Club Newsletter

** Please take the time to read this newsletter as several changes have been made which will affect some members **

Full Elected Committee Members and Roles

• President: Alf Paice.
• Vice President: Frank Wilkins.
• Chairman: Gary Wozny.
• Vice Chairman: Tony Fleet.
• Treasurer: Gordon Cummings.
• General Secretary John Daly.
• Membership Secretary Richard Barham.
• Fisheries Manager: David Bridger.
• Ass. Fisheries Manager: Stephen Taylor.
• Grounds Maintenance Manager: Barry Weekes.
• Ass: Grounds Maintenance: David Growns, Henry Elcombe.
• Press Officer: Jamie Weekes.

Match Captains (Non-Committee)

• Away Comp Sec/Match Captain: Paul Berwick.
• Home Comp Sec/Match Captain: Martin Lloyd.

1. Fishing Season, Rules and Membership Renewal
• Fishing Season
To avoid any confusion Gedges and Owls Castle lakes will now be open all year round. This also includes the Sundays/Wednesdays where work parties will be carried out. Adequate signage will be put out at the complex if part or the entire site/lake needs to be closed for work/ repairs. If any member removes the signage in order to access a particular peg (as has happened in the past) this will result in that person losing their membership.

• Rules
Please read the Rule Book as any contravention of the club rules could result in expulsion from the club.

• Membership Renewal
Subscriptions for existing members MUST be in/received by the 14th April 2025 or any member after that date will be classed a "Non-Member" and will have to pay the "Joining Fee" again to re-join the Club - To Clarify the PWAACS Club membership expires on 31st March.



2. Owls Castle & Sams Lakes, Claygate Lakes
• Owls Castle - Please NOTE there is NO night fishing allowed at Owls Castle Lakes. It is a strict dawn to dusk lease of these lakes and may result in the lease not being renewed if anyone is caught doing this by the owner.
• Sams Lake - Only members who have been in the club for one full year are eligible to fish this water, members with their membership in red writing are not eligible to fish this water.
• Claygate Lakes - Our agreement for this water has changed so from the start of the 2025/2026 season members can ONLY fish the venue five times during the season on Sophie and Eva lakes.


3. Car Parks
Car parking for disabled anglers at Gedges lakes and access to lake 4. The disabled carpark is for blue disc holders ONLY. White disc holders go through the side gates where there is a car standing area to the side of lake 2, Gates must be locked at all times.


4. Non Members on PWAACS property, Guest Tickets & Membership Card
Non-members i.e. Parents partners carers etc are welcome on PWAACS waters between dawn and dusk, after this time they must have prior approval 48 hours in advance from the Chairman/Secretary.
Non-members are not allowed to fish without a guest ticket, these must be obtained in advance.
PWAACS do not accept any liability for any member or Non-member on PWAACS Property and it is at their own risk.
It has come to the attention of the committee that some members are taking guests onto club waters without purchasing/booking a valid guest ticket.
The Club Rules clearly state "a fishing guest ticket must be obtained before going on to any club water".
Purchasing/Booking Guest tickets - Ring/Text David Bridger 07514370954, Ken Kullman 07930573795, Henry Elcombe 0774149177/0774149178 or Richard Barham 01892823967/07854411682 and you can also email Richard (Email is at the top of this Newsletter).
Prices are, Junior £5.00, Senior/Senior Citizen £10.00, 7.00am to dusk, Junior 24 Hours £10.00, Senior/Senior Citizen £20.00.
No Junior can night fish without an adult member present. Please try and give 24 hours' notice.
If you are caught on a club water with a fishing guest that does not have guest ticket and haven't informed anyone then your membership "may be" revoked, there are no excuses not to purchase a ticket. Make sure you and any guest, if applicable have a "Current" EA Licence with you to produce with your membership card if requested by a Bailiff (any PWAACS member or an official of the Environment Agency performing licence checks).
Every Member MUST ensure they are carrying their PWAACS membership to show as and when requested by any PWAACS member or bailiff.


5. Access Around Bivvies And Any Fishing Tackle
The club rules state that there must be a one metre gap to allow other members to pass please observe this rule or you will be asked to move it, please also consider your fellow anglers and avoid blocking any path, access with trollies, seat-boxes, bed chairs, seats, rods and pods, net handles, poles and rollers, access is for every member not just the individual.
Whilst you may not always be able to comply with this, please be courteous to anyone asking you to move anything, and remove the blockage when asked to allow people to pass.


6. Lock Number
This season's lock number is on the back of the club card. Please lock gates after entry and exit there are locks at Gedges/Hunton/Owls Castle.
There is a key for disabled car park at Gedges and lake 4, if you need a key these can be purchased from Richard Barham
(Contact details are at the top of this Newsletter).


7. Working Parties
Working parties are still poorly attended, thank you to the members who take the time to attend a work party.
This season the season senior subs are £75 and include the working party fee, any senior who attends a work party is entitled to have a £10 reduction on their 2026/2027 subs (Each working party has an attendance sheet).
Additional signage will be on the site where work will be needed, please do not remove them. Work party dates in 2025/2026 are every Sunday of the month, there will also be a working party's most Wednesdays, if contractors have to be employed, they might need to close the site while the necessary work is carried out for health and safety reasons and this will mean no fishing if that applies, for more information ring Barry Weekes 07825260950


8. Rule Amendments/Clarification
May we take this opportunity to remind anglers of the rule that only allows you to fish up to half way across the lake, if there is no member opposite then you may overcast, but should a member take up residence then you must reel in to halfway, if there is any dispute by applying this rule then the newly arrived shall be deemed to be in the right. Dip tanks to be used at all times. Lake 4 - NO guest tickets on this lake, maximum stay 48hrs until further notice.


9. Matches
On the day of any match on home waters the relevant lake or river will be closed from midnight until one hour after end of the match unless otherwise advised.


10. Minutes of the AGM held on the 5th February 2025
    
    The meeting opened at 8.05pm

1. Apologies for absence, R Edmunds, K Kullman, B Bell, R Whittington, A Hand.
2. In attendance 10 committee and 36 members.
3. Minutes of 2024 AGM meeting read out.
4. Vice Chairman's report: He welcomed the members in attendance, and thanked the committee for all their hard work
5. Treasurers report: Accounts as presented were agreed by members.
6. Fisheries officer report: will carry on improving the Gedges complex, New Fence and gate at top car park.
7. Fisheries managers report. Netting will be done this season.
8. Match report, Freddy Beaney won the match league and Ian Corke won the summer Wednesday matches.
9. Election of officers and committee Stephen Taylor has joined the committee.
10. Subscriptions 2025/2026. Seniors up £10, Senior Citizen up £5.
11. Any Other Business.
12. See Rule Amendments
13. Bye-Laws 1. Only one rod one hook, if a floating bait is being used.

Please park in designated areas only DO NOT drive along banks or across fields