Last week Bonnybridge A C fished a competition on Butterstone, the water is under new management and it shows, they have a very good fleet of boats, the staff were very helpfull and the fishing was just great, 13 members paticipated and a total of 83 fish were caught the heaviest fish landed weighed 12lb 15oz, what a great day, a vote of thanks and praise to those running Butterstone.

What do forum members think about a 30% price increase for 2011 from £40 to £58 for a 2 man boat 9.00 to 17.00 with the use of an electric outboard and battery?
Neil

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Keeping the Faith

Sounds to me there is at least a 30% improvement to the fishery reading between the lines

thats a bit of a jump in price, Are you not going to be allowed your own engine anymore? Not really worth £58 pound a boat

Seams a tad expensive for a smallish water, considering Meneteith is only £52 for a 2 man boat at the weekend and a 10 fish limit!
Maybe £50 would be more like it at a push but say £44 if you supplied your own motor

Big fish make headlines.
2009 - 437 fish for 7 outings - 62.42 average per outing
2010 - 551 fish for 8 outings - 68.88 average per outing
About a 10% improvement on year
4 outings with previous owners - 329 fish
4 outings with new owners - 222 fish
Inconclusive due to vageries of weather etc, but where is the improvement?
Again is a 30% increase justified?

---------- Post added at 07:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:55 PM ----------

The boats will come supplied with battery and outboard. No choice.

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Keeping the Faith

Club have 7 outings a year, no noticeable difference in returns since the new owners took over, heaviest trout was actually smaller this year than normal. Fairly small sample and weather conditions could have been a factor.
Enough of our members have electric motors so don't hire any, a big jump in price and it will have some effect especially if there is no noticeable improvement in the overall fishing. The occasional very large fish not much of an attraction for club outings, a distortion to the results/average weight if anything.
I think the previous arrangements suited us better but will have to wait and get the views of the other club members. Might be a few engines/batteries for sale locally next year!
Is £40 to £58 not a 45% increase?!

Don't think our club will be back at that price, we all have electric outboards and when we were there in september the quality of the fish was quite poor.
It's a lovely venue but at £58 a boat people might look elsewhere for their fishing.

I have fished Butterstone for about 30 years with our club and it has been consistently good fishing and has resulted in us increasing both our number of boats and number of outings.
I am like you John in that I will have to get the club view but my own personal view is that there is equally good fishing available at what will be less expensive venues in 2011. e.g Linlithgow, Rescobie, Lintrathen, Monikie, Lochore Meadows.
I realise that these venues do not have the same pressures of profit but they still need to at least break even.
As to the maths it doesn't really matter as the increase is £9 a head and like your club we have more than enough electric motors.
Neil

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Keeping the Faith

I have to agree with you Duff that price hike is to much and will be consulting with my club members with regards to future club outings on Butterstone.With regards to using their outboards then i for one if i had a fishery i would do the same only because of the chance of infection and disease which is becomming a major factor when running a Trout fishery. I know most fisheries have you dipping your nets and outboards but would you take that chance if you had invested a lot of money and time, i for one would not. We all know that outboards and batteries are expensive and to maintain them is the same but that price hike is a bit steap. Its time fishery managers and anglers got speaking to each other more and try to help each other because one cant do without the other.

Graeme.