Cyril Glew, a Pemberton school teacher (naturally called Sticky by the students) decided in 1928 that a concerted effort to establish trout in the Pemberton area was required. It must be remembered that at this time there was little expertise available in fisheries management and many of the South West streams were considered totally unsuitable for trout. Things that seem glaringly obvious today (such as trout surviving very well in temperatures up to 23 degrees) were unknown, so much early work was trial and error.
Since that time , Associations such as the Fish and Game Society and the Pemberton Warren Society were formed to help foster the propogation of trout in the south-west region but it wasn't until 1967 that WATFAA was formed and we are indebted to Captain Noel Parker, Robert Agnew, Ron Pearson, Terry Piggott, Tony Strick, Neal Watson, Neil Coy, Neil Bartholomaeus, Dr Noel Morrissy, Graham Whitehouse, Sylvester Smeschkal, Fred Kunzel and the other early members who established WATFAA for us to enjoy. 

Today, we are  an association dedicated to the pastime of freshwater angling in all its wonderful forms. We work with various Government bodies and kindred associations to develop the opportunities for freshwater angling in WA. We also work closely with landowners to develop new fisheries and we pride ourselves in being guardians of the land that we use and access.