A quick reminder that you can renew your membership or join at 2 sessions this weekend at Malcolm Barker Lake from 10am to 1pm in Sat and Sun Cash is preferable as the card reader can be a bit temperamental at MBL. If the weather holds there will also be a few bits of second hand fishing tackle for sale to in Saturday.

Following on from resent Blog posts here are a couple of examples of what we should not be seeing on Club waters. This feeder rig was up a tree at Peg 14 on MBL. This is not a free running rig as the split shot up the mainline from the feeder was clamped on so hard it formed a fixed/bolt rig. The main line was also pretty thin for a feeder rig. This second rig was in the rushes between pegs 18 and 19 at Beggar's Hall and looked like it had been cast over from peg 4. Firstl

This is not the sort of email we enjoy sending. The Club's Rules have been agreed by the Members to try and make sure our Club and fisheries stay in good shape for another 75 years. By joining the Club or fishing on a Guest or Day ticket you have agreed with all the Club's Members to abide by these Rules. Sadly we are seeing a growing number of people not following these Rules. Recent examples are: Banned baits - they have been banned for a reason, e.g. regular overfee

Hi All The new Club Books are here and both Stansted Angling and Rib Valley Angling should have a good number of these if you want to renew that way. Please note that they will probably want cash. We will also be running in person renewals at MBL on: Saturday 30 May Sunday 31 May 10am to 1pm. Cash would be best please as the card machine does not always work down at MBL. It is always good to see a few faces, old and new, and to get your feedback on the Club's waters. ClubM

The new Club books are heading back from the printers so renewals can get underway any moment. You should see the ClubMate page open up for new memberships / renewals over the next few days. As in previous years we will also be sending some Club books to Stansted Angling and Rib Valley Angling and we are holding a couple of days at MBL where you can rejoin in person. Cash would be best for anyone venturing to MBL to renew as the card reader does not always work at MBL. We w

For those of you visiting MBL over the next few weeks you might see some orange sacks around the edges of the lake. These are filled with barley straw to hopefully prevent algae blooms as the weather warms up as these can be harmful to the lake especially as we head towards the time when fish start spawning and they are more susceptible to water quality issues. Please do not remove them from the lake. If they seem to be getting in the way please let us know. Do feel free t

Hi All As we come to the end of the 2025/26 season a few dates for your diaries: Now: A reminder that the close season is in effect so the River is closed. Now: Pike season has also closed. 1 April: The small lake at Hall Farm is also closed from and including 1 April until 1 June. 8 April: The Club's AGM. 21 May: Club presentation night at Hunter's Meet Hatfield Heath. 30/31 May: New Club memberships available in person at MBL. 1 June: The new Club year starts so you

With another year quickly passed by it is time for our AGM soon. Please keep an eye on your ClubMate emails as the Agenda will be circulated via email and we will also add a copy on this page This year's AGM is will be at Great Hadham Golf Club which has lots of parking (postcode SG10 6JE). The start will be at 8pm. Ahead of the AGM attached is our Newsletter with a quick round up of Club matters from the last year. Below is a link to download the newsletter. Your website b

After the last post's example of what not to do this one gives a bit more guidance as to what Club Rule 15 is all about: 15. Any angler fishing Society waters who is intentionally in pursuit of large carp, tench or pike should be in possession of a purpose made padded unhooking mat with a minimum size of 2 feet (60cm) x 3 feet (90cm) and a suitable sized landing net. Landing nets and unhooking mats must be ready before you start fishing. Fish must be weighed where caught

Sadly, it looks like some of our members are not reading the Club's Rules and the attached was tethered to a carp at Beggar's Hall. The Rules are there to protect our fish stocks and there is no excuse for not following them. Anyone found breaking these rules will be subject to disciplinary measures. This was attached to a 10lb common at Beggar's Hall Let's see how many Rules this rig broke: Braided hook link Braided leader Fixed / bolt rig Drop off lead sleeve so tightly j

It is time to make the most of the longer daylight hours and warmer (if wet) days as the close season will be on us soon. A reminder that the Stort (including Backwater) is a river so 14 March is your last day to be on the bank until the river season reopens on 16 June. The end of the river season is also the end the Club's pike season so 14 March is your last day for pike fishing on all Club waters until 1 October. Tight lines for the last couple of weeks.

This is just a quick update on the Club waters. Malcolm Barker There seem to be a few nice pike coming out at MBL at the moment and well worth a go once you get sick of the jacks in the Backwater. We have also had another couple of fish deliveries with 300 small bream and 800 small tench (AKA bars of soap) going in. Please do let us know if you catch any of the recently stocked fish. Hall Farm The water level is now back to something more normal after a couple of weeks of wat

Hi All The lakes should now be mostly ice free although a few patches were lingering around on Tuesday. A couple of other things: The MBL gate code has now changed. See your Club Book for the new number. Sunday 18th - Backwater booking cancelled - rescheuled for 8 Feb Sunday18th - Club match is on Hall Farm's large lake. Do keep an eye on the website's calendar.

Update: as of Saturday 10th all lakes are still frozen and are likely to be until well into next week. ....... As you might have guessed, the lakes are all frozen with around an inch of ice on them as of Saturday afternoon. It is likely they will stay frozen until well into next week. With the lakes frozen Sunday's match due for Hall Farm is moving to the Stort Backwater as the River is currently ice free (fingers crossed). Sunday Update: There are a few ice free swims o

Just before the weather gets too cold we have had a couple of fish deliveries for Wickham Hall and Malcom Barker Lake Malcom Barker Lake has had a good few small tench and chunky looking roach stocked. Wickham Hall has also had a tench (just a few as a trial), roach and ide stocked. The ide should be pretty quick growing and, with the chub stocked last year, should help give us some silver fish sport through the winter. Do let us know if you catch any of them over the next

The weather may be taking a turn for the worst and the fishing getting more difficult but there are still a few bites to be had. The below are current matches / bookings for the Club waters over the festive season in case you want to get out and try your new presents. Sun 7 Dec Hall Farm large lake - water booking Dunmow AC Sun 7 Dec Beggar's Hall - club match Weds 10 Dec River Stort Backwater - club match Sun 14 Dec Hall Farm large lake - club match Weds 17 Dec Hall Farm la

The latest work party found a few bits and pieces that had been left behind: T-bar style Allen key / hex wrench Large tweezers Carp rod...

Hi All It is that time again with the nights drawing in and 1st October marking the start of the pike fishing season on our waters...

Hi All A couple of change to the events this month. With the sad passing of Don Copping, who has been a member of the Club for many...

Many thanks to all who came along over the Bank Holiday weekend for the charity match. Between the entry fees and the raffle we ended up...