Where to fish - fishing CLUBS & ASSOCIATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ENGLAND:

Hassocks & District Angling Society

Location in South East:

West Sussex, South East England, UK.

Contact:

Postal Address: Mrs J.Fisher. 38 Western Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 8QN
Tel: 01444 235978 [not after 9.00pm]
Email: webmaster@hassocksfishing.co.uk
Website: www.hassocksfishing.co.uk

Membership Details:

	Membership	Joining	Comments
	Fee	Fee
Senior	£60	£5	18 - 64 yrs
Joint Senior	£84	£5	man & wife 18 - 64 yrs
Family	£104	£5	2 adults + 2 juniors
Junior	£22	n/a	10 - 17 yrs
Senior Citizen	£27	£1	65 + or disabled
Joint Senior Citizen	£44	£1	man & wife 65 + or disabled
Non Fishing Member	£5	n/a

* Membership is available via local tackle shops or via the Hassocks & District AS website

* Juniors aged under 12 years old MUST be accompanied by an Adult Member. Under 10 years old may be added to an adult membership free of charge.

Club Details:

Hassocks and District Angling Society was founded in 1955 by George Cragg and Bill Bailey and has now grown to a membership in excess of 400. The Society has some of the best fishing to be found in the beautiful Sussex countryside, comprising over 5 miles of river bank on the rivers Ouse, Arun and Adur, 5 large lakes and many smaller waters. The majority are exclusive to the club, catering for matchmen, pleasure anglers and specimen hunters alike .

Competitions are held regularly throughout the year and we welcome the participation of new members - its a good way to meet existing members.  Work parties are held during the close season another good way to meet existing members and to get to know the waters.

For regular club updates, news, fishing pictures and more, check out their excellent website at: www.hassocksfishing.co.uk

Club Waters:

Characteristically, all the waters of Hassocks and District Angling Society are very natural with plenty of features. They offer varied quality fishing for all categories of freshwater angler. The small ponds are very suitable for the novice - Steven's Pond is ideal for younger anglers. During the early part of the year there are often "teach-in days" where new anglers have a chance to receive tuition from more experienced anglers.

Wildings Lakes:
Description: This fishery comprises of two lakes, the larger of the two being the primary club venue for specimen hunters after large carp, tench and bream. Additionally, both waters contain a good head of roach, rudd, perch, eels, chub, crucian hybrids and gudgeon.

Tactics: Most tactics will work on both lakes. Ledgered boilies and pellet seem to be one of the most prolific ways to target the carp and tench. A large bunch of worms at night will tempt the eels which are present to about 5lbs.

Decoy Lake:
Description: Decoy Lake produces some of the highest match weights the best so far being nearly 150lbs. The weights are dominated by carp although there are also crucians, tench, rudd, roach, perch and chub present. Good weights of rudd and roach can be achieved when the carp aren't feeding.

Tactics: In the summer months-and sometimes during warmer spells in winter surface tactics are definitely the most productive with dog biscuit/controller being the definitive method. Pole fishing particularly to features is very worthwhile and often in colder months is the predominant method. All normal baits can work here and it can be useful to try something a bit different such as chickpeas or kidney beans.

Masons:
Description: This large, 60 peg, water holds a large head of wild carp, tench, crucians roach and rudd. One side of the lake has extensive reed beds. Summer months can provide exciting surface fishing.

Tactics: The method feeder with pellet, corn, meat or maggot works very well with the pole and waggler working well against reed and lily features. The carp can be persuaded to panic feed in the summer with floating pellet but beware - these wild carp really go !

Pickwells:
Description: Two lakes set in a very peaceful picturesque setting. These have been recently acquired by the Society so are very much an unknown quantity. Test fishing has revealed there to be a good head of rudd and tench in the lower lake with depths upto 12 feet in places. Both lakes have been recently stocked with crucians, tench , rudd and roach.

Tactics: Pole fished maggot in the open areas revealed good depth of water and plenty of rudd, they were also very abundant on the short whip

The Mill Pond:
Description: This 25 peg water has an abundance of natural features. There are carp, crucians, tench,  bream, perch, roach and good sized rudd in this water. There is also a small stream running along the back of the pond which has perch, chub and roach and provides an interesting alternative to the pond. 

Tactics: Maggot, caster, punched meat and bread in conjunction with feeder, pole or waggler tactics work well.

River Arun:
Description: This stretch of the upper Arun holds quality chub, roach, bream, perch and pike.

Tactics: Although all standard methods will work here, it is the "traditional" methods using worm, bread flake and paste that will account for the quality fish. Try casting a bomb or feeder with a long tail near to an overhanging bush for the chub.

River Ardur:
Description: A narrow stretch of river offering some good bream, perch, roach and chub fishing. There are good pike here which have been caught to 20lbs+.

Tactics: Groundbait or maggot feeder works well in conjunction with maggot, caster, worm or bread hookbaits. Look out for overhanging trees for chub. The pole or stick float scores in the more open stretches. Bread and cheese paste are worth trying for the better chub. This is a good stretch to wander down with a spinner for pike.

River Ouse:
Description: See website for more details

Ponds:
In addition to the club waters detailed above, Hassocks & Disctrict Angling Society has a series of smaller ponds each with their own characteristics. Generally, they are all relatively shallow , fringed with reeds, lilies and overhanging bushes so there is no lack of features to fish to. They all hold carp, crucians, rudd, roach and perch.

They are ideal places to take younger anglers particularly those just starting as the large head of rudd in most of the ponds ensures they never have to wait long for a bite !

Hassocks and District Angling Society are running two "newcomers days" in conjunction with tutors from the Environment Agency. All tackle, bait and temporary licenses and memberships are supplied free. They are set for Saturday June 21st and Saturday August 16th.

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