Charters

THIS YEAR The Wheelyboat Trust turns 25 years old and what better way to celebrate than
with our busiest year so far with 16 new Wheelyboats due to be launched on waters
throughout the UK and Ireland. Three have already been delivered (Lake Windermere,
Eyebrook Trout Fishery and Lough Carrigavantra) with two more for Upper Tamar
Lake and Rudyard Lake currently at our boatbuilder’s. Other projects include Blithfield
Reservoir, Grafham Water, Bewl Water, Hull’s East Park Lake, Rollesby Broad,
Creggan Country Park, Tiverton Canal, River Tay and Loch Awe. There is a good mix
of projects, multi-purpose usage as well as angling, concurrent with our Wheelyboats For All
aims. The most exciting project underway and a new development for the Trust is the
joint-venture with Bristol Sailability to provide them with a 21’ 12 seater—our new Mk IV
and latest Wheelyboat model to join the fleet.Back in 1985 we were The Handicapped Anglers Trust, our principal beneficiaries being disabled trout
anglers, and our solution to their access difficulties was the original (Mk I) Wheelyboat model. The first ever
Wheelyboat venue was Barn Elms Reservoir in London followed soon after by Bewl Water in Kent. Currently,
Wheelyboat number 134 (a Mk III for Rudyard Lake) is being built and as well as angling it will be used for
pleasure boating and nature watching. This project perfectly illustrates the objectives of the Trust today—
open access for disabled people on waters everywhere via a range of Wheelyboat models to meet everyone’s
needs.
The Mk III is our most versatile Wheelyboat to date and has done more than any other model to help the
Trust broaden the use and availability of Wheelyboats beyond the fishing lake. Helping disabled anglers is still
a primary aim, however, and to ensure their needs are fully met we developed the Coulam 15 and 16
Wheelyboats for angling on rivers and stillwaters.
We now supply four distinct models of Wheelyboat (as well as refurbished Mk Is and Mk IIs) each suited to
different activities and the needs of their users. We have come a very long way since the days of our onesize-
fits-all Mk I and, as a result, are helping many more disabled people all over the UK participate in
waterborne activities and thus experience the thrill, challenge, adventure and freedom they provide.Back in 1985 we were The Handicapped Anglers Trust, our principal beneficiaries being disabled trout
anglers, and our solution to their access difficulties was the original (Mk I) Wheelyboat model. The first ever
Wheelyboat venue was Barn Elms Reservoir in London followed soon after by Bewl Water in Kent. Currently,
Wheelyboat number 134 (a Mk III for Rudyard Lake) is being built and as well as angling it will be used for
pleasure boating and nature watching. This project perfectly illustrates the objectives of the Trust today—
open access for disabled people on waters everywhere via a range of Wheelyboat models to meet everyone’s
needs.
The Mk III is our most versatile Wheelyboat to date and has done more than any other model to help the
Trust broaden the use and availability of Wheelyboats beyond the fishing lake. Helping disabled anglers is still
a primary aim, however, and to ensure their needs are fully met we developed the Coulam 15 and 16
Wheelyboats for angling on rivers and stillwaters.
We now supply four distinct models of Wheelyboat (as well as refurbished Mk Is and Mk IIs) each suited to
different activities and the needs of their users. We have come a very long way since the days of our onesize-
fits-all Mk I and, as a result, are helping many more disabled people all over the UK participate in
waterborne activities and thus experience the thrill, challenge, adventure and freedom they provide.

 ****** For immediate release Thursday 15 April 2010 *******

 First Fish ‘O’ Mania 2010 Qualifier at Viaduct Won by Local Man  

Local Somerton estate agent manager Ray Hayward (Carps AC/Team Viaduct) undoubtedly had the shortest journey of all the 130-entry in the first of the sixteen Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers. Ray’s house virtually overlooks his favourite fishery at Viaduct and his experience showed as he went on to win the event. With the weather rapidly warming up and plenty of carp visible on the lakes the talk was for a draw on the prolific Campbells Lake. After several weeks of cold and icy conditions, tactics were quite open and it really was anyone’s guess as to where the winner would come from and what tactics he would use. Ray drew on Spring Lake peg 22, at the other end to Campbells and ironically he was in two minds about whether to fish or not as he really didn’t fancy the shallow swim.

However, ‘in for a penny’ Ray gave it a go and received a little more impetus when the angler drawn next to him didn’t show up to his peg! Word soon got around that they were catching well on the other lakes while Ray landed his first carp after a quarter of an hour, albeit a large one, on waggler, with an 8 ml banded pellet fished well out. He stuck with the rod and line and waggler approach while he catapulted pellets down the margins towards the vacant peg, occasionally looking for any fish activity in that vicinity. On the three hours mark he had caught just three carp on the waggler and he thought he was really out of the match when he spotted a tail swirl on his inside line. A quick switch to the pole saw him land nine more lumpy carp, twelve in all, scaling a fantastic 136-3-0.

Ray had three carp in between 18 and 19 lb in his haul. Despite some big weights from the other pools, Ray was declared the winner. It is the second time that the 49-year old has reached the final; he last did so in 2003 after winning the qualifier at Barford Lakes. Ray also won the Wednesday Open with a similar weight at Viaduct and on Thursday his mate Keith Massheder (Langport) did likewise with a double ton. To keep things even more local Keith, who works for the Royal Navy, came second in the Fish ’O’ Mania with another dozen carp, again on pellet, for 127-6-0 from Lodge Lake. Myles Levy (Basingstoke) and Brett Cooper (Eastleigh) were the pick of the other huge weights with their third and fourth scores of 111-14-0 and 110-3-0 respectively.

Qualifier number two will be at Tunnel Barn Farm in Warwickshire this Saturday when the next finalist will be decided. Angling Trust Competitions & Events Manager, Sandra Drew said: “This year there has yet again been a huge demand for tickets for this very prestigious event which is managed by Matchroom Sports and administered by Angling Trust. Fish O Mania is considered one of the biggest and most exciting matches in all angling. Congratulations to Ray for his superb win at Viaduct, making him the first to qualify in 2010. Anglers all over the country will be watching eagerly to see who will join Ray for the 16-angler final in July at Cudmore”.

What is a Sea Trout?
English and Welsh rivers were colonised by sea trout at the end of the last Ice Age, and their descendents are the populations of brown trout and sea trout we know today (both Salmo trutta). Resident and migratory characteristics have developed within individual catchments, so that some fish now remain permanently resident (brown trout), some always migrate (sea trout) and others can do either, depending on circumstances. It is believed that both genetics and environmental issues, such as habitat and available food, play a part in whether or not a trout migrates to sea.

Why do Sea Trout require Protection?
At the 1st International Sea Trout Symposium at Cardiff University in July 2004, four key issues emerged as being vital to the future of our sea trout stocks:

Sea trout utilise tiny spawning streams, but these are the very habitats most at threat from unsympathetic land use and agriculture.

Finnish sea trout stocks have been savaged by fish being accidentally caught in the coastal white fish gill-net fishery. The UK's coastal waters are exploited by bass gill-netters, and the potential threat to sea trout is obvious.

Larger female sea trout are often multiple repeat spawners with a potential to deposit many eggs over their lifetime, so maximising their contribution to local stocks. They have proven their fitness to survive in both the river and the sea and so contain important genes to pass on to their progeny. Protection of larger fish is therefore vital.

Some scientific opinion suggests that salmon are on the edge of their viable range in the southern half of England and Wales. If our climate becomes warmer, as is widely predicted through global warming, sea trout will also be vulnerable to the resulting environmental pressures, such as droughts, abnormal winter flows, inevitable changes to their growth/life history and, weakened by sub-lethal levels of pollution while in rivers, they might be unable to survive the additional stress of migrating from freshwater into the marine environment.

What can you do to help?
Policies to protect spawning habitat and the control of coastal netting are matters best dealt with at national level by influencing legislation and byelaws. Joining a national organisation is an excellent way of helping this work (see organisations on back page).

Locally, you can help by supporting the work of Rivers Trusts - contact the Association of Rivers Trusts or Afonydd Cymru for further information.

Anglers can help conserve sea trout stocks by showing restraint in the number of fish they kill. A 'large' sea trout will vary from river to river but as a rule, we believe that all fish over 5 lbs are best released unharmed to the water, and this size limit should be reduced in areas where smaller sea trout are the norm.

Finally, if you see a pollution incident, or anything else which you feel could be detrimental to fish stocks in rivers or lakes, contact the Environment Agency Emergency number: 0800 807060

Sporting Value
Sea trout are superb sporting fish, highly prized by game anglers throughout England and Wales. Whereas many rivers have seen a decline in salmon runs, sea trout populations have generally fared rather better and, in several areas, their value to anglers and the local economy now exceeds that of salmon. However, warning signs have recently appeared which suggest that sea trout are also under pressure. Therefore, protective measures taken now might avert a future collapse in stocks.

How do you safely release a Sea Trout?
Most importantly, use single, barbless hooks and as strong a tippet as feasible. Play the sea trout quickly and, wherever possible, net the fish in water deep enough to avoid contact with river bed or bank. Handle the fish sparingly (this is where barbless hooks will greatly assist), using tweezers or pliers to remove the hook, and then release from the net. However, where a sea trout has been played to exhaustion, it will be necessary to carefully hold the fish facing the current until it regains sufficient strength to swim away from the hand. Take extra care during the summer months when water temperatures are high and fish can take longer to recover.

Habitat improvement
This example shows how the creation of buffer zones reduces impact from farm stock and quickly returns a stretch of river to a more natural state.

Don't forget to report your catch!
Catch statistics are a vital tool in determining the local and national trends in sea trout populations. Don't forget to fill in the returns (for both killed and returned fish) on the back of your Environment Agency Migratory Fish Licence and send back to the address supplied. This should also include nil returns, as fishing effort plays an important part in the Environment Agency's current methodology for sea trout stock assessment, as it is based on trends in catch per licence day.

Based on the latest available rod catch and effort data, all rivers would benefit from increased catch and release of sea trout, although those under particular pressure include:
South West: Otter, Dart, Fowey, Torridge, Camel
North West: Ribble, Lune, Cumbrian Esk, Derwent, Border Esk, Eden
Wales: Tawe, Teifi, Dwyfawr, Tywi, Ogmore, Loughor, Ogwen

Research
Finally, several sea trout projects are now underway, including the Celtic Sea Trout Project (www.celticseatrout.com). Some of these may require anglers to contribute scale samples and, although this will be on a voluntary basis, your assistance wherever possible would be greatly appreciated.

Further information
Salmon & Trout Association www.salmon-trout.org
Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association www.wstaa.org
Environment Agency www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Association of Rivers Trusts www.associationofriverstrusts.org.uk
Afonydd Cymru www.afonyddcymru.org