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Lights, Music, Take 1...

NO, perhaps not, but we are interested in your 'films'!

The Committee are considering compiling a video presentation on members' activities in 2007, perhaps to show at the next AGM. If you take a video camera on your fishing trips please let John Nixon have your name. Keep your tapes/disks safe and we'll contact you later in the year.
Thanks.

Above: Students under instruction and Scott Simmonds demonstrating. (Photos: Jackie Cooper)

Below: The joint ST&A/Environment Agency tent.

Date for your Diary

The 2007 Edenbridge and Oxted Show will be held on Sunday 26 and Monday 27 August. Why not make a family day out as well as supporting your Branch. If you are able to provide some assistance then the Committee would be very pleased to hear from you.

'Ask the Experts' Evening

L to R: Derek Bargh, Peter Cockwill, Pat O'Reilly and Ian McKenzie.

Some Great Speakers Lined Up

A RANGE of top flight speakers has been lined up for the Branch's programme of evening meetings.

January 24: Mark lloyd has been the executive director of the ACA since 2005, having previously run Thames 21, a charity dedicated to improving and enhancing London's rivers and canals by mobilising volunteers. He will talk about the work of the ACA, which for nearly 60 years has been instigating legal actions against polluters.

February 21: Matt Hayes is a top fishing celebrity who has caught everything from sticklebacks to great white shark. Gave a up a career in industry to become a full-time angler. Appears regularly on TV angling programmes.

March 21: Brian Clarke is the angling correspondent of The Times and president of the Wild Trout Trust. Well-known for his book The Pursuit of Stillwater Trout and through his collaboration with John Goddard, which led to the publication of The Trout and the Fly. More recently he has written The Stream, which examines the impact of human activity on the environment.

October 24: Mike Weaver is a regular contributor to Trout & Salmon and writes extensively on fishing for trout on the rivers of the West Country. Author of Fishing for Wild Trout.

More dates for your Diary

Instruction for Ladies and Juniors Please advise all interested Ladies and Juniors that the Branch will again be organising two events to encourage them into flyfishing. The Ladies Day will be held again at Coltsford Mill, by courtesy of Sean Moore, on April 11 and the Junior Day at Vale End, on the Albury Estate, on May. 22.

Benefits of Membership

WE are becoming very concerned at the continuing loss of members of our Branch of the S&TA. Despite a very good rate of new members joining into our Branch, over the past few years Branch numbers have dropped from over 600 to c500. Too often when members are asked why they do not continue membership we are told "Well there is nothing for me in being a member". Nothing could be further from the truth for anyone who wishes to fish for trout, salmon and even for grayling. Or, "I'm a member of the Salmon & Trout Association but I'm not exactly sure what you do!" Well, here's what we do:

• S&TA is the only angling organisation capable of tack­ling the serious problems that afflict game fishing at their political source. We have excellent contacts in both Houses of Parliament, Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. Our staff have a close working relationship with senior officials in the European Commission. UK Ministries, the Scottish Executive and many government agencies, including The Environment Agency (EA), English Nature (EN) and Scottish National Heritage (SNH). These contacts are integral to the key work of the Association on legislative and regulatory reform
• S&TA leads the work of the Moran Committee and National Angling Alliance, both of which provide a strong unified voice on fisheries and angling matters respectively. Started in January 2004, member organisations of these committees have discussed how to better meet best approach to unify fisheries and angling bodies on key issues. The aim is together to provide a strong united voice for all anglers and fisheries interests - whatever they like to fish, wherever they like to fish.
• S&TA is also a member of the European Angling Alliance which gives us influence in the European Parliament and allies us with similar organisations across Europe.

Other Members Benefits include:

Insurance for S&TA Members
Members automatically have complimentary Public Liability Cover. The limit of the indemnity is £2,000,000 and there is an excess of £3,500 each and every 3rd party claim.

Local Branch Affiliation
Several local branches offer S&TA members only fishing, together with dedicated member activities, including social events, countrywide.

Beginners and Junior fly fishing courses
Over 100 one-day beginners', ladies & intermediate courses countrywide

Gamefisher Magazine
All members receive the Gamefisher magazine, informing on S&TA's work and all matters affecting game angling.

S&TA Affinity Card
To be re-launched this year.

Discounts on holidays
Through Go Fishing Worldwide.

Discount from Sportfish
In Sportfish shops & on mail order on production of S&TA membership card.

Discount from Farlows of Pall Mall
On production of S&TA membership card

For more and up to date information of S&TA activities members are encouraged to look at the website, www.salmon-trout.org

SALMON & TROUT ASSOCIATION - SURREY BRANCH

Report of the AGM on November 22 2006

Branch Activities

WE again put on a full pro­gramme of winter talks by top class speakers, including Charles Jardine, Michael Evans and Peter Hayes. Last month's Ask the Experts evening with Peter Cockwill, lan McKenzie and Pat O'Reilly also demonstrated our ability to provide high quality speakers and it is very disappointing that more members do not come and support these events. We have also organised a variety of fishing trips for members. There were local visits to Jean Howman's lovely Ashmere Fishery, at Shepperton, and to the Branch's own lakes. Further afield, members spent a weekend on the River Teifi in West Wales in pursuit of salmon ad sea trout, and last weekend saw a party visit the Wherwell stretch of the River Test in search of grayling. The Branch also organised two events to encourage ladies and juniors into flyfishing. The ladies day, a new initiative for Branch, was held at Coltsford Mill, by courtesy of Sean Moore, and the junior day at Vale End on the Albury Estate. Both days were well attended and all those who took part in them, and the Branch members who helped out, had great time. Many thanks to Scott Simmonds for organising these events and to his band of casting instructors and helpers.

Branch Committee

The Committee has again been busy this year to ensure there has been an interesting programme, to welcome new members and provide a link to the Association's headquarters. All the Committee have made contributions but particular thanks go to Scott for his organisation of the outside events, to Dr Ken Brown for making sure our finances stay in the black and to John Nixon for producing a smart and professional newsletter. You will have seen from the AGM Notice that Thomas Jensen and Amanda Ince are standing down from the Committee. Our thanks to them for their contributions and we are delighted that Amanda, who is a qualified flyfishing coach, will still be on hand to help out at our ladies and junior events and at Edenbridge.

Looking Ahead

The Committee has again put together a programme for next year. The winter talks programme will include presentations from the Anglers Conservation Association and Mike Weaver, who will be talking about the opportunity for trout trips around the UK. We are also looking at the possibilities for an event where members can meet and try out each others tackle, as well as new rods, lines and reels, and have a casting MOT. Fishing trips will include the annual visit to Ashmere, a re-run of the Teifi weekend, but perhaps earlier in the year to increase prospects of better conditions, and a grayling day. We will again be running a junior day and a ladies day. Full details of all the events are in the Branch pro­gramme enclosed with this newsletter.

Branch Supporters

The Committee would like to thank all those who have supported the Branch this year, particularly Dream Streams for managing the website and for making the arrangements for the Teifi trip, to Halliford Mere for sponsoring the Branch programme, to Tony Hern and Sean Moore for the use of their fisheries for tuition days and to Bob Meier who stepped in to audit the accounts when Chris fell ill. Thanks also to Peter Dodson who has been organising the raffle prizes for many years and to Ken Brown who has agreed to take on this responsibility. Thanks also to all members who pay their subscription that goes to underpin the work of the Association and to those who support the Branch by attending the events and stumping up for the raffles. As a Branch we have to be self sustaining, we receive no funding from headquarters so it is you, the active members of the Branch, which really keep it going.

Speakers

Following the AGM we enjoyed two very informative addresses from James Carr, the newly elected Chairman of the S&TA, and Paul Knight the S&T A Director. The emphasis was on the proposed move to Charity status, particularly the future running of branches. There have been some concerns as to how branches would be able to operate once the S&TA adopts charity status. We do now, however, understand that HQ are anxious to retain the branch structure; but to avoid branches being shackled by charity law it will be necessary for them to have their own constitutions, as we do now. James Carr emphasised that it is extremely important to the S&TA that active branch members are included in the decision-making processes. Your branch is already taking initiatives on this.

More information on the objectives can be found on the Association's website, www.salmon-trout.org

Your Ideas, Please!

ALTHOUGH next year's Branch programme is established the Committee are keen to hear any suggestions for speakers or topics to be featured at Branch meetings. Furthermore, any suggestions regarding Branch fishing days, extended trips or instruction days, would help the Committee respond to the membership's interests.

Deaths of two members

Geoff Grant was a past chairman and treasurer of the Branch and a member of the Fishing For Fun gang. His longstanding support for the Branch and his wonderful sociable character lit up many a Branch meeting and fishing day. He was hugely popular among members and also used his love of fishing to help raise funds for the dyslexia charity that he was involved in.

Chris Gardner, our hon. auditor, has died after a short illness. Chris was a lovely character, one of life's true gentlemen whose infectious enthusiasm for all things fishy made him a wonderful waterside companion. Chris's funeral took place last Friday when the Branch was represented by Bob Meier and Tony Bird.

A TEIFI TALE

IN July a group of ten members went to fish the Llandysul Angling Association water. Sue Parker and Pat O'Reilly kindly gave us an introductory talk at the Forth Hotel. Unfortunately the river was very low and just about fishable; however, those brave enough to venture out in the evening had a modicum of success, catching some very lively sea trout. Those who didn't had to make do with some small brownies during the day. We may consider fishing slightly later next year in the hope of there being a bit more water.

Ken Brown

Branch Trip to the River Test

NINE members fished the Test and carriers on the Wherwell Estate, near Stockbridge, Hampshire. We were introduced to the water by Robbie Loseby, the fishery manager. The day started rather too bright and later became rather windy and cold; however the consequent cloud cover helped the fishing. We didn't catch vast numbers of grayling but still had an enjoyable day. Pictured is a grayling caught by Ken Brown.

Your e-mail addresses, please!

WITH the increasing costs of postage and copying etc we are still very concerned that, despite the request in the last two newsletters for members to advise the Membership Secretary of their e-mail addresses, we only have 140 addresses out of 523 members. We urge members to send an e-mail to djbargh@globalnet.co.uk as soon as possible, and to follow up with any future changes.

Publications Still Available

Where to Fish

THE recently updated Branch publication Where to Fish provides detailed information on more than 30 stillwater fisheries. Unfortunately we have to make a small charge for this to cover the printing costs. Please send a £2.00 cheque (payable to Surrey Branch S&TA) together with an A5 SAE, to Derek Bargh, membership secretary.

Flyfishing for Salmon and Sea Trout (£1.50 to Branch Members) & Flyfishing for Trout and Grayling (£2.50 to Branch Members)

THESE are now available to Branch Members at the above discounted prices. The price of each volume to non-members is £4-00. If you would a copy/copies please send an A5 SAE with appropriate cheque to Mr Derek Bargh, Membership Secretary, Surrey S&TA
8 Bowers Close, Guildford, Surrey GU4 7NE

(Cheques payable to the Surrey Branch S & TA)

Mixed Season at our Fishery

The Branch's own fishery again had a full complement of rods under the stewardship of Peter Dodson. The fishing up to August was generally good, with members catching their limit on occasions. However, during the hot weather the fishing became very difficult as the trout lost their appetite to feed in the low oxygen levels. The benefits of cooler weather in October was offset by the heavy rain which coloured the lakes, making fishing difficult. However a rainbow trout of 3.5 pounds was landed at the beginning of the month. The Environment Agency is due to net two of the lakes to reduce the coarse fish population.

If anyone is interested in joining the syndicate next year, please speak to Peter who will be pleased to let you have details.

Thanks to Peter, gamekeeper Roger Jones, and to all those members who have helped maintain the fishery during the season.