The upcoming recession

[EC]

Withunemployment potentially becoming very high inthe next few yearsdo you think there might be an upturn in angling club membership? During the last recession a club I was a member of had a membership of around 14K. I think last year it was about 7K.

Angling is still a relatively cheap hobby/sport/pastime, will the recession pull lapsed anglers back into the fold?

 

[Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)]

No, the oposite will happen. My local tackle shop has already seen a big down turn in customers. Some due to the wet summer and now more so with the credit crunch. I can see a few clubs loosing members. Down side, will it put up membership for remaining members?

 

[Baz (Angel of the North)]

Dificult, but personally I think any angler with any sense will make sure his/her membership doesn't lapse. Although I think more anglers will stay closer to home. As I'm sure it will be a case of haveing to.

 

[JIMMY---PAAS]

I agree with you,rs comments there Baz;

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

I think and hope that some clubs may come to an understanding with some members, if they are having trouble with membership fee's, the two I am a member of do.

As Baz has said many will stay close to home, the price of petrol not helping, still to high a price.

It may be that a few clubs will have to shut up shop if things get any worse, and I am sorry to say that they will.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

It is not looking too good for some tackle shops. I was in my local last weekeend picking up a few things I had ordered; a cupping kit and a spare match top 3 for my pole, and Dave told me that I had spent more in one my trip than he had taken in the previous 4 days!

Not a good sign.

As for my local clubs I think they will be in for a tough 12 months or so, less money around, and annual river rents still rising.

In November I had 2 invitations to join new syndicates who are hoping to pick up a club water or two.

Paying the mortgage, buying food and keeping a couple of cars on the road are still more important to most people than maintaining club
memberships.

By the way, the word 'mortgage' comes from the old French, meaning 'a death grip'!

Descriptive, or what?

 

[pete scarth]

As said by wobbly face tackle shops are struggling,my local shop reckons he only survives because he owns the building and has no rent to pay.In the past most winter fishing was done on the river,but with the wet winters we now get your lucky to get on acouple of times a month,then the close season comes and the levels are perfect.Which must also effect turnover for them because we used to take at least 3 pints of maggots and 2 of caster per trip.He also reckons hardly any kids come in any more,I run a small club and we give free membership to all members wives and children to try to get kids invovled in our great sport,we even give prizes at matches for all junior members,but its like flogging a dead horse,there are just to many other distractions these days,funnily enough though of the kids that do turn up most are girls.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)]

My local tackle dealer told me that in 5 years time, there will be no local tackle shops. Tackle would be purchased on line and baits such as maggots and casters would have virtually dissappeared.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Hmmm a hard one to call regarding club membership. I would imagine clubs that charge a hundred pounds plus would suffer more than the likes of BAA whose ticket is only thirty pounds and the first to drop out would be the non regular anglers or the anglers that buy a ticket for a particular venue.

Tackle shops are no different to the High St., their takings go up and down with the economy so in a recession it is inevitable that some will go to the wall, but it is a hard business to be in anyway and I think their only answer is to combine their angling dept. with some other retail enterprise.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Look on the bright side...

More syndicates.

 

[GrahamM]

I think what most anglers will do is look for the best value for money with clubs that have good local waters rather than the big clubs that have many of the best waters a good few miles away. Travelling costs are now a big factor in the reckoning.

I think there will be a downturn in membership of the big clubs, with local clubs that offer good value reaping the benefit.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

We'll have less of that Mr Roberts if you please, this is the season of stirring the Xmas pud not argumentative anglers. /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

 

[Phil Lambert]

I think we may well see a slight increase in membership of local clubs at the expense of the commercial venues. Travel costs plus day ticket fees may well impact heavily on these venues during the belt tightening times ahead.A demonstrable way to reduce overallcosts would be to stay (relatively) local and avoid the £8 - £10 day tickets in favour of a one off joining fee that lasts all season.

Clubs can take a lead on this by offering a full 12 month membership on enrollment rather than having a set annual membership expiry date in the same way the EA licence expires. I think local needs will result in local solutions.

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

You will struggle round here to get into a local club, most have a waiting list and those that don't, haven't got much in the way of water's.

The commercials may well be ok during this period, they will not get so many Anglers going so often, but the Anglers who cant buy a club ticket may well balance the books by going to the commercials for a days fishing.

 

[Gav Barbus]

I have many a good club water on my card which I have still not visited,due to petrol prices and I bet I am not on my own .I share costs and even that can be hard to find sometimes so lone fishermen it must hit hard.The shrewd club now would be buying or leasing waters close to its base core of members, rather than having luxuries of weekend jaunts on top rivers that most can't get too.Even though I do like a trip to somewere like that myself,Basically I agree with Graham after re reading his post again.As has been said also any club worth its salt would sort something out with members if they were struggling and were a bit late,mine does but have known others not too.

 

[stephen webb]

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Graham Marsden wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

I think what most anglers will do is look for the best value for money with clubs that have good local waters rather than the big clubs that have many of the best waters a good few miles away. Travelling costs are now a big factor in the reckoning.

I think there will be a downturn in membership of the big clubs, with local clubs that offer good value reaping the benefit. </blockquote>I have to agree here. Sadly I have had to let my Ringwood membership lapse, and look for more local waters to fish! Hopefully though next year I will be able to afford to renew it again!

 

[Nick Lynch]

I thought everyone would be a member of there local waters. Why would you support a commercial venue thats miles away and not your local waters, begs belief. You should join local clubs, then if you have the money join a larger commercial club. If everyone used there local tackle shops and fished the local waters more, this problem would be solved.

I grew up fishing my local lake (Athersley Memorial) and my local river (Dearne), I will always fish these and support them. Remember don't forget your grass routes, and those earlymemories.

 

[stephen webb]

Nick wo said they ere not a member of their local club also? But being disabled, sadly my local club doesn't have many accessible waters /forum/smilies/sad_smiley.gif

 

[Baz (Angel of the North)]

<blockquote class=quoteheader>stephen webb wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote><blockquote class=quoteheader>Graham Marsden wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

<u>I think what most anglers will do is look for the best value for money with clubs that have good local waters rather than the big clubs that have many of the best waters a good few miles away</u>. Travelling costs are now a big factor in the reckoning.

I think there will be a downturn in membership of the big clubs, with local clubs that offer good value reaping the benefit. </blockquote>I have to agree here. Sadly I have had to let my Ringwood membership lapse, and look for more local waters to fish! Hopefully though next year I will be able to afford to renew it again!</blockquote>

Sorry lads I don't agree with this one.

A local club that buys or leases a water miles from its own town are not only buying /leasing for the locals in the club area. They are buying /leaisng in far off areas for the locals in the same far off areas. And anybody else who wants to make the trip. Plus, local waters are like golddust.

 

[Nick Lynch]

<blockquote class=quoteheader>stephen webb wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>Nick wo said they ere not a member of their local club also? But being disabled, sadly my local club doesn't have many accessible waters /forum/smilies/sad_smiley.gif</blockquote>
Sorry Stephen, calm down. I didn't mean anything by it, i'm just putting my point across as to saving local tackle shops and local waters. I'm saying if every keen angler joined and fished there local waters we'd easly get threw the recession, as fishing is a cheap option of getting away from all the current affairs and financial pressure.