Domestic felicity seems to have ruled within the Association with one sad exception. In March. 1882, the Committee resolved that the Secretary should write to one of the members "and inform him that until he apologises to the Association for the language he has used his ticket will be withheld." The offending member did not apologise. nor did he go quietly. He wrote to the Association through his Solicitor asserting his right to be a member, and he attempted to fish again. He was persuaded by the keeper to desist from fishing, which he did saying "he would not get him (the keeper) into any lumber." The matter was referred to the then owner of Dallam Tower who said that he objected to this member fishing in the river and authorised the Association to take what steps they thought proper to prevent him trespassing on Mr. Wilson's land. The story is sad inasmuch as there is no record of the nature of the language used, nor to whom or what it was addressed. nor of the circumstances in which it was employed. The moral would seem to be that a member should look over his shoulder before using invective at the river side.

In 1882 the annual subscription was increased to 2 guineas. A proposal to increase it to £1. 15s. 6d. was negatived, which suggests that before that time the subscription was 1 guinea or perhaps 1.5 guineas In 1905 the entrance fee was raised from1 to 2 guineas, to £3 in 1914 and to 5 guineas In 1921. The subscription was £3 In 1913 and to 4 guineas in 1921.In 1906 Beetham Overseers attempted to impose a rate of £15 on the fishing held by the Association in that Township. This assessment was successfully appealed against before the Assessment Committee in Kendal. The Reserve Fund was created in 1914 and all entrance fees were put into it.

"The Working Men's tickets to angle above Hang Bridge to be again issued under the usual conditions" appears in the minutes of the 1882 meeting and annually thereafter. The "Penny Fishers" were instituted at the birth of the Association. Their numbers are restricted and each must pay one penny for the privilege of fishing above Hang Bridge in accordance with the rules of the Association. It is recorded that "By this means most cordial relationship was established locally and these 'penny fishers' were not only jealous of their rights but watched the Association's interests as regards poaching."

The Bela has always opened earlier than other rivers in the district because the fish come into condition early. In 1895 the Board of Conservators made the close season to commence on 1st September and terminate on 15th February. A Bye-law taking effect in 1900 terminated the close season on 16th February. The Association took exception to losing a day's fishing and they also petitioned the Board of Conservators that the fishing season on Bela be extended to 15th September. Thus by a Bye-law dated December 1901 the close season was established at 16th September to 15th February, both dates inclusive, and so it remained for many years. When the close season was extended by a fortnight throughout the Board's district. Bela came to have the peculiar opening date of 3rd March.

Written on a photograph that hangs in the Association's hut at Hang Bridge is the following "Thomas Stainton. For 63 years river watcher to. and faithful friend of the M.A.A. 1879 to 1942." Stainton was a greatcharacter whose heart was solely in his job. and he did his job to perfection. His name occurs frequently in the old Minute Book and he is always mentioned with approbation. Those who knew him still speak of him. Stainton is first mentioned in our records in 1882 when his wages were increased from 16/- to 17/- per week. By small increments granted at irregular intervals his wage became £2 per week in 1920. He had actually rather more than his pay because the Association rented Hang Bridge Cottage. where he lived, and from time to time paid for various improvements to the interior. A note dated 1907 in the Minute Book reads "Had to insure keeper against accidents for the first time." It was not until 1918 that the keeper was allowed to fish occasionally. Stainton attained great skill at tying trout flies, and these were highly thought of by members who used them. On the occasion of Stainton's golden wedding in 1927 the Association presented to Mrs. Stainton a piece of plate and to him a wallet of notes.

Tom Stainton was death to poachers. He seems to have had a habit of stalking them and getting right up to them before they were aware of his presence, and he would be out at all hours. After a case of fish poisoning in 1883 the Secretary told Stainton to get assistance to watch the beck day and night. In these early days he had two assistants as night watchmen, but they were casual employees and seem to have come on duty only when he needed them.

A favourite form of poaching was to poison trout by means of chloride of lime which was put in a bag and shaken about in the water. This was very deadly. Night lines were also used and Stainton once caught a man netting the dub below Hang Bridge that we now know at Stainton's Well. Prosecutions were conducted by Mr. Hart Jackson of Ulverston who was Clerk to the Board of Conservators. The Secretary often wrote to him about poaching cases and he once sent Stainton to Ulverston to report. After a poaching incident in 1883 the Secretary recorded "Instructed the constable to report that night to Superintendent Shield at Kendal what had occurred." Offenders were brought before Milnthorpe magistrates who dealt severely with those accused of poisoning trout. In 1887 three men were sentenced to six weeks imprisonment with hard labour for this offence. Also in 1887. a man was fined £2 for setting night lines, yet in 1901 another was fined only 10/- for the same offence.The Poacher Stainton caught using a net in 1915 was fined £4.