River Kelvin Angling Association AGM – this Thursday!

It is that time of year again – the infamous all swearing and general craziness that is the River Kelvin Angling Association AGM.

I wonder what will happen this year? This is only the 2nd time in around 20 years there has been an agenda so lets have a look at it shall we?

Alan Atkins is standing for Chairman

Alistair Stewart and Frank Cook have both served 2 years and are standing for re-election

Unlike Paul Reid who I only met a couple of years ago when he became Secretary I have known Alan for several years. I first met Alan in Dawsholm Park –  Alan was/is an advocate for “Clyde Style” flies and he was a dedicated trout angler – oh how things change.  He is now a dedicated Salmon angler (although I do not hold that against him much) and is a fierce advocate for Salmon fishing on the Kelvin.

Frank Cook I have met a few times and always turns up to meetings, he is a thoughtful chap with some good sound insights. The problems involved trying to get folk to join the committee are legendary – remember the amount of AGM’s when a request was made for people to join and a deathly silence hung in the air as folk looked thoughtfully into the distance? Has it really been two years since the reboot of the Association?

Problem is you have really got to be committed to making improvements – everyone has great ideas about how the association should be run however put them in the driving seat and ask them to do it and then they realise just how difficult it is.

One of the big questions is “How do you get on the Committee?” – it is actually incredibly easy – you volunteer and then someone 2nds you. You then have to turn up to all the meetings and have a shit load of hard work to do – such as counting every leaf in a 4 mile stretch of river.

Stocking: The Committee proposes that Association do not stock brown trout in the 2011 season, or in any following year unless proposed and voted on by the Association.

Alternatively the members could vote on taking a big bag of money to the top of Queens View and letting it blow away in the wind.

Catch and release for all brown trout: To allow stocks and quality to improve.

It only makes sense – for year’s people have been wondering where all the good trout fishing has gone. It is really quite simple, if you kill a trout it is dead plus the live indigenous trout are fighting mutant trout that have been stuck in with them.

Access: Proposed plan of action (phase 1) for improving access. The Committee are seeking approval for works and agreement on the areas that should be targeted in this initial project.

Unfortunately we cannot attack trees with chainsaws – seemingly landowners and the Council get a bit annoyed at that. Also the fish don’t like it much when all their cover is taken away. Much better to get a qualified professional into do it for you who know what they are doing. It ensures nobody gets sued or their leg chopped off.

Bailiffs: The Committee are proposing that 4 bailiffs should be appointed by the Committee to work on a part time basis. They will receive an honorarium of £5000 per year, paid pro rata on a monthly basis. The honorarium will cover all expenses incurred while monitoring the river and protecting the Associations assets.

Yippee – paid bailiffs (kind of) who we can phone and grass up our poaching, red fish killing, out of season slaughtering brethren. Problem is if it is not voted in then you cannot complain about our poaching, red fish killing, out of season slaughtering brethren.

Permit pricing: The lease from the Crown has increased (from £1000 + VAT, to £2500+ VAT) and the proposals above will increase the operating costs. The Association must agree on the permit price for 2011. If all proposals are accepted the suggested pricing for the 2011 season is: Existing £50, Concession £30, Under 16 £10, New £70

£50 is roughly 14 pints or 8 packs of cigarettes, or 4ish music CD’s or not even a full tank of diesel– when you put it like that it is not exactly a lot of money for salmon fishing. A yearly permit for the Leven is  £114 (the most expensive) and UCAPA is £125 and a day permit is £25 – £35.

£50 is not a high price for a Salmon permit – the vast majority of anglers that I met last year were in favor of a price increase – in fact they requested it. If you pay more for your permit then you and others value the fishing more.

Trout only permit: Only available by post and limited to fly only. Proposed price £30

OoooooH – Controversial! Honest it was not me that thought of this little gem – if it was up to me anyone that fly fshes for trout solely should be given a free permit for life.

Anyway – it is there so I should comment on it. The way things stand just now I would be getting a Salmon ticket as I liked the change of pace last year. However, if this had been 5 years ago there would be no way I would pay £50 for a trout ticket – maybe in a few years once the trout population has recovered but not just now. So, what do you do about guys that want to fish solely for trout as it is mighty unfair to charge them the full fifty bucks– you bring in a trout only ticket. So what stops everyone just buying a trout only ticket and just spinning and worming stating they are “only” fishing for trout – well, you put a major restriction on it forcing the person to solely fish for trout – use a 4 weight fly rod for example.

To be honest though I do not think we will get a lot of trout only anglers until  the catch and release and no stocking on the brownies has been given a chance.

Anyway – I am off – see you all in a couple of days – before I go the Big Man wants a word…

Questions? Want to complain – do it in the comments!