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Latest News from The Grayling Society - November 2000

The Millennium AGM and Symposium took place in Dumfries recently. Around 100 delegates and guests attended this popular annual event, held on this occasion at the Cairndale Hotel, to take part in the Annual Meeting of the Society, to listen to the three speakers booked for Saturday and attend the Gala Dinner Celebrations.

Dr Anton Ibbotson of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) in Dorset gave a presentation on their review of grayling, which they are undertaking on behalf of the Environment Agency (EA). Ross Gardiner - the Society Scientific Officer gave an interesting paper on Grayling in Scotland and Ole Bjerke - MD of Partridge of Redditch spoke about hook making, his companies products and their commitment to quality hookmaking and anglers.

After the buffet lunch, workshops were held on Imitative fly dressing and river entomology by Malcolm Greenhalgh, net making by Ray Clark of Wildstream Nets and river improvement techniques by the EA/RASFB, who had built a miniature stream in one of the annexe rooms. Members could also browse the various trade stands from J W Young - reel makers, Partridge, Coch-y-Bonddu Books, John Norris of Penrith, where Oliver Edwards was demonstrating fly tying techniques for most of the day and Keith Mason's bring and buy stall!

Robin Mulholland outgoing Chairman of the Society stepped down at this years AGM after steering the Society very successfully for his 5 years tenure. The meeting unanimously elected Alan Ayre to take over as the new Chairman of the Society. Alan is one of the two Scottish Area Secretaries, with a lifelong interest in angling and a background in cartography with the Ordinance Survey. Duncan Kellet our new Equipment Sales Officer was elected during the meeting. All other Officers were unanimously re-elected.

Other business conducted was the agreement to offer Junior Membership at the subsidised price of £5.00 per annum for those young anglers 16 or under on their next birthday. Full Adult fees were raised to £18.00 p.a. and Joint Membership is now £30.00 p.a. Importantly, for the first time in the Societies history Trade membership is now available at 4x full Adult Membership rate and Corporate at 2x Adult fees. Contact the membership secretary on - membership@graylingsociety.org for further details.

Anthony Wilson, Chairman of the Grayling Research Trust (GRT), gave his report to the meeting with an update of the GRTs commitments and funding. After a lively question session the Righyni/ Roose Trophy presentation was made - the winner this year was Tony Bridgett the, Area Secretary for region 5.

The final duty of the day the Annual Draw for the specially commissioned "Grayling Trotting Reel" with a fine presentation case manufactured by J W Young and Sons was won by Member, K Finlayson, second prize of the Greys Oliver Edwards 'Riffle Nymph' rod went to J Astill. Andy Walker received third prize - 'Itchen Memories' by GEM Skues and two runners up, Huw Davies and W G Seward both received Wheatley fly boxes with a selection of our tried and tested Grayling Flies!

The days activities closed with the Gala Dinner, complete with the traditional Piping of the Haggis ceremony and customary dram, followed by a superb dinner. Afterwards the Auction in aid of the GRT as held and many interesting lots were offered, from a D-I-Y chalk stream river kit to clothing, books, fly tying materials, rods and reels - generously donated by members and some by the trade stands and manufacturers attending the weekends activities. Much fun was had during the evening at the expense of the three officers who had dressed up for the occasion to assist Derek Froome the Auctioneer.

On Sunday most delegates and guests went fishing - on the R Eden and others on the R Annan. The fishing being generously provided by a number of local owners, clubs and associations. Most anglers fared well in the welcome Autumn sunshine despite days of torrential rain and some flooding before hand. Whilst in some cases catches were quite moderate one or two members had some spectacular results - notably a Dutch Member, Hans Engelen, with 17 grayling on the dry fly using a 7'6" bamboo rod of his own making. A short survey was carried out on the fish catches, during the day, with all fish requested to be returned carefully to the river after measuring and sexing.

The 25th AGM and Symposium will take place , very appropriately in Lancashire in early November 2001. The Society was of course originally formed in Lancashire , by a small group of enthusiasts, and it is therefore highly relevant that we should hold our 25th AGM and Symposium in that county. Further details of this event will be published by next Spring.

Roger Cullum-Kenyon

Public Relations Officer
The Grayling Society
pro@graylingsociety.org