Salisbury & District Angling Club
Newsletter
December 2006.
JUST A NOTE FROM YOUR SECRETARY. December 2006.
In the Newsletter a year ago I spoke of low water levels, low flows, and algal blooms,
below average rainfall, swan problems and lack of ranunculus. The same has held true
for the 2006. To hear all this gloom and doom one might have been tempted not to
even go fishing under these pessimistic conditions. In reality yet another season has
held up better than expected. I am very pleased to report that the performance of our
fisheries has exceeded all expectations. Mother Nature seems to have ways of
adjusting to just such a situation and the fish continued to come to the fly. (See the list
of catch returns later in this newsletter). I also said last year that this optimistic
outcome was a short-term phenomenon and we would probably have to pay for it next
season. I will not make the same prediction for 2007/08 because hopefully, as in the
song ‘things are only going to get better!’ My optimism has shown some fruits this
October and November where we saw useful rainfall raising the rivers and scouring
away the summer’s algae and silt. Large areas of gravels recovered in time for
spawning to be carried out successfully. I would like to think that improving water
quality and levels are responsible for the respectable numbers of Salmon seen moving
up through the hatches on the Hampshire Avon south of Salisbury. This will be the
first year where we will receive meaningful data from the now working Salmon
counter at Knap Mill on the lower Avon.
EXCITING MOVES ARE A FOOT!
For many years the Club Office has been situated at Castle Mews, 29a Castle Street,
Salisbury in the centre of town. The Keeper’s workshop and store has been at Deans
Farm on the Little Durnford Estate.
This geographical split has been inconsistent to efficient deployment of our staff and
communications. In the month of February 2007 we are centralising both areas under
one new roof at what will be called the ‘CART SHED’ The full postal address is as
follows:The Salisbury & District Angling Club
The Cart Shed
New Bottom Road
Stratford-sub-Castle
Salisbury SP4 6AB.
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N.B. WITH EFFECT FROM MONDAY the 19th of
February 2007.
PLEASE DIRECT ALL MAIL TO THE ABOVE
ADDRESS.
The new centre is situated about 250 yards up the lane towards Woodford from the
present Water Keeper’s workshop at Deans Farm. The tally board and members car
park for the Durnford Fishery will be re-located there also, where a spacious car park
awaits.
It is planned to have someone ‘in residence’ for at least four days a week in the new
office. This will be a huge improvement over the present situation where the secretary
is only in the office for a day and a half a week. This new prestigious location will
lend itself to being the centre for many future possibilities for the Club.
THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (WFD)
The WFD initiative launched by the Environment Agency is aimed at improving our
riverine environment and aquifers to a laid down standard by the year 2015. Some of
the categories being:
a). The improvement in farming practices to reduce farm run off causing siltation,
turbidity and pollution by herbicides and insecticides entering the rivers.
b). Reduction of the effect of sewage effluent and phosphate pollution.
c). The Control of potentially damaging abstraction regimes by Wessex Water.
We are linked to the South West Region where in Devon and Cornwall their rivers are
mainly rain fed. We in Wiltshire have our Chalk Streams fed by ground water from
the Chalk aquifers. This difference requires a different approach to the problems
encountered further West. We will maintain a watching brief on the progress of the
Directive. For those of you with a deeper interest in this go to:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wfdframework (.pdf document)
WEED CUT 2006/07
The weed cuts were supported by the Environment Agency again this season. The
threat of the EA withdrawing their support on grounds of cost has been temporarily
suspended and we have been assured that we will get support for the 2007 season.
Weed cutting procedures and practice will probably have to be re-assessed within the
next few years. The EA was energetically lobbied by the Wiltshire Fisheries
Association to get then to re-consider their plans to withdrawal. Arguments were
placed citing the benefits of weed control on the upper reaches of the Avon and its
tributaries in the SSI and SAC environments and not just look at the exercise as a
flood alleviation scheme.
Weed catch booms were placed at New Bridge Salisbury and Chilhampton on the
Wylye. Weed cutting was very minimal this season due to poor growth. There was
probably less weed cut this year than in any previous, any weed that did make an
appearance was conserved in the hope of holding up water levels. The shallow water
has once again allowed the flocks of Swans to graze the weed to extinction where it
had successfully started to grow.
For those of you wishing to plan your trips to our fisheries next season I have
included the proposed weed cut dates for the 2007 season.
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WILTSHIRE FISHERY ASSOCIATION
WEED CUTTING DATES 2007.
1st Cut
2nd Cut
3rd Cut
April 2-9
April 28-
June 18 -
May 11
July 2
Jun 12-25
July 17-26
April 13-20
Jun 6-20
Jul 9-18
April 18-
Jun 12-25
Jul 17-26
Jun 14-
Jul 14-27
4th
Cut
RIVER WYLYE
Above Chilhampton
August 6-13
Below Chilhampton
August 21-28
April 18May 8
RIVER AVON
Above ‘C’ Crossing
August 16-23
North of Durrington
Below Crossing ‘C’
August 21-28
May 8
RIVER NADDER
August 20-26
April 23-30
Jul 5
AGM 2007
The AGM is at the Cycling Club Salt Lane Salisbury at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 16th
January. 2007
Members propositions must be received in writing by the Secretary not less than
fourteen days before the date of the AGM. In practice could I ask for these to be
submitted by the 2nd January at the latest.
Committee Propositions
General
All references contained within the year book to the Treasurer , Hon Treasurer etc be
changed to Club Administrator.
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Membership Rule 1.
Change from:
“ Membership shall be open to Juniors 12 – 15yrs inclusive and ladies and gentlemen
aged 17 and over”
Change to:
“ Membership shall be open to Juniors 12 – 17yrs inclusive and adults aged 18 and
over.
&
Change from:
“Membership shall be limited to 1800 Adult Members. Game Membership for Adult
Members may be restricted by the Management Committee to take account of
fisheries available”
Change to:
“Membership numbers may be restricted by the Management Committee to take
account of fisheries available.
New Membership Rule
Rule 12
To validate membership a passport type photograph must be glued into the space
provided on page 1 of the membership Year Book and signed as instructed.
Management Regulations
Rule 5. add.
All propositions must be seconded and signed .
Fishery Rules
Rule 2 change to read.
Only two rods may be used on non-premium fisheries, other than Durrington, one rod
only on all premium fisheries and Durrington.
READ THIS AND YOUR YEAR BOOK!
Club Rules are laid down in the Year Book. Please read them. There is no excuse
for breaking the rules!
We have had several cases of rule infringement this season. A member was found to
have no photo in his book. (I have his name) When it was pointed out that a photo
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was evidence that the member was indeed the owner of the book and it was a
mandatory rule of the Club he became quite aggressive. He stated that he had been a
member of the Club for many years and had never placed a photo in his book!
He then pompously stated that if the enquirer had been a member as long as he, he
would know him. The enquirer incidentally was a long standing member and a senior
officer of the Committee!
There have been instances of wading in areas not designated and fishing in out of
bounds.
These offences can seriously damage our relationship with our landlords if the terms
of the lease are contravened and as a result we will be in danger of losing fisheries.
Rules also seen broken this season have been: downstream fly fishing on premium
waters, taking a tally to reserve the beat for a later time, fishing the wrong beat,
fishing two to a beat, the use of nymph before July, lack of chalk stream etiquette
(including bad manners and lack of respect for other anglers), failing to book in and
out in the return books, fishing with more than two rods (coarse members) leaving
swims unattended for more than one hour and rowdy and disturbing behaviour.
The Club can only maintain its standards and illustrate to our Landlords that we are a
‘professional’ Club if all observe the rules. The rules have been evolved over many
years and none of them are there simply for the sake of it. Please make it your duty as
a Club member to be thoroughly conversant with the Rules. If you can identify
yourself with any misdemeanour please approach your conscience and make a New
Year resolution!
All this aside, it must be said that the great majority of our members abide by the rules
and enjoy their membership and their visits to our fisheries without the need to fall
foul of the rules.
HELP WITH WORKING PARTIES
This Season, one of our active committee members Malcolm Anderson has arranged
some very successful game fisheries working parties. He rallied the troops through the
medium of the Forum on the Club Web Site. About ten Members met on a Saturday
morning in September at the Michael Herbert Hall car park in Wilton. Their task was
to ‘tame’ the banks at Nadder Meadows South. The exercise was extremely
successful. The intrepid team left late afternoon having groomed the fishery to
perfection. One set back was when a nest of angry wasps took exception to having
their Saturday afternoon disturbed. The result was several painful stings and a quick
rush to the Chemist for anti histamine pills! We are thinking of setting up an award
for those who sacrifice their comforts beyond the call of duty! Thanks to all who took
part?
Another event took place in early November to carry out work on Bullbridge. No
wasps that time!
Any member who would like to join one of these working parties, get in touch with
Malcolm on 01722 503049
On the Coarse Section, working parties have successfully helped at Steeple Langford
and Petersfinger. Dave Winter our Coarse Deputy Chairman is the man to talk to if
you wish to help. His phone No is 01722 741413.
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POACHING
Malcolm is also very committed to giving help and advice on the Club Web Forum.
The following paragraph is ‘cribbed’ from a bit he did on the subject of poaching.
Thanks Malcolm!
EA HOTLINE NUMBER: 0800 80 70 60
Ok, It's been asked before, incidents are talked about but I don't think people have
really known what to do about poaching on our waters. This goes for both our Game
& Coarse fisheries.
Firstly I think we need to look at what we mean by poaching. It is inevitable, that
during the summer holidays and especially on our in town waters, that there will be a
certain amount of poaching taking place. I’ll break this down into kids under 16 and
then older youths and organised poachers.
Under 16’s
I would argue that there is very little that can be done to the groups of under 16's that
you see fishing. I know it's how I started fishing; I imagine a lot of you also started off
fishing in a less than legitimate manner. I believe that even the EA have taken the line
that they will not prosecute under 16's for fishing without a license. It's too difficult to
deal with all the child protection, harassment etc policies. I think it's a case of
maintaining the status quo, by all means ask them to leave if you feel confident
enough to (but be careful how you deal with children in these politically correct
days), call the EA hotline number (more on this later) AND report the information to
the club.
Older Youths/Organised Poachers
The more serious matter is what to do with older youths and organised poachers. If
you are confident enough to speak to them and ask them to leave do so, but don’t put
yourself in a position that puts you at any risk. Be aware that some of the organised
gangs of poachers are armed and may not speak any English. Report the incident to
the club and call the EA hotline as a matter of urgency - It's worth noting that if the
agency isn’t going to prosecute people fishing under 16 they may take more notice if
people are reported as being over this threshold. Now I'm not saying lie, but it can be
very tricky to judge kids ages so perhaps err on the side of older rather than younger
when you report. Also I believe the EA take any reported incident of Salmon being
targeted very seriously.
For both of these groups I cannot stress enough that we should be reporting every
incident to the EA hotline number. If we don't report incidents the EA can't put a case
in for the money to police an area, so the more problems we report, the more we are
likely to see EA/Police enforcement activity taking place. Do nothing, in all
likelihood we'll never see them...
Reporting Incidents to the Club
What we need to start doing for poaching incidents is actually building a case for
ourselves. We need to start documenting the what, where, when, who etc for these
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incidents so that we can go to the police/EA with actual evidence of incidents that
they can plan enforcement operations around. As it stands currently as a club we only
have anecdotal evidence of poaching.
I have put a blank entry form below, it would be great if you just copied the headings
and submitted information relating to the poaching incident. Then, please send it to
the secretary or let one of the keepers/Bailiffs know the details.
As a final request I will ask again that you make sure that you report it to the EA,
even if it seems like nothing happens, keep reporting them. It will eventually have an
effect.
Name: Even just your club membership number, after all, we know who you are!
Date of Incident:
Location of Incident: Be as detailed as possible here, give details of the swim they are at
or if they are hidden behind cover etc.
Details of Poachers: Are they a group of kids? Organized gang? Give a description if
possible. List
details of any vehicle that may be involved including registration number.
Methods being used: How are they fishing? Nets? Rod & Line? Bait? Spinning?
Species being taken: Is it evident they are targeting any species or are they taking
anything and everything?
Fish being killed?: Are they taking the fish from the water or throwing them back?
Reported to Police/EA?: Did you report the incident? did you get a reference number of
any description?
Response on phone?: How was the phone response? Did you even get an answer?
Did anyone turn up?: Did anyone turn up to the incident while you were there?
Finally on this subject the following notice was seen attached to the railings at Gun
Warfe Quays in Portsmouth. We propose to use the same notice around our fisheries.
The EA have also issued notices in several languages which have been posted at
fisheries likely to be poached by immigrants from the old eastern block countries.
FISHERY NOTICE.
It is an offence under the theft act 1968 section 32 (1) and Para. 2 (1) of
schedule 2. “Any persons who unlawfully takes or destroys or attempts to
take and destroy any fish in water that is private property or which there
is any private right of fishing commits an offence. This offence could
invite up to a maximum of a 3 month prison sentence or up to a £1000
fine”.
NEW STAFF
Since July we have been short of a Water Keeper. Richard Street moved down to
Devon to embark upon a new career in property development in the holiday cottage
industry. Our Head Keeper Matthew has bravely kept all the essentials running with
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the help of some of our more committed bailiffs. We are now back up to strength with
the recruitment in November of Steve Trevett an existing keen Club Member. We
were also fortunate enough to recruit David Hunt on a part time basis starting in
January.
Con Evans our Treasurer who has maintained the Club’s finances meticulously over
many years is retiring from his day job in December and will become a staff member
of the Club having responsibility for Finance and General Administration. Until a new
Secretary is appointed I will continue in a part time support role.
CATCH RETURNS FOR OUR PREMIUM FISHERIES WITH RETURN
BOOKS 2006
Visits
Trout
Returned
Trout
Taken
Total Trout
Caught
Grayling
Caught
Other
Trout/
Visit
Trout
Grayling/Visit
Total
Fish/Visit
73
0
32
Total
Fish
Caught
2935
266
711
Durnford
Flight Pond
Lower
Woodford
Stapleford
Wylye
Bulbridge
Nadd Meadows
South
Barford
2536
279
673
1773
0
429
674
266
61
2447
266
490
415
0
189
0.96
0.95
0.73
1.13
0.95
1.01
1.16
0.95
1.06
697
286
168
80
637
137
124
91
103
0
4
8
740
137
128
99
688
253
13
14
2
0
62
27
1430
390
203
140
1.06
0.48
0.76
1.24
2.05
1.36
0.84
1.41
2.05
1.36
1.21
1.75
198
232
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Hurdcott
Upper Bourne
Abbey
Stonehenge
Ratfyn River
Countess
Ratfyn Lake
Leominstead
Tucking Mill
Ebble
54
64
59
248
282
346
552
330
44
37
26
42
72
200
271
490
0
507
52
22
1
4
8
26
120
108
547
180
46
0
237
40
8
285
1.2
1.4
1.44
27
46
80
226
391
598
547
687
98
22
17
18
50
326
113
268
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
2
0
1
7
0
4
0
44
64
134
554
504
867
554
687
102
22
0.5
0.72
1.36
0.91
1.39
1.73
0.99
2.08
2.23
0.59
0.81
1
2.2
2.23
1.79
2.5
0.99
2.08
2.23
0.59
0.81
1
2.27
2.23
1.79
2.51
1
2.08
2.32
0.59
Totals
6933
5105
2161
7266
2404
222
9892
1.05
1.39
1.43
Average
The above chart makes fascinating reading. It gives the Members feedback for each
fishery. One piece of interesting data shows where the Grayling fishing has been most
prolific. This data helps us with future stocking strategy and gives us a year on year
comparison how you or the fisheries are performing!
The information is only as good as accuracy of the information you entered in the
book on each visit. Please keep up the good work!
NEW MIRROR CARP RECORD
Alan Thompson caught a Mirror Carp on boily at Steeple Langford weighing in at
37lbs 1oz on 10th October This fish was caught several times previously in the
season, once, notably by Wayne Coombes when it weighed 35lb 6ozs.
NEW TENCH RECORD
The Tench record has fallen again this time to James Smith with a beautiful specimen
of 6lb 11oz on pellet from Steeple Langford on 18th September.
The protein baits and feed are certainly making the fish put on weight! Will we
achieve more record weights by next season?
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MEMBERSHIP.
We have had a very good season with around the usual 12% turnover due to members
not renewing for one reason or another. The Membership Numbers stand as follows:
Game Full (GF)
158
368.
Game Associate (GA)
Game Junior (GJ)
41
29
Game Life (LMA and LMF)
Coarse Full (CF)
(CS) 33
282
Coarse Associate (CA)
881
52
135
Game Senior (GS)
Coarse Junior (CJ)
Coarse Senior
Totals: Game – 1488 and Coarse - 496
The Waiting List for Game Membership is around 400 and rising daily! This will
incur a 4 year plus wait for anyone joining the list now.
Since reports of our large Carp at Steeple Langford have been seen the Coarse
membership has increased. And it is still rising as many Anglers join late to fish the
Winter Rivers.
We have been victims of our own success. We have run out of Year Books! I did not
predict this rise in membership when ordering the 2006/07 Year Books. Some of you
late joiners have received Last Years books suitably modified for this season. My
apologies for such a bodged job!
COARSE GUEST TICKETS AT EADIES TACKLE SHOP
The two tackle shops which we see as our two main ‘Club Shops’ John Eadie Sports
and Fishing in Catherine Street Salisbury and Reids Tackle at Witherington Farm
have, over many years supported the Club in many ways as well as selling Day
Tickets and Coarse Memberships.
The Shops will continue into 2007 and beyond helping the Club in this way.
In addition, John Eadie now sells Petersfinger and Steeple Langford Guest Tickets at
£5.00 a day. When you go to buy them do not forget to take your year book along to
prove that you are a current member.
LOOK FOR NEW FISHERIES.
The only way we would be able to reduce the Waiting List and take on more members
is to find new fisheries worthy of our Portfolio. If a Member hears of any River or
Lake worthy of consideration we would like to know. Any Member giving
information leading to a successful acquisition of any fishery will be given a free
year’s club membership.
FISH THROUGH THE WINTER.
Go and fish off the Christmas Pud and take a flask of something warming!
The mild winters of the past few years has allowed the lakes to continue to fish well
for the traditional ‘summer fish’ Tench and Carp. If we have a repeat this winter good
bags will continue to be taken right through to the New Year without the problem of
weed in your swim!
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The coarse fisheries Nadder and Avon on our Town water, Churchfields, Harnham,
Charford and Burgate offer great fishing through the Autumn and Winter for Chub,
Barbel, Roach, Perch, Dace and Pike. November has seen good bags of Chub, Dace
and Perch come from the Nadder at Harnham. Pike are prominent also seen attacking
keep nets at a recent match!
At this time of the year I always suggest to our Game anglers - if you haven’t
discovered it yet, to go and have a crack at the Pike with a large fly, spinner or plug
on our rivers and Lakes. It gets you out of the house and also gives a new slant on our
wonderful sport. Most of our coarse members already know the secret! A member
casting a Pike Fly at Churchfields was surprised when he landed (*and returned!) two
good Salmon of about 6lbs.
DID YOU CATCH A SALMON IN 2006?
Was it witnessed and released? If so, you can claim a Tesco Voucher under the Catch
and Release a Salmon Scheme. It would be best to contact the ‘Guru’ on this matter.
He is Brian Marshall of the Wessex Salmon Rivers Trust and can be contacted on
[email protected]
*The Salmon Season on the Hampshire Avon starts again on 1st February and runs
through to the 30th September. Go and try Charford and Burgate – with your EA
migratory Trout and Salmon licence of coarse!
INVASIVE SPECIES I make no apology for including this subject again.
Eng. Nature and the EA have launched a quest to locate and eradicate invasive weeds
in the Avon Catchment. It is a case of catching these pockets of plants and deal with
them before they rapidly over run our native species. The river Frome has already
succumbed to the Himalayan Balsam and large areas are now irretrievable. Copies of
an identification leaflet for alien species are available from the EA- E Mail at –
[email protected] If you see any of these species in your travels
please inform the Secretary and he can pass on the information.
The WILTSHIRE FISHERIES ASSOCIATION. (WFA).
The Club is a Member of the Wiltshire Fisheries Association. The Committee meets
four times a year representing the Riparian owners and Angling Clubs in the Upper
Avon Catchment. The Association is regarded very highly by Natural England
(Formerly English Nature) the Environment Agency and other authorities. Recent
lobbying success has seen Wessex Water reduce abstraction on the Wylye. The
annual subscription helps finance various projects related to the environment effecting
Angling.
As an individual member, at £10.00 a year you could contribute to the future of your
own sport. Contact the WFA. Treasurer Jason Lewis on 01722 324422 for more
details and an application form.
WILTSHIRE FISHERY ASSOCIATION – MISSION STATEMENT
The Wiltshire Fishery Association will safeguard and promote the interests of its
members, be they fishery owners, lessees or individual anglers on the Salisbury Avon
and its tributaries upstream of the junction of the River Ebble. In doing this the
Association will act as a co-ordinating body, a disseminator of information, a focal
point for consultation by DEFRA and the appointed Agencies, and as an information
and advice source for local anglers. The WFA will cooperate with societies and
10
bodies having similar objectives and may from time to time provide donations to
protect fisheries or to facilitate research.
The WFA welcomes the designations of SSSI and SAC which now apply to the rivers
of the Salisbury Avon catchment, with the exception of the two tributaries, the River
Ebble and the Nine Mile River, and will work closely with DEFRA, the Environment
Agency, Natural England and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to achieve the best possible
result in terms of both fisheries and conservation.
LOST PROPERTY
As small job for these long winter evenings, PLEASE stick your Membership Number
on all things that are likely to be lost on our fisheries. Landing Nets, Hats, Priests, Fly
Boxes and Rod Bags and Rods! Have all been lost this season. Only a small
proportion has been repatriated to their owners, lets make it easier!
CLUB BADGES
Talking of labelling things, why not buy a Club Cloth or Metal Badge and label
yourself?
We have just taken delivery of a new shiny stock so don’t all rush at once!
The advert is inside this newsletter..
DO IT YOURSELF HEART ATTACK ACTION.
I received this information from Richard Archer the WFA Secretary. It may save your
life!
Let’s say you have just had a gargantuan tussle with a fish of a lifetime. Your
adrenalin is rushing through you veins. You suddenly start experiencing severe pain
in your chest that starts to radiate into your arm and up into your jaw.
You alone. You ring 999 on your mobile but you don’t know if you’ll be able to hang
on before help gets to you.
You may have been trained in CPR, but the guy that conducted the course did not tell
you how to perform it on yourself!!!
How to survive a heart attack when alone.
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person
whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10
seconds left before losing consciousness.
What to do??
Answer
Do not panic, but start coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough; the cough must be deep and
prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until
help arrives, or until the heart is beating normally again.
Deep breath get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and
keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it to regain
normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to hospital.
Tell as many other people about this. It could save their lives!!!
SPORTFISH AGREEMENT
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The Club has successfully negotiated with Sportfish of Reading to obtain certain
concessions. If you order anything from them by going through the Sportfish link on
the Club web site, Sportfish will donate seven percent of the value of purchases into
the Club funds.
See the advert in this Newsletter regarding offers on Casting Lessons.
Sportfish will place an advertisement carrying an offer for all members in the 2007/08
Year Book
THE NEXT NEWS LETTER
Will contain the report on the AGM in January and the 2007/2008 subscription fees
which will be due on April 1st. Game Members are given until 30th April to get their
renewal in. Those failing to do so will slip back onto the Waiting List which is about
4 years at this time.
It is also advisable for Coarse Members to renew at this time as we have all year
round fisheries at Waldens, East Wellow and Witherington. You cannot fish after 1st
April without the new 2007/2008 Year Book. This last season I still had members
coming in the office trying to renew their subs in June on the day they wanted to go
fishing! Some have even paid the £20 joining fee and renewed at the Tackle Shops
spending an un-necessary extra £20 due to lack of forward planning! Use the Page 3
from the Year Book and renew in good time.
EMAIL ADDRESSES
Email is a cheap, fast and effective way of keeping the membership up to date on all
issues regarding the Club but only if your email address is correct.
Please keep the Club informed of any change to your email address. We recently have
had a 25% bounce rate, this equates to nearly 350 incorrect email addresses that are
on our data base.
Get your newsletter early by signing up to the download web copy, send an email to
[email protected] with subscribe in the Subject field and you full
name and membership number in the body text. Thank you to those who have signed
up for this issue.
Where Life Begins – Gordon Mackie.
Young Jimmy had yet to experience the annual migration of which his grandfather
Silas told such
stirring tales. He had romped among the stones with his brothers and sisters, learning
to guard his own little territory, and sampled the delights of his first mayfly season.
Now, as he approached maturity, a new sense of adventure welled within him, for this
year he too would make that epic journey, following the instincts passed down from
his ancient forebears.
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Jimmy didn't fully understand the reproductive processes, or the significance of words
like habitat in the matter of procreation. All he knew was that he should 'follow his
nose', pick up the scent of the purest water, and keep to that course until he reached
the golden gravels that had featured in the stories of old Silas. He could just picture
the sparkling shallows full of clean water from the springs, and the bright weedbeds
swaying this way and that in the glancing currents.
When late autumn arrived, Jimmy felt a strange compulsion to leave his home and
begin moving upriver. Ever watchful, he dodged the large cock fish that hovered in
his path, avoided the pike lying motionless in slack water, and stayed well out of
range of the purposeful, stalking heron. On and on he traveled, beneath wooden
footbridges, through the old stone sluices, and up tumbling cascades, bent only on
answering that urgent call known to each new generation of trout.
The river had seen dramatic changes since fish life first came here. Wayward
marshland had been drained, new channels created a head of water to turn the great
mill-wheels, navigable canals ~ were formed, and an intricate network of irrigation
streams straddled the low-lying meadows. There had been years of drought, and years
of flood; years of plenty when trout had multiplied, years of heavy predation, of tar
pollution, and others when coarse fish had encroached in their thousands. Yet always,
over countless centuries, there had been the reassuring voice of that little bourne
bubbling forth from the ground, whose water was as crystal, cleansed of all
impurities. No matter what minor disasters befell fish populations of old, those
unfailing springs had ensured the survival of the species.
As he felt the push of sweet water, Jimmy knew he must press on up the small gully
to his right.
Silas had told him he would see some impatient or weaker trout spawning in the main
river, an exercise which might yield a poor return. For maximum survival among his
offspring, he was
determined to seek out those shining gravels he had dreamed of in his youth.
Nature had prepared a pristine nursery area, with a plentiful supply of oxygen
sufficient cover among the plant growths, and a delicious rush of cold water to soothe
Jimmy's tires muscles. His mate had scoured out her nest. Their flanks touched as
open-mouthed with ecstasy the pair shed their precious seed among the loose stones.
Jimmy felt this was the greatest moment in his short life, as if it had been the very
purpose of it all.
Old Silas has been gone these twenty years, while Jimmy himself died soon after his
first spawning. Their descendants know that same joyous urge to follow the hint of
pure water towards its source. Even now they search for those magical gravel beds,
which, as legend has it, once caused the parent river to teem with native trout so that
the pickings of pike and heron and angler had no noticeable effect upon their
numbers.
Adult fish still pass on the folk-tale to their young. One day -soon, they promise, fresh
water will come brimming forth once more from the constant springs just as it did
when Silas and Jimmy explored the valley where life begins.
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Agenda for AGM 16th January 2007
The time and date for the AGM of the S & DAC is 7.30pm on Tuesday 16th January
2007 Once again the meeting will be held at the Cycling Club, Salt Lane, Salisbury.
1)
Apologies for Absence
2)
Matters arising from Minutes of previous AGM held 17th January 2006
3)
Management Report – Secretary
4)
Hon. Match Secretary’s Report
5)
Hon. Treasurer’s Report
6)
Subscriptions 2007/2008
7)
Honoraria
8)
Committee Recommendations
9)
Member’s Propositions
10)
AOB (Chairman’s discretion.)
Note that presentation of Trophies, Specimen Fish and Match, will take place after the
end of the Coarse Fishing Season.
Badges Available from the Club Administrator
SAE with remittance please.
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