return after years of decline.

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The club’s two ponds at Walberton, always a popular venue, again suffered from lack of water, made worse by the discovery of a leak in the smaller Cart pond. A work party led by club fishery manager Nelson Keen has repaired the damaged so it is hoped the level will shortly be back to normal.

There have been varied results from the club’s Granary lake with average-size carp taken from the margins.

Some anglers struggle to catch at this popular spot, but the answer often lies in changing the way you fish, what may work down the road at Hurston Lane Fishery may not be successful elsewhere, so a change in bait and method is worth trying.

The Mill Pond on the Rother at Coultershaw remains closed to anglers while restoration work continues on the ancient mill and surrounding area.

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Elsewhere, though, autumn is a great time to go fishing – see www.sussexangling.co.uk

THREE COUNTIES

ANGLING LEAGUE

The fourth round of the league saw A division fished at Marsh Farm, Milford.

Results: Teams: 1 Team Spirit 28pts, 2 Rudgwick B 25, 3 Rother 24; Individuals: 1 Ian Davidson (Rother) 16lb (tench, crucians & skimmers on the pole and feeder); 2 Ron Carter (Rudgwick B 15lb 1oz; 3 Bob Stevens (Rother) 14lb 11oz.

B division was fished on Cooks Pond, Milland.

Results: 1 Rother III 25, 2 Rother 24, 3 Bognor B 19; Individuals: 1 Andrew Rowlands (Rother) 13lb 7oz (mainly skimmers on the waggler); 2 Steve Worth (Rother III) 10lb 7oz, 3 Alex King (Rother III) 10lb 4oz.

C division was fished on Pump Station Pond.

Results: 1 Stedham B 26,

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2 Grayshott 19, Jt 3 Oakhanger B, Stedham A & Oakhanger A 17; Individuals: 1 John Hounsome (Stedham B) 30lb 4oz,

2 Will Fox (Grayshott) 30lb 1oz, 3 Keith Wickins (Oakhanger A) 27lb 6oz.

BOGNOR

Bognor Regis Amateur Angling Society held a match which was won by J Elcott.

Results: 1 J Elcott 44lb 5oz, bream 37lb 15oz, dogfish, pouting; 2 D Shelley 31lb 12oz, bream 22lb, dogfish, pouting;

3 T Hart 17lb 12oz, bream 13lb 6oz, dogfish, pouting. Top junior: T Hart. 8 fished, 6 weighed in. Total aggregate weight: 129lb 4oz.