UFTA News

UTFA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Committee has fixed the date for the UTFA Annual General Meeting. It will be held on Saturday 17 January 2009 at the Fingle Bridge Inn, commencing at 6.30 pm. Full details will be sent out in due course but please make a note of this date in your diary.

CATCH RETURNS........NOW WELL OVERDUE

With the season on the Teign well behind us, catch returns are now well overdue. For this year, the catch returns are being collated by committee member Tom Hill. Please send your returns to him at 25 Littleweek Close, Dawlish, Devon, EX7 0RA. Returns should have been submitted not later than 31 October. If you have mislaid the return forms sent out at the start of the season, you can go to the CATCH RETURNS page of this web site and print copies.

RETURN OF TROPHIES

The winners of UTFA trophies presented at the last AGM are requested to return them for engraving as soon as possible and not later then 1 November 2008. Could trophy holders please return them to the Hon Treasurer, John Malleson at Clifford Lodge, Clifford Bridge, Drewsteignton, EX6 6QE. If you need instructions on finding John’s home, ring him on 01647 24104.

REPAIRS AT DROGO

The National Trust has now carried out work at Drogo Weir Pool to restore the bank that had been damaged by erosion. The pictures below show a stretch of bank before work was commenced (left), followed by the re-alignment of the bank with stakes and logs (centre) and after partial backfilling (right).

Bank repairs at Drogo Weir Pool

UTFA DAY AT KENNICK

The UTFA's annual day at Kennick Reservoir took place on Saturday 18 October. The fish were far from co-operative but here is a picture of five participants who each managed to catch a fish. The bottles of whisky for heaviest fish and best bag went to Graham Miles and Ian Pinwill, and trophies will be presented at the AGM.

From left to right: Tris Miles, Graham Miles, Ian Pinwill,

Lesley Bryant and Paul Forshaw

WEEKE STREAM

The restoration of a stretch of the Weeke Stream, a small spawning tributary that runs into the right bank of the Teign between Rushford Mill and Mill End. has been completed. In early October, contractor Geoff Partridge cut back the branches that had been cutting out light from the stream and Mike Maslin of the Environment Agency used a power hose to break up and clean the spawning gravel. The quality of this little stream was demonstrated by a check of invertebrate life on a short stretch where the light could get in before work was carried out, which revealed plenty of freshwater shrimps and nymphs of ephemeroptera - and nine large cased caddis under just one small stone. It is hoped that the opening up of Weeke Stream will result in an increase in invertebrate life over a wide area, to provide more food for juvenile fish.

Mike Maslin breaking up spawning gravel on the

Weeke Stream with a power hose. For more

pictures go to the Picture Gallery page

SUCCESS IN SCOTLAND

Last year, UTFA member Andrew Gooding won a place in the England team of five that would compete against Scotland, Wales and Ireland in the 2008 Rivers Fly Fishing Championship. That event took place in June on the River Tummel, a tributary of the River Tay in Scotland, and England took first place. Andrew's contribution to this international success was to produce the second best catch in the England team and to take sixth place overall.

NEW ON THE UTFA WEB SITE

The UTFA web site has been re-designed and now includes several new features. In the UTFA Fishery section there is a top-to-bottom description of the water that members can fish (go to The UTFA Fishery/Tour of the

Fishery page). Observing safe practices while fishing and working on the river are essential for both anglers and the Association, and the new Safety page deals with risk assessment and the code of practice for bank clearing (click Safety). Every year members lose the catch return forms that are sent out at the start of each season so these can now be found on this web site and printed if required (go to Catch Returns page). And finally, the new Pool Map can be viewed and printed (go to The UTFA Fishery/Location/Maps page).

ORVIS

The Orvis Company, Inc. is pleased to have the Upper Teign Fishing Association as a member of the Orvis Affiliate Network. We have agreed to ship products and provide customer service for orders we receive through special links on www.upper-teign-fishing.org.uk. We hope you enjoy our broad assortment of products.

REMINDERS TO MEMBERS

Parking at Clifford Bridge. In the past we have received complaints that cars have blocked access to the forestry track at Clifford Bridge by parking in front of the gate. This problem may well have been caused by walkers but we would like to ensure that no blame falls on the UTFA. Please ensure that you never park in front of the gate at Clifford Bridge or, indeed, any other gate or vehicular access point.

Mill End (Dogmarsh) Weir Pool. Members are reminded that as part of our arrangement with the Bovey Castle Hotel, guests from the hotel have priority at Mill End Weir Pool. If you are fishing at the weir and a guest of the hotel wishes to fish there please move on to another location if so requested.

Steps Weir Pool. The UTFA only has the left bank at Steps Weir Pool. To avoid any conflict with the owner of the right bank, members must ensure that they do not wade beyond the middle of the river when fishing this pool.

ORVIS OFFER

Members of the UTFA can now get 10 per cent off the price of tackle bought at the Orvis shop in the Cathedral Yard, Exeter. To take advantage of this splendid offer you must produce your UTFA membership card when making a purchase.
Important, this offer is only available through the Exeter shop and not through the affiliate link above, or on the links page.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Colin Pape was appointed two years ago as Risk Management Officer, a condition of our insurance cover. He has produced a Risk Assessment for the Association waters which you can read on this web site - go to the Safety page and please read it carefully. Your attention has been drawn to its existence and all members will be deemed to have read it!