specialist groups

i`m thinking of joining the barbel society and catfish conservation group...both are species i`ve never fished for but hooked by accident and never landed...i know of waters available on day tickets close to me where i can target these species this year but if the truth be known,i know very little about the two fish and would like to know a hell of alot more...would joining the two relevent groups be of a real benefit to me???do you really learn alot from specialist groups in general???at the end of the day i`m worried i`m gonna pay good money and just end up being a number and not a name....
over to you gents.....

I put off joing the Barbel Society for ages. I wish I hadn't.

By joining I've been more active, going to meetings and the odd fish in. By putting faces to the names of people on the web I've found I've made many new friends and contacts I don't think I'd have made otherwise.

I've found that if I meet and get on with people they're much more ikely to share information.

Not only has that helped me with my fishing but I've enjoyed many of the social aspects too.

I'll be joining teh Tenchfishers this year too.

The CCG willing share the latest info amongst its members, not so the BS.
You'll get info, but it'll be a year or two out of date, once they've eaten the succulent meat, then you'll get the bones that are left.

I was a CCG member for a number of years, a really lovely bunch of lads and very helpful, I made a number of friends in the organisation, but like all things, you tend to move around the various groups and cant be a member of all of them, least not all at once. Ive also been a member of the Carp Society, Perchfishers, PAC and National Anguilla Club, all of whom I found a major contribution to my interests with very helpful and frendly members always willing to help.

The problem with being an all round angler is that you can't be a member of all of them.

Even though you would like to be.

thats were groups like NASA used to come in, SAA has taken over the political side of NASA of course but due to a lack of help, not the social which would of course promote that side of the all round angler.

To get the most out of joining any group you must be prepared to contribute to their magazine and go to meetings. Don't be afraid to speak up or write for lack of experience as long as you are not too pedantic. You will find that over time some well known members of the group will come to respect you and what you have to say and they will help you and become friends.

Nick,

There is a lot you can learn just from the magazines,bboks & websites as to the basics of barbel fishing but less so catfish.

It might be an idea to try & learn what you can for yourself & maybe even make a few mistakes along the way before considering joining a "specialist" group.Learn to walk before you run maybe?

I am sure the Barbellers on here would be glad to help out & even meet up for a days fishing with you to show you the ropes as I,m sure would members of the BS if you joined.

I supose my point is that you dont have to join a specialist group to target a new species.

I would say howver that Catfising might merit such an approach to learn rigs & handling techniquesetc which aren't much mentioned in the genral fishing media.

You are quite right of course Nigel, there is that much media coverage these days, people dont really need the group senario any more. I`ve always been a group man though and always had an interest in their development, providing they have been the open selection type group, i have no time for selective criteria and consider these types of groups create segregation and damage angling, fortunately not many of these types of organisations survive in specialist angling and thus those who consider themselves more equal than others now have to share with the rest of us. I`ve been a member of a local specialist group since 1973 and still act as chair for a group I founded in 1976 so I`m a firm believer of the commaderie associated with the group mentality and the promotion the groups have made to advance the sport, but as you say, these days the media is very good, in the 60s and 70s information was restricted, in fact I can even remember getting chastised for openly advertising for carp magazines, in order that I could increase my knowledge, thank god times have moved on.

Hi Nick,

Pleased to see you are thinking about joining the Barbel Society, you would be most welcome.
As Nigel and The Monk have said times have changed dramatically over the last five years and there is a wealth of information out there so the actual need to join an organisation to acquire knowledge is not quite so important.
However, and Matt has highlighted the fact, there is a lot more to it than that!

By joining thirteen hundred like minded souls I can guarantee your barbel fishing enjoyment will be greatly enhanced, our ranks consist of barbel anglers at the very top of their game and those who have just discovered the excitement this branch of the sport brings.

Join up, get along to a regional meeting, make yourself known.
The more you put in , the more you get out, it is as simple as that.

Hope to catch up with you one day.