Our river venues have fished well this year and I can reflect on some memorable catches. The Trent at Willington and the Dr's Surgery has seen a number of double figure barbel netted to over 13lb and plenty of 4lb + chub.

Members float fishing have had mixed bags of roach, dace and grayling. On the Saturday matches Tony Hopley has had a catch of 32lb, all bream with individual fish to 7lb 8oz.

The newly acquired water at Hoveringham has only been lightly fished but has produced some good chub to 5lb and big perch. It is hoped that we can improve the track to this venue this coming year.

The Idle was quiet during the summer but did produce some double figure pike and there are rumours of a 15lb barbel being caught but not verified.

However the venue, which has produced a few surprises, is the Lower Derwent . During the Summer/Autumn when floating weed was a problem on the ledger, the stick float produced good mixed bags with plenty of small barbel showing. After the first few floods flushed most of the debris away the river really came on song with plenty of barbel caught to double figures. The best reported over 13lb and the rumour of a 14lb fish. Carp to 27lb have been caught, a brown trout of 9lb 8oz at Borrowash and rumours of another of 7lb 8oz lower down. These brown trout could even have been mistaken for back-end sea-trout or salmon.

Competitions fished on the Derwent has seen nets of fish into the teens of pounds with good back up weights.

In November at Borrowash Lower Derwent member Bryan Stephenson had 5 tench to 6lb 8oz in two visits, together with chub and barbel! With Pike to 22lb there is no shortage of specimen fish on this river.

A recent 4-hour session gave me a personnel best chub of 5lb 11oz and two barbel of 8lb 8oz and 10lb 4oz.

Please let us know what you what you are catching, it is the best way of monitoring the health of our fisheries. Details of areas or any specific pegs will not be divulged if you wish to keep them secret.