Thinking of Joining a Club

[Reemul]

In another thread I mentioned I was back to fishing wiht my son andthe local place we have to fish is very very busy and normally costs £20 for a day and is limited to 7.30am to 6.30pm before I have to pack us up so something a bit later would be great.

Anyways a bit of research has my local club which is Wimborne & District Angling Club. It costs £135 a year for me and £15 each for my sons. I am bound to spend that in the next year easily, in fact likely spent that already. Additionally they have 1 lake I can walk to, 3 more within 10 minutes of where i live. I am planning to visit them tomorrow to check each one out and see if they will be good for us.

Any advice, I have never belonged to a club, always just used day ticket lakes. My local tackle shop does the membership which is good as I shop there anyways apart from that advice would be appreciated.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I'm local to you and a member of several local clubs including Wimborne; I presume you live in Poole? There's a lot more freedom being in a club though some responsibility in keeping to the rules. Access to some waters is easy eg Creekmoor but others need a key and is restricted to members only eg Kingsbridge. What's good about club membership compared to a dayticket is that you can fish for a short session - I fished for a couple of hours today - without the expense of a day ticket which isn't really worth it unless you're there all day. If there's a specific water you want advice on I may be able to help.

 

[Reemul]

I'm local to you and a member of several local clubs including Wimborne; I presume you live in Poole? There's a lot more freedom being in a club though some responsibility in keeping to the rules. Access to some waters is easy eg Creekmoor but others need a key and is restricted to members only eg Kingsbridge. What's good about club membership compared to a dayticket is that you can fish for a short session - I fished for a couple of hours today - without the expense of a day ticket which isn't really worth it unless you're there all day. If there's a specific water you want advice on I may be able to help.

Hi Mark, yes I live right near Hatch Pond, Creekmoor and Kingsbridge also appeal as does Longham which is also near. Not that travelling is an issue.

We have been fishing Whitemoor lakes but a bit more choice and the option to just fish for a few hours locally would be great.

I used to fish Kingsbridge when I was a teen as well as Edmonsham but are main palces are likely to be Hatch Pond, Kingsbridge and Creekmoor with maybe Longham or Edmonsham.

 

[dorsetsteve]

I’m not to far from your, a Stour local. Joining a club is by far the best thing I ever did fishing wise. I’m a decade long RDAA member.

 

[valetudoguy]

Always been a club member, day tickets are a treat ??

 

[108831]

I was going to say,if Longham interests you and isn't too far(certainly not from Poole)RDAA have stacks of water for you to explore,adventures to be had,enjoy,whatever choice you make.

 

[mikench]

I agree with all of the above. I'm a member of 3 clubs so have masses of choice and variety. One club gives access to 3 dayticket waters so the cost is effectively nothing. I've never regretted being a club member. Rules are sensible and often enforced. Unruly and recalcitrant members don't last long so fishing isn't spoilt. I don't have young kids but with kids membership costing very little the question is a no brainer.

 

[Mark Wintle]

It depends on the type of fishing you want locally. I've fished some of the waters you mention for over 40 years and the changes have been immense. I've found Hatch Pond very hard going, just the odd small fish apart from one decent roach. Creekmoor is good for a couple of hours pole/float fishing for roach, rudd and perch but hardly prolific. Kingsbridge is easy carp fishing plus plenty of skimmers/bream. Edmonsham is but a mere shadow of its former self due to otters. Longham Reservoir has some incredible fish but is hard going and one for the dedicated. I had hopes it would develop into a good roach fishery but cormorants put paid to that.

I've also been a memeber of Ringwood DAA for many years and they have access to Whitemoor from 1st Oct to 31st March so that for me is a good standby winter water for roach with bonus carp, perch, tench etc. They have Cranborne Fruit farm for 10 months of the year (not Nov or Dec.) and that's easy carp fishing. Also access to Coking Farm (a bit complivcated at present due to C19) and plenty of other waters around Ringwood as well as extensive river fisheries.

 

[Reemul]

It depends on the type of fishing you want locally. I've fished some of the waters you mention for over 40 years and the changes have been immense. I've found Hatch Pond very hard going, just the odd small fish apart from one decent roach. Creekmoor is good for a couple of hours pole/float fishing for roach, rudd and perch but hardly prolific. Kingsbridge is easy carp fishing plus plenty of skimmers/bream. Edmonsham is but a mere shadow of its former self due to otters. Longham Reservoir has some incredible fish but is hard going and one for the dedicated. I had hopes it would develop into a good roach fishery but cormorants put paid to that.

I've also been a memeber of Ringwood DAA for many years and they have access to Whitemoor from 1st Oct to 31st March so that for me is a good standby winter water for roach with bonus carp, perch, tench etc. They have Cranborne Fruit farm for 10 months of the year (not Nov or Dec.) and that's easy carp fishing. Also access to Coking Farm (a bit complivcated at present due to C19) and plenty of other waters around Ringwood as well as extensive river fisheries.

Sounds a little disappointing to be honest.

I have 2 sons aged 10 and 13 both new to fishing. We have fished 5 or 6 times since May at Whitemoor with some good results. The youngest lacks an attention span so a few hours is the max, the eldest could fish for a week solid.

It is a hard balance with Fishing, golf, football club as well as family life. I was hoping to find somewhere local I could fish say 5-8pm with the kids with some action, what I don't want is too many blanks or hard fishing as a break them in, the youngest especially. 2 of us blanked last weekend and it was fine.

I did think Hatch Pond was tough, all I ever heard about it. Kingsbridge sounds similar to Whitemoor, is it heaving there at the moment? sounds like the main lake is rammed as they are not allowing night fishing on it currently.

My eldest loves catching a mixture, carp, bream, tench, crucian, roach, rudd he is not fussy as long as it is ticking over. He loves float and margin fishing already.

Travelling at weekends is not an issue but I finish work at 5pm and anything means we could get there in 10 or 15 minutes would be best.

Decisions, Decisions

 

[Mark Wintle]

Sounds a little disappointing to be honest.

I have 2 sons aged 10 and 13 both new to fishing. We have fished 5 or 6 times since May at Whitemoor with some good results. The youngest lacks an attention span so a few hours is the max, the eldest could fish for a week solid.

It is a hard balance with Fishing, golf, football club as well as family life. I was hoping to find somewhere local I could fish say 5-8pm with the kids with some action, what I don't want is too many blanks or hard fishing as a break them in, the youngest especially. 2 of us blanked last weekend and it was fine.

I did think Hatch Pond was tough, all I ever heard about it. Kingsbridge sounds similar to Whitemoor, is it heaving there at the moment? sounds like the main lake is rammed as they are not allowing night fishing on it currently.

My eldest loves catching a mixture, carp, bream, tench, crucian, roach, rudd he is not fussy as long as it is ticking over. He loves float and margin fishing already.

Travelling at weekends is not an issue but I finish work at 5pm and anything means we could get there in 10 or 15 minutes would be best.

Decisions, Decisions

I've sent you a PM.

 

[markcw]

I agree with all of the above. I'm a member of 3 clubs so have masses of choice and variety. One club gives access to 3 dayticket waters so the cost is effectively nothing. I've never regretted being a club member. Rules are sensible and often enforced. Unruly and recalcitrant members don't last long so fishing isn't spoilt. I don't have young kids but with kids membership costing very little the question is a no brainier.

Mike ,I am still in Lymm AC, my membership (free at moment due to being a bailiff) ? covers me for ,partner, 2 kids/grandkids upto age 16, plus a night permit for us all if I wished to night fish. Next year I will be paying for membership (£49.50). That is oap/blue badge rate, I think it's around £100 if no concession rate. Its classed as family membership whether you take them or not.
Am in 3 clubs down here , total cost is around £50 ,
I still fish commercials as well,
Clubs offer a good variety of waters at a decent price.

 

[mikench]

Clubs offer value for money Mark in my opinion and I cannot do justice to a fraction of the waters on offer.

 

[Hugh Bailey]

Agree - just having somewhere you can go at a moment’s notice at no cost is a real benefit. Also the variety of waters, and the fact they are usually bailiffed and maintained. I’m looking to join at least 1 more club.

 

[108831]

Clubs of a decent size though more expensive in general offer so much variety venue wise you just can't go wrong,add to that,that in the main,they maintain venues to a high standard...

 

[seth49]

Been a member of various clubs for years, I’m in three at the moment, having just joined another, will probably drop one next year leaving me with two, with a total cost of £105 00. a year, or about two pounds a week, which gives me a choice of river, reservoir, and various Stillwaters to fish, gives me a good selection of waters with a good mixture of species to try for, and I can just go and fish anytime I like.

 

[steve2]

I have always been a member of clubs, this years outlay for 3 clubs £180 for 12 months fishing that’s less then the cost of 12 trips to my local commercial.

 

[Reemul]

Had a chat with Mark, I am going to join Wimborne and District Angling, Kingsbridge which is only 10 minutes away seems perfect for the kids and I and the other spots are more options I can fish at. We can always fish at Whitemoor as well if needed.

 

[Reemul]

Well I have joined Wimborne Angling today, pleased to have made the decision, now to give some new lakes a try out. Think I will take a proper look round this week before jumping on.

 

[no-one in particular]

I hope you fare better than me, joined a club for the first time ever yesterday and when I got home I noticed it was from the 1st April, I have been sold time I cannot use. And I went to try out one of their waters today and it was unfishable for me. I don't know how they get away with it, might ask for a refund.

 

[Mark Wintle]

I hope you fare better than me, joined a club for the first time ever yesterday and when I got home I noticed it was from the 1st April, I have been sold time I cannot use. And I went to try out one of their waters today and it was unfishable for me. I don't know how they get away with it, might ask for a refund.

Most though not all of our Dorset clubs now have a rolling 12 month membership. Some of Wimborne's waters are all but unfishable until November but come winter it's a different story once the weed has gone. I fished a very weedy Stour today; as the summer progresses the weed will be cut and die back.