In April 2013, Gareth Pedley of the Wild Trust undertook an advisory visit to our stretch of the Cod Beck. His detailed report can be downloaded from the following link as a PDF file which should open in your browser and can then be saved on your computer.
Cod Beck – Sowerby Angling Society
It’s interesting reading, best summed up as lots of potential work to be done and lack of spawning grounds. It’s going to be difficult to achieve many of the aims, as we will need both Environmental Agency consent and Landowner consent for much of the work,. This is further complicated as we have several landowners and only single bank fishing rights in some places. Sods laws dictates that these single bank stretches are the stretches that need the most work on.
If we do decide to pursue this further we will need to get the WTT to give us a second visit where definite positions for cover, flow deflectors and the like will be decided. This is where we start parting with money, so we need to be sure we can carry things through if take this step. I think it’s further complicated as the Beck has fished really well for the last few seasons and one wonders how much better it can get. It’s food for thought!
Please have a read and see if you would like to get involved in acting on their advice. It’s too much work for one individual to achieve and will require a team of dedicated volunteers.
Nigel Pringle
Sowerby Angling Society 