Page 6 - GFAA Gamefishing 2014 Journal

6 FROM THE EDITOR Pay it forward o you remember when you first your passion and skills. But making friends with started gamefishing? Remember strangers can be daunting, even when you do the excitement of seeing your first share a common interest. Over recent years, how Dreally big fish? It’s a thrilling sport, many new faces have you seen at your club? How and I hope you’ve enjoyed the many special fish many attended a few meetings and then dropped and great friendships that have come from it. If out, never to be seen again? It happens often, so, perhaps this year it’s time to pay it forward. usually because they didn’t develop a sense of Helping others to enjoy gamefishing is very belonging, of being part of the crowd. rewarding. Seeing a new angler’s face light Of course, it’s not your responsibility to make up with the amazement you experienced as a friends with all new members, but if you make beginner is almost as exciting as reliving it yourself. a special effort this year you’ll probably be surprised by how Hopefully you were given a helping hand when you started, but rewarding it can be. The sport needs new members, and your life perhaps, like many, you struggled and only achieved success through will certainly be enriched by meeting new friends. You don’t need a long and difficult learning process. If so, imagine how much more to do much, but it will make an enormous contribution even if you enjoyable it would have been if someone at the club had put their simply coax them along, offering to explain some of the tackle, and arm around your shoulder, welcomed you into their group, and the rules, and the techniques. offered to show you the ropes. We’re all involved in gamefishing because it’s fun. Pay it forward. A gamefishing lifestyle brings a wealth of experiences, but Helping others will make it even more enjoyable. there is much to learn before catching big fish becomes a regular Tim simpson occurrence. As you probably know, one of the best ways to fast- Editor and General Manager BlueWater Publishing Pty Ltd track this learning is by joining a gamefishing club. Clubs are also Representative: The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) Board of Directors: The Billfish Foundation (TBF) great places to meet like-minded friends with whom you can share Email: tim@bluewatermag.com.au Past Presidents, Life Members & IGfa Representatives GFAA Past Presidents life members IGFA Representatives Clive W Firth (Foundation) * 1937-47 Clive W Firth 1939 TRusTee * Thomas A Bell 1948-49 GR (Jim) Cowell 1951 * * GR (Jim) Cowell 1950-51 Thomas A Bell 1951 K Neil Patrick * * John A Kelly 1952-53 AB Carrodus 1951 New souTh wAles * * Thomas A Bell 1954-59 MJ Lawson 1957 Bob Lowe, Grahame Williams, * * William L Southam 1960-61 Michael Lerner * 1959 John Burgess, Garry McDonald * Ernest W Palmer AO 1962-63 Ernest W Palmer AO 1965 * * Richard Rowe * 1964-67 Dr H James Delohery 1973 NoRTheRN TeRRIToRy * Dr H James Delohery 1968-71 William B Coombs * 1975 Peter Cox * Terrence M Caughlan 1972-73 Elwood K Harry 1979 QueeNslANd * * * William B Coombs 1974-75 W John O’Brien MBE * 1981 Tim Simpson, Albert Threadingham, Patrick V Gay AM 1976-77 * W John O’Brien MBE 1978-79 Peter Goadby OAM 1981 Bill Sawynok, Dave Curnock, * John C Johnston 1980-81 Patrick V Gay AM 1981 Otto Volz C Ian Cutler * 1982-83 John C Johnston 1983 VICToRIA * Malcolm D Ramsay 1984-85 Daphne V Nielsen 1983 Chris Baty * Bill Heyward Nov-Dec 1985 C Ian Cutler 1985 * * K Neil Patrick 1986-87 Malcolm D Ramsay 1989 wesTeRN AusTRAlIA Robert Ellis 1988-89 K Neil Patrick 1991 Mark Maher, Matthew Gates, Bruce Downie 1990-91 Bruce Downie * 1993 Jeff Cooper * Col Roberts 1992-93 Robert H (Bob) Lowe 1997 souTh AusTRAlIA Robert H (Bob) Lowe 1994-95 Col Roberts 1997 Rolf Czabayski Alan Messenger 1996-97 Grahame Williams 2000 Grahame Williams 1997-12 Tom Roche * 2004 TAsmANIA * Deceased * Deceased Brett Cleary, John Brooker