A Strange Visitor to Chew

TROUTWEEK: A Strange Visitor to Chew – MARTIN COTTISThe birding world has been amazed at the first ever sighting of a booted eagle in this country, and we were lucky enough to be the chosen “holiday spot” for this valued visitor. It seems that he took a liking to the taste of our coots, and could be seen eating them near Herriotts.The lanes around Chew Valley became gridlocked last weekend when over one thousand “twitchers” converged on the lake. It is not unusual to get rare visitors at our lake. Each year during their migration, we get visits from ospreys. If you are lucky enough to be on the lake when one of those is about then keep your eyes upon it, as the sight of an osprey taking a fish from the water is magical. I have never seen it happen at Chew, but back in 1994, I saw a trout lifted from the water at Bewl in Kent. A very special sight!We have been hopeful that the bitterns that have come to the lake for the past few years will breed. Maybe this year conditions will come together and prove just right for them.I won’t go on any more about my other interest! I went to the club auctions down in Portishead on Tuesday. There was a great turnout from members and a huge lot of gear to be put under the hammer. I was amazed and pleased to see some good friends turn up from Exeter – a long way for a night out! The auction is a good way to raise money for club funds – 10% of the money that the item is sold for goes to the club, and of course members get a chance to sell on unwanted gear. I put in a few fly lines and some hooks that I never seem to get round to using for my fly tying. I made a cool £57 for my items, though that will of course be ploughed back into other gear that I’m sure that I need, but have survived without for my entire fishing career.The Bristol Waterworks Company has printed their new season brochure. It is good to see that there is to be no increase in the boat charges. The company seem to be working very hard to please us anglers. They have decided to allow fishing on Litton Reservoir. Until now, these two small lakes have been stocked, but only fished by directors of the company. Even more pleasing is the money that has been put into the new lodge, which is being build at Chew. The new building looks good – I will be looking at it in detail in a few weeks time, and it includes a wonderful new tackle shop. That means even more money will be removed from our pockets when we go over there!Also good to see is the float-tubing weekends which will be held at the Barrows. All in all – good value for the fisherman. Add to this the coming of the World Championships, and I think that we really have a season to look forward to.

Personally, I am looking forward to some guiding, some competitions and meeting some old friends. The flies are coming on. The water temperature is warming – indicated by the activity of the frogs in my garden pond!