Updates from our AGM last night
We had a good turn out for the AGM with 38 members in attendance.
Jim Bumby was elected to the committee as Secretary and Alan Horniman was elected to the committee as Assistant Treasurer. Both will bring a vast wealth of knowledge and experience to our club. Various reports were given by myself, Jim Mclean on membership levels, Jeremy Macbeth on club finances and Dave Cave on bailiffng matters. All in all we are in a good posiotion as a club and look forward to another successful for our members.
All club waters bar one have been retained for this season. The only beat not available is the Start fishing on the river Tweed. This beat was owned by our late committee member Dave Charlton and his daughters do not know if they will lease the fishing, sell it, lease the cottage as a holiday let or sell both. With these varying options we as a committee decided there could be pitfalls ahead and agreed not to enter into a new lease. Following the beat survey carried out at the end of last season Crag Lough was only fished on five occasions. If this trend on this water continues this season then the committee do not see this as good value for the membership and will not renew our lease. As said last night, use it or lose it.
Committee members Jim Bumby and Jim Mclean have been updating our club constitution and members handbook. Once the committee are satisfied that it is all spruced up correctly than all members will receive an updated version to replace your current version?
Members present at the AGM were supplied with the catch returns for 2019. This will be issued to all members with the next newsletter in the next two weeks. Alan Horniman gave a detailed breakdown on all catches on the waters and all beat catches for salmon and sea trout were up on all beats with the ecception being the river Wear where the salmon catches were down on 2018. Of all the migratory fish caught by members in 2019 there was a 91% release rate overall by the membership with the river Coquet having a100% release rate. Congratulations to you all.
There were no new recomendations for committee and all current members of the committee were re-elected.
Following the length of service, time and commitment on the committee, messrs Dave Cave, Jeremy Macbeth and Alan Horner were nominated by the rest of the committee for life membership to the members present. This was accepted 100% by the members.
Subscriptions for this season remain unchanged with the last increase being in 2015. As usual this will be reviewed at the end of the season.
Stockings of Rothley and Thornton Steward will be the same as last year but with slight changes. The initial stocking at Rothley will see some bigger fish introduced this year. At Thornton Steward Reservoir the additional summer stocking we make will now be fish of the regular 2lb size rather than smaller fish.
President Stephen Garrett of Pure Fishing made two awards, one to Dave Ryan and the other to Barry Gibson for the outstanding work they have done on behalf of the club and its members in 2019.
Club trophies were awarded for the largest salmon caught on fly, 25lb by Geaff Horrill, largest salmon by any other method, 18lb caught by Jim Bumby. Largest sea trout caught on fly, 11lb by John Eardley. Largest sea trout caught by any other method, 8.5lb by William Hindmarsh.
Our thanks and gratitude go to Birtley Golf Club for allowing us the free use of its facilities for our committee meetings and also the AGM. Also a special thanks to club steward Simon Green for putting on another superb buffet that was enjoyed by one and all.