| PAC
TIME LINE
On October 1st The
Pike Anglers' Club of Great Britain was formed from the membership of the Pike
Society with a founding membership of 16 being present at the inaugural meeting
in Bourne, Lincolnshire. First PAC Committee
based in Fenland. The
PAC was initially set up with two categories of membership, the Senior Member
(SM) and the Associate Member (AM), the former being the experienced angler and
the latter including beginners and newcomers to the sport. Senior Members would
form the backbone of the club. Regional Associations (RAs) were set up and run
by an experienced Senior Member, to be known as the Regional Organiser (RO).
Within the first four months there were over 100 Senior
Members and 33 Regions, and after 18 months the club had 65 Regional Associations,
over 200 Senior Members, and more than 1000 Associate Members.
The club's first magazines were stapled together photocopied
sheets, with black and white photo sections and front cover. Initially only Senior
Members received the magazine, while Associate Members read it on loan from their
Regional Organiser. Both metal lapel and cloth badges were introduced for members
- the metal ones being available in both Senior Member and plain versions.
Dick Tomlinson created first Senior Fellow
of the PAC. First
'Pike Angler of the Year' award made to Ron Pendleton.
Although the first Committee only intended to hold office
for a three-year period it became a four year reign.
Fenland Zander Cull took place, the was first of all to
be all pike and zander but the PAC negotiated a compromise of only pike
under 10lb. Second
Committee based in Norfolk. Bill
Chillingworth, Barrie Rickards and Hugh Reynolds made the first Honorary Life
Members of the PAC. Senior
and Associate Membership categories merged.
Every member now received a new style, professionally printed,
magazine renamed 'Pikelines' - which commenced with issue number 17, following
the numbering of the original Pike Anglers' Club magazine. ROs received a newsletter
called 'Jacklets' between issues of Pikelines.
Birmingham AA's livebait ban fought and beaten. A total
ban on livebaiting by Consultatives of the Wessex Water Authority was prevented
by negotiating directly with the Authority forcing the plan to be dropped.
'Area Co-ordinators' introduced to strengthen the link between
ROs and the Committee. Computers
brought in to ease workload - a first among British angling organisations.
First Annual PAC 'Pike Angling Conference'
held on September 10th at Loughborough University.
Third Committee based in North West
England. It was felt
the existing Committee structure wasn't sufficient to carry the workload and new
roles were introduced. Full
colour front and back covers, and extra pages, brought to Pikelines.
The first PAC book, 'Basic Pike Fishing',
published. 'Advanced
Pike Fishing' published. Jacklets renamed 'Regional Round-Up' .
The first PAC 'Go Pike Fishing' promotional leaflets were
introduced during this period. These included basic pike fishing guidance, information
on the PAC and a membership form. These leaflets have been updated in various
formats by each subsequent Committee.
Fourth Committee based in East Midlands.
Pikelines further improved by the introduction of colour
pages inside the magazine. Regional Round-Up discontinued.
Money raised via raffles called 'Pike Aid' to fund the rehoming
of something like half a ton of unwanted pike.
Publication of 'Best of Pikelines'.
Fifth Committee based in Kent.
'Water Fund' started with the intention of allowing purchase
of PAC fisheries - resulting in the first PAC water, 'Fox Pool'. Water Fund aided
by a £3 increase in subscriptions.
Barrie Rickards appointed to new constitutional role of
'Honorary Chairman'. Funding
of University of Glasgow pike tagging programme on Loch Lomond begins.
1992
'Annual Conference' moved to Derby.
PAC video, 'Piking in the 90's, Catching, Care & Conservation',
produced. 'Pike in your
Waters' Fact Sheet expanded into a professionally produced booklet and given wide
distribution. Sixth
Committee based in Wales. Peter Maconnell
given first 'Regional Organiser of the Year' award. Concept
of the PAC running its own waters dropped in favour of obtaining privileged access
for members to waters when they were not usually open to pike anglers.
First Heart/Clic privileged access charity lure event held
at Llandegfedd. 'Annual Conference' moved
to Keele University and renamed 'The Pike Anglers' Club Annual Convention'. PAC's
involvement fighting the gill netting of pike on Ireland's western loughs results
in the club's official title being changed to 'The Pike Anglers' Club of Great
Britain and Ireland'. This was intended to help overcome any obstacles related
to the forthcoming battles due to EU funding being made available for pike culling
in Ireland. 'Annual
Convention' moved to UMIST, Manchester.
Seventh Committee based in Scotland.
First 'Special Merit Award' made to Mark
Tyrtania. Norfolk Wildlife
Trust reinstate livebaiting. Loch
Ken saved from proposed gill netting programme. EU
funding to Ireland's WRFB ended. New
waters opened up to PAC members, the most notable being the Lake of Menteith.
The two PAC books, which had been reprinted
a number of times since their initial publication, replaced by one, larger, full
colour booklet called 'Pike Fishing Beyond 2000'.
'Special Merit Award' renamed 'Colin Dyson Memorial Award'
in honour of a former president and presented to Neil Depledge.
PAC reverted to its original name of 'The Pike Anglers'
Club of Great Britain' following the formation of the Irish Pike Society.
Eighth Committee based in North West England.
Website named 'www.pacgb.com' and expanded
to over 100 pages. 25th
Anniversary of the formation of the PAC. Bill Chillingworth, Barrie Rickards,
Hugh Reynolds and Eric Hodson created 'Founding Fellows' of the club to honour
their efforts in forming the PAC in 1977. Fact
Sheets updated and made available to download from the website.
100th issue of Pikelines.
Ninth Committee based in North East England.
First 'Angling
Development Shield Award' made to Neville Dunn.
'Annual Convention' moved to Leeds Armouries. Online
membership subscription payments introduced. PAC
TV launched on YouTube. PACShop
launched for on-line ordering of PAC products PAC
joins and promotes the 'Don't Ditch Our Lodes' campaign PAC
30 published to celebrate
30 years of the PAC 'Annual
Convention' moved to National Agricultural Showground, Stoneleigh Park
'Save
the Broads' campaign started 'Angling
Development Shield' renamed 'President's Shield' and awarded to Steve Rodwell
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Thanks to Colin Goodge and John Milford for
their help compiling this page. BACK
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