WINDERMERE, Ambleside and District Angling Association celebrated two major achievements last week when it signed up its 1,000th member and also gained Sport England's prestigious Clubmark Award.

Founded in 1955, WADAA has seen recent rapid growth as a result of ambitious management and continuing improvement to its fisheries.

The Club now offers top-quality fishing on 23 waters throughout South Cumbria and contributes significantly to the tourist economy by attracting more than 4,000 visitors a year.

"Our aim is simply to provide absolutely first class fishing for our members and visitors alike", says Neil Birkinshaw, WADAA's Association Manager.

Much of the impetus for improvement has resulted from the work the Club has undertaken to gain the Clubmark Award and WADAA is now one of only five angling clubs in the country to have reached the exacting standards set for management, coaching and the provision of safe opportunities for youngsters to become involved in the sport.

Working towards Clubmark provided the initiative for WADAA to launch South Cumbria Kingfishers, which is already attracting a rapidly growing number of new junior members to fishing from all over the region.

"Prior to Clubmark and the launch of South Cumbria Kingfishers, WADAA had just 18 junior members, at the last count we had 96 and rising", says Neil.

STILLWATER trout fishing has slowed but will improve when warmer weather retuns.

On East Bay Lake, Kentmere, brown trout have been on the surface with best catches so far recorded using imitative tactics.

With hatches of buzzers and alders in evidence at Esthwaite the rainbows have been feeding on the surface with good catches from all around the lake. From a boat John Gardner and Richard Maddox landed 38 to 4lb 13oz and on a separate visit John Gardner had eight to 5lb plus. From the bank George Riley landed a superb over-wintered 7lb 8oz rainbow while spinning.

The second heat of the Shakespeare-sponsored Esthwaite Open Pairs was fished by 12 anglers who landed 39 fish to 74lb 8oz. Mike Laycock and John Henshall won with 12 fish to 27lb 14oz, with Andrew Gaunt and Phil Grindy second with eight for 13 lb 12oz. Both pairs qualify for the final in September.

The next free tuition half day will be on Saturday May 19. For booking contact the fishery on 015394 36541 The Masterline team from Esthwaite won the Anglian Water Fulling Mill International North of England Heat at Rutland Water with 38 fish for 91lb 2oz and has qualified for the North of England Final on July 9.

At Bigland here have been good late evening rises of rainbows and spectacular fishing. Walter Fritters, landed 21 to 5lb 8oz, Mike McBeigh took 12 to 4lb 8oz and Andy Brooks 10 to 9lb 8oz.

Ghyll Head has also fished well with double figure bags including a number of rainbows to 15 lb.

At High Newton Mike Devaney landed an 11lb 12oz rainbow and Stephen Hardman one of 10lb 4oz. The first round of the Windermere Anglers Fly-Fishing Summer League is at High Newton on Wednesday, May 23, with subsequent rounds on other club waters in May and June. For further information contact Dave Helm on 01229 585342, or e-mail d helm@fire net.was.

Those fishing buzzers and dries have recorded the best catches at Wych Elm, including Dave Hoggarth 14 to 8lb, Roy Walker 12, Dennis Fletcher 11 and Keith Burrow 10, with the best of 5lb.

At Farletonview Hugh Whittam had two good sessions with 16 and 12. Richard Todd took 14, Steve Cowper-thwaite 13 to 5lb and Tony Riley landed the heaviest recent fish, an 8lb brown.

THOSE fishing for pike on Windermere have caught wild browns to 8lb 8oz on deadbaits while boat users have landed pike to 18lb.. From the bank at Coniston pike to 18lb have been taken while at Grasmere pike to low doubles are in evidence with Lee Ward, from a boat, landing nine and others catching quality perch to just under 3lb.

At Rydal the best recent pike weighed 17 lb while Loughrigg Tarn has produced pike to 12lb, tench to 7lb and good bags of roach.

Small pike have been taken at Ulverston Canal plus carp, tench and bream.

The occasional pike has been caught at Bigland, but the best fishing here has been for other species with Geoff Beamer hooking 18 tench to 7lb 8oz, a 17lb 8oz common and a 3lb 9oz bream over a two day/night session. John Scott took seven tench to 7lb and three bream to 4lb 8oz while junior Stephen Williams, aged 9, caught roach, perch and tench. At Sandhall Ponds carp to low doubles have been caught.

Ratherheath continues to fish well for bream and tench, carp to mid-doubles and plenty of roach, skimmers, rudd and small carp.

Holehird has produced quality tench to 5lb and at Castle Head Steve Boswell landed numerous small carp, a 5lb common carp and three small tench On the canal at Stainton, Graham Atkinson had a 14lb grass carp while anglers fishing early morning and evening have caught quality tench to 6lb. At Banks Pond plenty of carp to 14lb have been caught and tench, bream and carp have been taken at Gatebeck The first round of the Windermere Anglers Coarse-Fishing Summer League, at Atkinson's Tarn, was won by Grahame Hall with a bag of 18lb 4oz containing a 5lb bream and skimmers. Second was Pete Burgess with 11lb 7oz, mostly skimmers and one small tench, and third Kevin Goik with an 11lb 5oz bag of two bream of 6lb and 4lb 8oz and a few skimmers.

Buzzer www.lakedistrictfishing.net