Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association

MTAA November 24th, 2009

Pontsticill and Dolygaer Reservoirs

Ashley Davies fished Dolygaer last Friday 20th November for pike. He fished ledgered mackerel and sprat deadbaits and landed two pike weighing 12lb and 8lb 4oz respectively.

Anglers are reminded that large landing nets, unhooking mats, and forceps must be in your possession when fishing for pike and carp.

Cyfarthfa Lake

John Hodgeson fished the lake on Saturday 21st November in terrible conditions and landed six carp, all on ledgered boillies.

Competitions

Senior/Coarse – Pen-y-Clawdd Fishery: Fur & Feather (22/11/2009)

• 1st Place: Ian Cathrew (41lb 12oz)
• 2nd Place: David Davies (40lb 6oz)
• 3rd Place: Steve Crowley (21lb 12oz)
• 4th Place: Graham Davies (17lb 9oz)

Two section winners for the day were Dave Cousins and Peter O’Sullivan.

Inquiry into Access to Inland Water

Following on from the recent posts regarding the Welsh Assembly’s Sustainability Committee inquiry, the ‘Assembly Bus’ paid a visit to Merthyr Tydfil last Saturday (21st November). For the hour that the bus was in attendance approximately 27 individuals had passed through in order to express their views and opinions on the topic.

All evidence/interviews from the day were recorded and will be disseminated throughout the Sustainability Committee.

As always, more information will follow as soon as it has been made available.

Fly Tying Classes

If anyone would like to join in on the weekly fly tying classes, all are welcome. The classes are held in the top room of Merthyr Tydfil Ex-Servicemen’s Club every Monday evening at 7pm. All are welcome and there will be expert tuition available from Gavin Jehu. See Events Calendar for more information.

Catch Returns/Fishing Reports

If anyone has any catch returns, photos or fishing reports that they would like to submit, please contact Julian Burns (Press Officer) on 07850 901 356 or, alternatively, email the Association via the Contact Us page.

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MTAA November 17th, 2009

Annual General Meeting

The annual general meeting was held on Wednesday 11th November. Many topics were discussed and the committee re-elected with a few new members joining.

The committee would like to thank Nigel Morgan for all his hard work over the years as Association Secretary and also to Philip Jehu for taking over the role.

Inquiry into Access to Inland Water

Recently, officers and members of the Association have been in Cardiff in order to give evidence against the open access policy being demanded by Canoe Wales.

The National Assembly Bus will be visiting Merthyr Tydfil on Saturday 21st November and will be at the Assembly building’s car park at 2:00pm. We suggest that all those planning to attend the event be there for 1:30pm.

We are asking all members of the Association (and non members who value their right to fish in peace) to attend and show support for voluntary access agreements. The bus is only there for an hour and, as such, not many will be able to put forward their views. It is important that as many as possible show up to give solidarity to the cause.

Fly Tying Classes

If anyone would like to join in on the weekly fly tying classes, all are welcome. The classes are held in the top room of Merthyr Tydfil Ex-Servicemen’s Club every Monday evening at 7pm. All are welcome and there will be expert tuition available from Gavin Jehu. See Events Calendar for more information.

Catch Returns/Fishing Reports

If anyone has any catch returns, photos or fishing reports that they would like to submit, please contact Julian Burns (Press Officer) on 07850 901 356 or, alternatively, email the Association via the Contact Us page.

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MTAA November 13th, 2009

The Committee wish to inform members and particularly those who have booked in with Frank Thompson over the years that Frank has suffered a tragic loss.

His youngest son, also called Frank, died suddenly on Wednesday 11th November. We send our condolences to Frank and his family.

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MTAA November 12th, 2009

The saga continues with further Evidence Sessions with National Farmers Union Cymru, British Waterways, and Welsh Water/Dwr Cymru (Evidence Session #3 05/11/2009), and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Forestry Commission Wales (Evidence Session #4 12/11/2009) giving evidence.

Evidence Session #3 05/11/2009

Evidence Session #4 12/11/2009

Coverage of Previous Evidence Sessions:
	Sustainability Committee – Evidence Session #2 (08/10/2009) Sustainability Committee – Evidence Session #1 (24/09/2009)
Downloads:
	Sustainability Committee – Evidence Session 03 (05/11/2009) – Transcript Sustainability Committee – Evidence Session 02 (08/10/2009) – Transcript Sustainability Committee – Evidence Session 01 (24/09/2009) – Transcript
Adobe Reader will be required to view the above documents. To download click here.

As posted previously, the National Assembly Government will be driving around Wales and stopping at various location in order to hear your opinions. Please make the effort to attend in order to make your views known.

Friday 20/11/2009
11:30 – 12:30 Betws y Coed (Gwydyr Hotel car park, Holyhead Road). AMs present – Mick Bates and Brynle Williams.
16:00 – 17:00 Wrexham (Queens Square). AM present – Mick Bates.

Saturday 21/11/2009
09:30 – 10:30 Carmarthen (Guild Hall Square). AM present – Mick Bates.
14:00 – 15:00 Merthyr Tydfil (Welsh Assembly Government car park). AM present – Mike German.
15:30 Brecon (time and venue TBC)

Stay tuned to the website/forum for further details as they are made available.

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MTAA November 11th, 2009

Tonight’s Annual General Meeting will be held at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club, Lower High Street, Merthyr Tydfil and will start at 7pm for 7:30pm.

All members are invited, both Senior and Junior. It’s your club and so well worth attending.

For further information please don’t hesitate to contact the Association via any of the Committee Contacts or via the Contact Us page.

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MTAA November 9th, 2009

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club, Lower High Street, Merthyr Tydfil on Wednesday 11th November 2009.

The meeting will be 7pm for 7:30pm and all members are invited to attend, both Senior and Junior.

Pontsticill and Dolygaer Reservoirs

Andrew Herbert and Freddy Thomas fished Dolygaer on Monday 2nd of November. Andrew, who is now 34 years old and hasn’t been fishing since the age of 10, landed two pike weighing 15lb and 8lb. Freddy landed one pike weighing 10lb and all the fish were caught on dead baits.

Cyfarthfa Lake

Paul Thomas and Paul Bates fished the lake on Sunday 1st of November and, after hiding from the wind and rain, they had 10 belting runs landing 10 carp, the largest being a good mirror carp weighing 10lb 6oz.

Penywern Ponds

In regards to the previous announcement regarding the theft of the new barrier at top pond, if anyone has any information relating to the theft please contact any member of the Committee via the details on the Committee Contacts page, or alternatively, email the Association via the Contact Us page.

Competitions

Senior/Coarse – Middle Pond: Club Trophy (08/11/2009)

• 1st Place: Dai Thomas (3lb)
• 2nd Place: Steve Hall (2lb 140z)
• 3rd Place: Ashley Passmore (2lb 4oz)

The next match is the Fur and Feather at Pen-y-Clawdd Fishery, near Raglan, on November the 22nd. See Events Calendar for more information.

Fly Tying Classes

The weekly fly tying classes are running well and are held in the top room of Merthyr Tydfil’s Ex-Servicemen’s Club every Monday evening at 7pm. All are welcome and there will be expert tuition available from Gavin Jehu. See Events Calendar for more information.

Catch Returns/Fishing Reports

If anyone has any catch returns, photos or fishing reports that they would like to submit, please contact Julian Burns (Press Officer) on 07850 901 356 or, alternatively, email the Association via the Contact Us page.

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MTAA November 8th, 2009

Today the Association discovered that thieves had stolen the new barrier at Penywern’s top pond which was protecting the inner car park. The old barriers are still in place but ALL members are asked to be as vigilant as possible in protecting our waters from such misuse.

Further investigations are under way and we are aware of certain details which are being followed up.

If anyone has any information regarding the theft and destruction of the barrier, please contact any member of the Committee via the details on the Committee Contacts page, or alternatively, email the Association via the Contact Us page.

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MTAA November 6th, 2009

Please find below a list of venues in which the National Assembly for Wales bus which will be gathering evidence as part of the ongoing inquiry into Access to Inland Water. Exact times and locations will be confirmed in due course, but it is so, so important that we have a good turnout of anglers; there are thousands of anglers out there opposed to open access on the rivers of Wales. It will not look good if only half a dozen turn up at the bus. Please show your support.

Friday 20/11/2009
11:00 – 12:00 Betws y Coed (Gwydyr Hotel car park, Holyhead Road)
15:00 – 16:00 Wrexham (Queens Square)

Saturday 21/11/2009
09:30 – 10:00 Carmarthen (Guild Hall Square)
14:30 Merthyr Tydfil (Welsh Assembly office)
15:30 Brecon (venue TBC)

Stay tuned to the website/forum for further details as they are made available.

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MTAA November 3rd, 2009

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Ex-Serviceman’s Club, Lower High Street, Merthyr Tydfil on Wednesday 11th November 2009.

The meeting will be 7pm for 7:30pm and all members are invited to attend, both Senior and Junior.

Fishing

Most of our waters are producing good bags of fish on certain days depending on the weather. Some large bream and Crucians have been caught in bottom lake as well as tench and carp, and some large pike and quality perch have been caught in Pontsticill.

Pontsticill and Dolygaer Reservoirs

Liam Jones fished Pontsticill for pike on Thursday 29th October, he landed five pike on ledgered smelt and sprat, the largest fish weighing approximately 14lbs.

Jeff Richards also fished Pontsticill recently and had a great day catching quality perch.

Cyfarthfa Lake

Jamie O’Sullivan fished the lake on Saturday 24th October and landed nine carp. He also fished on Monday 26th October and landed another 12 carp and also lost a few, the largest fish was approximately 11lb in weight.

Top Pond Penywern

The installing of the new valve is well under way and will be completed shortly. There will be more work needed to install the mechanism that will control the valve from the top of the dam and our understanding is that this will take some time to complete. In the meantime the pond will be gradually refilled.

The Committee have been looking into carrying out work on the pond and, to this end, a meeting has been arranged with Merthyr Tydfil Council officers, Local Councillors and ourselves. This meeting will take place on the 17th November 2009 and we will inform members through the press and web site what transpires.

Keep Wales Tidy and the Tidy Towns Team helped us to clean out the lake and have removed all the trolleys and large rubbish such a tyres, etc. They also removed in excess of twenty bags of small waste. We are still looking into removing the cars.

Middle Pond Penywern

We are pleased with the success of the transfer of fish from Penywern’s top pond and as there are so many in the lake we are starting a programme of introducing extra food into the lake to help sustain the fish. We are grateful to Carl Jones of Merthyr Angling Centre, Cefn Coed for his help in this.

River Taff

The river Taff is closed to any type of fishing and we would appreciate if members and others could report to us if they see anyone fishing the Taff. Contact telephone numbers for the Committee and Officers can be found via our Association Committee Contacts page.

Fly Tying Classes

The weekly fly tying classes are running well and are held in the top room of Merthyr Tydfil’s Ex-Servicemen’s Club every Monday evening at 7pm. All are welcome and there will be expert tuition available from Gavin Jehu and Dai ‘Double’. See Events Calendar for more information.

Catch Returns/Fishing Reports

If anyone has any catch returns, photos or fishing reports that they would like to submit, please contact Julian Burns (Press Officer) on 07850 901 356 or, alternatively, email the Association via the Contact Us page.

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MTAA November 2nd, 2009

An opportunity you cant afford to miss

The Environment Agency Wales are running a series of workshops aimed at promoting the Wild Fishing Wales project and explaining the opportunities for fisheries, angling clubs and local community groups to benefit and get involved. As Chairman of the South East Wales Rivers Trust, our Association treasurer, Tony Rees, would welcome your presence at one of these seminars.

What is Wild fishing Wales?

Wild Fishing Wales is a £2.6 million project which aims to achieve sustained and measurable benefits for Wales by enhancing environmental quality and improving access to a network of river and still water fisheries throughout the Convergence Area of Wales.

The objective of the Wild Fishing Wales Project is to develop and make more accessible a network of river fishing beats and still waters by helping local communities, fisheries, angling clubs, landowners and rivers trusts to deliver access and habitat improvement projects. The project will also support the development of an accredited training course for angling guides and the introduction of guides to the network of improved sites.

What’s happening?

On Nov 24th – 26th we will host six, two an a half hour long seminars at different venues across the convergence Area of Wales. We want to provide you with a chance find out how the project will work, how you can benefit and get involved and with an opportunity to ask the project team any question you may have.

• What is Wild Fishing Wales?
• Marketing in Wild fishing Wales
• How to get involved
• Improvement Projects – what’s eligible & what’s not.
• Who can help deliver the project…the Wild Trout Trust will be on hand to offer advice
• Q&A and 1 to 1 sessions with the project team…your chance to ask the question you want answered.

Where and When?

The six events will be held on these dates at the at the following venues:

24th Nov
2:00pm Oriel Hotel Upper Denbigh Road, St Asaph, LL17 0LW
7:00pm The Wild Pheasant Hotel, Berwyn Road, Llangollen, LL20 8AD

25th Nov
9:30am Royal Ship Hotel, Llys Owain, Dolgellau, LL40
2:30pm Falcondale Hotel, Falcondale Drive, Lampeter, SA48 7RX

26th Nov
10:00am  Merthyr Tydfil – Bessemer Hotel, Hermon Close, Dowlais, CF48 3DP
7:00pm The Hailwell Centre, Trinity University College, Carmarthen, SA31 3EP

What do I do now?

Let us know if your coming and then show up on the day. Contact Tony Rees on 01685 723 520 or, alternatively, email the Environment Agency’s Bill Wilson via ben.wilson@environment-agency.gov.uk.

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