Derbyshire and North Wales fisheries start the new season this Saturday with new price options and incentives
A fully finned Carsington fish. The management is expecting good returns of over-wintered fish from the first day of the season.
As the 2024 trout fishing season starts with the future of reliable trout reservoirs Draycote, Eyebrook and Thornton still looking uncertain, from Saturday March 16 both Derbyshire’s Carsington and North Wales Llyn Brenig reservoirs will launch their new seasons.
Llyn Brenig reports that the relatively mild winter temperatures have meant that the fish in the cages have grown well, and 7,000 rainbows have already been stocked at an average weight of over four pounds.
The onsite farm has reared on some brown trout, and these will be stocked around June or July, when they are expected to reach two pounds in weight.
Neighbouring Llyn Alwen, on Anglesey, has been stocked with 1,000 browns and rainbows at an average weight of 1.5lb.
Tim Jenkins says that fishing prices on these waters have been held at the same as last year (a full day’s fishing is £26.50).
In addition, the cost of a boat for a single angler will be discounted to £20 for the day, rather than the £25.50p for two anglers.
The tagged fish competition (300 tagged fish being stocked over the season); loyalty cards (a free boat for every nine boats booked); and a part-day bank permit (beginning six hours before sunset), will all be retained. Welsh Water says it will also be increasing bank patrols this year.
At Carsington, the water level is already at 100%, and stable levels are expected throughout the season, and the management says it “is looking forward to seeing some spectacular over-wintered fish being caught over the next few weeks”. Stocking with Bibury fish has already begun, with fish of around 2lb.
All boats are booked for Saturday, with only a few remaining for Sunday 17th.
Carsington will still offer fishing bookings for 8.30–5.30 (or 9.00–6.00 once day light hours allow), and also has set out a number of days for later / evening-fishing options. Anglers can either book for an afternoon, or a whole day, fishing until 8pm. These later options need to be booked in advance, so support staff can be allocated to the sessions, and bookings can now be effected through Carsington’s new online booking system.
This independent fishery has had to increase prices, but is offering a discount on ten multi-permits to be used throughout the season. These bulk purchase tickets apply to: four-fish limits; catch-and-release tickets, and concessionary permits. For instance, the 4-fish bag plus catch-and-release ticket would normally cost £35, but a batch of ten can be purchased at £300, £50 below the full price of £350.
Carsington’s new online booking system is now live.