This month has started off with sunshine, but follows a cool and dry last month. Everywhere is green and blossom is forming all over. The Orchard and Alresford lakes are full of nesting waterfowl and babies are resolutely following their mothers There has been early signs of fish spawning and preparing to spawn. If there are signs in the margins of intense activity, please stay away and fish another lake or area that is free from amorous fish.

May has all the prospects of long summer days and warm nights and is now time to renew your membership for another season, starting the 1st June. The 24th April saw the AGM take place in the village hall at Alresford. The Chairman thanked all members for their support through a relatively uneventful year. The accounts were read out, showing we had had another successful year. The committee were re-elected en bloc for a new season and the floor was opened up to the attending members. It was suggested that if the club was struggling with numbers involved with maintenance, local Youth Involvement Groups could be contacted to assist as a means to get them used to a working environment. It was acknowledged that HSE issues would have to be looked into before the club's involvement, but it was an avenue worth pursuing. The question of membership numbers was approached and it was stated that so far the club was comfortable with, the numbers keeping a good balance. The issue of pumped water from Bramley to Cox was discussed and the use of a solar powered pump. It was agreed that this was a trial worth undertaking. Finally , the club has applied to the Environment Agency for a grant to commence access modifications, which seems to be successful so far.

So along with a new membership comes a new gate code. This will be shown on the Clubmate app commencing the 1st June. The gates will have the locks altered on Sunday evening 31st May. If you are night fishing on that day, you will need the new code to get out the next day. Once again, please keep the number to yourself. After paying your membership you do not want anyone fishing for free.

April's matches took place without event, except that the two Creed matches were hard going. Creed 2 took place on Worcester Lake with Graham Pinnock taking first place with a catch of Bream over other competitors who only managed one fish each. Creed 3 was held on the Abbey Lake and was won by Jim Martin whose total weight of 27lb 1oz was helped by a 26lb 12oz Carp. The overall winner of the Creed Trophy was Adrian Loughton with a points win off 23. The first of the years OAP matches took place on Cox Lake with Glen Sibbons coming in first with a weight of 93lb 15oz.

The next few weeks will see the start of brand new members. Please be patient and direct and educate them into the ways of our club. To all of you, old and new members, please take your litter home and obey the country code. And the most important members of the club that require your care and attention are the fish themselves. Without them there is no club and there is no excuse for bad handling and unhooking before their safe return to the water. As a club we are faced with fish with damaged mouths and this is solely down to bad handling. Please, take care and where necessary put on wound a dressing to prevent infections forming. Propropolis is one easily applied sealant for hook damage.

And finally, a few thoughts to help you ponder by the waterside. When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison. To "drink responsibly" means don't spill it and when I say "the other day", I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago.

As always, stay safe, look after one another and enjoy you fishing