RIVER TAY FISHING - JOIN PDAA

[tayspringer]

Hi

I know that a number of you are already members of Perth and District Anglers Association.

However some of you will not be. Perth and District Anglers Association (PDAA) offer both local and guest members the opportunity to fish beats on the River Tay. The association leases fishing on various beats of the Tay system. During the spring summer and autumn. This spring PDAA has fishing on Kercock, Stobhall, Islamouth, Cargill. This fishing is balloted to give everyone a fair crack at the beats. There is fishing all season on the Delvine beat and on Logierait (UPPER KINNAIRD) where PDAA have a reciprocal agreement fishing alternate days. The PDAA also has fishing on Stormont angling Club waters at the backend and thorough out the season. A number of these permits are accessed via the shop. Hopefully this will change in the near future to ballots. Now for the sore bit, the cost. Well, for a full years fishing all included you could join for £100 plus £20 joining fee (1 off payment of £20) no extra cost for fishing unless you intend to fish the trout lochs which will cost £10 to book boat and towards restocking. Salmon fishing is all inclusive of the £100.

To find out more visit www.perthanddistrictanglersassociation.com

Membership information can also be accessed by contacting James McKay Association Secretary. Email on web page.

To join the PDAA. The committee requires references form either a full member or from a ghillie or reputable person i.e another club secretary or official.

A PDAA member has already had a "springer for 2007"

[Fruin]

I am a guest member of the PDAA, and I have to add that I think it is terrific value for money. It is obviously more difficult to get access to the better water at productive times with this ticket. However, if it offered fishing on the best Tay beats at optimum times, it would be a lot more expensive than £100 a season. What it does offer is a chance to fish some of the best beats on the Tay at a very reasonable price. If you take three cheaper day tickets a year on the Tay, it is likely to cost you close to £100. You should get a lot more than three days a year on the PDAA ticket, particularly if you live locally, which unfortunately I do not

In my opinion, it is worth it just for a few spring days on Kercock with Dennis. The banter alone is usually worth the dosh ;D

It would be a positive move for all guest members if all tickets went to ballot, or could be applied for by email, phone or other method the day or 48 hours before fishing. However, I do understand the stance of favouring the local rods.

[tayspringer]

Hi Fruin

Yes the banter at Kercock makes it Worth every penny. I am a local member although I am not one of those who agrees with the favoring the rods for locals. I strongly believe that any fishing that PDAA has should be available to every single member and I mean all members. I am on a crusade to get things changed. What is required to change the current situation is for members, local and guest to write to Peter Hood, President or the Ballot Secretary detailing the concern about the fishing. To let you into a little secret. A number of the rods for Stormont beats (ROME CROY & MUIRTON) sit in the shop without being used. I would reckon because there were not many fish around. The Upper Redgorton permit used by 1 guy regularly apparently because no one was using them. The Delvine permit some guys managed to get 6 days fishing in Sep/Oct as no one was using the permits. I would say that balloting the fishing would be a far more fairer way at the backend. Remember that some of the best fishing for 2006 and it looks like 2007 will be KERCOCK!!!!! So come on all you PDAA boys get the ammunition in and things will change. Remember this important thing. There is a man on your side the BS (Dennis will vouch for this) and although it might not be seen has been fighting tooth and nail to change the fishing allocation at the backend. I live 2 miles from the shop but even I cannot get the permits due to my work pattern!!!!!! As far as distributing the permits by phone etc the day before or 48 hours could be difficult because the man who would have to do this the Ballot Sec. Does work and due to his job is not always available. But Ballot this would be the ideal. So go on get your letters in and things will change. Rememeber that if you pay your £10 for the short notice list you could get cancellations or fishing on other beats.

[tayspringer]

What I would really like to see is that all members become one. ALL FULL Members. The only difference between full & Guest members is that Guest members cannot vote at an AGM. I do not agree with this I would like to see this changed so that all members receive an equal voice. I am working on it.

[madkeen]

Tayspringer I am a guest member of PDAA and your right great value permits when through the ballot but at the backend its near impossible for me to get to the shop the day before fishing.On Upper delvine you can apply to the BS up to afortnight before for a permit and I think this works well.
Alan

[tayspringer]

Alan

Well worth the time and effort going to Delvine.

[zeolite]

I had considered joining but as I live 22 miles from Perth I thought I was out of luck.
Another problem I had was getting a referral.

[tayspringer]

Zeolite

The local members must live within an 18 mile radius of Perth. Guest can live any where. All you need is reference from a club, ghillie etc. Why not have a chat with James Mckay. The commitee can always accept you without references if appropriate. Details for contact on the PDAA web page address at top of page

[lomond]

I fish with Fruin regularly on the Loch Lomond system. Fruin twisted my arm to join the PDAA last year. For 100 quid a season it is worth the money. I only managed 4 days fishing on the Tay, however it still worked out cheaper than booking beats individually. Fruin had about 40 days, so got a bargain !!! Agree that Denis is a great ghillie, gave me plenty of advice and time on my first visit. He even strolled down behind another friend we brought along last spring and had a cast, hooked an 11lb springer and handed my friend the rod to play the fish. It was his first springer (which was returned). A great gesture, can you do it for me this spring Denis ?

[weed]

Excuse my ignorance here, but could someone explain to me what the ballot system is?

[Fruin]

Lomond,
not quite 40 days but I did quite well

Tayspringer,
I did fish the Stormont water, and I have to admit I think it is a great stretch of water, but those queues would break a man!!!
However, if I could manage to the shop on a Friday, which was very rare, I took out a ticket for this water, and discovered that for pure fishing pleasure I preferred the Muirtons side. I was surprised at how easy it was to get a ticket in September, but not surprised at the 1 to 2 hour wait to get into the Grainhead
However, I did winkle a fish out of a quieter stretch, and lost another.

The ballot does offer a fair system, but I fear that when rods are allocated in advance, they are often wasted by anglers not turning up on the day. I fear that this may happen if Muirtons, Rome Croy and Upper Delvine went to ballot. I know that I would turn up or phone in advance to let the BS know if I could not make it on the day. However, in the PDAA and on another system I fish where anglers are allocated a day on a certain pool, it is common for anglers to just waste the day by not showing or not reporting their inability to fish.

I was tempted to join the short notice register, but in two years I only got a call once, and it was for a day on Kercock that I had already booked on as a paying guest

[tayspringer]

Weed

Forms are sent to the member with the days and dates for fishing. The member sends the forms to the Ballot Secretary of PDAA. The forms are then put on to an Excel spreadsheet alongside a number 1 to say 50. At a commitee meeting the commitee divide into 3's and pick numbers out of a hat for each day beat. The number that corelates with the name gets a permit. The permits are then sent to the member. The ballots are normally done 6 weeks prior to fishing. I hope this explains it. The one advantge of the ballot system is that eveyone has a fair shot. One other point. If a name keeps coming out the commitee will redraw the number to ensure that every member gets fair chance. I wouyld say that the draw is definately done fairly.

[tayspringer]

Fruin

Muirton is far better. There is no doubt about that. I had 3 fish out of Muirton before some of the anglers on Rome Croy even wet their waders!! I would not want to stand and wait to get in on the other side. As far as the fishing it is like any other beat on the river you take your chances.

The short notice list for PDAA has been changed this year and is not open to every member. Only open to those who have applied and paid their £10. For the past few years the short notice was avaialbe to every member who applied for the ballot. Unfortunately, depending upon what days you were on the list for could have had an effect on the number of short notice rods. I would suggest that if you were on a Staurday then there would have been more rods wanting to fish this day. Unfortunate that you had a day booked for the day you were offered. This year I can assure you that there is a greater chance of getting more fishing via the Short notice list but unfortunately it could be last minute and if you have fishing booked then this is an unfortunate thing.

[Fruin]

How do I apply retrospectively?

[tayspringer]

simply fill in the form that was sent out with the ballot forms, send a cheque for £10 to the BS and you are on.

[kercock]

A fairer sytem I reckon would be to give every applicant a winning ticket,shuffle the names about and do the same again which would do away with several getting a load of days and others getting very few,or even none ! It may also be a cure for those members who won't come out to play cos its rennin !

[tayspringer]

Good idea Dennis but it really depend on how many people apply for the ballots. Not many members been apply so this is why you get loads of permits. The other problem is some days are more popular than others such as a Saturday. Some only apply for 1 day throughout the whole ballot, not always possible to give them this day. Other only apply for certain days same problem. There must be a solution somewhere.

Cheers

[tayspringer]

Hey I bet you get a number of new faces from PDAA appearing on the beat after this past week. Shame some of them have been members for donkey years!!!

[zeolite]

As an offshore worker working on an ad hoc basis I don't know from week to week where I will be. Is there leeway in the system to allow someone to chop and change? I get plenty of weekdays off. I just don't know when they will be.

[johnmac]

i think its great value for money...... im a member on the Ericht at Blairgowrie.... £30 a season........ but i would be into getting in the PDAA. I think i'll hold off until i retire though... i work every fourth weekend and Monday to Friday, so i'd imagine Saturdays are hard to come by? Maybe i'll catch up with a few of you once i retire.... so see you all in about 40 years!