Welcome to Winter

As we are now in December, we officially enter meteorological winter; time traditionally marked by shorter days, frequent frosts and, in recent years, ever-increasing amounts of rain. At present, the weather has been relatively mild, with temperatures generally above average. We have only experienced the occasional frosty morning, while rainfall has been more persistent. Despite all this, the river levels at Little Stoke were barely above their summer lows when we fished there on 7 December but in the next few days climbed a full metre back to the levels of last winter. However since the last weekend (13/14 December) they have fallen back considerably, indicating that there is still capacity in the ground after the dry summer of 2025. The positive aspect of this situation is that there should be a much greater chance to fish at Little Stoke in the coming weeks compared to previous years. Last year, high water levels made the river inaccessible for extended periods, which has been disappointing as traditionally good bags of roach and the increased incidence of Chub and Bream have made winter sessions rewarding.

Environmental Concerns

However, there is a downside to the recent rainfall, as it has led to an uptick in illegal sewage discharges. Fortunately, here in southern England we are experiencing far fewer incidents of this kind than our counterparts in the north.

Fantasy League Update

The Fantasy League competition has now reached its halfway stage. While modesty prevents the disclosure of the team or manager currently leading, it is worth noting that last year’s winning manager, Peter Finch (A New Beginning), as well as Dave Mahoney (Winning), are close behind and well-positioned for a strong finish in the final stages. Additionally, three teams managed by Gary, Dave A and Darren are each just 11 points short of second place. As last year’s final match at Little Stoke demonstrated, a single match result can dramatically alter the standings.

Club Meetings

We cancelled the December meeting because there was no pressing business and the next club meeting will take place on 9 January 2026. I hope you can join us.

Future Fixtures and Arrangements

After the 7 December match at Little Stoke, the next scheduled club match at this venue will be held on 8 March. In the interim, there are two still water matches scheduled for 15 February and 1 March, as well as a final canal match on 25 January. Given the high river levels experienced over the past three winters, the decision was made not to schedule any river matches in January or February this season, thus reducing the risk of cancellations due to flooding.

At the November meeting, the possibility of organising additional friendly matches—without points but with optional £10 pools—at Little Stoke in mid-January and/or early or late February 2026 was discussed. The response was positive as it was from anglers at Little stoke on 7 December. Therefore, if weather conditions look favourable in the week leading up to 10 or 17 January, 8 or 22 February, or 1 March, an email invitation will be circulated inviting members to sign up. Matches will be organised if four or more members commit to attending.

Festive Wishes

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a festive conclusion to 2025 and a truly successful and enjoyable year ahead in 2026.