September Meeting : Andy Lush on Lure fishing

Tuesday 4th September sees the start of the speaker season at the Thames Gateway PAC region
To kick us off this autumn we have

ANDY LUSH

well travelled lure angler and proprietor of the Friendly Fisherman tackle shop,

http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/

who will be gving us an insight into all aspects of his different lure fishing styles from pike in the UK to zander in Holland and predatory barbel from Spain...

As well as Andy's talk we will have the usual raffle and resplendent buffet........
This all takes place at the Papermakers Arms in Dartford, Kent, and we meet around 7.15-7.30 for an 8pm start

July " Summer special" Meeting

A big thanks to John Synnuck for regaling a well attended meeting this month, with his tales of Masheer, huge Catfish, and ever huger Tarpon. For anyone who couldn't make the meeting, you missed a cracker......the big fella has caught some cracking fish from all corners of the globe, and I think I speak for everyone there, that we were all suitably impressed...............those Tarpon don't half ruck...
I'm sure Jon would be more than happy to bring his talk to other regions if they were interested in something a bit less pike, but still predator orientated....


AUGUST Meeting

Next months meeting will be on Tuesday 7th August, and as a pre runner to the first "proper" meeting of the pike season in September, I will hopefully be bringing some of the latest catalogues from the Friendly Fisherman. So if anyone wants to put an order in for some nice new shiny lures, for the up coming trout water season, you can fill in a order form, and when Andy Lush visits the region in September for his Lure Talk, he can bring lots of lovely lures with him that you have pre ordered.

If anyones got any pics of some summer lure caught pike then send them to me at the regions e-mail pacregion19@aol.com and i'll put them in the gallery.

July's " Summer Special" Meeting

The next meeting on Tuesday 3rd July, we will be playing host to our very own assistant RO, Mr John Synnuck.
John will be giving us an insight into his foreign fishing adventures, with video footage and a slide show featuring huge Tarpon and massive Catfish to name but a few.

We will meet at 7.30 for an 8.00 start at The Papermakers arms....all welcome

FUTURE SPEAKERS

I've been busy over the last couple of weeks procuring the services of some of the finest speakers on the PAC circuit, and the lineup for this winters pike season is looking like this at the moment

September 2007 - ANDY LUSH : Lure fishing

October 2007 - STEVE RODWELL : Fishing in the Fens

November 2007 - KEN CROW : Fishery Manager at the famous Bough Beech reservoir.

December 2007 - JAMES GARDNER : Fishing the Trout Reservoirs

January 2008 - NEVILLE FICKLING

February 2008 - JASON DAVIES

March 2008 - MARC BARNETT & PHIL CHERITON : Irish fishing adventures (The Spring Sessions)........the "Winter Sessions" to follow next season!!!!

April 2008 - DAVE HORTON : Author of "Ultimate pike" and catcher of loadsa big pike

More details will be posted nearer each date.

RA 19's First Fish-In

The regions first fish-in took place last Sunday on a small secluded pit in the wilds of deepest Essex. Due to unforeseen circumstances, only seven hardy souls pitched up to do battle with the Essex Esox. Ray Pemberton was straight in on the action with a cracking fish of 17lb taken on a copper spoon, closely followed by Mick Doohan with a nice fish of 10lb.
Later that morning, a narcoleptic Jon Synnuck was rudely awoken from his slumber by a 19lb 4oz fish making off with his deadbait. After a couple of pics, the 19 was slipped back, only for it to swim off.....and take his livebait!!!....I knew these fish were hungry but thats just plain greedy!!! John also added a 12lber and a couple of jacks to his tally.

Yours truly opted for a more roving approach (roving around the whole pit about four times in fact!)and managed to winkle out a handful of jacks and two nice doubles of 16lb 6oz and 18lb 14oz on the trusty 'ol Springdawg.
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Gary noticed that the roving approach was paying dividends, so off he went armed with his chubby shad, only to return minutes later, with a fish under his belt, a big smile, and a slashed thumb!
All in all twenty fish were taken during the course of the day with all members catching, with five doubles caught and a handful of nice sized jacks, but the roving approach obviously didn't suit Pete Fish!

A big thanks has to go to Ray for organising the day, and to Malden AC for allowing us access to their water.
John Synnuck has an idea for a fish-in later in the year, and I guarentee you won't want to miss out on this one!! All will be revealed at a later date!

MAY MEETING

This months meeting was the first of our "informal" summer meetings, and was quite well attended considering there was bloody football on again!!(can't see the attraction of watching 22 overpaid, under achieving nancy boys chasing a bit of pumped up pig round a field), but hey ho whatever floats your boat!!.
I hope the pike based quiz went down well, and well done Ray Pemberton for coming out Top Dog....a sterling effort....i'm sure he got a few of the answers from Bill Palmer!!
We decided among ourselves that a good idea for next months meeting would be a "Bring and Buy" sale....so if you've got any old tutt...I mean tackle that is surplus to requirements...bring it along to the next meeting and someone might take it off your hands. That will be on Tuesday the 5th June...11 days before the start of the fishing season!
Don't forget to renew your rod licences if you haven't already
You can buy them on-line from the EA

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/fish/399730/?version=1&lang=_e

(you will have to cut and paste this link coz i'm a computer muppet and can't get it to work.....Doh!)

Fish-In Sunday 5th May
The regions first fish-in at Ricketts Mere, kindly arranged by quiz supremeo Ray Pemberton was an outstanding success........report to follow

APRILS MEETING

The EDDIE TURNER roadshow rolled into town on Tuesday,complete with historic videos of the early days of Llandegfedd, a potted history of his illustrious pike fishing career, and a glimpse of what he's been catching in the last few years. There were certainly some VERY big surprises there, all of which will probably be revealed in his new book Mega Pike-The Return, which will be available at the PAC conference this September.
Despite a few technical hitches (and a suspect gentlemens dvd!!!)the evening was a highly entertaining event enjoyed by everyone present (especially hecklers corner!)
"Come on you b@stid, feckin work!!!!!!!"


Hecklers Corner

Thanks again to Mk 2 Angling and The Tackle Box for generously donating raffle prizes.

Thats it for the guest speakers until September now, I've already got a couple of speakers lined up for the next pike season (all will be revealed at a later date).
Over the summer months we will still be having the meetings, but they will much more an informal affair.
Next month, May 1st, we're going to do a pike based quiz, with prizes, and just have a general chat with you all about the direction you would like to see the region going in the future and any ideas you may have for future meetings. Also we'll have more info about the fish-in thats penciled in for early May.

MARCH'S MEETING

saw Mark Barrett travel from the wilds of the Fens to entertain the Gateway lads with his excellent talk and slideshow.

The first half of the evening was taken up with Marks love for his Zander fishing and all round coarse fishing prowess...(who knew c@rp grew that big in the fens???), then following a break for a beer refuel, bangers, chips, sarnies and the raffle, we were treated to an insight into Marks pike fishing career.

All in all, a highly entertaining evening, and huge thanks to Mark for coming out on his birthday, to keep the standard of speakers we are getting at the Gateway at the highest calibre.

Thanks again to Mark 2 Anging and the Tackle Box for generously donating more raffle prizes.

MEMBERS GALLERY

As you can see I have had the first piccy sent to me for our members gallery, a lovely plump 21lber caught by Ray Pemberton.

Its looking a bit lonely there on its on, so come on lads, get those piccies sent in, action shots, your first pike, anything you want. Send them to me on the regions e-mail address

pacregion19@aol.com

and I'll post 'em up for the world to see.

APRIL MEETING

Don't forget that next months meeting on the 3rd April sees the

EDDIE TURNER

roadshow roll into town. I'm reliably informed that this is one not to miss