In 1912 a small group of keen anglers met in the White Lion pub on Wilton Bridge to discuss the idea of setting up an angling club for the people of the town.

Today, 108 years after that first meeting, Ross-on-Wye Angling Club (Ross AC) is not only still in existence, but has grown to become one of the most successful and popular fishing clubs in the country.

With more than five miles of the glorious River Wye under its control and available to members and visitors, it’s no surprise that this enduring popularity has lasted for well over a century.Today the Wye is famed for its abundant stocks of fish like barbel, chub, dace and pike. It would be no exaggeration to say that it is now recognised as one of the most productive and sought after rivers in the country. This explains in part why Ross AC has flourished, with a full membership capped at 350 and a waiting list exceeding 100 expectant anglers.

But being a Ross AC member is about much more than simply catching fish. The waters on the Benhall, town and Weir End stretches are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), set in glorious Herefordshire countryside.

With members out and about on the banks every day, week and month of the year, the club also plays a valuable role in monitoring the health and condition of the river and its associated wildlife. The Wye is of course a large and powerful river that experiences regular and sometimes dramatic floods, especially during the winter months. Following a recent deluge, club members have recovered a memorial wooden bench that has been washed downstream from a currently unknown location. The bench is dedicated to a lady called Rosalie Pratt who was born in 1938 and passed away in 2003. The club is keen to return this to its owner or original location, so Ross Gazette readers are asked to contact the Chairman, Trevor Hyde at Ross AC with any information, on 01531 822889 or email [email protected]See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here