A Short Historical Outline

Aims and Objectives

In the Spring of 1947, six interested local anglers happened to meet, more or less by chance, in the Cup Inn, Sutton Coldfield and the idea of forming a Fishing Club was aired.  Some informal meetings followed and other friends and acquaintances were recruited as potential members.  Eventually, the first major step was taken, an advertisement being taken out in the Sutton Coldfield News calling a meeting at the Station Hotel at which the first Officers were elected and the Sutton Coldfield Angling Association was formally brought into in being.

Work was immediately put into hand to draw up a suitable Constitution, to establish guide lines for the running and future progress of the Society and to attempt to obtain leases, or other entitlements, to enable members to fish their own private waters.

One member of that original founding Committee is still serving the Society today as its President, after many years in various other Offices of the organisation. This type of continuity, with liberal helpings of shorter term commitment, is one of the strengths of the modern day Society

An early success in the creation a private water portfolio was the obtaining of permission to fish Fox Hill Pool on the north eastern edge of the town. This was kept for many happy years until death forced a change in ownership resulting in the water being lost to fishing.  Subsequently a stretch of the Avon at Brandon in Coventry was rented and the growing Society began to flex itself in other directions.   Decisions were taken that the Society would operate from a broad base, not functioning solely as a Contest based club, but specialist forms of both coarse and trout angling would be accommodated as far as possible. Generally the interests of all anglers would be catered for within the Societies portfolio, a situation which remains to this day .

Membership of the Society grew steadily with careful nurturing and in 1956 it was able to conclude an agreement with the then Birmingham City Council, for the lease to fish in two pools of 7 acres and 3/4acre on the Canwell Estate. These were to remain the premier fisheries in the portfolio for forty years, providing pleasure, match and specimen anglers with top class sport.

From time to time, other waters, rivers, canals and pools, have become available or have been offered to the Society, and provided they were suitable for the membership, the Committee have always pursued these opportunities with some vigour.  This policy has resulted in a varied portfolio of waters over the years, which has adapted and changed to suit the needs of the Society. Some of these waters, such as the Mease, the Lugg and the Anker have been enjoyed for many years, but others such as the Severn at Seckley Wood, for a relatively short time.

In 1970, a length of around 1 mile of the River Blithe near to Hamstall Ridware was purchased outright, together with some adjoining land in excess of 5 acres and this has always been used as a general fishery, but is also stocked with trout on an annual basis. The Society is currently taking expert advice from the Wild Trout Trust in order to further develop and improve this valuable asset.

An agreement was entered into with the owner of Fisherwick Lakes near Lichfield, giving members rights over the whole of their site.  For a small extra daily fee, this also includes the specimen and trout pools. 

The Society also tried to buy a portion of the Fisherwick site in order to purpose build a pool. The project started in mid -1999 to SCAS design, within the confines of local geography, was filled over winter, planted up and stages built in the early spring and the first fish stocked in late spring.  Since then the pool has matured beautifully, had more fish added with existing ones having spawned annually and members are enjoying excellent sport, both in matches and individually.

From the outset, the Society has always insisted on the highest standards of behaviour from its members and demand respect for fish, the surrounding environment, water owners and their fellow members.  

All prospective new members have to be sponsored by existing members, who agree to be responsible for those members for the first year of membership and are obliged to attend a number of work parties as part of their probationary period.

The Society waters are maintained by the members, through regular Work Parties, under the direction of Fishery Managers who have considerable experience and scientific knowledge in their field and are members of appropriate national institutions. There is also close involvement with local and national staff of the Environment Agency and some Committee members also sit on advisory and consultative groups to  ensure greater knowledge of , and involvement with, both the politics and organisation of Angling, locally and nationally.

The Constitution and Rules of the Society have been deliberately formulated to ensure that members get strong representation on an Executive Committee with adequate powers to run affairs smoothly. Present procedures have been refined over the years to reflect changing circumstances and practices but still hold true to the initial principles.  Within the main committee there are various sub committees to take care of the details involved in such items as financial management, water management, finding new waters, organising social events 

As direct result of the way the Society runs its business, it has been able to maintain an excellent relationship with its current owners and considers many of them as old friends.

It may be justifiably claimed that Sutton Coldfield Angling Society was formed with aims and objectives that have ensured its continual appeal to considerate and aware anglers even in these difficult days.   The committee have frequently re-stated their intention of maintaining the broad base it initially set out with and they see no reason for it to be changed radically now.