We Must Go On The Offensive

[Michael Hall]

I support you 100% although i am only 15 I was on the net in a sporting chat room in which i set up my own chat room with the title fishing. I had been on the net for approxametly one hour cos i couldnt go fishing because of the weather that we had. But in came a guest in to my room and started abuse and so on at me and my other friends who fish saying that we were killers as we kill fish and beleive it or not moggots and worms and so on. But after about 5 minutes i eventually got the administrator of the chat site too kick him off the chat site. But it shows how vilent they are and so on but what upset me most was how he but fishing under a blood sport!! I went mad because I always carry treatments and so on for the fish on the local lake where i fish most weekends and holidays. Anyway I want to be ready for the next time we get an idiot on the chat site and shoot some points at him which indicate that fishing is not a blood sport so if anyone has any info which could help me then please send it to me @
fishing4fish40@hotmail.com
I will be very greatful for any info sent Thank you
Michael Hall

 

[Michael Hall]

I was on the net on day last week on a chat site in which i had my own chat room with the title 'Fishing' and some idiot from PETA came in and started shouting abuse at everyone that was in the room and called us all killers for using maggots and worms and so on and then said that we kill fish for no reason but i like many other fisherman am a coarse fisherman and treat any fish with ulsers and so on as i carry a set of treatment with me all of the time. But if anyone has any facts about how we can fight back when this happens again then please mail me. Thank you
Michael Hall (15)

 

[GrahamM]

A message of support from the States:

Enjoy your web, so I thought would add my personal remarks to the PETA issue from the States. PETA's mentality is just sufficient to make them
dangerous. Some of their big Hollywood supporters also stated they would be leaving the USA if Bush was elected - hell, they're still here! I think the reason they are targeting UK is that their spokesperson recently made a public remark that college students should drink beer not milk. That remark got them more publicity (negative kind) than they wanted. Which is the bigger problem, fishing or college binge drinking? I’ve always heard - give a fool enough rope and he'll hang himself.

So much for that it is 85 degrees here in North Carolina. I have a beach home on the coast, speckled sea trout are showing up inshore. I’m going canoeing as PETA recommends, also taking my fly rod, I use a stringer and if my luck is any good the fish will still be flopping when I get home with them---my family loves fresh fish!

FoJoLoy@aol.com

 

[Ron Clay]

I emailed my local MP : Denis MaCshane LAB Rotherham. Reply by return post as follows:

"Dear Ron,
I am strongly in favour of angling, A great sport.

I did lots when I was a kid and hope to re-introduce my 7 years old som to the pleasures of fishing,

In fact Kevin Barron (LAB MP for Rother Valley) and I were talking this morning about whay you could catch at Thrybergh Country Park.
Yours sincerely

Denis MacShane"

Obviously one who is for us

 

[Mike Burden]

Without a doubtm, the best form of defence is offence. I see so often in the angling press the reactions to the attacks by the antis on us. However, I hardly ever see reports in any publication attacking the actions of the antis. What we as a group need to do is to start an all out P/R war with them. We need to see pictures of these so called animal lovers attacking hounds. We need to show the public how these people mask thier faces and then attack disabled anglers on the bank. The fact is angling has a great image to sell, but before we can move forward and sell this image we need to make sure that the public is fully informed about the underhand antics of the antis.

 

[Paul Williams]

Mike,
I agree with you 100% on this, the problem is though we need ideas on how to get these images of the real antis into main stream media, we can go on all we like in the angling media but it is not reaching the people we need to convince and thats a great shame because i reckon most would be against the antics of the anti's.

 

[Guy Rushworth]

We need to be able to get in there somehow. Join Peta or Pisces or ALF (infamous for branding their victims like Cows)and find out about campaigns or get tape recordings etc. Needs to be a Roger Cook style assault really. Sounds far fetched and all, but how else are we going to expose them unless we wait like a bait. Then we can use them as the live bait!!!

 

[Stewart Bloor]

I reckon we send Paul Williams in...In fact he should be good at undercover work...he used to be in the army, or so he told me...but when I looked in the back of his van all I saw was a uniform, a tambourine and a hymn book...then it made sense...he meant the salvation Army...

 

[Paul Williams]

Nah,
The best way to throw them into total disaray would be you Sedge.....you are with out a shadow of doubt perfect....failing that we could send in debagger Knowles with Gay emblem swiftly taking up the rear!!!!!!
sorry fella's back to the serious stuff!

 

[Richard Drayson]

Considering the fact that the media can be a very useful tool. Wouldn`t it be great if we could enlist the help and support from someone like John Wilson. Love him or hate him, John is in an ideal position, with the "Go Fishing" series, to be able to counter some of the anti-angling propaganda put out by PETA. I feel that we could possibly gain a lot more public support if, for instance, John was to portray anglers as conservationists and guardians of our waterways. OK so I realise that John does sometimes touch on this subject but more emphasis could be given on this now that we seem to be under attack.

 

[Paul Williams]

Richard,
I hate to be a killjoy mate but i honestly believe that we need to get into mainstream media, schools etc, what we need is a way in to local and national newspapers and magazines so that we can push the virtues of angling and convince the general public to get behind us and see the likes of Peta and Alf for what they really are....terrorists!

 

[Steve Baker]

problem is that fishing is deemed as boring and un necssary (?) to non fisher folk. So how do we increase its appeal?

 

[Richard Drayson]

Paul, I can see your point although I would argue that TV is mainstream media. Using JW on the telly would be like having another string to our bow. I`m sure that most of the general public have heard more of JW than Bob Nudd (for example).
I`d really love to know what JW thinks about all of this.
Steve, It`s OK if the general public see fishing as boring and unnecessary. The important thing is that it should also be seen as a harmless countryside pursuit, enjoyed by millions.

 

[Guy Rushworth]

John Wilson and Go fishing, now if that series didn't spur on the young angler then nothing would. I watched the Educated Trout last night for the first time. Presented by Brian Clarke and John Goddard. These fellas have dedicated their career to conservational issues. Seeing them conduct experiments was amazing. They have found out about Trout-eye view windows and their breeding cycle, the insect life the fauna. They use barb-less hooks, they unhook the trout in the water then release immediately to reduce further stress. They CATCH THE UNCATCHABLE. WATCH THE FACTS PETA ALF AND PISCES!! Sorry. Right, basically John Wilson is a quality example of an ambassador to the un-educated as he has had a lot of media exposure wether or not the audience were anglers. CHRIS TARRANT and MARTIN PLATT (from Corrie St)how much more media attention do we need. Platt is on every night on the box. Tarrant is on the radio every day while his evening offerings provide certain lucky individuals with anything up to ?1million squid!!! I once knew David Bird, the then president of the angling assoc, where are people like that now? Do we have a President? a Leader? If you're gonna fish, whoever you are, you have to make waves, and not just with your Peacock Quill!!!!!

 

[GrahamM]

David Bird resigned as President of the NFA, but I can assure you he is as active as ever in angling politics.

 

[Paul Williams]

They may be on the radio and TV all the time but they aint talking fishing they are working!.....mind you when Chris had his "This is your life" he was indeed a great ambasador for the sport, it was a one off though and soon forgotten but wouldn't he make a great presenter for an angling programme?

 

[Richard Drayson]

Well then, what are we waiting for? Lets send some of the PETA stuff to Chris Tarrant(Capital Radio presenter). Explain to him what Graham`s website and forum etc is all about and perhaps he`ll be able to read out something on air to get back at the anti`s. I realise that Capital only broadcasts around the London area (I think), but there`s a lot of people who listen to him.
Over to you Graham.

 

[Paul Williams]

I think we need to remember that capital radio pay Chris's wages so we shouldn't expect him to be able do as we wish! i was simply pointing out that he is well liked my many and could put angling over well to the public if he had an angling show.....perhaps we should petition the TV companies to give him one, thats if he would want it!

 

[Guy Rushworth]

It was Anglia that did John Wilson's show I think! 5 live on a Sunday at about 6am has the Angler's weekly update type show, or they used to.
It all needs to be looked at in perspective really.
Who fishes?
Memebers of Parliament
The Royals inc the 101 year old Queen Mum
David Seaman
Roger Daltry
Tarrant
Most areas of the UK community are covered in this short list, us humbles, Royalty, stars, musicians and sports personalities. We need all their support. But how? and when? We could just talk about it forever or at least until foot and mouth subsides. There needs to be a starting point.
We know that we want the ramifications of outlawing Fishing clearly and constructively conveyed to the public but with the clout of media stars. There is a chap on channel 5 Wright or someone, he has a topic show midday week days, he is into fishing and he's on a debate show!!

 

[jim wilson]

I am just a normal guy who has been fishing for the past 40 odd years, and doing very well thank you. I usally fish alone, or at the most with one friend at a time, this is i belive typical of most anglers, and therefore our weakness in combating the anti fishing brigade. We MUST group together or we WILL lose the right to fish.The way the country is going its just a matter of time. We are the majority in this issue.
I e mailed my MP to ask him if he would vote for a ban on fishing, much to my suprise, he did reply , and said, he would not vote for a ban on fishing, but then he would say that!
Count me in on the blitz e mailing, its a start. As was proved with the petrol blockade, action works. We need to screw up the system, without up setting the general public.