WELCOME
The Society was founded in 1899 by a group of dedicated anglers who fished Stanley Reservoir in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire. Today the Society has grown to be one of the more prominent fishing organisations in the UK with members, made up of seniors, ladies, juveniles, and disabled members from all over the country.

Our Waters
With a good selection of still waters and a number of river stretches to tackle we aim to cater for all types of angling. For canal anglers this year we can now offer three stretches for you to enjoy. The links below will take your to our full Waters List or our Google Map.
Membership & Stanley Head Parking
From 2024 both Membership and Stanley Head Parking is available via the website. Click the Join Us button below for the full details of both.
Sotas 2023 AGM Report
Details can be found in the Members section of the website or Clicking Here
Proposed Work party dates
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As always if members could lend a hand it would be much appreciated.
Latest Society News
Important Information
Stocking update, some 60 Bream have been added to Stanley pool. The fish are in fantastic condition and range up to around 7lbs to see some footage please click here
Further Stocking of Astbury Carp
last week saw a further stocking of stunning Carp into Astbury Mere, these fish will hopefully go on to become real jewels in the mere.
Reminder to all members
2024 tickets will be available for renew, or first time applicants, on Thursday December the 14th and Thursday January 11th at Smallthorne Victory Club 8pm. This is by far the easiest way to join or renew your membership.
STANLEY POOL
For the remainder of this season, the club will allow any member to park on the North Staffs Sailing club car park. This is the entrance to the pool from Puddy Lane. Your SOTAS sticker MUST be fully displayed in your windscreen or dashboard. This concession DOES NOT apply to the entrance through Stanley Head Education Centre. The status quo for that entrance still applies. This trial period for the remainder of this season, if we have no issues going forward it may see this step becoming a permanent arrangement.
Astbury carping for cancer
Well what an amazing weekend 2nd and 3rd place changed in the last 10 minutes of the match which is bizarre when the match is for 48hrs
I would like to say a big Thankyou to the sponsors
Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society ( official )
Trentside angling
Dave Rowe car repairs
Macclesfield pet food supplies
Everybody who supported are cause in purchasing raffle tickets
Everybody who donated a raffle prize and all the anglers who took part to make this an amazing weekend and last but not least everyone who helped make this weekend possible
Got to say this was a very special weekend not only for me but for other people who are involved with the everyday running of the mere as one of our own team will be starting cancer treatment in the next week or so and truly makes me humble to see so many people make a great effort to raise money for a truly worthwhile cause
We managed to raise £580
Well done to everyone
R watts
Stoke on Trent angling society

Astbury Mere Waiting List
Anyone already on the waiting list and not offered a place for the current season must renew their General Membership ticket to retain their place on the list. Non members will be removed from the list.
2023 Daiwa Global Communities Celebration Event – 21st October 2
2023 Daiwa Global Communities Celebration Event – 21st October 2023
This national event organised by the Canal and Rivers Trust brought together 180 young anglers fishing on the Shropshire Union Canal. Daiwa sponsored this event and generous fishing tackle prizes were distributed to all the competitors.
25 of our SOTAS Academy members were selected by the Canal and Rivers Trust to take part in this event.
The conditions were not ideal with the storm conditions the day before the match and a big well done to everyone who braved the weather conditions.
A special mention to 2 of the SOTAS Academy members – Theo Karadia for winning the Cadets Category with an impressive weight of 3.4 kilos and Regan Grice for winning the Young Juniors category with 2.6 kilos.


National Celebration of Young People 2023
2023 National Celebration of Young People and Fishing Event – 16th and 17th September 2023
This weekend saw over 300 young people line the banks of the Shropshire Union Canal to take part in the biggest celebration of junior angling organised by the Canal and Rivers Trust. Participating in an event like this allows the youngsters to gain confidence and to take their angling journey to the next level. Everyone taking part receives prizes and for those lucky enough to catch a gudgeon they receive their own gudgeon mug.
2023 was a record attendance for SOTAS - 42 cadets and youngsters who have been coached by the Academy entered this event. The numbers attending have increased as follows :
2020 ( pre SOTAS Academy ) - 3
2021 - 15
2022 - 34
2023 - 42
A special mention to the youngsters from Saint Peter’s School who managed to win the Best School Trophy for the second year in a row.
It was a hectic weekend with many special memories being made. Every one of the youngsters who represented SOTAS stepped up to the occasion and made their parents and the SOTAS coaches very proud.
Astbury Mere Waiting List Applications
Changes to Astbury Mere Carp Waiting List Rules :-
Only General Members of Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society will be eligible for acceptance onto the waiting list.
Anyone wishing to be considered for Astbury Mere Waiting List will first have to be a General Member of SOTAS then needs to download and complete the Application Form Click Here and email to moorlandsfalcons@googlemail.com or post to the address on the form and provide your current Membership Ticket Number. If approved their name will be added to the list on this page together with their position number.
Click Here to view Astbury Mere Waiting List website page.
Anyone already on the waiting list and not offered a place for the current season must renew their General Membership ticket to retain their place on the list. Non members will be removed from the list.
New "Water Maps and Details"
A new set of detailed Society Waters Maps have been completed. As well as a map and directions they give details of stock and species and other useful information for each water You can view and download them by Clicking Here
New Astbury Common Record
Steven Cross as landed a new common carp record for Astbury Mere. Congratulations Steven. Anyone wishing to see the photo's Click Here or visit the blog page.
£1 Juvenile Ticket Retained for 2023
The £1 juvenile ticket has been retained for 2023 with a view to attracting more juveniles.
Special rules will apply i.e. child protection, fishing in the same peg with an adult, 3 rods max per peg.
It is hoped that this new initiative will provide a gateway into the sport for the young of today to become the anglers of tomorrow.
The mission of Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society is to manage, serve and promote angling. To assist members and participants in their various forms of involvement in angling. To adhere to all the laws of angling and to encourage and facilitate the involvement of as many people as possible in angling activities.
Trentside Angling Centre

For a wide range of match and specimen equipment.
Specialist in tackle and bait.
Discount for SOTAS Members.
5% up to £25. 10% over £25 (bait excluded).
Call in the shop :
1254 Leek Road, Abbey Hulton,
Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 8BP
Tel: 01782 555593
e-mail: sales@trentsideangling.co.uk
Impulse Angling
Fish Legal
Help us keep up the good work.
Noel’s Memorial Junior Match
Saturday 12 August 2023
Results are in! 🏆🥇🥈🥉🏆
16 youngsters were booked on for this annual match fished on Noels and North Road Pools.
Brandon Sumner showed his form today, taking the top spot from peg 6 on Noel’s Pool with 16lb 8oz. Brandon will be the 3rd youngster to have his name engraved on to the winner’s Shield
Up and coming, young cadet, Theo Karadia had the best weight off North Road Pool with 12lb which put him in 2nd place overall.
Taking 3rd spot overall was Nathanial Ashman who weighed 11lb 8oz from Noel’s Pool.
Not too far behind was Nathan Morris with a mainly bream catch of 11lb 4oz again from Noel’s Pool.
In 5th spot overall was last year’s winner Brandon Sleem with 7lb from North Road
Brandon, like his brother Morgan, were both cursing the ‘ones that got away’ at North Road - they both lost their ‘battles’ with carp, which managed to make their way to safety in the lily pads.
Jacob Trull, Eliza Glenn and Regan Grice all managed to net a carp on North Road.
SOTAS Academy really appreciate the support from our sponsors, Angling Trust, Nathan’s Premier Angling Centre and John Skidmore, who helped to make this a special day for all who took part and put a smile on their faces at the end of an enjoyable day.
Well done to everyone 👍🐟🐟🎣🎣👍
🚨🚨Our next SOTAS Academy match is next Saturday 19th August at Lodge Farm Pool. 🚨🚨
Match results from 06/08/23 on stanley reservoir
1st Andy scarsbrook with 26lb 3oz of bream,skimmers and roach on the pole.
2nd Jordan Riley with 14lb 9oz of skimmers and roach on pole and feeder.
3rd Lee Tolley with 9lb 8oz of skimmers p, roach and perch on waggler.
well done to all who fished
next match 20/08/23 on noels pool
Veterans results Lodge Pool
1st R Lightfoot 7lb 2oz
2nd G Brookes 6lb 9oz
3rd D Gore 6lb 3oz
4th A Fallows 4lb 1oz
Match results from lodge pool 30/0723
1st Pawel Baranowski with 46lb 10oz of carp and a Barbel a new venue record.
2nd Jordan Riley with 14lb 3oz carp and silvers.
3rd Ian 11lb 5oz of carp and silvers.
well done to all who fish next match 06/08/23 at Stanley reservoir.
Catch Returns
Shay Lunney 22/10/23
Pike 8lb 3oz and 16lb 2oz
Shay Lunney 02/11/23 Pike 7lb