You might have caught some of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse fishing for tench, bream, roach and rudd on TV last night and thought “I fancy giving that a go myself”.  If you did but you have no fishing tackle or any idea how to get started then the answer is at hand.  Contact Chris Burt at Angling Coaching Initiative who will be very happy to advise you further and can book you onto one of his angling coaching days.  All tackle will be provided for you to use free of charge on the day and you will only be asked to pay from £7.50 per session to cover the cost of the bait.  Chris is running several coaching days across a variety of Maldon AS and Kelvedon DAA fisheries and he can be contacted by phone on 07917 781299, by email at chris@candjb.co.uk, via the  Angling Coaching Initiative website which can be found at https://anglingcoachinginitiative.co.uk/ or by post at 3 Great Cob, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 6LA.

A happy student with a fine Tench landed at Rook Hall during a coaching session earlier this month.

All from Totham Pit today (Wed 13th Jun) from the swim directly behind the container on method feeder and 6mm white chocolate wafters. 8 Tench, including an 8lb 1oz monster (also my PB), 3 @ 6lb+, 2 @ 5lb+ and 2 under 5lb.

Also 3 Bream, 2 @ 6lb+ and 1 @ 5lb+ and a 1lb 3oz Roach

For all of Kelvin’s fish photos please visit our gallery.

This weeks catch is from Little Park Main lake this time 2 decent Bream at 8lb 1oz and 6lb 9oz, 4 more at about 2lb 8oz each and a decent Roach.

Nice to see that the big old Bream in Little Park obviously had a successful spawn a few years ago, as I’ve never had small bream from the lake before.

Kelvin’s 8lb 1oz Little Park Bream.

Don’t forget that the Chelmer & Blackwater river/canal and our stretches of the River Blackwater re-open to members on the glorious 16th June.  A big thank you to Dean and Ken for strimming our car park at Station Road in readiness for the off.

The car park should be large enough for 6 to 7 cars when it’s stripped right back to the perimeter fence line.

All three lakes at Rook Hall will be closed to members on Sunday 17th June (Fathers Day) for the Blackwater Country Show.  More information regarding the show can be found at http://www.blackwatercountryshow.co.uk/.  Angling Coaching Initiative will be running a coarse fishing coaching session on the trout lake next to the Maldon Angling Society stall on the day.

Next Chelmer Canal Trust Work Party – Wednesday evening, 13th June

Hi, it’s summer! And traditionally we move our monthly Saturday morning work parties to mid-week evenings so that they don’t get in the way of our own summer-weekend activities and commitments. And also because being beside or on the Navigation on a summer’s evening can be a delight.

Our first ‘summer work party’ takes place next Wednesday, 13^th June and we’ll be meeting up in the Boater’s Car Park at Sandford Lock to start off at 7pm.

Regular work party members might be relieved to know that we won’t be heading off up the lane and across the Barry Bridge! Our plan is to head downstream to Cuton Lock, dealing with any litter on the way, the weedbusting task being to deal with pennywort in the ditch that runs into the Navigation below the weir there.

Whether or not you’ve joined us for a work party before, and whether or not you actually want to do any work, all are welcome to come along. What could be better than a pleasant evening’s stroll along the Navigation with such excellent company?! We’ll be having a refreshment break during the evening when free refreshments will be available.

For a map of the area to assist in getting to Sandford Lock click here: Sandford Lock Map or put CM2 6NX into your Satnav, smartphone, etc.

Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the prevailing conditions. Nettles and brambles at this time of year can do damage to bare legs. We provide all tools and equipment – but you are welcome to bring anything that works especially well for you.

Other dates for your diary:

• our next Canal Trust Evening Talk is at Moulsham Mill, 7.00 for 7.30 pm on Tuesday, 19^th June. Look out for details which will be published soon
• our next Canal Trust Walk is the following day, Wednesday, 20^th June, starting at 9 am. Again, full details will follow and if you are on the ‘Walks’ email list you’ll be getting an email about it.

You should have received an email from the Chelmer Canal Trust recently about GDPR compliance. The aim is to ensure that your data remains private and that you aren’t bombarded with unwanted emails. If you would prefer we do not contact you about future work parties then there is the facility at the foot of this email to ‘unsubscribe’ from the ‘Work Party’ email list you are currently on. If you decide to do so (we hope you won’t!), please also email william@chelmercanaltrust.co.uk letting him know so that we can edit the preference details we have for you.

Kind regards

Neil