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Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

Yorkie

Yorkie
Total Posts: 53
Joined: September 1, 2016

On Saturday afternoon I had a casual walk down Newhalls Meadow below Stourport to see how the swims were looking as river levels approached something that might be fishable.

At one time I think there were meant to be around twenty-five pegs on this venue but sadly now I reckon no more than about eight are currently fishable. Many of the pegs are overgrown to the point where there would be barely room to set your tackle up; others are OK for access but you can only see a float for a couple of rod-lengths downstream due to overhanging boughs. Looks to me as if some of the older, larger trees have come down in the gales we had around Christmas.

Some swims could easily be cleared of small bushes and saplings in the summer when water levels are low with hand tools and chestwaders, but some of the obstructions would need mechanical gear and winches to remove them and maybe even a boat. It seems to be a common problem with many river venues country-wide nowadays, despite the best efforts of work-parties there aren't enough anglers fishing the rivers to keep the swims open.

To cap it all we now have a boat and a landing stage or pontoon blocking the last peg near our downstream limit, accompanied by a mountain of white polystyrene blocks and some garden rubbish. Not sure of the legality of this or whether we can come to some agreement with the landowner - if it isn't challenged, it wouldn't surprise me if other moorings start to appear over the next year or two and we'll lose even more bank-space.

A shame as this I understand was / is one of the association's premier winter river venues, even as recently as last year the roach fishing was superb.

Hopefully Newhall's is on the maintenance list for next year. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

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Posted on February 5, 2018 at 11:10 PM

Robaylen

Robaylen
Total Posts: 17
Joined: February 14, 2016

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

Hi, thanks for posting this up as I'm considering driving up from Malvern to have a go at this part of the Severn with the stick. I've never fished that far up the river before so it's not familiar. Seems a shame that so many pegs won't be fishable.

Posted on February 6, 2018 at 11:43 PM

stew83mul

stew83mul
Total Posts: 663
Joined: May 30, 2015

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

I was down there a couple of weeks back and counted at least 7 pegs that would be unfishable on the stick float.I put it all in my bailiff report and I know other bailiffs and members have raised the issue so hopefully the fisheries team will get down there soon and tidy it up as these are some of the best winter roach pegs on the Severn

Posted on February 7, 2018 at 6:23 PM

Hornet

Hornet
Total Posts: 108
Joined: June 23, 2015

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

Re the illegal mooring the club has to nip that in the bud quickly otherwise it will be solid with moored boats like the canals are down here

Posted on February 9, 2018 at 7:39 AM

curry

curry
Total Posts: 72
Joined: July 23, 2015

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

I walked the bank about a month ago and can confirm a lot of the swims are unfishable. I think this venue has gone to pot now the swimming baths/leisure centre has closed. No parking available nearby except the pub.

Lack of use causes it to be overgrown. If BAA could get some agreement with the council or one of the sporting clubs regarding parking I'm sure the stretch would come back into favour as a winter venue. Historically it was a great roach stretch at this time of year.

Posted on February 10, 2018 at 8:16 PM

Yorkie

Yorkie
Total Posts: 53
Joined: September 1, 2016

Re: Newhalls Meadow - parking

Parking for Newhalls isn't actually that bad at the moment.

You can park behind the leisure centre in the area around the entrance to the rowing club and opposite the football club parking compound.

Not sure how long this will be the case - once they start demolishing the leisure centre it will, I'm sure, be off limits. Other alternatives are( as curry says) the pub car park - make sure to pop in for a pint after fishing - or the pay and display on the opposite side of the river by the boat basin; or there is some on street parking at the end of the Bewdley switch-back road alongside the care home. Either way, at the moment, the car parking is no worse now than it's ever been.

The town water upstream of the BAA Newhalls stretch does get fished regularly although this too could do with some pruning in places. People fishing that stretch park behind the leisure centre as described.

Posted on February 10, 2018 at 11:19 PM

Dazling166

Dazling166
Total Posts: 11
Joined: June 27, 2018

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

Newhalls Meadow - Is still a sorry tale its a discrace how this beautiful stretch of water has been neglected. The stretch needs some serious work to remove fallen branches and is beyond just pushing the weeds to one side with a fishing rod. Come on BAA get the chain saws out and the members will do the rest to maintain the pegs as I often do. I understand you do rely on a team of volunteers and there is no current date on your fisheries plan. I have to wonder if the same situation happened at one of your pools you would leave it so long to put right.

Winter is just around the corner so nows the time to prepare this excellent stretch of water with big roach and bream waiting to be caught.

Posted on August 12, 2018 at 6:52 PM

Dazling166

Dazling166
Total Posts: 11
Joined: June 27, 2018

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

Well done to the team, great to see a large proportion of the pegs now open some serious tree cutting has taken place.

This is a great stretch of water with large bream and roach waiting to be caught especially at this time of the year and throughout the winter months.

Posted on September 23, 2018 at 1:36 PM

Dazling166

Dazling166
Total Posts: 11
Joined: June 27, 2018

Re: Newhalls Meadow - a sorry tale

Well done to the team, great to see a large proportion of the pegs now open some serious tree cutting has taken place.

This is a great stretch of water with large bream and roach waiting to be caught especially at this time of the year and throughout the winter months.

Posted on September 23, 2018 at 1:37 PM

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