Fishing Owl

WTA Newsletter – October 2005

Long time no write, so here it is, warts and all!

The effect of rising fuel prices is already being felt in the highlands and to what extent further increases impact on visitors remains to be seen. The most immediate casualty is the AGM where our fishery consultant requested that the meeting be postponed until early December when he will be making his annual pilgrimage to the North Eastern Cape thereby avoiding an extra trip for the AGM. There being no major issues at stake that I am aware of, I duly agreed to his request and will circulate the notice of meeting in due course.

Hiccups on the GIS system catch return processing software have been eliminated and October will see as many day permit books and catch returns being processed as possible. A separate newsletter has been forwarded to permit book holders who have been requested to forward returns and full books as well banking any outstanding permit fees.

I am in the process of revising the WTA website and guide book, “The Highland Fly fishing Trail”. The hard copy edition has sold very successfully and members wishing to purchase copies either for themselves or for resale are requested to advise as to how many copies they would like. The 2005/6 edition is likely to retail at around R80/copy, depending on printing costs. All members are requested to check their details and advise as to any changes they would like to have made as soon as possible. Details can be viewed at www.wildtrout.co.za.

Affiliate members will be receiving membership invoices and are urged to forward any outstanding dues as soon as possible. Inclusion in the next edition of the guide book will be limited to fully paid up members only.

The 14th Annual General Meeting of the Eastern Cape Chapter will be held at the Gubu Dam Clubhouse, Stutterheim, at 13:30Hrs for 14:00Hrs on Saturday 22 October 2005. This is a great opportunity to sample the fishing in the dam as well as to meet “fishy folk “ and apprise yourselves of developments, particularly the exotic species issue. Should anyone wish to attend, please contact the interim chairman, Martin Fick at martinfick@mweb.co.za

17 to 21 March 2006 will be the 10th fly fishing event sponsored by Bell’s Extra Special Old Scotch Whisky. The Bell’s Whisky Wild Trout Festival promises to be an event of note with a few Extra Special bell’s and whistles to liven things up.

The Working for Water money distribution operation has reached the Bell River and the results of their efforts remains to be seen save to say that more often than not, state funding has a habit of drying up before the job is completed. In the case of Rhodes that has a large number of people dependent on wood for heating and cooking, when all the willows are gone, what then?

The 2005 weather remains dodgy. Late arrival last summer, no snow and precious little precipitation since then has reduced water levels substantially and some fountains have already dried up. On some stretches of water the drought ought to be beneficial in that overstocked sections will be thinned out but all in all, I prefer to see “fat “ as opposed to “thin” water. So here’s hoping for a return to better conditions before too long.

Dave Walker

Walkerbouts Inn http://www.walkerbouts.co.za/
AA Quality Assured Accommodation in the "Recommended" category
Highlands Info http://www.highlandsinfo.co.za/
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