“Last season, when everywhere was closed because of the foot and mouth, we sat in this room wondering if there was going to be any fishing,” Chairman Kelvin Allen told the meeting. “Looking back now we seem to have come through the whole exercise. Talking to other clubs and associations many of them haven’t come through it so well, it was a crisis for angling.” Major Improvements Secretary Mike Grief outlined major improvements to KLAA stillwaters at Blackborough End and Tottenhill, near King’s Lynn. “Not many clubs have spent £ 33,000 on fishing matters and fish in the whole country, so we haven’t done too badly,” he said. Bank improvements and swim clearance are also under way at Tottenhill Pit – which fished its socks off for much of last term after an injection of small carp and skimmers. 50lb was a poor weight “It was one of the highlights of the season, one or two people had 100lb nets and 50lbs was a poor weight in the winter,” added Grief. Another highlight was the success of the club’s junior team, who won the British Junior Pole Championships. “That was something to be proud of – everyone really excelled on the day,” said junior secretary Steve Denton. A rule change agreed at the meeting means members or the £ 28-a-year association can fish both Blackborough and Tottenhill from June 1. The Shepherd’s Port complex, at Snettisham, opens on April 27, but an extra £ 10 fee is levied to cover the cost of habitat improvements to the waters, which are next to an RSPB reserve. Further stockings are planned More bream have been stocked into the lakes and further stockings are planned as the season progresses. New swims are being created on the Relief Channel, Middle Level Drain and the Great Ouse between Ten Mile Bank and Denver. The club is also investing in the future, with further stocking planned for stillwaters and coaching sessions for juniors.
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