Graham Slater to give talk in Yorkshire

PAC General Secretary Graham Slater is to give a talk and slide-show for the Yorkshire Regions on Friday December 11th. The talk will be held at the Redoubt Rugby Club, Broadway, Wakefield, WF2 8AA. The show starts at 8pm, and entry costs just £3 per person.
Further information from Pete Green on 01924 782705.

RA 31 - Mark Barrett Talk

Mark Barrett will be the guest speaker at Region 31 Lancashire on Wednesday 2nd December. The venue will be the Caledonian Public House, Bolton Road, Ashton-In-Makerfield, Near Wigan. Meet in the upstairs function room from 8pm onwards. There is a Free buffet, and a Prize raffle.
Entry is £4 for non Region Members, and £2 for Members. All are welcome to attend.

PAC Forum

Due to technical problems caused by server issues outside of our control, the PAC forum has been un-available since yesterday (25th November). It is sincerely hoped that these problems will be resolved as soon as possible, and that we will have the forum back up and running as quickly as is possible.
Thank You.

Barrie Rickards funeral

The funeral is arranged for Monday 23rd November at 2pm in the Chapel of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The service will be followed by a reception/wake in the college.

A cremation will follow at Cambridge Crematorium for family and close friends.

Flowers and/or donations via Richard Stebbings Funeral Service, Kendall House, Cambridge Road, Impington, Cambridge CB24 9NU

Donations to St Johns Ambulance or Cancer Research UK.

There is very little parking in the centre of Cambridge and what there is, is expensive!

Those travelling from out of the city are advised to use one of the 5 park and ride sites. These are situated on Milton Rd, Madingley Road, Trumpington Rd, Newmarket Road and Babraham Road.

Buses run every 10 – 15 minutes and stop directly outside Emmanuel College.

Link to map of Emmanuel College
http://www.cam.ac.uk/map/v4/drawmap.cgi?mp=main;xx=2075;yy=910;mt=c;ms=180;tl=Em...

Park & Ride map Site Map
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transport/around/parkandride/

Thanks to Colin Brett for the details.

Chew Valley Lake - pike research

The PAC were made aware of the research that Bristol Water are carrying out by the use of catch and release means with regards to the diet of the pike, trout and other fish prior to the Angling Times’ limited expose of the facts.

The research will be carried out over three years and the PAC have been assured by Bristol Water staff that any decision as to the fishery’s future will be made after the scientific data and options available have been carefully analysed.

The PAC will be in further contact with fishery management to see if we can provide any information which could help.Trout fishing returns have apparently been poor this year from others of the major low land reservoirs.

Whether this is as a result of a downturn in angler numbers due to a lack of finances, the last summer’s weather conditions or other factors, remains to be seen.

The Club welcomes the fact that Bristol Water have not had a 'knee jerk' reaction to the figures and that they value the pike in their waters. The PAC looks forward to seeing the results of this long term study as it can only help to get a better understanding of our misunderstood quarry.

NACA and an evening with Mark Barrett and Denis Moules

A bit of regional news - a great talk and well worth seeing.

The Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association (NACA) are please to present

‘An Evening With’

Mark Barrett and Denis Moules on the history of Fenland Pike Fishing

Thursday 19th November 2009
Bawburgh Village Hall
Stocks Hill
Norfolk
7:30pm start

NACA members £3.00 Non members £4.50

A bar will be available plus a fund raising raffle

Mentieth anchor rules

A quick reminder for those fishing Mentieth this year; only certain types of anchor are allowed.

Allowed
Suitable anchors are Bruce and Danforth style with a maximum weight for this type of “front” anchor of 7kg or 16lb. alternatively the use of clump or mud anchors will still be allowed however they must also conform to certain standards. The preferred option by the fishery is to use CLEAN 5 Litre containers filled with concrete. However large dense weights or buckets that are completely filled level with concrete will be allowed. There will be no weight restrictions on these and the denser and smaller the better they will work.

Not Allowed
The Fisherman, Grapnel and Plough style
Anglers must provide their own anchors, the fishery will not.

Mick Crisp becomes new events organiser

The PAC are delighted to announce that Mick Crisp has become the new events organiser.

Mick said of his appointment "I am pleased , honored and somewhat surprised to be invited to join the PAC committee and more than a little nervous!I am a 54 year old ex-Firefighter turned kitchen fitter.

I was taught the ' Art of Angling ' by my father and caught my first pike at the age of 8 from the Golden Gate Lake on Wynyard Estate , in the North East of England where I was born.I am grateful for this opportunity to put something back into the hobby, passion, call it what you will which has over the years given me so much pleasure."

Guy Micklewright steps down from the role due to work constraints. He will however continue to advise the PAC on all things legal-profession related.

The passing of Barrie Rickards

The PAC committee were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Barrie Rickards and would like to send their condolences to family and friends.

Pike Angling and the Angling world will be a much poorer place and will be forever in his debt.

Colin Goodge, PAC chairman said of Barrie

"Barrie had been a great friend, our friendship went back to the sixties I feel very privileged to have been a friend, his inspiration to me personally and to others through his books and many talks will always live on, to have been chairman of such a great club started by such a great man has truly been an honour, thank you Barrie RIP, a true friend to all Pike Anglers."