The club was founded in 1906 and is now one of best established angling associations in the North West of England. It offers an excellent choice of waters, covering Rivers, Canal and Stillwaters, that cater for specimen, pleasure, and match anglers alike.
The aim of the Association is to promote the sport of angling on our waters for the benefit of our members…
The club looks to achieve this by focusing on three areas,
All ages are welcome from Juniors to OAPs and the club is constantly working to ensure ease of fishing accessibility across a range of our waters.
President: Frank Fleetwood-Hesketh
Vice Presidents: C Russell, M M Bannister, T E Taylor
Chairman: Michael Johnson Tel: 01704 224001
Secretary: Paul Tabron Tel: 07921 134703
2024 Committee Members: Paul Clegg, Phil Clegg, Steve Johnson, Phil Whalley, Nathan Parkinson, Ken Barlow, Mike Rose, Darren Tierney
Southport Drains: Steve Johnson
Anglezarke & Upper Rivington: Michael Jennings, Neil Armstrong, Lewis Tracey, Ryan Wilkinson
The Ribble: Lee Hall, Richard Brooking
Woodend Farm: George Prescott
Rufford Canal: Vacant
We can offer:
With a large Association membership, we are well placed to cater to a broad range of coarse angling. Whether it is match fishing, specimen fishing or fishing for pleasure, we are sure we can provide you with the best angling experience you could hope for. Amongst the listed venues, often set in the idyllic Lancashire countryside, there is a broad range of coarse angling for you to sample: canal, lake, pond, reservoir or river – we’ve got the lot!!
Our History:
When a small numbers of anglers formed the Southport & District Angling Association in 1906 one wonders if they could have foreseen that the Association would still be established over one hundred years later.
The first lease held by the Association was for the Railway Pits adjoining Rufford Railway Station (still there – now called Rufford Meadow fishery), dated 1906. Around that time they also obtained the fishing rights to Crossens Drain or Sluice. It is interesting to note that prior to the present pumping station being built in the 1950’s one could still catch flat fish in the Sluice. The old sluice gate system had of course been used to drain Martin Mere since the early 16th Century, and there is a reference from Farrers “A History Of North Meols” which has the Bannisters of Holmeswood and the Heskeths of North Meols contesting with some force as to who owned the fishing on Martin Mere. Good catches of Bream, Roach, Eels and Pike it seems were being taken in those early days mostly for food.
Some extracts from the Association minute books reveal on the 15th December 1964 Walter Rimmer resigned as the Secretary, stating he would no longer take unjustified criticism however he had the confidence of the vast majority of the membership and he and his wife were presented with a clock to the value of £20.
October 26th 1965 saw the death of Mr. A.E. Hall who had for many years been the Association treasurer. The January 18th 1972 committee meeting was informed that J.W. Ball, Chairman, had recently died. On May 20th 1966 a sixty year anniversary dinner was held at the Masonic Hall, Duke Street, Southport. At that time and up to around the late seventies, the association was a closed shop with just 50 or so members. Very shortly afterwards they introduced an open membership and we have flourished as an organisation ever since.
