Norfolk Broads

I have just read on the teletext that the Norfolk Broads Authority are to allow fishing from powered boats!

It stated that previously fishing was only allowed from rowing boats, but this break with tradition was subject to the condition that the boat must not exceed 3mph, and there was to be a limit of two rods or lines towed.

I would be interested to hear peoples views on this as I have personally witnessed people fishing from powered boats on the Broads (Oulton) but I thought nothing of it.

Perhaps the rule has been in place for some time and it is only now being publicised?

What exactly is mean by powered boats. Does this mean that anglers can now cast out from the back of a cruiser as it chugged along the river. I can see some potential dangerous situation occuring here
Windy

The by-law concerned prevented trolling - ie pike anglers towing a live/dead bait or lure behind a boat under power of any description, whether a petrol outboard or electric trolling motor.

Most people who do this do not do it under outboard power, simply because the broads are shallow and the disturbance of the engine scares the fish away.

They use electric trolling motors, which enable you to creep along slowly working baits along weed beds, rushes, drop-offs etc without scaring off the fish.

The Broads Authority, which controls navigation on the broads, has just repealed the by-law after representations from pike anglers. They now allow trolling under electric power, which was all the locals wanted in the first place.

You have always been allowed to fish from powered boats, provided you anchored or moored up first. The Teletext story illustrates the media's complete lack of understanding of angling.

The issue at stake was whether you could tow baits behind a moving boat, which previously you were only permitted to do on the oars.

Durrrrrrr, now, who do I know who trolls on Oulton Broad? The rule as is is non-sensical and at long last the Broads Authority is being reasonable and listening to anglers when they put forward a logical arguement for change. The guy trolling on Oulton Broad didn't have a beard and fish in a white boat did he? Or was he rather round, well, exceptionally round to be honest, fish from an aluminium boat and answer to the name of 'Trev'? That aside, to be truthful, I think the BA is trying to give in gracefully to a situation that it is unable to police.

The last guy I saw doing it came right up to our boat and had a hat that made him look a bit like Deputy Dawg from a distance, if that helps.

This was day when Andy Doughty and his mate eschewed engine power and opted to put out in a tiny rowing boat, which I'd find pretty scaryb with those great big yachts shooting up and down the middle of the broad.

On said day, a larger chap in an aluminium boat did indeed come up to us, several times, in fact. On one occasion, he pointed to a gap in the reeds and said there's a 20 in that creek, Peter's caught it several times. I managed to plop a spoon right in it and had a take first cast - all two pounds of it.

Roll on next time, especially now we're all "legal".

Hi Chris, you'll be welcome. Provided Trev & his extreme displacement doesn't turn low water into high then we should all catch!

The boats may well have got bigger but the bow still sticks out of the water - even if he's motoring around in 14ft of ally.

Sounds like we missed a good day the other Sunday.

We've been blanking away merrily up here and I'm starting to think about getting down the Broads more next season - like I have for the last three or four summers without really getting my finger out and making it happen.

I am sorry, it still not clear to me. Does this new rule referred only to electric motors or any motors.
Windy