Cymdeithas Pysgota CEFNI Angling Association

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The following history of the Cefni Angling Association is written from notes made and copies of letters kept by the late Mr Tim Davies.

 

May 1951. Mr Tim Davies writes to the Welsh Board of Fisheries at Caernarfon to advise them of the loss of fishable water on the River Cefni following the construction of the Cefni dam.

June 1951. A reply is received from Mr Crew, Clerk of the Gwynedd River Board suggesting that Mr Davies call a meeting of all the local anglers and together form a Club or Association. The association could then apply to the Anglesey County Council for a lease on the Cefni Reservoir.

October 1951. The first meeting of the Cefni Angling Association is held prior to the meeting with Mr William Jones, clerk to the council, and Mr Idris Davies, deputy clerk, and the Water Committee of the Anglesey County Council.

January 1952. An application is entered for the first lease on the Cefni Reservoir by the following members of the Cefni Angling Association at the Shire Hall, Llangefni
Mr Lewis Jones - Chairman
Mr O T Roberts Fferam Beiley - Vice Chairman
Mr Jeffrey (Tim) Davies - Secretary
It is proposed by the council that each new member should have a blood test prior to being allowed to fish the reservoir for fear of introducing germs to the public water source, but this proposal is defeated.

March 1952. Fishing begins on the Cefni Reservoir by members of the Cefni Angling Association. The fee is £2 2shillings per annum. The rules are fly-fishing only, no fish less than 12" to be retained, membership is for county residents only and only two trout to be kept per visit.

1954. The Cefni Angling Association get their first President, Commander R D Briercliffe, CBE.

1956 - 1960. The Cefni Reservoir is stocked with 200,000 unfed brown trout fry each spring. These are spread out along the feeder ditches that feed into the reservoir. Mr Herbert Evans, the fishery officer for the Gwynedd River Board and his team of bailiffs hatch the ova in the River Board hatchery. All the ova is obtained by trapping spawn-bound fish going up the rivers Frogwy and Erddreiniog from the reservoir.

April 1997. A new lease is signed by members of the Cefni Angling Association for a further 28 years of fishing on the Cefni Reservoir.
A condition of this lease is that Hamdden/ Welsh Water take nearly half of the little lake to be used as a nature reserve. This meant that no fishing could take place in the very productive shallows around where the river Erddreiniog enters the little lake. With little choice in the matter the committee members agree to the condition and fishing ceased within the nature reserve.

2002. The Cefni Angling Association celebrate their 50th anniversary with a Prize Draw and Prizegiving Dinner. A lakeside bench was received as a gift from the Criccieth & Llanystumdwy Angling Association to mark the occasion.

2002 - 2005. The Association receives a grant and constructs a casting platform, and procures a wheelie boat and engine. These are specifically for disabled anglers to use.