It is the second week of October as I sit down to start writing this annual report on the Society’s activities, and, as it happens, during a spell of fine sunny weather. Hopeless weather for anglers, you would have thought, yet this afternoon some of our members were leaning on the parapet of Crawia bridge in the sunshine while watching six or seven salmon holding in the stream alongside the footpath. Good fish, too. One angler entertained the others by casting a yellow fly over them, which the fish repeatedly ignored unless it’s course took it directly towards them-in which case they would gracefully drift to one side before closing ranks again as the fly passed behind them. A bit of fun in a season of mixed fortunes.

There was similar weather to start the season as well. The rivers fished well for trout from opening day. The lakes also started well and as the warm weather continued good catches came consistently, on Nantlle and Cwellyn in particular.

And then it started to rain. For weeks, and it was a pleasure to see such water and several members  went out on each flood  hoping for an earlier salmon than usual, although most were to be disappointed. During July the seatrout started running the Llyfni, and apparently have not stopped running since. A good number of all sizes were caught by day and particularly during the night hours. Anglers told of queues to fish  at Pontllyfni and yet everyone was catching. Little was heard of catches on the Gwyrfai, and for another season the seatrout were scarce on the Seiont until these last few days.

The water did the lakes no harm either and during the summer members and visitors alike again enjoyed  success on the banks of Llyn  Dywarchen.Char  were caught in August on Llyn Padarn and a lot of brown trout also came to the net, including some particularly fine specimens.

Unfortunately September was relatively dry but when we had a flood at the end of the month it became obvious that fish had rushed from the sea along the length of the Seiont .A few paused  briefly in the runs and pools and a fair number of salmon were grassed. Some were perhaps small in size but spanking fresh and carrying long-tailed sea lice. Were these, perhaps, fish we have not been seeing in recent years in view of the netting off the Irish coast? We look forward again to the extension of our season to the middle of November. Hopefully we will have some good autumnal weather to fill the river a few times during these weeks and that readers of this report will have enjoyed sport during the extension as we did last year.

Remember too that we have released smolts during the spring from the hatchery at Crawia. Our hope is that they return to the Seiont during 2008.They have been fin-clipped prior to being released and it is important that next season we note every salmon caught that is missing an adipose fin. It would be rewarding to see an increase in catches and for that increase to include these fish. There has been considerable debate about the advantages or disadvantages of stocking. As we started this scheme a year ago the Environment Agency were very supportive but during 2007 they unexpectedly withdrew their support-citing financial costs and the Agency’s national policy on stocking among their reasons. We were significantly disappointed by some of the Agency’s actions this year.

The members and committee have been busy in other areas during the year as well. A year ago a meeting was arranged between the executive committee and our assembly member, Alun Ffred. Several matters were raised but the discussion returned again and again to the threat to our rights posed by the canoeing fraternity. It was with some dismay that we heard Alun Ffred start the discussion by asking

”What is the problem you have with allowing them onto the river?”

-but as we talked it became clear that a relatively naïve ignorance of the issues had led to the question. By the end of the evening he was well aware of the issues from our point of view, as the legitimate owners of the lands, waters and rights which are under threat. He agreed that the only way forward would be by voluntary agreements and that open access to rivers would be unacceptable. We shall see.

In March we had a lively and successful tackle auction in the Dolbadarn Hotel, Llanberis. Our thanks are due to all those who brought tackle to be sold and to everyone who supported the auction, and particularly to those who organised the event.

The club has been in existence in one form or another since 1908.Generations of anglers have had the same thrills and doubts as ourselves over a century of seasons on the timeless banks of our waters, while society and the world have changed in ways beyond the imagination of our forefathers. Surely a leisure angler from the era of the Great War would barely be able to recognise our modern world and yet should it be possible to meet him on the riverbank we might find ourselves bridging the years within a few minutes with talk of fish and fishing. We should celebrate not only the fact that the Society has survived but that it has thrived  and succeeded in continuing to offer a wide choice of angling opportunities on the rivers and lakes of the region. We need to thank everyone who has supported the Society throughout these decades. This year, in particular, we congratulated Mr Cledwyn Jones,Caeathro,for his service on the executive committee for half a century.

We have considered publishing a booklet with articles and pictures reflecting the history of the Society and angling in the area to celebrate the centenary. Sadly, only a relatively small amount of material has come to light. Of course, this may reflect  the region’s history in that luxuries such as a camera were  uncommon amongst anglers and their families until the relatively recent decades. If you do have pictures or written material from years past, please contact the secretary who would be pleased to see them. A final decision regarding the possibility of producing such a booklet has not yet been made.

On your behalf I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the Society’s activities during the year. At the end of the year I would particularly like to thank the secretary for his work during 2007.I| would also like to thank the treasurer, the directors and all the members of the executive committee for their contributions.

On behalf of the committee and officials On behalf of the committee and officers I would wish you and your families all the best for Christmas and the New Year and tight lines in 2008.

Dr. Robin Parry, Chairman