The Burden of Being a Club Member

[maverick 7]

It has only been in recent years that I have joined clubs....for years, I mostly persisted in the same old 10 or 15 venues I have always frequented but it always seemed to me that the clubs always bagged the best stretches so I thought it was a case of ....if you can't beat 'em.......

Anyway, I joined a Midlands Club some 5 years ago and had some very good results on their waters confirming what I always believed....that they do indeed get the best waters. The problem I want to talk about is when the club start to ask for help on the waters they run...like putting new steps on the bank or fitting platforms and many other similar tasks.

Now, I have always had a full time job all my life and the only free time I have is the weekend (not every weekend I might add) which I really wanted to use to follow my passion for angling. Trouble is, if you don't attend the "Work Parties" there seems to be a few people get upset at those who don't turn up.....

I have found that generally speaking....the ones that turn up for these Work Parties are usually people who have a lot of spare time to do it for one reason or another....of course, I am sure that some who turn up also have full time jobs like me but I don't have EVERY weekend free to do this work. I must say I felt rather guilty about it all and even considered giving my membership up because of it. As it happened, due to unusual circumstances....I no longer am a member of this particular club...but I have joined another which is not quite so demanding of it's members.

Having said all that.....the 2 clubs I do remain a member of do have problems with pegs and access in some cases whereas the club I gave up and who demands your attendance with Work Parties DO have immaculate surroundings and access to pegs....So I see the results and understand the reason for Work Parties....but if you cannot get to the WP's it can be difficult and awkward.

Does anybody else who works full time and doesn't have a lot of free time feel pressured about this situation?...

Maverick

 

[Ray Roberts]

Work parties on my club waters are always on a Sunday and as I work almost every weekend it would cost me more than the cost of membership to take a weekend day off. The club is run like a benevolent dictatorship in as far as there are rules but most are to comply with the riparian owners stipulations. I excuse myself and offer to do litter picking, which I do every trip when its a bit quiet, they seem OK with this.

 

[sam vimes]

Any club, syndicate or other angling group will always have a hardcore of people that will turn up for work parties, the vast majority never do. Some will have perfectly understandable and acceptable reasons for not doing so, some won't. Any club that takes on members from hundreds of miles away from their home area, then expects them to turn up for meetings and work parties, is living in La La Land. That can be a little different when it comes to a syndicate. Clubs that expect much more than 5% of their membership to turn up to work parties or meetings are also inhabiting Fantasy Island. Without major incentives to do so, the vast majority will never bother.

I'm in two syndicates and somehow ended up on the committee of the only club I'm a member of. Though I generally turn up to every meeting or work party (no real hardship, wps are so infrequent), I've currently got plenty of time to do so. However, even when I was working, I generally made time where I could reasonably do so. Though I may rib those that don't contribute in any way, I don't give their non-contribution a second thought beyond it being a mick taking opportunity. Most non-contributors don't give it a second thought beyond knowing that they are leaving themselves exposed to a good ribbing. My favourites are those that unwisely turn up to fish on a work party day, they're great fun!:wh

Most people pay their money and expect a service (fishing). They don't expect to have to work for free on occasion. When it comes to small clubs or genuine syndicates, if everyone had that attitude, they'd often be in trouble, nothing would get done. However, there are certainly "syndicates" out there that are commercial operations making good money for someone, I wouldn't do a work party on such a water without a significant benefit or money crossing my palm. I won't sweat for someone else to make extra cash and wouldn't expect anyone else to.

 

[stu_the_blank]

That seems a very sensible arrangement for both sides Ray.

The Syndicate I run has a rule that to keep membership, you must attend at least two WP's a season unless you are an OAP!

Most members are more than happy to attend and many do more than the two required, they actually enjoy them and we retire to the local pub to talk fishing afterwards. It's one of the few times we all meet up.

We do have a few members who live a considerable way away, and we come to a similar arrangement with them as Ray has with his club.

I work full time, indeed I run my own company which is very time intrusive. However, if you want to find the time to do something, most usually can.

The alternative to work parties is to charge subscriptions which would pay to have the work done professionally. That would price most out of joining and no doubt the same people who moan about WP's would moan about the cost!

Stu

 

[law]

My club wont hold work parties anymore due to health and safety.
But when we did, you got a ten pound discount from the next years subs if you attended. The attendance was always big. But then it was quite a social too. Big bonfire to cook spuds in and a couple of tins in the evenings.

The other club I belong to dont do work parties either, infact, they do very little work on any of their waters. So the members take it on themselves to do it.

 

[denzinho]

This is interesting,

I pay a yearly fee to fish my local waters plus a day ticket fee to fish the lake and my club never ask for WP's.

I wouldn't feel guilty about not going if I have to pay for access, which possibly sounds crude and horrible but it would feel like I'm paying money to them for me to work on there land....mg:

However if it was free membership then I wouldn't grumble, It would probably be a good day out to be honest talking with like minded anglers.

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

Well someone had to pick up the litter

Someone had to build and repair pegs/platforms.

Someone had to lay paths and fill in potholes.

Someone has to keep the undergrowth in check.

Someone has to remove overgrown weed.

Someone has to bail the straw in the keep the blue green algae under control.

Someone has to repair the fences.

Someone has to stick the waters and remove dead fish.

Someone had to put up the signs.

Someone has to do loafs of other jobs that need doing.


It reminds of the story about THE LITTLE RED HEN.

 

[steve2012]

Godalming ask people who have just joined to carry out a work party and give you a series of dates. Once you've attended it takes £10 off next years permit

When I joined I had a cracking day ferrying stuff around the lake at Bramley where people were busy building a path, we also spent hours filling barrows with woodchip from a monster pile in the car park and a series of willing people kept us busy.

spent a few hours with Duncan Charmans brother too, nice guy, just chatting about fishing and filling barrows

Good day out, we often forget how much work goes into keeping our fisheries in good condition. I'm a member of 4 clubs and do a working party for each

 

[Bob Hornegold]

I belong to a number of clubs who insist you do work parties until reaching OAP age and this applies to all members, most work for a living ?
If you can't do the work parties there is a £10.00 extra charge on the yearly membership fee, this is explained to members at the interview for membership.
The clubs have some wonderful water that are kept in brilliant condition by the efforts of the work parties.
No one complains about the W.P. as it was part of the agreement to join !!

Bob

 

[law]

Also, don't forget that a lot of clubs only lease the lakes. So there is tight restrictions on what they can and can't do.

 

[Judas Priest]

Traditionally work party's were carried out during the Close season but since the abolition on stillwaters, and subsequently no Close season I can see that giving up one day a year can be a pain in the arris.

One day that's all most ask for. One day of work so as to benefit not only yourself but others. One day to meet other members. One day to put something back into your club. One day when everything isn't left to the few by the many. One day to ensure your waters are looked after. One day so you can fish in comfort.

I have a full time job, am married with two kids, look after elderly parents with dementure, run a syndicate, organise days fishing for kids, and still find at least one day a year ( mainly more) to organise and attend work party's and get togethers.

I don't belong to any clubs any more due in the main to the mentality of some members always wanting this that and the other, very quick to complain when things aren't perfect, yet expecting others to do the work just because they've paid their subs.

 

[terry m]

I belong to a number of clubs who insist you do work parties until reaching OAP age and this applies to all members, most work for a living ?
If you can't do the work parties there is a £10.00 extra charge on the yearly membership fee, this is explained to members at the interview for membership.
The clubs have some wonderful water that are kept in brilliant condition by the efforts of the work parties.
No one complains about the W.P. as it was part of the agreement to join !!

Bob

This seems like a decent approach.

If I applied to join a club, it was made clear that there was an expectation to participate in WP's and I did not fancy it, then I would not join - simple.

 

[maverick 7]

Some great replies there guys and I noticed many clubs that have been mentioned sem to do things differently from the next. Like deducting a tenner from the next years subs for example while another ADDS £10 extra if you don't attend...and so on and so forth.

However, I think Judas has a great point...but if my memory serves me well....I believe the club I was in had at least 3 WP's one season...I think they had a biggish project on some lake of theirs at the time...and I thought it was a bit much...for me anyway.

I do agree that members should chip in with some work to keep their club waters in pristine condition...after all it is as Judas says, for our benefit.

It was just that I only have a certain amount of weekends free to go fishing and if I am honest....I don't want to waste them working....On the other hand I don't really want to walk through piles of cow muck either every time I go fishing....but it seems that you can't have one without the other.

Sam.......if there was only ONE WP a season I don't think not going would have been a problem for me....but as I said 3 in one season and never making one single appearance made me feel as if I wasn't pulling my weight and because of that I would have expected some stick from the ones that had given up their time so I can fish in comfort....None of it sat right with me but not bad enough for me to give up my precious fishing time.

Very recently.....I have just reached my 65th birthday...so I don't suppose I have to worry about such things now....would that assumption be correct for most clubs that do WP's?

Maverick

 

[Tee-Cee]

It's my experience that reaching 65 is no excuse for not attending work parties - at least it's true of one club to which I belong ! They say you could make the effort, regardless of age, even if it's just to do a bit of light work with secateurs or filling bags with cuttings. Some members are 80 plus and still turn up to help ( or hinder, as is the case on some occasions! )
HOWEVER, I fully understand the OP and his time constraints. Working all week and weekends full on with kids and family it's hardly fair to expect Joe Bloggs to use precious fishing time to attend WP's. Yes, I agree that if you join a club, with strict rules on WP attendance, then you have made a commitment, so taking flack, jovially or otherwise is to be expected....

It is tough, and as every club deals with this matter in many different ways, I suggest folk need to read the small print when they join, or if they find the commitment too much once joined, then better to leave the club as the OP did...taking flack can be wearing and make the fishing uncomfortable at times ... ( Men can be real bitchy sometimes - worse than bl**dy women when they get going !!!!)

Personally, I think the additional charge of £10, or more on a syndicated water, if you cannot, or don't want to attend WP's, is reasonable IMHO, and I cannot see how anyone could make an argument not to pay up !

maverick7...........65 ?? Ye Gods man, you're still a young buck - the hard work of retirement is not too far away...Time for lots of WP's fast approaching. Enjoy !!!

Others will have an opinion on this ..................................!!


ps To those who make the point that ' it's only one day ' etc etc should have a chat to some wives who spend EVERY day looking after kids 365 days a year and ask them it it's ' fair' to let the husband trot off to clear swims instead of cutting the garden grass, or more importantly, take the kids swimming for a few hours, to give HER a break !!! Wear a crash helmet I suggest ..............................

 

[Judas Priest]

Tee Cee
If their Mrs objects to " one day" then how do they get away with going fishing ?

 

[russell_bush]

Traditionally work party's were carried out during the Close season but since the abolition on stillwaters, and subsequently no Close season I can see that giving up one day a year can be a pain in the arris.

One day that's all most ask for. One day of work so as to benefit not only yourself but others. One day to meet other members. One day to put something back into your club. One day when everything isn't left to the few by the many. One day to ensure your waters are looked after. One day so you can fish in comfort.

I have a full time job, am married with two kids, look after elderly parents with dementure, run a syndicate, organise days fishing for kids, and still find at least one day a year ( mainly more) to organise and attend work party's and get togethers.




I don't belong to any clubs any more due in the main to the mentality of some members always wanting this that and the other, very quick to complain when things aren't perfect, yet expecting others to do the work just because they've paid their subs.

Here, here Judas. Well said.

 

[maverick 7]

It's my experience that reaching 65 is no excuse for not attending work parties - at least it's true of one club to which I belong ! They say you could make the effort, regardless of age, even if it's just to do a bit of light work with secateurs or filling bags with cuttings. Some members are 80 plus and still turn up to help ( or hinder, as is the case on some occasions! )
HOWEVER, I fully understand the OP and his time constraints. Working all week and weekends full on with kids and family it's hardly fair to expect Joe Bloggs to use precious fishing time to attend WP's. Yes, I agree that if you join a club, with strict rules on WP attendance, then you have made a commitment, so taking flack, jovially or otherwise is to be expected....

It is tough, and as every club deals with this matter in many different ways, I suggest folk need to read the small print when they join, or if they find the commitment too much once joined, then better to leave the club as the OP did...taking flack can be wearing and make the fishing uncomfortable at times ... ( Men can be real bitchy sometimes - worse than bl**dy women when they get going !!!!)

Personally, I think the additional charge of £10, or more on a syndicated water, if you cannot, or don't want to attend WP's, is reasonable IMHO, and I cannot see how anyone could make an argument not to pay up !

maverick7...........65 ?? Ye Gods man, you're still a young buck - the hard work of retirement is not too far away...Time for lots of WP's fast approaching. Enjoy !!!

Others will have an opinion on this ..................................!!


ps To those who make the point that ' it's only one day ' etc etc should have a chat to some wives who spend EVERY day looking after kids 365 days a year and ask them it it's ' fair' to let the husband trot off to clear swims instead of cutting the garden grass, or more importantly, take the kids swimming for a few hours, to give HER a break !!! Wear a crash helmet I suggest ..............................

To be honest TeeCee.......I think I am in decent shape for my age, I still do a bit of football training most weeks and a day doing a Work Party would be no great effort for me....However, being a relative newcomer to club fishing...I am not that familiar with the practices of many clubs....only what was my own and with that one.... they certainly wanted more than one day per year for doing this work.

I am not going to give up any of the time I use for fishing to do this...maybe one day and that's it...but from what most of what you guys have said....your clubs only have one day a year doing this kind of stuff anyway so maybe the clubs are not all like the one I was in.

I think somebody said earlier to read the smallprint before agreeing to join the club but as I recall...the smallprint arrived AFTER I had joined this club in the shape of a Rules, Regulations and Directions to venues booklet...plus a couple of keys.

I used to think that you joined a club and that was that.....you just used their facilities to fish.....I suppose that was a little naive of me when I think about it but I bet a lot of club members thought the same when they first joined a club...

Maverick