Hopefully a better future for the Yorkshire NFSA

5th July 2008

Last Saturday it was the Yorkshire NFSA AGMat Beverly there had been a few problems over the year. It was hoped that the division would get stronger and survive. This was in doubt as temporary chairman John Amery was standing down after holding the fort for a year. But John is now financial director for the NFSA so he has got enough on his plate. The secretary Gwyn Davies also stood down. I must thank John and Gwyn for stepping in and doing a good job last year , also Johns wife Jean who acted as treasurer.
So it was opened to the floor to see if anyone was prepared to stand and the division to carry on. The new Chairman is yours Truly and I promise you that the division will not be a talking shop you know what I am like, The new committee will try and get things done and moving We have a very good secretary in the shape of Stuart McPherson who is a very well organised chap. The new treasurer is Cath Breeze . Phil Arnott is the vice chair and also the conservation officer.
A couple of things that will take place this year is the return of the top town boat competition that will be run off Grimsby possibly in November , and then a similar match on the beach that is to he decided. The coaching will be stepped up, there is a meeting in Hull on Monday and there is some new ideas and initiatives to be discussed. So hopefully we can start trying to give proper coaching to those anglers who want to take up sea angling and also have the chance to improve.
We want to know what you expect from the NFSA and please let us know.
On the subject of coaching there is a taster day at Humberston Creek this part of national fishing week , there are lots of events going on that week and the sea anglers get there chance on Saturday the 26th , Tony Ellis is the lead coach , but I will there to give him an hand and hopefully a couple more coaches.So if you want to come along it starts at 10am and goes through to 2pm.
The NFSA Yorkshire Division kicked off the summer league last Sunday I do not have the results , but I understand that Bob Gasgoine was the winner with George Smith coming in third. The fishing was patchy with some areas doing very well while others the anglers had a real struggle. The match was fully booked and this looks like to be the trend through out the series.
I had the great pleasure to go out toping on Friday the wind had dropped and it was a beautiful day. I was in Pete Spendlows boat and it was a great chance to put some hours on his new superb Honda outboard. Off we went and it was hoped that there would be some tope about but it was important to catch some mackerel first for bait. Off the Donna Nook area we started to drift and a couple of failed attempts we finally got some mackerel aboard. It was not too long before Peters reel screamed off and line peeled off the spool.After a an excellent fight in the strong tide a 43lb tope was landed , photographed weighed and quickly returned.
Then it was my turn the line just went off the very quickly I was nearly down to the backing with 300 yards of braid , so I had to try and turn the fish, it started to come towards me , there was a very big fish on the end of the line , then disaster struck the rubbing leader snapped and the fish made its escape. It certainly made the heart beat go a lot faster.
Peter was quickly into another fish and he was in full control the tide had eased and at first we did not think it all that big, but when it came to the side of the boat and it was a big female. We tried to weigh it in the sling but it was not big enough we got the scales to register over 50lbs but it was bigger than that so Peter is going to modify his weighing sling.
It was great fun and a very enjoyable session. The wind turned easterly so we decided to go into the river and very quickly I was into smooth hounds , yes in the river I had four and the biggest was well into double figures so it was an excellent end to a fantastic day.
The weather though has spoiled it self again and any chance of going this weekend has been blown out of the water with strong winds forecast.