[Rob Brownfield]

So, do I pay my £265 or do I look at other clubs instead?

I only really fish Kemnay now, and quite frankly, it has got busier over the years with dog walkers, kids and swimmers. The quick sessions on the way home from work in the summer were often disturbed by a stick followed by a dog landing in front of me, and my fishing buddy had his car damaged several times.

I used to fish Balbethen a lot, but of course, that was let go a few years ago.

I think I fished Loriston twice in the last 5 years.

So, I am seriously considering Alford or Kemnay angling associations as an alternative. I would love to join Huntly, but I am outside the catchment although not actually that far from their waters.

I am really only interested in the Trout with maybe the odd early season session for the Salmon.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Hamish Young]

How about Ballater Angling Association as an option Rob  I seem to recall they had options on Dee and Don, plus some other good water access.

H

[Rob Brownfield]

How about Ballater Angling Association as an option Rob  I seem to recall they had options on Dee and Don, plus some other good water access.

H

Unfortunately I am the wrong side of Cambus O May so outside the catchment area.  Thanks anyway.

[Ben Crichton]

My membership arrived yesterday. Pretty annoyed that you have to pay an extra £5 to pay online. Made my feeling clear to the association. In my eyes it should be cheaper to pay online.

[Charles Moore]

Not quite sure why postage needs to be a fiver added or why it can't all be digital anyway. An area the association really don't seem to have much literacy in.

I've renewed for the year, mostly as last season was my first in the association and between lockdown and working in healthcare during the pandemic I really didn't find the time to actually use it. Still never been brownie fishing in a river ever- having joined to be able to see if I enjoy it as much as the stillwaters- so need to give it a fair trial before calling it a day on the association waters. Plus at least there are some beats within zone for those of us with a city postcode.

[James Laraway]

To be honest i never joined the ADAA due to them trying to gouge me for a 'one off joining fee'. ADAA have a lot of assets and are very well off so there was no way i was going to pay what i thought was an extortionate fee ( its not an exclusive golf club after all...)

Due to this I joined the council water at kintore then subsequently Kemany AA - a very friendly wee club with nice water that is very underfished ( especially for trout)

£265 would have been good value when the don had a decent run of salmon and of course the trout but these days with very few salmon ? £265 is a tad greedy in my view....

[James Laraway]

Over £100 for a day at the start of the season???? When the Scandinavians can't come across , people can't travel up from the rest of the UK and a lot of the big day rate jobs have gone on oil and gas? Talk about living in dream land...

[Dave Robb]

Looks like a fair few days booked at those prices, so some people still able / willing to pay.

I can see the point, lower the prices on top beats then it’s not exactly exclusive and will become over populated.

[Charles Moore]

New Facebook page has been really helpful. Encouraging to see much more engagement which I hope will make the community more connected, especially for newer members like myself.

[Rob Brownfield]

I have decided not to renew this year.
I used to fish Balbethen but of course, that has gone. I no longer work in Aberdeen so the very occasional visit to Loriston is not an option.
My main haunt was Kemnay, but I was getting fed up with the dogs and kids  (I am a grumpy sod).

So, I have joined Alford as its only 9 miles from me, and whilst I know the lower beat is busy, the upper one is a lot quieter.

I think if I was still working in Aberdeen and able to do a few hours in the evening at Parkhill (I was at the BP office) it would be worthwhile, but I never even wetted a line last year.