It's getting harder.

[Derek Gibson]

Finding the quiet places that is. The situation is not helped by my physical disabilities becoming worse over the last few years. And since my type of fishing is reliant on mobility most of the usual quiet places are now out of my reach due to the distances involved. ''Access points'' are becoming a feature of much of my fishing. Sure I get down in the dumps, but still I go, I must.

Anyone else in a similar boat?

 

[tigger]

Finding the quiet places that is. The situation is not helped by my physical disabilities becoming worse over the last few years. And since my type of fishing is reliant on mobility most of the usual quiet places are now out of my reach due to the distances involved. ''Access points'' are becoming a feature of much of my fishing. Sure I get down in the dumps, but still I go, I must.

Anyone else in a similar boat?

Thankfully walking distances along the bank etc arn't a problem for me ....fingers crossed it stays that way.
Even so contrarey to some other peoples findings the banks seem to be occupied with anglers whenever I go and finding a good spot vacant, even one that requires quite a treck to reach is getting more and more difficult. It seems whenever I find a new spot I inevitably get spotted and usually as i'm playing in a fish and thereafter it's odds on everytime I head there it will be occupied.
How people can say there's less anglers on the bank and that angling needs more anglers beats me, they should be gratefull to have the luxury of nice vacant banks!

 

[barbelboi]

Since I moved to the sticks last year I rarely see another angler on miles of river, back waters and streams that surround me - also farm and woodland ponds. Fortunately my legs appear to be good for a few more 'yomps' yet as I do tend to rove a lot.....

 

[flightliner]

Finding the quiet places that is. The situation is not helped by my physical disabilities becoming worse over the last few years. And since my type of fishing is reliant on mobility most of the usual quiet places are now out of my reach due to the distances involved. ''Access points'' are becoming a feature of much of my fishing. Sure I get down in the dumps, but still I go, I must.

Anyone else in a similar boat?

A pound to a penny doc Beeching has a lot to answer for Derek ! .

 

[sam vimes]

Anyone else in a similar boat?

Absolutely loads, just take a look midweek during school term on the banks of your local commercial. The older, less mobile anglers make up a fair proportion of the punters.

With regards to rivers, it doesn't seem to matter much. The only places that seem to get fished with any regularity are those close to access points or those that can be driven. Age and infirmity don't appear to be as big a factor as you might imagine.

I'm fortunate to have little problem in finding a bit of solitude. Most of the local rivers are devoid of anglers and any stillwater, where a walk of much more than 100 yards is involved, is also likely to be empty.

 

[thecrow]

Rivers have become difficult to get to swims that I used to fish even using my mobility scooter which I used to do, must have looked a right sight trundling over the fields with my tackle, had to stop that as SWMBO was getting fed up of the sheep $h!! on the wheels Only river trips I get now are down to the help I get from a friend from here.

I have recently rejoined a local still water but the carpark swims are about it on there and I have struggled on there even though I know that if I could get a couple of hundred yards further there will be roach there, they have always been there.

Visited local commercials to try find one that would be quiet, I thought I had until last Saturday when my solitude was interrupted by someone with a bunch of children with them and a couple who for some reason decided to fish opposite sides of the pool and communicate by shouting to each other, I left and decided not to return on a week end my own fault really.

There is one other fishery that I have visited and that always seems quiet with very few anglers I will be trying that tomorrow I suppose its a case of changing the type of water you fish and being prepared to search one out that will suit as far as fishing and peace and quiet go.

 

[dann]

In the autumn and winter I fish the local canal for a number of reasons and rarely see another angler. Would that be an option for you?

Its obviously much flatter, less mud and several access points.

 

[S-Kippy]

Yes...its becoming more & more of an issue. I just cant carry all my gear miles anymore so if I cant get a trolley along the bank I'm stuffed. This is why I'm taking Clarky to the Wye so he can Sherpa my gear

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Anyone else in a similar boat?

Yes a large extent then, yes, I am as well.

I cannot walk much more than 75 yards without my kit, let alone with it, so my river trips are severely impaired these days.

I am fortunate though to have some truly good fishing friends who are always happy to help "share the load" without whom I would be seriously stuffered . . . .

I do have a Powawalka Trolley but that is really only good for relatively flat ground but I am always concerned about the possibility of the battery going flat while I am a long way from the car.

 

[S-Kippy]

What we need is "Park & Ride" facilities at all our favourite waters.

Curiously,at one of my favourites [Bury Hill] the carp boys can drive their panzers round to the syndicate lake but us poor maggot anglers have to hump our gear about half a mile on foot. I don't really see why I shouldn't be able to drive down to the lake [where I can] drop me gear & then take the car back. Walking to the lakes isn't the issue....its walking to the lakes carrying 50lb of gear.....which by hometime has increased to 100lb and the car park has moved a further half mile away.

Its like every time I have occasion to go to or through Birmingham. I swear its migrating North by 10 miles a year.

 

[Derek Gibson]

Yes a large extent then, yes, I am as well.

I cannot walk much more than 75 yards without my kit, let alone with it, so my river trips are severely impaired these days.

I am fortunate though to have some truly good fishing friends who are always happy to help "share the load" without whom I would be seriously stuffered . . . .

I do have a Powawalka Trolley but that is really only good for relatively flat ground but I am always concerned about the possibility of the battery going flat while I am a long way from the car.

Yes, it's a soul destroying sight to arrive at any access point only to gaze into the distance of any river or drain lamenting the fact ''if only''.

The need to go fishing is in my DNA, I can neither ignore or accept it, but know I must. Do as Dan says in an earlier post, compromise by visiting a particular canal, that has blessed me with a number of fine fish. But still the call of running water is one I seem unable to resist, I must be of low moral fibre.

 

[steve2]

Not yet I am pleased to say.
All my fishing at the moment is done from a canal / river towpath. Easy walking with only a spinning rod and part from at the bridges never see another angler.
The average age of the anglers I see must be around 70 and judging by the amount of tackle they have with them they couldn’t move far even if they wanted to.
All can say is that anyone struggling under the weight of what they take with them is, do you need to take it all.

 

[thecrow]

All can say is that anyone struggling under the weight of what they take with them is, do you need to take it all.

Don't have a lot of tackle left to take now and what I do take are essentials....... small korum tackle bag, quiver with landing net pole 2 rods 2 bank sticks and a brolly that often gets left in the car, chair that holds my landing net and small bait bucket, I cant think what I could leave at home from that lot.

 

[rayner]

No I don't use everything I take, it would be possible to fish with a stick and bent pin as I did as a boy.
More of a concern for me that overrides mobility issues that are not good is the number of anglers, there are far too many.
Thank god juniors are not coming into fishing as there were 50yrs ago.

 

[thecrow]

Thank god juniors are not coming into fishing as there were 50yrs ago

What a selfish attitude to have, thank goodness its not a view held by any anglers that I know.

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Derek

As we are roughly the same age, I can appreciate where you are coming from, but I think you just have to change your approach to fishing.

I can no long fight my way into those wonderful but hard to reach Chub swims on overgrown stretches of the Upper Ouse, River Ivel or Upper Lea.

But I can get to most swim near to the Car Park on the Lea or Stort Navigation, and I can get to the Tench swims on lots of the LV Park waters.

And of course I have access to some fishing within a few Clubs I belong too, it about compromise and taking the opportunities that are not quite how things use to be, but better than nothing.

Bob

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

Thank god juniors are not coming into fishing as there were 50yrs ago.

I have no doubts why with an attitude like yours

 

[Bob Hornegold]

I have no doubts why with an attitude like yours

 

[rayner]

No need for you to be confused Bob Horngold the post you quoted was aimed at myself not you.
The line notfishing quoted was a line I stuck in for a reaction, the exact reaction it got.
Some idiots are easier hooked than a Gudgeon.

I also forgot the crow, ups in the top lip.
It's fun on here.

 

[Cliff Hatton]

Rayner: I see the humour in your comment but it kind of back-fired, eh? Let's not have a feud over a slightly daft remark, folks.