Hi – trust you are all keeping warm this winter and those of you who are venturing out with a line in your hand are being well rewarded.
Last month we sent out the renewal forms for membership. Remember Secretaries don’t bury these under a pile of other "must do's" as you never know when one of your members might just catch that trophy fish and find they are unfinancial. Thank you to those clubs who have already sent in renewals.
With this mailing is a letter of introduction from our newly appointed Club Liaison Officer, Greg Smeal. Greg comes with a freshness, and sometimes an open frankness, to the Executive and loaded with ideas to move this nearly 50 year old organisation forward. With his enthusiasm together with the other new blood on the Executive (Jo, Mark, Brent, Nick & Barry) and the experience of the old hands we are full of hope that the Association will reverse the downward trends of past years. But, and there is always a but, the Executive can not do it alone and it is up to each and every club to also resolve to strengthen their Association so that our interests are protected, our chosen sport enhanced and the future secured.
Greg has arranged with the powers-that-be at the NZ Fishing News for a regular column on the NZACA and we record here a big thank you to this publication for their ongoing support of this Association. However Greg needs material for the column so please feed him club information and interesting highlights, activities and incidents. This column plus making good use of our two websites (www.nzaca.co.nz and www.fishing.net.nz) should up our public profile if we all do our bit. But, yet again, much relies on you and your club doing its part.
Also with this mailing are the forms for this year Postal Casting Competition. I know some clubs have already held a casting day. Trust you have held on to the results and all you need to do is fill in the form, add in the necessary dollars and send the form in. If you have not yet held a casting day, or maybe never have held one, you still have plenty of time as the forms do not need to be back in until 30th November. The sport of casting has lots of benefits - a club casting day can be a great club fun day when the fishing not so good; you can develop your casting skills so you can get more distance or better accuracy on the beach; it is a great opportunity of inviting the public to take part and introduce them to the benefits of belonging to your club; and of course there are heaps of certificates and trophies up for grabs and with the "handicap" system everyone has a chance. So what are you waiting for – give it a go. If you want to know more ring Dick on 027 242 2549, and if you want assistance or tuition there are a number of our top casters who are only too willing to come and join with you on the day.
2007 Nationals being held in New Plymouth next March. No it is not really that far away and time has a habit of speeding by. You as a club should be giving thought to these, your team members, where you are going to stay, fund raising etc. etc. If you are not in receipt of information from the New Plymouth Surfcasting Club Organising Committee maybe it is because they do not have an up-to-date address or contact. Much will initially be sent out by email - if your club does not have an official email address, there must be someone in your club who would be willing to act as your "email agent". Please pass an appropriate email address on to New Plymouth (and to Greg Smeal and to the Association Office).
With the changes voted in at the last AGM some clubs may need to rethink the "rewards" system they have in place for their top fishers attending the Nationals. We no longer need to have pre-nominated competitors for the likes of the Top Club Awards (of which there are now three). There is still no reason why your top performing fishers, or those who faithfully support your club activities throughout the year, should not have assistance in ensuring they can attend the Nationals - this is a practice which certainly has the support of this office. Remember, because it is a tournament and not a fishing competition for prizes, you can apply for funding to help with transport, accommodation, uniforms etc. from Gaming Trusts and the like. This sometimes needs patience and perseverance and more than one application, so now is the time to start this process. We can provide you with a letter of confirmation that your Club is a financial member of the national body if so required.
Did you receive the recent issue of Tidelines ? This email version Newsletter is a great read and great to pass on to others. To receive it just send a brief note to the editor by email and you will get on to the database for regular issues. Send to .
You will also find in this mailing a promotional letter from Boating Fishing & Outdoors NZ. These letters were received via email at the National Office addressed to a number of clubs (actually a whole heap of emails/clubs). This is because the club email address, as shown on websites, is the NZACA address. Either the club email address was not known at the time of the websites being set up or has never been updated. Clubs are urged to update this information on the websites because you never know what you may be missing out on or maybe possible new club members who are trying to make contact with you.
No records report this month as we had only two applications come in for April. Pin weights remain unchanged from last month. Remember it does not have to be a record weight fish to put an application in. That catch could quite well land you a trophy at years end. So if it is a reasonable catch put in an application - you just never know! Secretaries (or whoever reads this Newsletter) suggest to your Club Weigh Master to have on hand a supply of Application Forms so if any good catch is bought to their notice they have the forms ready to hand to the angler. To often I hear said "if only I had put in an Application when I weighed in the fish". It is easy to forget once the opportunity has past. Have a look at the trophies list in the Manual - why not make it a topic of discussion at your next club meeting ! I would love to see more clubs featuring in the list of those who make applications - especially also juniors.
Finally a plea for the Kahawai Legal Challenge. The Court date looms near and this is an expensive operation and needs the support of all recreational fishers. If you want to know more contact this office or Option 4 via the NZ Fishing News.
The next Executive Meeting is in Rotorua on the 24th.of this month and anybody is welcome. Remember your club affiliation renewals and the Postal Casting Competition.
Graeme Dawber
YOUR Association Secretary
