Fishing survey feedback

Thank you to everyone who shared their views in our 2024 fisheries survey.

Feedback areas

You provided feedback on the following areas – please see our responses below.

Increasing costs and prices

Although we do not make any profit from our fisheries, we are seeing continued price increases impacting our fisheries year on year.

This is caused by increasing feed, energy and staff costs in our supply chain. With no profit margin to absorb these increasing costs, we must increase our prices accordingly to remain sustainable.

Stocking levels

The impact of climate change and sedimentation in our reservoirs continues to make the summer months challenging across smaller, shallower bodies of water.

With cool temperatures in the early season, we see high rod averages and clean, well-presented fish.

As we move through the year, despite stocking the same fish and maintaining a good head of stock, the conditions become more challenging and rod averages are lower.

Tucking Mill needs restocking, largely because of ongoing predation.

20% of game customers felt we should improve our stocking levels.

Split season at Sutton Bingham

External factors continue to impact Sutton Bingham, so in 2025 we will be moving to the first full split season, incorporating traditional game fishing, carp on the fly and coarse fishing for carp and silvers.

This new model will ensure that the fantastic venue and facilities can be fished throughout the year, introducing new and exciting opportunities. We hope this will encourage customers to try alternative methods and enrich their wider fishing experience.

Fish quality

We work closely with our suppliers to ensure trout are fit and healthy. As customers value the quality of the fish and the presentation of our sites, we do not wish to reduce stocking, fish quality or cut back on standards in general.

We aim to remain competitive on price across the industry while continuing to provide a first-class experience for our customers.

67% of game customers and 68% of Durleigh customers like the quality of our fish.

Fishing tickets

We recognise customer loyalty and want to ensure regular visits are affordable and flexible.

We will therefore continue to offer All Waters Season Tickets, 100 Fish Season Tickets (for all game fisheries), and our extremely popular books of tickets (six tickets for the price of five).

Because of the short game season at Sutton Bingham in 2025, we will also be introducing a 50 Fish Season Ticket at this fishery only.

Other suggestions

Other suggestions we will consider include:

• reduced summer ticket prices and bag limits in warmer water (game)
• reduced winter ticket price for shorter days (coarse)
• coarse fishing from a boat
• improving access to banks and swims
• Improving catch reports and information for anglers
• maintaining the presence of Rangers in our lodges
• managing carp and crayfish at Sutton Bingham
• winter fishing and closing in summer (game).