Hello fellow Fishers and Club Members,
We try at least once a year to issue enough copies of our Monthly Secretarial Jottings so that every member can receive one. We would like to do this every month but costs do not allow such. So in this issue we will try and cover as many relevant issues as we can that directly affect you - an NZACA Member.
Although we do issue Jottings to your Club Secretary each month, which you may or may not see, we also post a copy of such on the two websites. These sites are our own NZACA site at www.nzaca.co.nz, and the NZACA section on the multi-organisation site www.fishing.net.nz. We would encourage you to regularly visit these sites as you will find much of interest plus the NZ and the Association Records.
On both of these sites is the facility for your Club to have a presence. Not all clubs have taken advantage of this “free” service and consequently they are missing out. If yours is one of these clubs why don’t you do something about it, or put pressure on your club committee to make use of this important medium.
Whilst on about electronic things remember also every so often we issue an electronic Newsletter called “TIDELINES”. This email Newsletter is sent to anyone who has registered their email address with the Editors. If you are not getting a copy just send an email to stating your desire to go on the database.
Now for a “did you know” - the NZACA logo at the top of this page is now a fully registered Trade Mark. It has taken many years and much hassles to gain this but we believe it was an important step to secure the rights to our particular logo design. This logo came originally from a drawing by the fishing personality Bill Hohepa.
This item of history reminds us that next year is our 50th.anniversay. Another "did you know” - that the NZACA is one of the oldest National Fishing Organisations in this country and the likes of the Big Game Fishing Council were originally born from our ranks. So we have a long and proud history of looking after the interests of shore and small boat fishers in this country and we hope to mark this in a number of ways next year.
How about another “did you know” - that we play an important role in the New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council and have always done so since its inception. One of our members, Mr Bill Cronin, our Senior Vice President, is on the Board of this organisation. We are also a party to the action which is taking place regarding the Kahawai Legal Challenge. If you have not contributed to this important cause we urge you to do so as it has far reaching consequences.
Your Club Secretary has recently received the Minutes of this years AGM. This meeting, held in Napier last month in conjunction with our National Championships, passed a number of important resolutions which affect us all one way or another. One of the most far reaching decisions was the one to amalgamate, for most species, our Association Records with the official NZ Records which we administer starting in 2007. This does not mean that it will be harder to achieve a record, in fact in some instances it will be easier because of not just having an “open” record we will now have a “mens” and a “ladies” record. BUT it does mean that we will need to be more particular in the way we fill out Application Forms and the information required. We will tell you more about this later on in the year as we have to redesign the Application Form.
The important thing I want to highlight on this topic is that it is in your interests to complete an Application Form for any reasonable catch. We have a great many fine trophies in the Association which are given out each year. You also have the opportunity of receiving certificates and pins for meritorious catches. That fine catch may not qualify for a record but it could gain you some other memento of your efforts.
Pin weights revert back at the 1st January each year to their starting weights. Some of these have already been exceeded and pins issued The starting weights are as follows (new updated weight in brackets where applicable)
Hapuku 22kg
Kahawai 3.5kg (3.55kg)
Kingfish 14kg(23.85kg)
Moki 5 kg
Salmon 6kg
Snapper 9 kg(14.18kg)
Trevally 3.5kg
Brown Trout 4.5kg
Rainbow Trout 3.5kg
Each year we leave trophies in the box because no one has applied for them, and often someone may pick up a trophy because they were the only one who bothered to submit an application. All you need to do is fill in a form and let the computer do the rest.
Weigh-masters - we urge you to have available on club days at the weigh station a supply of the Application Forms to give to members if they present a fine catch. We particularly encourage you to do this for your Junior Members as such rewards may assist them in staying with the sport.
Some of these trophies are :-
Bridport Gundry Cup - six heaviest fish on a handline – why not arrange a club fun day at a local wharf for this one!
Cyril Hoskin Memorial Trophy - Most meritorious saltwater catch by Junior
Daiwa Cup - Most meritorious saltwater catch using artificial fly
Franich Trophy - Heaviest Snapper caught by a Junior
Gladding Cup - Heaviest Trout caught on a fly from the shore
Kilwell Trophy - Heaviest Trout caught by trolling, harling or spinning
McFetridge Hook - Heaviest Kingfish
NZ Fishing News Trophy - Most meritorious Kahawai
Rapala Cup - Most meritorious saltwater catch using spinning gear
Rockhopper Shield - Six heaviest fish caught from the rocks
Tisdall Trophy - Six heaviest Trout caught from shore
Tortue Ocean award - Heaviest Snapper
Mustad Golden Hook -This is a very keenly sought after trophy as you keep it forever. The NZACA issue it on behalf of Mustad & Son, Norway, and there is only one issued per country. It is for the most meritorious saltwater catch of a scale fish.
Meritorious Catches are those with the best ratio of fish weight to line weight.
One other award I am going to mention here and that is the Masters Award. This is an award you work towards over a period of time (no time limit) and involves catching a range of fish which must equal a certain number of points. If you gain this award you join the ranks of just a few dedicated fishers but it is achievable. Read more about it in your Members Manual.
That brings me to the Members Manual. Most of you will have one of these (or I hope you do). All new Members get one on joining (that's what they pay $5 for). Some Clubs even use the Manual as their Club Handbook simply by adding another section to this ring-binder format. Unfortunately this past year or so we did not get the updates out to Clubs as we promised we would, so, in some aspects, your Manual will out-of-date. If you want an update for any particular section just contact me and we will send it out free of charge
With the resolutions passed at the last AGM we are going to have to print a number of updates as there have been some constitutional changes as well as rule changes so look out for these from your Club Secretary in due course.
Your Club Secretary (or Liaison Officer) has received draft Manual updates for those Sections which have been re-written due to the changes agreed at the AGM, plus the Nationals and 2005 Postal Casting results. Please ask to see these if you want to know more.
Our big worry with the Manual at present is the lack of sponsorship. We have a number of sections now without sponsors, and no sponsors mean no money to pay for updates. Sponsorship is not great ($600 to $1000) and you get great exposure for that amount - compare these prices elsewhere. You may know of a firm, or an individual, who may be interested in assisting the Association in this manner. Why not your own club (some clubs are quite well off financially) or maybe even yourself - think about it and let me know - please do not just leave it to someone else.
Casting is the next item to draw your attention to. World Champs are in Ireland this year - anyone interested in representing this country there ? The NZACA is the representative of the World Body (International Sport Casting Federation) in this country and we have an obligation to encourage this sport which is now a World Games event. Hopefully you will hear more about this in the months to come. In the meantime though do you take part in the Postal Casting Competition ? Your club (or combined with another club) can hold a casting day anytime you like from now on (good winter activity and fun day for your club). Entries need to be in by end of November. The forms (which are the same as last year) will be sent out to clubs sometime in the future. If your club has never had a casting day why not give it a go. Our Casting Convenor will only be too happy to advise and a number of our better casters are very willing to visit clubs and give tuition etc. Don’t forget this is a handicap competition so even the newest caster can be on the winners podium.
Well we have just held our National Championships. A very big thank you to the Pania Surfcasting Club for hosting this and another big thank you to our major sponsor TackleTactics. A number of other firms and individuals assisted in this event and we thank them also. If you were not there you missed a great time. If your club was not there then your club is not getting all that it can from its membership of the Association. This is a fabulous time of fishing, fun and fellowship. Regulars would not miss it and once you have been I don't think you would want to miss it either. This year it was an “International” event with competitors there from Australia.
Congratulations to those who came out as top shore (Mark Ives, Pania) and boat (Robert Brazier, Bethells) fishers, and top caster (Greg Smeal, Whakatane), and to the Bethells Club for taking out the Top Club Trophy.
Next years event (our 50th Year) will be held in New Plymouth from March from 21st to the 25th. Plan now on being there. Start a fundraising campaign and/or arrange for your Club to apply to a Gaming Trust for funds for travel and accommodation. Don't leave it until the last minute as it will then be to late. Your Club Secretary should have received, by now, details from the New Plymouth Surfcasting Club about this event.
Australia may be our most challenging foe in many sports (and other areas as well) but we have a lot in common when it comes to fishing and the challenges that face the recreational fisher on both sides of the ditch. We need to get closer together and being part of each others National Champs is one way of doing so. For many many years a NZ Team has taken part in the AAA (Australian Anglers Association) Nationals which are held every two years hosted by different States, and of course this year we had their representatives at ours. We now need a liaison person to take over the reigns that Sam Benjamin has held for so many years. He will be a hard act to follow but I am sure there is someone out there who could do it. Ideally suit a retired person or couple who maybe likes to travel to Australia occasionally (maybe has family there). I am sure Sam will work in tadem with someone until one feels comfortable with this important task. If this is you or you know someone who fits the bill please let me know and we can then discuss it further. This is important so please do not just brush it aside and leave it up to someone else.
If you are interested in being part of a team to compete in the Australian Carnival just let me know and I will point you in the right direction to find out more. Their Nationals (carnival) is held over a nearly three week period and competitors are able to take part in every aspect of fishing - rock & beach, estuary, off-shore and casting. Most of these are three day events with lay-days in between. They also have a very comprehensive social program for families and non-fishing partners etc. so that makes it a great holiday. They hold their Champs’ in a different State every second year, the next one being in March 2007 in Phillip Island, Victoria. I have been to one of these and it was fantastic. (video available if you are interested)
Executive – We have a full Executive this year (well excepting one vacancy as a Club Representative) so we are expecting a busy year. There are lots of ideas and plenty of tasks to get stuck into. We are grateful for this team who are willing to give up their time and energy to work on our behalf so that all can gain the benefits of being part of this Association.
Our new President is Mr Mike Stempa, of the Wellington Surfcasting & Angling Club. Mike comes in with youth and vigour and a strong desire to see the Association surge forward. But this is not a one-man-band, it is a cooperative organisation in which each member has a part to play (even though for some it may be just by support and the payment of fees - but those are among the most important aspects).
Club Visitation – Did you know that the Executive want to come and visit your club, maybe join you in a fishing day or whatever. We want to chat with you (not just your committee) about what you want from your Association and what we can do for you. If you havn't had a visit as yet put some pressure on your Club Officials to give us an invite.
I sometimes hear that Club Members are not kept up-to-date with what is going on at the national level. As I said at the beginning we try and keep in regular contact with your Club Secretary but we know they are very busy people and I guess some things just slip through the cracks. Also not all clubs have Newsletters and thus there is only limited opportunity of passing on information. What some Clubs have done, and we endorse this move, is appoint an NZACA Liaison Officer. This then becomes the person we communicate with and as it is likely that this may be their main job in the club then they will have time to read and digest all that comes from this office and become hopefully enthused to pass it all on to their club mates. Maybe this is a job for you in your club ?
Now for those contact numbers –
Phone/fax 07 357 4446
Mail P.O.Box 12 042, Rotorua 3215
Email or secretary@nzaca.co.nz
So That’s the lot from me for this issue. Don’t forget we are just a contact away and the details are just above. This is YOUR ASSOCIATION and we are here to WORK FOR YOU . So it is up to you and your club mates to get the very best from this organisation.
Tight Lines
Graeme Dawber
YOUR Association Secretary
