The Don Valley Specialist Group

Is this the start of a new era in specialist groups? It's the first time in I don't know how long since a non-single species group has been formed.

Their ideals are admirable. I wish them good luck and tight lines!

One thing I spotted at the meeting last night, in addition to the enthusiasm was the very healthy mix of skills and experience.

We had a couple of successful ex-match anglers as well as fly fisherman through to expert roach and pike anglers. Also a combination of youth and enthusiasm tempered by age and experience.

Just the mix destined for success.

Thank you very much Graham.

It is probably fair to say that the idea for launching the group grew out of the lively discussions hosted on Fishing Magic.

Most of the group are already regular contributors in one way or another and appear to share similar values and ideals when it comes to fishing.

Most of our fishing will be done in the barren lands of Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire but we'll be hitching up the covered waggon to face new challenges at distant destinations more or less on a monthly basis.

We hope to try the Wye, the Fens, stillwaters in the Midlands and so on as time goes by and I'm pretty certain we can rely on the members of FM to come to our aid with venue suggestions, ticket details, perhaps even a bit of coaching in the local ways, and so on. Perhaps they'll even join us for a session. Of course any help provided will be reciprocated should they happen to be up our way.

Though the group membership has been established by invitation only I would like to stress that we are not behaving in an elite manner. We're just a bunch of guys who have similar values, fish similar waters and by way of the chain reaction either know of each other or have already fished together in pairs, trios and so on. The group is simply an extension of this and to have a group of 20 or 30 members simply wouldn't work.

What I would suggest to anyone who is interested in what we have set out to do is to form your own group. We'll happily share with you the emails we've sent in the setting up stage, inaugural meeting agenda, etc. Rather than see other groups as some kind of competition we'd much prefer to support you and encourage you to follow suit.

Here's to a new season and who knows, maybe a new era for the angler who prefers to sample the many delights angling has to offer.

To variety and cameraderie, gentlemen!

Bob Roberts

Very well put Bob.

Our first expedition will not be to Makins for a bit of barbel fishing though!

well done and good luck to everyone involved, not many new localised group get formed these days, the last on I heard of was one I helped form in 1992, The Bolton Specialist Angling Group, a very succesful group who celebrated their first ten year anniversary in 2002. I wish the group every success and longevity.

Nor Hayfields for pastie carp on the Floating Pole....... )

Another Presidency Ron, how manys that now mate?

I'll give it until lunchtime.


Ooops, nearly there. )



"Group membership will be by invitation only." very elitist. Still, I wish you well.

Good Luck to you, and I hope you get back to what fishing is really all about.. which is having a good time whilst sharing ideas and captures

Well mate there's the Basuptithisweti Blind Catfish Study Group, The Northern Gauteng Bass Bashers, The Eastern Freestate Fluff Flingers, The Zululand Tigerfish Appreciation Society, The Groot Constantia Frothblowers and Wine Imbibers Club and the Southern Transvaal Fly Dressers Guild.

And that's not all........ )

Die Noordwes Kaapse Grootbek Swartbars Klub en Die Oudsemannitjes Weilklappers Vereeniging.

Seriously I wish Eric Hodson was well enough to be involved in this revival.

yes Ron, a great shame, I still have tresured memories of our last French trip together

And my memories of hauling out big pike with Eric from Hornsea a few years ago.

It only seems like yesturday.

Can I just point out that Ron was so enthralled by the aura of creativity last night that he mentioned Africa but once and the only utterance of the word Walker was when I admonished him for his faux pas over the dark continent...

On a serious note, the process of merely sitting down with a bunch of like-minded souls last night and making plans for the new season has fired me up so much that I simply can't wait to go fishing. And I'm pretty certain that the other members feel exactly the same way.

And that's what this is all about - passion for angling. There's not even a hint of elitism in our group.

From past experience I can tell you that such groups have to be kept small.

If you want to join a group, form your own.

When I was 19 years of age I desperately wanted to join a specimen group. There was none in my area so I formed one myself.

The Northern Specimen Group.

For a few years it became one of the most successful groups of all time. Then it got too big.

No more than 10 or 12 should be the guideline. Such groups can ONLY be formed on an invitation basis. Other groups such as the Northhants, Coventry, Cambridge Pike Anglers, Herts and Chiltern, The Carp Catchers Club, The London Specimen Hunter's Club etc etc were all formed on an invitation only basis.

Such groups are totally unlike the Barbel Society or The Carp Society or even The Chub Study Group which are nationally based association.

The concept of group like the DVSG goes back to the small hunting bands that existed thousands of years ago.

It's a totally different ethos.

And it certainly is not elitist or exclusive.

Ron, when you were 19 fish hooks were still made of bone :-0)

I do wonder though, will the ideals of the 50's and 60's run to split cane rods (proper rods that is) or maybe even a few matt black painted glass fibres around?

Seriously, good luck with your new group with tight lines and much fun for the new season.

I'm looking forward to even more fun and more fishing than last year.

If anyone out there is unsure about whether or not they should do this - give it a go.

I've learned loads from Bob R, Ron, Mike T and others and you will too.

Ron, when you were 19 fish hooks were still made of bone :-0)


Sure Peter didnt bone hooks come in many years later?? Ron still uses a spear