STOKE-ON-TRENT ANGLING SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 2009

This year’s AGM was attended by 56 Members. Kevin Edwards was elected President, Albert Perkins Treasurer, Geoff Beckett Assistant Secretary, Andy Freeman Fishery Manager, Tom Dean Match Secretary and Brian Banks, Lee Woodward, Tony Burt, Ray Lightfoot and Mark Weedon Committee Members.
Changes were agreed by unanimous votes to paras 10 & 11 of the Constitution to clarify management responsibilities; also an additional clause was added, agreed unanimously, which had been suggested by the Solicitors to clarify Society liabilities.

New rules were agreed, unanimously, to allow the use of radio controlled bait boats at Rudyard and Astbury.  The Members also agreed unanimously that no Guests will be allowed to fish any Society water.
Albert Perkins

MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS for 2010
Senior £55, Senior Citizen / Lady / Disabled £30, Juvenile age 12 or 13 on 1 January 2010 £5, age 14 or 15 on 1 January 2010 £10. There will be no Entrance Fees and no Night Permits.   

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Please would all Members renew either at the monthly meeting or with Mick Hann, 34 Kenley Avenue, Endon, Stoke -on-Trent, ST9 9HX.  All Members are encouraged to renew before 1 April otherwise membership renewal cannot be guaranteed.  Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope (61p stamp for each ticket!)

TREASURER’S REPORT
The Balance Sheet showed an excess of Income over Expenditure of £10830.  At the AGM, the Treasurer distributed copies of the audited accounts and gave a detailed explanation of the items on the Balance Sheet.  Special thanks to Liz Hayes and Mick Hann for selling the Membership Tickets.  
Albert Perkins

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT to the AGM
It is a very sad time with the news that our lease on the Capesthorne Estate has been terminated.  I would like to outline the facts on this issue and why the Society finds itself in this situation.  At the start of a Trustees meeting in September, Liz and Geoff Hayes informed myself and Albert that they were resigning their positions in the Society.  They stated that they did not want to go into details but that they had had enough and were stepping down.  They said they wanted to remain as Members and wished us all the best for the future.  Four days later the Estate informed us that unless we reinstated Liz and Geoff our lease would be terminated immediately; this was confirmed in writing.  We spoke with the Estate and informed them that Liz and Geoff had resigned and wished the Society no harm with best wishes for the future.  We were then informed that the Estate had appointed Geoff and Liz as Fishery Manager and Head Bailiff and were asked if we would work with them. We replied that we had worked together for almost 16 years as Trustees and Officials and we could not understand why we were in this situation.  Following further discussions with the Estate we asked for certain assurances for the Society.  However, what was to follow was not in the Society’s best interests, therefore, the Estate terminated our lease.

Now for some good news!  After several years of trying to secure car parking at Stanley Reservoir, I am pleased to report that following negotiations with Stanley Head Education Centre this has now been made possible.  In the New Year we will be able to park, at a cost, on land adjacent to the little pool. We feel this will be very popular with the membership; details will be announced in the near future.

Following Liz and Geoff’s resignations we have had to reorganise the Society’s management structure.   Kevin Edwards has kindly agreed to be President and Trustee; Geoff Beckett Assistant Secretary and Trustee and Andrew Freeman Fishery Manager.  On the Committee Mick Hann has agreed to be Membership Secretary and Tony Burt Disciplinary Chairman.  Lee Woodward, Ray Lightfoot and Mark Weedon have joined the Committee.

With the loss of Capesthorne Estate we realise we will be a much smaller Society.  Our outgoings will be lower, therefore, we have proposed a lower price for our ticket.  We feel this offers excellent value for money and gives greater emphasis on encouraging youngsters to take up angling.  We envisage the Society working with Stanley Head Education Centre to achieve this aim.  

This is the time of year when I can publicly thank the Society’s Officials and Committee.  I would like to put on record a vote of thanks to Liz and Geoff Hayes for all their efforts over many years with the Society.  A very special vote of thanks goes to Albert. Thanks to all the Committee.

More good news!  We have negotiated to have fly fishing available at Blithfield Reservoir.  This will be included in the cost of your ticket; we can have 3 Members per day, 7 days a week with a 3 fish limit.  More details will be in the 2010 ticket.

I wish you all the best for the future and please all do your best to promote the Society.  We must now look towards the future.
John Davey     

FISHERY MANAGEMENT REPORT
I was extremely honoured to be asked to become the Fishery Manager and duly accepted. I would like to thank the Society for this opportunity and  everyone that has offered their support during this transition period. I am sure that my work and studies over the past 6 years will stand me in good stead for this position and look forward to the challenges ahead. I became interested in fishery management whilst on a 2 year Fishery Management Diploma at Rodbaston College. I learnt the practical skills and theory behind managing fisheries. I passed the course with the highest possible grade and went on to become a fully qualified angling coach through Sport England and also joined the very accomplished and experienced SOTAS netting /fishery management team from which I learnt and gained further experience. I am now in my final year of study towards a degree in Environmental Management and Aquatic Ecosystems.

As with many of the Society’s Members, Capesthorne and Redesmere were very close to my heart after 12 years of fishing them and it was a very sad day when we lost the fishing rights. However, we must look forward to the future with the intention of improving our waters with stocking and management to ensure that the potential of these are reached. I am sure that challenging times are ahead, but with some very exciting ideas and proposals I relish these challenges and hope to become a worthy Fishery Manager for many years to come.   
Andy Freeman
 
ASTBURY MERE UPDATE
It has been a successful year on Astbury, the 3 month bait-boat trial passed by without any incidents and no issues from the Water Sports Centre; some of the anglers using boats had excellent results; Members will be able to use this method all year, which should  help the winter pike anglers. In the spring more work was carried out fencing the fishing pegs, this will continue in 2010. The Society needs volunteers to complete this work so that all pegs are fenced off from the dog walkers. The hardcore path is in progress and should be finished  in the New Year, this will take the general public away from the water’s edge. The water produced some excellent results with carp to 27lb; a Member reported 11 carp in a 24 hour session; there were bream to 12lb, tench to 9lb, large perch to 3lb and pike to 18lb.

Several pike to 25lb were stocked and we had our first assignment of catfish. We intend to carry on stocking with specimen fish, along with some large consignments of silver fish for the pleasure angler. We expect the water to be busier in 2010; hopefully, one of the very large carp that are regularly seen, but as yet have not graced the bank, will be caught!

Brian Banks

MATCH REPORT
Ellenhall Pools fished consistently well, in some matches weights between 40lbs and 50lbs were needed to win.  Matches in the winter should fish better as a result of the introduction of roach, perch and bream. Chub over 4lbs were caught in the R. Dove matches.  The best weight at Rudyard was over 20lbs.  The match team entered the C&NSAA Rosebowl competition and reached the final.  Tony Burt and Ray Lightfoot have recently gained the level 2 Certificate in Coaching Angling.  If any Juvenile Members wish to take advantage of coaching sessions, please contact Tom Dean or Gerry Brookes.  Regular mid week matches are held, please contact Gerry Brookes for details.  The Division 2 National will be fished on the Erewash Canal at Derby.  Members are welcome to apply to fish for the Society in this national event.
Tom Dean  & Gerry Brookes.

RULE CLARIFICATION
The Committee have clarified and/or simplified several of the rules.  Members should read their new membership cards carefully to ensure that they become familiar with the changes.  Members should also note that the Estate are closing Bolesworth after 31 March 2010 for essential dredging work; this is likely to continue until late in 2011 when the future of angling on the water will be decided.  
 
THE NEW ASSISTANT SECRETARY - Geoff Beckett
I have been asked to write a little about myself to introduce me to the membership of the Society. Probably your only knowledge of me to date is that my name appears in the Society Card as I deal with the organization of the Work Parties. I have been a Member of the Society for 53 years; having joined as a Juvenile age 9; annual membership cost 2/6 (=12p) and have fished Stanley Reservoir every year since. I have never targeted specific fish, or large fish, being happy just to catch fish!  Stanley is recognized as a prime pike water but for years my personal best was a 19lb 10oz fish. I was certain it was a 20lb+ fish so I asked Dave Walchester to weigh it for me. Even though it was the biggest fish I had caught to date I can’t begin to explain how disappointed I was. Four years ago I did finally manage to break my own record when I caught 4 x 20lb+ fish on two consecutive days. However, I have been present when 5 x 30lb+ fish have been caught. The worst experience was when a guest ticket non-member caught and landed a 30lb+ fish. Is there any justice?
If you see a white haired, white bearded fellow fishing, stop and say hello it might just be me!

The Officials and Committee would like to wish Members and their families a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year and tight lines for 2010.