Bob's latest Barbel piece

I don't doubt Bob's contacts or his sincerity for one moment but a national angling publication, in this day and age, printing 350lb of barbel gasping for air.

I can't see it myself - hopefully !

I hope so, too, but trust me on this, the pictures do exist.

On the other hand, if they're published it might just make the right people sit up and take notice for once and prove a force for good.

Nice one Bob, you know where they were caught, you know why they were up there fishing, you know which club they belong to, you know that they didnt have easy access until "Mr Angry" told them how to get it, though its against club rules.

And I know that a lot of these barbel died.

Sleep well, you damn fool.

Dont bother replying I aint time for ya.

I couldn't agree more, the angling media has a
responsibility to the nation. Time taken to revive the barbel properly must have been lacking, to say nothing of fin damage.
sadly some people only look at pictures, and think that this practice is okay.
Could there not be a follow up article a week later. (Bob) ?

If you don't want a reply, don't post insulting remarks on an open forum 'mate'.

Actually I didn't know where they were caught but I think we can now take it as read that it was your stretch at Hazelford then Tony?

Funny how you knew about it, knew for certain about the deaths I merely speculated on and then kept schtum.

These wpouldn't have been the first barbel they've caught, nor will they be the last but I guess you don't mind if the culprits behave that way on other stretches of the Trent then - so long as it's not in your back yard?

Talk about selfish! But I learned that earlier in the season, didn't I?

Breaking club rules? Funny, I thought in your manifesto cum defence last year that you declared you would be policing the stretch to prevent all the ills that existed before you saved the world.

Surely the real issue here isn't where they do it, it's how you prevent it happening in the first place. It's all well and good ignoring it but it clearly tells me that the answer in the long term isn't to go around syndicating the prime stretches as you've so clearly shown.

My view is you cannot change the past. Education rather than condemnation is the way forward and unlike some I refuse to stick my head in the sand.

Did any fish die then?, And if they did, how many is 'A Lot'?

"your stretch at Hazelford", No Bob it wasnt. It was off the top of the wall into the weir where no fishing is allowed, barbel dragged up in a drop net then placed in keepnets on Barnsleys bit, the photos were taken of the barbel laying on a few cut reeds on the gravel, but thats what you get when all and sundry are pointed at something.
Maybe I should start posting all over the net about the barbel potential of a small river you are a bit exited about at the moment, lets see what sort of fools turn up and ruin it. I have been fishing that particular stretch since I was 14 and would hate to see it spoilt fortunately.

As for education, you couldnt teach these blokes to use a knife and fork believe me.

Their actions have been reported to Barnsley who are taking a pretty dim view.

I will, if I wish, insult you Bob for unintentional as it may have been, you caused this and deserve an insult or two.

Thats all from me on the issue, lets all hope the mags dont publish these disgraceful pictures.

Tony - I accept that there may be some bad blood between you and Bob but can you explain your post to me and the other members who aren't too clear exactly what it is you refer to?

Bob - I take it this is intended for publication in next weeks AM?

The tins open.......
SPILL THE BEANS
Syndicate, club members only or day ticket?Will we have to actually the weeklies to get the full facts?
Someones hurting to raise awareness of an event thats already happened.......
Bet it wasn't on the tidal...
Share your secret.....

Bob,
Well done you must be really proud of yourself now.
I actually met the 2 guys and female companion concerned last Saturday evening,funnily enough I haven't seen them at all prior to your wonderful Mr.Angry article which stimulated their appearance.
After arriving at 9.00 pm one of them took great delight in informing me how many they had caught between 3.00 am and 9.00a.m the previous weekend fishing into the weir off the top of a 30ft wall and then stuffing them all into 4 keepnets before spreading them all out on a gravel bank in order to get their trophy picture for the press.
They were also for some strange reason quite proud as to how many they had snapped off on during the same session.
So this answers your question, some of those barbel were incarcerated for up up to 6 hours before their untimely death!!!!!
They even admitted that unfortunately the nets were soooooo full they had had to return 10 because they couldn't squeeze them in.
Apparently included in their "haul" and I use the term advisably was a 15lb+ barbel and an 8lb chub.
As soon as the lock master went home and darkness fell they both moved all their tackle and female companion from the bank onto the top off the wall.
I left them alone at 12.15 knowing that any attempt to ask them to observe the no night fishing rule would almost certainly result in violence.
I tell you something I am actually looking forward to seeing the photos published so that everyone can see what YOU and Graham have done,your sponsors Daiwa who disassociated themselves from your previous comments must be so pleased with you now.
I implore everbody to completely boycott Daiwa products until they have the good sense to dispense with your services altogether.

Up until this week I actually felt sorry for you and therefore didn't let my emotions cloud what essentially was pity for your present medical condition,now I feel nothing but absolute revulsion for you your DVSG cohorts who hail you as some "elite barbel god" and this website for publishing your sickening rants.
As a direct result of your need to get back at Tony these "anglers" have not only needlessly killed endless specimen barbel they will have brought our whole creed into disrepute.
You are one sick man.
What really,really annoys me, is that you and Graham Marsden haven't even got the backbone or the balls to put your hands up and admit that it was your fault and try to squirm out and say you didn't know where it happened.
I don't suppose my views will gain any support whatsoever on this site as for some strange reason you seem to have achieved some sort of god like status here and my view will once again be viewed as a very small minority irritation to your supporters.
I hope you and your "elite" group enjoy your new found "secret" location at Retford I look forward to joining you and ruining your enjoyment the way you have ruined mine.
Best wishes now completely absent.
Chris Pearson

Chris, please for the sake of open debate and as I asked Tony please don't disappear without at least talking to all the others on here who migh want to hear all sides of the story.

I read Bob's articles and for the life of me can't see how the behaviour of some crazy idiots can be blamed on him. I'm sorry but have I missed something or am I just an idiot myself for not seeing the point?

Nigel, it really doesnt matter, as Bob says, what has past has past. I shall just do my upmost to make sure it doesnt happen again.
The barbel were caught from a spot where BW have banned all fishing and have signs saying so.

Those who know, know, good people who have no interest in coming on the net to proclaim I know this and I know that for self glorification, folks who just want to go fishing, treat the barbel with respect. Many of which catch more than those with nothing but a big mouth and ego, and have been doing so for many years.

Chris, why dont you say exactly what you mean. (Big smiley face)

Chris, you were there?
And you walked away?

Nigel
The information you seek on this topic is contained in Mr Angry part 2 towards the end.
Now I?ll get tarred with the publishing brush. Oh dear!

Read it again - is Tony and Chris's ire due to Bob alerting these morons to the fact they can fish this stretch when they might not have done under the illusion of it being 'syndicated'?

One this one I can appreciate both sides, but finger pointing at who is to blame, doesn?t in my view take us forward one bit, Bob, Chris Tony. Unfortunately for Chris and Tony it happened on their length, but in my view, it was an inevitability that it would have happened somewhere on the Trent, with its growing popularity and relatively easy access through day tickets.

Let?s face it, with publicity (from wherever) comes popularity, comes bad anglers, bad practice and unfortunately dead fish.

Lets learn from it, as other sectors of angling have done, as well as society in general when a tragedy happens. And yes this is a tragedy for Chris, Tony et al, as well as for the fish and fish stocks present and future.

Chris, Tony reread Bob?s piece, there are some good points in it, and no I?m not one of Bob?s biggest fans, but I?ll give him credit where IMO its worthy of further discussion.
Build on it, add to it guys! You don?t have to like him, but work on what he?s given all of us, and out of this tragedy we just might get something good that gets better care for the fish and their welfare, even from the thickest of the thick!

Yep nigel you got it mate!

It would be good to see a prosecution from BW for poaching (attempting to take under the Theft Act)if it is the case that the people concerned were fishing illegally. What won't happen, though it ought to happen, is a life ban from fishing for those concerned from the EA (yes, they can do that). A life ban from Barnsley DAA as well won't come amiss. Angling doesn't need people like this.

Chris Pearson:

As far as Bob is concerned, and his DVSG ?cohorts?, they can no doubt answer for themselves. Me, I?ll just say this:

Get a life lad.

And Bob, a barbel god? He?s good, but he has a long way to go to attain the status of a deity.

Mass-fish trophy pictures....

Words fail me. Well, no, they don't actually - but in the interests of decorum I'll contain myself and say that the retention of large numbers of fish is stupid and irresponsible.

Why, indeed, retain fish at all? Why not return them immediately after capture.

And is it just me - am I the only one who sometimes finds a single fish difficult to control/restrain on an unhooking mat? Controlling more than one is impossible. And as for mass-fish pictures...

Leave it James, before you say something you'll regret.