Month: November 2025

Autumn Newlsetter 2025

CFFC Newsletter Autumn 2025 FINAL 271125

Autumn Newsletter 2025

Dear all
I hope you have all had a good summer with plenty of tight lines. With Storm Claudia stripping the trees of their remaining leaves and making the River Derwent unfishable, it is time for me to reflect on the season, let you know what the committee has been doing on  your behalf and our plans for the year ahead.
Thank you to all who have completed your catch returns these are vital in helping understand what is happening below water level in the different beats and how you, our members are using our stretch. If you have not completed your returns please do so as soon as possible. I know some have had difficulties with the technology. If this applies to you then please contact Ian Evetts : ian@ianevetts.com

Based on what we have so far the 2025  season tells of 314 visits to the river by 47 separate anglers (2024: 237 visits by 37)

In terms of hours fished this represents around 1  catch per hour. I will leave it to each of you to decide if that is a fair reflection of your own efforts. The most successful angler (who shall remain anonymous for now!) managed to catch 132 on 26 visits. Very few members fished more than 10 times

The most productive beats were the lower sections, yellow and blue, perhaps reflecting the increasing popularity of Homesford away from the crowds at Cromford Meadow.

Contrary to the view of many members of the public  only 9 fish were killed, just 0.85 of one percent.

We have continued our water testing and throughout the season our kick and other sampling has revealed that the water has been in good condition. This tool is a vital part of our work and my sincere thanks to those members who have supported Tim Ireland, the committee member overseeing water quality.
Off the water the focus has been on improving our facilities and managing our trees in the face of the raging ash die back epidemic. Jonathan Park has done a magnificent job, again assisted by a band of dedicated members in upgrading the lodge with door, clearing the basement and laying on provision for electricity. This latter has been on the to do list for at least a quarter of a century so alone represent a great achievement. The upgrade has been done in conjunction with the Derbyshire Archaeological Society . The building is Grade II listed and the Society is carrying out a detailed review of the underlying structure and foundations where the remains of the medieval chapel are thought to extend. Their report (at no cost to us, will be made available to all members when it is completed.

Meanwhile we have a new facility down at Homesford. Homesford is proving to be more and more popular beat, and we have invested in a new hut in which you are able to shelter from the elements to get changed and enjoy a drink. In case you were wondering the hut is deliberately unlocked so that any would be vandal, or thief  will realise that there is no point breaking the door down and that nothing valuable is stored within.  My thanks again to Jonathan and members who have delivered this.
As discussed at the last AGM we have tried an experiment this year by employing Chris Hannath’s company to carry out maintenance rather than relying on member work parties. Your committee will be reviewing how this has gone and deciding whether to continue. Any thoughts you may have on this would be gratefully received.

Trees have been a big issue and management will continue to be so for years to come. It is I am afraid, part of the responsibility and cost  of land ownership. Where we have been able to use our own resources, we have done so but inevitably there have been several big trees that have needed intervention from specialist contractors. In conjunction with these specialists, we have put together a long-term management plan which will enable to us to spread the work and cost.
On a smaller scale but equally difficult to deal with has been an outbreak of Japanese knot weed. It is inevitable that some of this will have found its way downstream to us.  We are taking active steps to eradicate this in consultation with experts. Please look out for signs indicating where this is and take extreme care not to encourage its spread.

As a result of the above we have had only limited recourse to working parties this year. We will undoubtedly need such parties for specific purposes going forward and do hope that when called upon all members will respond as is required under the rules of the club.

We have issues with paddlers throughout the summer. In particular, a company called Rapid Horizons Ltd are trying to establish a commercial venture offering kayaking down our stretch of the river. The Committee is extremely concerned about this and especially about the huge health and safety risk such activity presents. I have written to them four times already this year on your behalf asking among other things that they stop all activity and for details of their risk assessments. So far I am sorry to say that this has been in vain, but I am continuing to explore all avenues including aggravated trespass. In the meantime, if you spot any such activity (in or out of the season) please try and obtain photographic evidence with date and time and send it to the committee at cromfordflyfishersclub@gmail.com. I am especially interested in any proof of their activity while anglers are in the water or when for whatever reason they get out of their craft.

Your committee is acutely aware that we have only the one stretch of water and are therefore highly vulnerable to any development or incident that might impact on our fishing of it. We are actively looking to acquire other water but will only do so where we are comfortable, we can manage the maintenance and other commitments that might come with such an acquisition.

Away from the river entirely, Brian Clarke has  with the encouragement of the last AGM,  organised a series of social events to help members get to know others and to pick up some valuable tips. The summer barbeque on 2^nd August was great success – a high turnout of members enjoyed great weather, a casting demo and several stalls from while enjoying member, Jonathan Severn’s great burgers and sausages and plenty of drink. Jonathan runs his father shop, Lawrence Severn in Hucknall and if you want to stock up,  I am sure he  would be delighted to meet any members passing his way. My thanks again to all  those members who contributed included those who helped erect marquees etc.

It is fair to say that the attendance at other social events has been more mixed. The members at the AGM clearly asked for these but we have had to cancel some through lack of engagement.
Brian has put together a great programme for the first part of next year and I would encourage you to support these if you can. I am sure you will find them of interest.:

• 8th December: Jan Hobat will give a talk on the Peacock Fly clubs water & history
• 12^th January: Don Staziker  will give a fly-tying demo
• 9^th February Dr John Smith will give a talk on the dangers of angling
• 9^th March: Phil White will talk and give a demo on tying flies for Mayfly

All these events will be held at South Wingfield Social Club (where we hold our AGMs) and I do encourage you to get to these if you can, to help you make the most of your membership.  More details can be found on the Club’s  website.

Still further from the water, and to my considerable personal frustration, we have not made as much progress as I would have liked in resolving the legal issues that I have previously discussed with members:

• The legal form in which we hold our assets
• The way in which we can protect our members from liability claims

The Committee have resolved to replace the current ad hoc method of appointing members to hold our assets as trustees on behalf of all members with a specially created trustee company. This will remove the need to constantly replace trustees, an administrative burden which has not been undertaken in the past leaving us with assets we cannot control as the appointed trustees are no longer alive. This company will have no ownership rights and owe its duty to all members. The new approach will improve the governance and overall benefit members but if you have any concerns or questions about the committee’s plans, please do not hesitate to contact me.

We are also looking at options to provide wider protection for members beyond our existing insurance policies .  A small subcommittee chaired by me, is looking into the various arcane legal and tax matters to ensure that the end result significantly improves the situation for members and at the same time improves governance.

At least years AGM you committee proposed, and members agreed, no change in the fees for members for 2026. For ordinary members therefore the fees are £230. Juniors pay £50 and our emeritus members have nothing to pay.

Our treasurer, Phil,  would be very grateful if you could pay your subs by BACS, into the following account by 15 January:
CROMFORD FLY FISHERS
Sort code 54-21-51             Account number 79191681
If you cannot pay by BACS please forward a cheque to: Phil Thompson, 52 Wyaston Road, Ashbourne, Derbyshire  DE6 1TX

If you do not intend to renew, please let us know as soon as possible. For those members who have currently suspended their membership, please let us know your intentions for 2026
And so to the next AGM at which I look forward to once more meeting a great many of you. We have usually held these meeting in early March but next year we are proposing to push it back to late July or early August. There are three reasons for this:

1. It gives us more time to finalise our proposals for the governance outlined above and associated changes to the constitution  so that these can be presented and voted upon at the meeting
2. I am aware that some of the present committee members are looking to step down after making significant contributions over a long period. Delaying the AGM gives more time for others to come forward to replace them
3. It makes more sense to set the tariffs for the 2027 season much closer to the start of it.

We will be communicating the exact timings and location to you in due course but will in the meantime ensure you get sight of the accounts and other papers  well before the 2026 AGM.
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Finally, I would like to pay tribute to your committee members who give both time and expertise to the Club and you, the members.  It is always good to rotate members on and off the Committee over time to share the load and bring fresh ideas to the table. If you think you could offer to help, as a full member or even as a co-optee for specific roles, please let me know. We would be delighted to have you join our friendly team

Have a good winter season, stay warm and enjoy a very merry Christmas.

Stephen Taylor - Chairman

by ianevetts