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Entrance to the fishery is by members' key padlocks. Everyone must replace the T bar, locking that into place & locking the gate both as you enter and as you leave. You must have a valid Fishing licence with you & Cove AS membership permit or guest ticket when you fish Cove AS waters. You can be fined up to £2,500 if you’re fishing without a valid rod licence. You must show a valid club permit or guest ticket to any other member who asks to see it & you will be asked to leave the water immediately if you’re fishing & cannot show a valid permit or guest ticket.
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Prior to the issue of 2023/24 permits, two additional Sunday bookings have been received from visiting clubs. These are detailed on the bookings webpage.
Membership Renewals
We hope you will renew your membership in time for the start of our year on Monday 1 May 2023. The form (printable version on Membership Application Webpage) should be completed, signed & sent to the Membership Secretary, Stuart Yeomans, 5 Oliver Drive, Calcot, Reading, RG31 4XN., with a cheque (payable to COVE A.S) for the full amount Seniors & Ladies Over 16 £55.00 JUNIORS £20.00 .
If you receive newsletters by post send 4 no. 9” x 5” (minimum) stamped addressed envelopes with your renewal form.
If you receive newsletters by email send only ONE envelope with your renewal form and a cheque (payable to COVE A.S)
In all cases please use current Royal Mail Barcoded stamps. Renewing members do not need to evclose photographs.
The Club’s Annual General Meeting is on Friday 10 March 2023 at 8pm in the function room at the rear of the Lion Brewery, 104 Guildford Road Ash GU12 6BT.
All current members are entitled and encouraged to attend. You will hear from your Committee about our waters, finances etc., and you will have the chance to question Committee members on these matters. The Committee is looking for at least one new person and you may nominate Club members, who have been members for at least two years, for the Committee and/or make proposals for changes to Club rules
Nominations or proposals from members must be seconded by another member and notified, in writing, to the Secretary by Friday 27 February 2023.
Membership Renewals are due by 30 April 2023 to ensure fishing on our lakes for the next twelve months commencing 1 May 2023. Annual Subscriptions are £55. Membership renewal subscriptions can be paid at the AGM. You may not fish our waters without a current membership permit and EA licence.
Jan 2023
It seems like only yesterday when I last wrote to you but time flies in the sort of weather we’ve had recently. So, a Happy New Year to you all. Let’s hope that the cost of fishing doesn’t rise too much so that we can continue to enjoy our hobby.
I am pleased to announce that the Thursday Open Matches at Chaley Park resume on the big lake from tomorrow 12 January. Details can be had from Match Organiser & Club Chairman Rod Carroll on Tel 01252660552, or 07557670286. This early start means that instead of the 43 matches fished in 2022, there is a chance of 50 matches this year!
Since my last newsletter, fishery security seems to have been OK. Committee members have made a number of making random checks to ensure the venue is secure & checking on who is fishing.
As I pointed out in November, we have decided to hold our 2023 AGM on Friday 10 March 2023 so please mark that date on your calendars. Whilst it is also early to mention it, your membership will be due for renewal in time for 1 May 2023. Either way, I’ll be sending out reminders about these & other subjects nearer the time. At the risk of repeating myself, we would like to appoint at least one further member to the Committee. As we need some younger blood with some ideas & eagerness to be part of the club going forward. If you are interested please either talk to a Committee member or email me on media@coveas.club
November 22
In the October 2022 Newsletter I told you that there had been no fishery security breaches for some time. Sadly, we have had a couple of instances reported in the last couple of weeks where Chaley Park has been left open & unsecured, possibly for a considerable period of time including overnight & the places we have found padlocks suggest that this is deliberate act.
So, I need to say it again, the security of your fishery is your responsibility. Make sure that the venue is secure when you enter & when you leave, that you have closed & locked the gate & the T Bar is padlocked in place. There is no reason or excuse for not locking up behind you.
Committee members will be making random checks to ensure this is being done properly & will not hesitate to lock the site. Checks will be made on who is fishing & if these breaches continue, the Committee will invest in new locks & keys for existing members.
If we have to do this, it will incur a considerable cost from the club’s funds. The locks & keys we use are not just cheap stuff from your local DIY store. It will involve a lot of work & cost in sending new keys to current members but it will reduce the number of keys in circulation to a minimum.
Please be responsible & keep your fishery secure.
Two other news items whilst I have your attention.
We would like to appoint at least one further member to the Committee. When I was a younger member, I used to think the club was run by a bunch of old men. Now I discover that I’m one of those old men & we need some younger blood. We really need to appoint someone under 60, with some ideas & an eagerness to be part of the club going forward.
If you are interested please either talk to a Committee member or email me on media@coveas.club
We have decided to hold our next AGM on Friday 10 March 2023 so when you get a calendar for Christmas, make sure you mark that evening for your annual fishing meeting!
October 2022 Newsletter.
It is now officially autumn & I hope you have enjoyed your summer fishing. Sometimes hot, sometimes very hot indeed & then it rained & the grass quickly regained its green colour. Who knows what the autumn & winter will bring?
This year the club has retained the majority of members & broadly replaced those we have lost with new blood. We know that our waters are a healthy environment for the fish. This was confirmed by a visit from DEFRA earlier in the year & by the young Tench that are being caught on the small lake. Committee members & volunteers spent a good day resurfacing much of the roadway & carparks for which many thanks to all involved.
As well as the good Carp in the big lake, this water has been teeming with good size Roach & Perch, so we offer a good mixed fishery. There are still Red Signal Crayfish in the big lake. You’ll know when you hook one! Please try to land it & kill it on the bank. It is an offence to return an invasive species such as Crayfish to the water & we want them killed before they walk sideways to the small lake! I have found that there is a line in their shell just behind the head which is soft enough to plunge your knife into, killing them & thereafter the wildlife at Chaley will finish the job.
Open Matches have continued through the summer each Thursday & the top five weights from these matches are reported on our Facebook page each week. The club is indebted to Rod Carroll, Club Chairman, for organising these matches & also thanks to Paul White, Club Treasurer, for his help. The Opens normally alternate between the big & small lakes. Please be aware of this when planning your pleasure fishing.
Our regular visitors from Prospect Angling fished the big lake at Chaley Park today (Sun. 14 Aug)
Fifteen anglers fished and the results are
1st Dave Green 56lbs
3 sections
Andy Ovens 43lbs
Pete Yellowlees 43lbs 8oz
Mark Sheppard 25lbs 8oz
Meanwhile Member Keith Pullen took 15 carp on the feeder from the small lake Peg 18
Good to hear reports from members that our lakes have been well used this weekend 11/12 August in spite of the temperatures. On Friday afternoon Colin Mitchell used the online guest ticket process to get a few hours fishing at the end of the day. He and his guest had some carp and quality roach out of the big lake, while Mike Jardine took a few on bread.
On Saturday, Tony Parsons and his weekend guest had a fantastic day. Tony had to stop fishing, having caught fourteen carp, and cool down in the shade while his guest Roy carried on hooking fish. Daz Saunders spent Saturday afternoon fishing at Chaley, landing 10 carp up to 13lb and left just as it got dark, also 2 other members turned up at about 6.30pm and they had 4 carp. The carp come right up to the swims under the rod tips, its tricky to catch them but good to see. tight lines everyone. So there were probably more than half a dozen anglers fishing each day. During the heatwave, while the water level has dropped, we are still able to provide good sport and tremendous value for money to both our members and their guests.
Welcome! As I said in 2021 & am happy to repeat in 2022, we thank those of you who have renewed your membership for your continuing support & to those who have just joined us, welcome, we hope you enjoy fishing at Chaley Park.
You will have received your 2022/23 permit, which needs your photo added & to be signed over the photo, together with your 22/23 fixture list where you can see the clubs booked for Chaley Park, the dates & lakes they are fishing. Every Thursday there is an open Match at Chaley Park which normally alternates between the big & small lakes. Please be aware of this when planning your pleasure fishing.
You must carry your permit with you when fishing our waters. You must also have a valid fishing licence with you when you fish Cove AS waters, or risk a fine of up to £2,500 if you’re fishing without a valid rod licence.
Cove AS rules are simple, as a member you must show a valid club permit to any other member who asks to see it. Members’ guests must show a valid guest ticket. You will be asked to leave the water if you’re fishing & cannot show a valid permit or guest ticket when asked. Abuse of members will not be tolerated so make sure you have the right paperwork with you & be courteous. It remains the Committee’s policy to ensure that at least one lake is available to members for pleasure fishing at all times. Both lakes are producing reasonable catches.
As ever, fishery security is paramount. On Monday 9 May at 6:40am, the fishery was found to have been left open, with the padlocks on the ground. Investigations have shown that the gates & T Bar were not padlocked when the last person left on Saturday 7 May. The security of our fishery is every member’s responsibility. Make sure that the venue is secure when you enter & when you leave, that you have closed & locked the gate & the T Bar is padlocked in place. If it becomes necessary to replace all the padlocks and keys it will incur a considerable cost which will be reflected into every member’s subs.
Many of you will be aware of our website www.coveas.club which is open to the public & is a portal to our active Facebook page which has proved to be a successful channel for communicating with members. The website includes a contact page whereby you can get in touch with committee members by phone or email or by Facebook Messenger, which is a popular route for many.