River Trout Fly Fishing
The River Trout Fly Fishing section is a semi-autonomous part of the Society and fishes a section of the River Wey’s south branch near Frensham Church. Anybody who wishes to fish the water should contact the FAS Membership Secretary, Mick Borra, on 07546 724317 or the Trout Section Secretary, Ben Poulsom 07789 798463 (pittfarmflyfishing@mail.com). Membership of the River Trout Fly Fishing section is limited to 25 people and only fly-fishing is permitted. Day tickets are not available but members may purchase guest tickets. The fly-fishing season runs from 1st April to 30th September each year, details of fees are available from the Membership Secretary or the Trout Section Secretary.
The Trout Section is a beautiful part of the River Wey and with a good variety of water over the 1-mile beat from overgrown almost wild areas to open pasture so there is something from the beginner to the seasoned fly fisher! The trout section is stocked and members can take stocked trout for the table but all wild trout (of which there are growing numbers) must be returned!
River Highlights
Regeneration Strategy
In 2006 a strategy for the regeneration of the Trout Section was developed and the first phase of the work was completed towards the end of 2009. The health of the river is generally good and past electrofishing has identified species ranging from bullheads to pike.
The largest pike identified to date was around 16 lbs. There are very small populations of wild trout and grayling and the principal objective of the regeneration strategy is to develop a habitat that will sustain viable populations of these two species.
Catch Records
Catch records have been compiled over a number of years and show a gradual increase in the number of fish caught. This helps to determine an appropriate stocking policy. The river is stocked regularly with brown trout weighing on average 1½ lbs. Other fish such as dace, chub and perch are also taken on fly.
What has been done to date?
The strategy has been discussed with the landowner, the Executive Committee of the FAS, the members of the trout section, and the Environment Agency. A survey was conducted by the Wild Trout Trust and their report further enhanced the feasibility of the project. Two parts of the river that required extensive work were located at cattle crossings. The dead or dying alder trees were felled or coppiced and the timber this provided was used to help shore up the banks that were damaged.
Most of the work has been designed to prevent further damage to banks. This has been done by driving chestnut stakes into the banks, installing geotextile to retain backfilling, and underwater structures to manage flow and displace silt. These structures are designed to develop gravel runs. These, in turn, will encourage waterweed such as ranunculus and invertebrates on which the trout feed.