Why do so few anglers fish our rivers?!

[thecrow]

I suppose the next question is should we care,

No we shouldn't, either anglers have never fished them, or have and no longer do, they will have their own reasons why.

 

[thecrow]

They're qualitatively different to, say, commercials: unique environments, far more than just fishing venues, which can't be created with a digger and a bit of investment. Anglers, in my experience, are better informed than most about the health and changing fortunes of their local rivers, and anglers and the associations they belong to and fund, are amongst the very few who are likely to challenge or try to hold to account those who pollute or otherwise damage them.

Having read that bit maybe it does

 

[no-one in particular]

I've tried in vain to discover the numbers of anglers in England (excluding sea and game for now) and the only figure I can find is in the region of 2,9 million and that from a NRA survey dated 1995. Admittedly, I didn't look too hard as I'm almost sure someone on here will have figures that are more accurate?

I only ask having read some of the above post which state, like mine, that rarely do they see anglers on the bank in significant numbers., regardless of time of year (my assumption).

If this be the case, then of the 2,9m souls, how many might be out (say) in high summer when the new season begins? Even of you halved that figure I would find it hard to believe that number might be found on the banks - am I right or wrong?

My other question; Is angling on he increase, steady or in decline (say) based on the last 10 years or so?

Just interested..........................

I always take the licence sales which last time I looked it was just over a million I think - Its been dropping for some time I believe so general interest has been dropping. Sea angling no one knows, no licence to count but my guess would be half a million or so. Lots of casual sea anglers, holiday makers, just go when the mackerel are in type of thing, boat anglers tend to only have a few trips a year so its a less dedicated thing. I only fish these days a few times in the summer. It might be more or less cant be sure, just a guess.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

It was maybe ten years ago I asked the lock keeper where it ends near the Thames if it was free and he said it was so I fished it a few times up-to the big bridge (caught nought)

Ten years ago it would have been the Wey Navigation Federation who gave it up and we took it over. That last section includes the river Wey as well, but definitely not free. I'm afraid the lockkeeper was wrong.
But as one poster said, it was free if the old boy on the bike didn't catch you. By those rules most fisheries in England are free unless the bailiff catches you.

"I remember a few years ago you told me your club had taken it over (the bit from the bridge down to the Thames),"
We have from the Thames lock upstream to Walsham lock (Navigation only apart from that last section), about 5 miles almost. Then from Papercourt lock to Worlsford Gates at Send.

 

[bullet]

I love the rivers I fish, I'm still half young and fit, and love the challenge of trying to catch something decent in tricky conditions.
I can fully understand why people dont bother with them, though.
Undergrowth, mud, cows, ****, barbed wire, electric fencing , not to mention fluctuating levels, are just a few of the issues.
Each to their own, for me personally, a 16 inch wild brown, a Chub anywhere near 4lb, or a Grayling of 14 inch or over from a river is worth a whole seasons worth of effort, and way more than anything from a stocked stillwater.

 

[O.C.F.Disorder]

No one has tried to dictate where anyone should fish, I personally am just intrigued in the reasons why people fish the venues they fish.

 

[no-one in particular]

No one has tried to dictate where anyone should fish, I personally am just intrigued in the reasons why people fish the venues they fish.

Because anglers are very narrow minded, how I fish is the right way, every other way is somehow inferior, my god is the true god; especially the commercial sector, sneered at mostly, In any other sport you said we are going to open up more places, make them easy come easy go for a reasonable fee, open to all, provide good facilities etc etc, it would be yes great, open welcoming arms, but anglers are on another planet.
I have just written a post with half a dozen ideas about how rivers could be made more enticing, maybe tempt more anglers onto them especially youngsters; just initiatives of the top of my head but I deleted it because all it will be is you cant do this you cant do that, this rule that rule, you cant have that, you cant fish here or you shouldn't have fished there! that's impossible, that's all it ever is; its always retrograde and negative, so I thought whats the point.
Angling is losing, river angling has to some degree or other, its killing itself from within. Most sports grow, watch any over the last 50 years and see how they have changed, more initiatives, better facilities, wider availability, better rules, money invested, less snobbery. Look at women's cricket for example, snooker or the last world cup, see how they have become better organized and more popular year by year, thinking and money has gone into how can we make this better, make it more attractive, open it up to more people, get rid of the class and snobbery etc etc. And then think about fishing over the last 50 years, has it got better or worse!

 

[108831]

Agreed Mark,but the commercial minded human has done for itself on river angling,the land owner/farmer found an added source of income from his river bank so every year upped the anti,increasing rents,then when our waters declined anglers stay away,putting clubs under pressure,why pay increasing rental,for no members using the facility,so many clubs were forced to give up their stretches and the greedy farmer refused to reduce his rent demand,preferring to have no anglers,nobody is really interested in caring for our rivers,only anglers,the rest just pretend to be.

 

[ian g]

I love the rivers I fish, I'm still half young and fit, and love the challenge of trying to catch something decent in tricky conditions.
I can fully understand why people dont bother with them, though.
Undergrowth, mud, cows, ****, barbed wire, electric fencing , not to mention fluctuating levels, are just a few of the issues.
Each to their own, for me personally, a 16 inch wild brown, a Chub anywhere near 4lb, or a Grayling of 14 inch or over from a river is worth a whole seasons worth of effort, and way more than anything from a stocked stillwater.

Glad to hear it , I don't see many young anglers on my local stretches of the Severn .

 

[Peter Jacobs]

The reasons for the decline in river fishing are many and varied.

If you go back, let's say, 50 years to the mid 60's then thechoices for a fishing location were; the river or a club (or council owned)pond or lake, with the very occasional private estate lake if you were lucky enough to have an "in" to fish it.

In those days the fishing on the rivers was, by comparison to today, much better and had not begun to really suffer the full effects ofpredation and all the other ills that we see on the rivers today
.
In those days the alternatives to fishing were rather non-existentand there were over 4 million anglers and matches would regularly attract many dozens of not hundreds of anglers.

Life was lived at a much slower pace and there was nointernet or online games etc.

Fast forward to today with relatively low stock levels onthe majority of our rivers, over abstraction and predation, the fast pace of modern living and then add in all the other obstacles to the average angler togo fishing . . . . . and it is easily seen how and why the “commercial” fishery has become so popular at the expense of the rivers

Compared to the rivers, the commercial lake or pool is; easily secured against most predation, is stocked at levels that more or less ensurethat you will catch, something, and offer “good fishing” in a relativelycomfortable environment. Safe car parking is usually available together with an onsite tackle or bait shop and even a café for an early brekkie or afterfishing burger . . . .

Add to that no long walks compared to the river and more orless “instant” results and the attraction is obvious.

Also, another consideration is that it seems that the angling fraternity is ageing and many just don’t want, or cannot manage the physicalside of river fishing these days.

However, in my area, if you make a trip to many places onthe River Stour or the Hampshire Avon then you will find, in the well-knownspots that there are always anglers lining those banks whereas other rivers, inthe same locale, will be virtually deserted.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal choices;what you want to try to catch, how mobile you can be, how long do you have to devote to your fishing, how comfortable you want, or need, to be while doing itand a myriad of other reasons to boot.

The choice is always . . . . Yours . . . .

 

[Another Dave]

I occasionally see an old boy down the river but nearly all the other anglers i see are kids and teenagers, so i think river fishing still has a few years left in it.

 

[ian g]

we do get the kids in the summer holidays around Shrewsbury but not for the rest of the year .

 

[silvers]

I keep reading "the rivers aren't as good as they were".
I would contend that they are different, some are better and some worse - in fact one of the joys is that they are dynamic environments that are constantly changing.
I went fishing last week with Tony Eaves, who was one of the very best match anglers of the 80s and early 90s on the Warwickshire Avon. He commented that it was lovely to see the river fishing better than he could ever remember! Everywhere apart from Evesham that is!

 

[tomino2112]

On the positive side I have to say that I was on a river June 16th 5:00 am and it was quite difficult to look for a spot to fish, that is how packed it was. Granted, maybe it was just because of first day after closed season, but I have never seen so many anglers around the river.

I will cherish this memory because for a moment I felt great, I felt like a part of a community with purpose and shared interest. That is very rare treat in these days overall - not just fishing. For once I had very pleasant day without interruptions or any other silliness. That is comparing to other sessions during rest of the year when fishing feels isolated and almost like I would be doing something wrong.

 

[rich66]

Well today I fished a river, took my son for the morning he’s on holiday from work. Started off lure fishing in the canal basin, decided to stick a float on the lure rods as I’d took maggots, hooks to nylon etc. Caught a few dace and the odd perch.
Moved further upstream and fished the Soar at a small weir.
We had more fish in that hour than we had in the previous 3, we must have had 30 or so fish ranging from gudgeon to roach @ 1/2lb.
Gave me some food for thought about rivers, will definitely revisit.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[no-one in particular]

Agreed Mark,but the commercial minded human has done for itself on river angling,the land owner/farmer found an added source of income from his river bank so every year upped the anti,increasing rents,then when our waters declined anglers stay away,putting clubs under pressure,why pay increasing rental,for no members using the facility,so many clubs were forced to give up their stretches and the greedy farmer refused to reduce his rent demand,preferring to have no anglers,nobody is really interested in caring for our rivers,only anglers,the rest just pretend to be.

And who made the farmers greedy? I cant go there -hallowed ground.

 

[no-one in particular]

However, in my area, if you make a trip to many places onthe River Stour or the Hampshire Avon then you will find, in the well-knownspots that there are always anglers lining those banks whereas other rivers, inthe same locale, will be virtually deserted. [/FONT]

One thing I liked about the Avon was I could drive down there anytime and get a day ticket pretty much for about 10 miles of it, most of it I think; drop in a hotel, pub, shop, pay what was on a par with a commercial say roughly; get a little ticket with a map on it and I was good for the day. Probably one of the most accessible rivers for anyone I know of. Is that why its so busy and other rivers not? Cant do that anywhere near me, 5 rivers maybe, 60 miles of empty fishing or something like that.

 

[108831]

And who made the farmers greedy? I cant go there -hallowed ground.

Greedy is probably the wrong choice of word Mark,open to any money making opportunity they have not backed of on their demands,even though their asset is nowhere near the quality it was,surely a grand rent when they were getting two say is better than nothing,,which is what many get now,especially on the Thames above oxford....

 

[Tee-Cee]

As with markg, I too can remember how accessible some parts of the Hants Avon were/are. From day tickets to fish the Royalty to stretches around Ringwood and Ibsley and even further up, you could always organise some fishing for our group who travelled down from outer London.
Even the sometimes grumpy (or was it all the time?) Colonel Crow back in the 60's would offer help to visiting anglers. Trouble was he was so loud and walked at a speed we couldn't keep up with, loaded down with gear, as we were...

Happy days................

 

[no-one in particular]

Greedy is probably the wrong choice of word Mark,open to any money making opportunity they have not backed of on their demands,even though their asset is nowhere near the quality it was,surely a grand rent when they were getting two say is better than nothing,,which is what many get now,especially on the Thames above oxford....

I went rebel underground years ago; dug a fox hole, they don't get beggar all from me.