CHICHESTER & DISTRICT ANGLING SOCIETY

Newsletter for Spring 2025

Dear Members,

 Welcome to the 2025 Spring newsletter with my very best wishes to you all for the upcoming Season.  It is hoped that all members, existing and new this year, will enjoy your visits to the CDAS waters whichever lake you opt to fish.

Below are a few items for your kind attention.  New members in particular will need to make sure that they fully familiarize themselves with the entire contents of their Membership Books and in particular the Rules and Bylaws which CDAS require all members to observe. Please do not assume that because you are a member of other angling clubs that their practices are the same as those observed by Chichester & District Angling as all clubs tend to have their own requirements and when you are fishing CDAS waters you must comply with their rules and bylaws at all times.

Membership Book

 Every member whether new this year or long-standing MUST read the contents of the Membership Book enclosed with this newsletter and sign the inside back cover immediately. I am sure some of you will feel that you have read it all before, but it is imperative that you check for changes last season and make certain you are fully aware of everything that is required of you when you visit the complex. While it is appreciated that some rules and bylaws may seem protracted or even unnecessary, they are all included for a reason and the goal is always ultimately to provide members with the best experience possible but with fish care and safety as the primary objective at all times.

 Any member who has any questions about the contents of the membership book can feel free to ask me or any of the members of the Committee for full clarification and you will be given a definitive answer. Please do not assume that asking another member will give you the correct answer as only Committee members are fully qualified to deal with such matters.

Key Change

 Every few years it is necessary to change the gate key which operates not only from the entry point from Quarry Lane but also the internal gates between lakes within the complex grounds. With no official close season to undertake this process it has been decided to deal with this when the complex closes for spawning, which is an inevitability every season but without any current knowledge of when this may happen. When spawning starts all members will be notified on the Facebook Page and website and new members are encouraged to request to join the Facebook page whether they wish to post items themselves or not as this will be where you will find the most up to date information both on the key change and other matters over the course of the season which may affect you. While the complex is closed, members will be able to exchange their keys for new ones via a number of alternative options which will be fully explained so that everyone can ensure they have the required key to access the complex again once the spawning period is completed.

 Electricity Supply on site

 A significant amount of time and money has been commuted into obtaining a 3-phase electricity supply on site. Existing members will be well aware that almost every season at some point in time, water and/or oxygen quality is adversely affected by natural events such as extended dry and hot spells of weather and sudden changes in barometric pressure. With the new 3 phase electric supply, and for the first time, all aerators deemed necessary will be able to run at the same time which was not possible with the old single phase system and when water levels are low, the borehole can also function alongside the aerators to do everything possible to keep our water quality as good as possible which will in turn keep our fish stocks safe and well.

 Important general Information

 With no specific close season, there will be occasions when it will be necessary to close some specific areas of the complex (sometimes just a few swims and sometimes a more substantial area) to undertake essential maintenance work and repairs. As much as possible, members will be given advance notice when specific events are planned but occasionally, especially after a period of bad weather, it may be necessary to close areas without notice if trees have come down and result in a health and safety issue. Your understanding of this is greatly appreciated and if you are requested by a Bailiff to relocate on any occasion then you can be certain it is only for your own safety and not to intentionally disrupt your fishing.

Fishing Etiquette

 The complex, being 55 acres and comprising of several lakes for all angling preferences generally has space for members to have a choice of swims to set up in. However, on weekends and holiday periods especially there are sometimes a lot of other anglers on site, and this is when fishing etiquette is most essential. Please always try to have an awareness of other anglers either adjacent to or opposite you when you set up and ensure that you do not cast across other swims or encroach on other anglers’ personal space. If everyone observes these simple requirements then hopefully everyone will have the best experience every time they visit the complex, including the busiest times.

Dip Tanks

 All members new and old need to make certain that they fully immerse all of their nets, slings and cradles before they leave the vicinity of the tanks. It is not acceptable to simply dip your equipment while it is contained within a bag as this does not guarantee that the items inside will get complete coverage. Sadly, every year some fisheries fall foul of disease entering their waters and only by every member observing this most vital of rules on each and every visit can CDAS continue to avoid this happening.

General Information

Every season there will be occasions when members will need to be informed of things which may affect their angling. Such information is always displayed on the group Facebook page and the CDAS website and where possible on the boards at the main gate and by the dip tanks. Members can also feel free to contact myself or other members of the Committee whose telephone numbers can be found in your Membership Books with any specific queries they may have. Anything that requires discussion by the entire Committee should be relayed to me in the first instance, ideally by email to cdassec@gmail.com and I will take it to the next monthly meeting of the Committee members and report back with their directive once the meeting has been conducted.

 Your next newsletter will be published in the early Autumn but in the meantime, I sincerely hope you all have a fantastic time over the coming season and are able to enjoy everything that the CDAS waters have to offer.

 Kind regards

Carole Baker – Secretary