Dear Linton & MPAS Members
May I take this opportunity in wishing all our members & their families the very best for the New Year, hope it is a productive one for you all. Fishing wise from what the bailiffs reported it was again a successful one for most with good catches especially from the Stallance reservoirs & River Medway, fine Perch from Manor & Linton, large Eels (up to 6½ lbs.) from the Lake. Plenty of 20+ carp came out of our various waters although as I’ve said before members tend to keep quiet about their catches!
Obviously like a number of clubs we also had our problems, poaching, duckweed on the Beult & after the freezing conditions in early 2009 we lost a number of Carp at the Park Lake, this happened over the first six month period, the EA were called in & tested fish & water quality. Basically the results came back inconclusive & were put down to stress making the fish susceptible & vulnerable to parasites & disease. (A copy of the EA report is on the web site.) Despite the losses there still remains a good head of Carp in the water, this was proved in the results of the September Carp match where the total weight caught (228 lb.) nearly equalled that of the previous year despite there being a lot fewer competitors.
GOOD NEWS!
There will be NO increase in the subscriptions for the forthcoming 2010 – 2011 season.
This will be the fourth year in a row we’ve ‘capped prices’… Because of the present financial climate, last season’s reasonable membership numbers & the reduction in maintenance & stocking costs the committee decided not to increase the subs for the next season however we will have to review the situation for the 2011-2012 season.
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP: We have changed the categories for juniors, there are now only TWO.
They are:-
Junior ‘A’ – 12 to 18 years & Junior ‘C’ – Up to 12 years old.
Once you’re 18 you will be classed as a Full Adult member.
See amended rules on new membership card/fixture list & junior letter.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: These are due in before 15th MARCH 2010.
Please help us by getting your subs in on time.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Again this year we are using the “East Farleigh Social Club”
This is situated on the Lower Road (B2010), East Farleigh, Nr. Maidstone, Kent.
This will be early in FEBRUARY 2010 starts at 8.00pm.
We will be writing to you with the Agenda & exact date.
(Existing Cup & Trophy winners please ensure trophies are returned to Match Secretary ASAP before end of JANUARY 2010)
FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR 2010: We are planning to organise & run a local ‘CARP SHOW’ in the latter part of 2010. This will have tackle stalls, talks on stage by some well known names, casting demonstrations & competition, hot all day refreshments & of course a bar! We successfully ran similar events back in the mid 90’s COMPETITIONS: These all still run on a calendar YEAR basis. The first four 2009 winter league ones are on your current membership card. Our Match Secretary Barry Andrews is again organising the dates & venues for the 14 League matches. He is also hoping to organise three evening matches & a number of inter Tri-match club competitions. We will again be running the two carp comps in May & September.Congratulations to:
Colin McKinnon on achieving the ‘Grand Slam’ by winning the 2009 Overall, Summer & Winter League competitions & Ralph Cheeseman for the hard fought ‘Knock Out’ comp.
The two Carp comps were won by Alan Clark – Doug Daw Memorial Carp Comp. & myself in the Linton Summer 2 Day Carp Comp.
A full set of all the 2009 Trophy winners are on the web site.
Well done to our Barry for coming overall third in the KFCA Championships.
CLOSED WATER PERIOD: These remain unchanged & will be as detailed on your new 2010/2011 membership card.
GOOD NEWS:
EA confirmed there is NO Closed Season on our stretch of the Royal Military Canal.
NEW WATERS: We are in negotiations to secure another stretch of River; this will be to replace the stretch of the Royal Military Canal we are giving up in March 2012. The overwhelming opinion from the member’s poll we carried out last season was to drop the Canal.
We hope to retain all our other waters for the next season.
COMPULSARY WORKING PARTIES 2009:
The 2 YEAR ROTA SYSTEM is still in operation. (Again attendance for 2009 was poor! Apart from the committee members only 27 actual members in total turned up! We do need all the help we can get!)
This year it is the turn of & compulsory for those applicable members with surname I to Z to attend at least one working party. (We appreciate that not everyone who’s turn it is are available to attend due to work commitments & distance problems, at least ring Chris & pay the levy, we are keeping the subs down for you as much as possible & the levy money does help with the purchase of maintenance materials.)
PARKING: Please park your vehicle sensibly; don’t block tracks, drives or entrances & take care especially in wet conditions.
We would prefer that members do NOT park in Wheelers Lane; earlier in 2009 we received a letters of complaint from the council about the bad parking. (OK we appreciate that it may not always be our members) THINK BEFORE YOU PARK!
Stallance Reservoirs.
We are aware that there is no official parking area, the designated one is a dump at present, it’s a case of parking sensibly!
Under NO circumstances drive round the bank at the top of the Reservoir & park in your swim, all very nice to fish out of the boot of your car or avoid a walk! It will only be a matter of time before someone complains about cars parked willy-nilly all over the place especially around the top bank of the reservoir or more to the point getting stuck or some bright spark diving/sliding into the actual reservoir!
The only person (other than farm vehicles) allowed to drive round the Reservoir is our head bailiff
Alan Clark, he does this for maintenance & bailiffing duties, he also has a 4WD vehicle.
Don Brown has put some signs up, please take heed.
Now the winter is here the ground does get wet & soggy, please check before you drive up & park anywhere. Don’t try to drive up the track to Staplehurst Res. if it looks a NO NO or you haven’t a suitable vehicle.
It’s very easy to get caught out…
You get stuck it’s your problem, not the farmers!
All we’re saying is “Think & look before you park!”
Membership Cards & Guest Permits
One or two of you are forgetting to bring you Rule book/Photo ID with you.
If you’ve lost it ring Kevin Jenner: 01622-745645; send in another photo & he’ll send you out a new one.
Remember...It’s BOTH Membership cards with you at all times!
Guest tickets are now available to purchase for your guests at the Stilebridge Public House and Restaurant in Marden.
Please note: That they are only available during opening hours, please do not enter the establishment wearing muddy clothes and boots. It is also appreciated if you take a moment for a quick drink or to buy some sweets (they have many old fashioned sweets by weight) or other items.
The Stilebridge or any other location does not get anything for selling these tickets and is only doing so to make it easier for you to obtain them.
N.B. Guest Tickets are not available for Junior members to purchase.
Please remember… Guest permits must be purchased before you start fishing!
ACCESS: Lock all gates behind you especially at Manor Farm Reservoir.
At the moment there is a problem with entry at Toke Farm Reservoir, please ring one of us up & we will advise you how to gain entry.
Gate key number: This will be changed on 1st April 2010. The new number is on your card.
This will not be given out verbally, by telephone or otherwise, reason…
You are supposed to have your card with you at all times whilst on any Linton’s waters.
If you’ve lost it give Kevin Jenner: 01622-745645 a ring & he’ll send you out a new one.
L.A.S. CLOTHING: Good quality Fleece jackets, Tee shirts & hats are now available; these are a dark green with the Linton motif. Large & XL in stock but any size can be ordered. See the web site for details or ring Chris – 01622 812502.
Order forms are downloadable in the ‘application section’.
MONTHLY RAFFLE: There is an entry form attached. It will only cost you £12 for a whole year’s entry; that works out at only 25p a week! You can join anytime & have as many entries as you like. MPAS members are most welcome to participate.
VISIT OUR WEB SITE: on http://www.lintonangling.co.uk we do need you to keep sending in any decent photos of Linton fish you’ve caught; LAS Forum page remains a great success with some good discussions. You can put your own sales & want adverts directly on with complete control & for FREE. There is also an instant news & announcements section to keep you up to date with what’s going on. Just register, log in & away you go!
Our “Webmaster” Warren Muckell is working on a complete new website to bring us up to date, hopefully sometime in 2010. Once again our thanks go to him for all his help & effort on the site.
We will be writing to members in January 2010 with the AGM date & Agenda, newsletter, renewal form, raffle form, list of 2009 trophy winners & again in the April with a little more information on the season’s fishing, any new waters or changes & a report on the AGM, I hope to see you there.
May I take this opportunity in wishing you all the very best for the New Year & tight lines for the remainder of this season.
Tony Spall
Chairman
For & on behalf of LAS Officers & Committee January 2010
