Going Underground

C

Chris Bishop

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I write a fishing column for a newspaper among other things I do to earn a living.

I've had grief off people for naming waters here and there along the line.

In view of what's been going on in the Fens in recent months I no longer name waters or even write about pike fishing.

You daren't if you value your fishing.

Should we adopt a similar embargo on this site until things settle down..?

Enough people have confronted me with evidence of how their fishing - and more importantly, the pike - have suffered to make me think we regrettably need to go down this route.

I'm happy to take new people out, have done so over the years and a few have even caught fish.

Interested to hear what you lot think.
 
CAT

CAT

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Keeping locations quiet? I personally think we should Chris, if some one wants info they can allways privately e-mail for any location details at least then you know that respectable anglers with water craft and fish handling skills will be catching the Big Ones, just so they are still arround for years to come.
 
T

The Monk

Guest
those of us who have been around specialist angling for a while know what waters you name and those you simply don`t. The circuit waters are well known and advertised, no problem with naming these busy ticket waters. The other waters however, possibly club etc are usually treated with both caution and respect for those who are fishing these waters are normally disguised by psudos, you would not openly advertise these waters, this type of think was heavily frowned up on in the 60s and 70s but with the advent of mass media appears to have lost an ethical footing somewhere along the way.
 
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BAZ (Angel of the North)

Guest
I have advocated this for a good many years.
But some people say you are talking rubbish, until it happens to one of their waters, and then it's a different matter, but then it is too late, the damage has been done.

Last year I sugested a "County Only" Chart remember?
And look at the argueing that that caused, by people who were insisting on more information than just the County being given.
 
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Tom Herbert

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tut tut boy's keeping secrets, shouldnt be allowed, of course you should tell all and sundry what you are doing and where you are doing it.

Now where the bloody hell is the sarcastic icon?
 
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Bob Watson

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Chris, you may have seen a pic of a big Pike posted on PG, or maybe not, cos it's gone tits up.

I sent the pic and the story to the local rag with a load of disinformation about the venue etc, just to keep the glory hunters on the goose chase. It's worked!!
 
B

Barry Edney

Guest
Well, me personally will gladly tell any fisherman that asks, what I've caught, where I've caught it, how I've caught it.... etc, etc. In person, face to face. Why not help others have a good day?

On the other hand, I do see your point, Chris. I do understand how much pressure the pike in your area get. It must be difficult for you in your position as a journalist. After all....... you want bring the news to the public.

However, if I'm fishing my local club water and guy comes along and asks, I will tell him. I have always had this attitude, but recently, I was fishing a local water, a club water, and I was having a bad day. A 'regular' was fishing a few swims downstream and caught a few decent fish. This guy was SO intent in me and my fishing mate catching something. He was telling us everything about his rigs, bait, location, the lot. And I thank him for it. In my view, its anglers like this that make the club what it is. I still never caught anything after all his help! But, it was a good gesture by him, and I want more people like him on the banks!
 
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sash

Guest
As far as pike/eels are concerned I tell my closest fishing mates and that's it. I've seen 1st hand on a number of occasions the damage that venue naming can do.
 
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Mark Hodson

Guest
I never tell anyone where I fish unless a) I'm known to fish there already and its no secret, b) the water requires a lot of effort so the majority shy away as they are after only instant results, c) I have no qualms about the circus arriving as the venue is already "blown", and lastly I'll always tell someone where i've caught good fish and how if they offer me uncopious amounts cold hard cash (only joking on the last one).

We all put a lot of dedication and effort into our fishing, its always best to keep venues and results to yourself and your close friends to avoid the merry band of camouflaged muppets arriving and destroying all your hard work.
 
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sash

Guest
It's not just them either Mark. The hordes of pike eating immigrants, noddy anglers with their 6" long traces and illegal eel netters are never far behind.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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<U>Where do you draw the line?</U>

1. No fishing news whatsoever

2. Caught somewhere on this planet

3. Caught in Europe, USA.... X continent

4. Caught in the UK

5. Caught in the south/midlands/north

6. Do you say if it's a stillwater or a river?

if so........

7. Do you name the river?

8. Do you name the county where the stillwater is located?

and so on.

I suppose the answer is to consider if what you say/write in a report will give the game away.

But there will always be those who say/write absolutely nothing but continue to leech as much info as possible from other anglers.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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I do understand that there is more necessity for secrecy where pike are concerned.
 
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sash

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Personally I don't report fish Graham. I do occasionally read the weeklies and do take note of any good fish caught in my area or from waters that I already fish but I don't deliberately chase them.

I think it depends on the water you've caught a good fish from doesn't it? A double figure barbel from the Trent is not exactly new news so I wouldn't have any qualms about letting that be known but it'd be a different story if it were a 35lb pike from a Fenland drain.

Look at all the crap Rob Christen unfairly received after discreetly reporting his 39lb Fenland fish. And further look at how that venue (and others in the area) has suffered as a result of the highly glamourised follow up capture by a certain Mr. Williams.

35lb pike, Fenland drain. Photo not showing more than a typical drain bank behind it or even the back of a brolly. Nothing wrong with that surely?
 
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sash

Guest
And then there are the real muppets, fortunately few on this site, who will name waters either to appear knowledgeable or to ruin other's fishing. And it does happen a lot.
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

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"35lb pike, Fenland drain. Photo not showing more than a typical drain bank behind it or even the back of a brolly. Nothing wrong with that surely."

Nothing at all wrong with that Sash; I'm all for it. The only anglers who would benefit from it are those who already know where you're fishing. Most of the news items I've been involved with have been, for instance, 'bream from a Cheshire mere', 'barbel from the Dove', etc.

I'm not saying we should all actively seek publicity, but I have no truck with those who shun it and yet leech every word they can get from other anglers. Give nothing, take all.
 
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sash

Guest
Fully agree, but then there are various ways to give. Work parties on syndicate/club lakes, taking a neighbour's kid fishing, phoning a mate and arranging a day out to get him his 1st 20lb pike, letting a mate have all your beer because he forgot to bring his........that's for Baz the Angel incase he's still looking in ;o) etc etc. There are ways to give and not get noticed.

But admittedly, a lot of people don't give. It's why I can't stand the "where / how can I catch a 20" etc threads. No thought, no research, no idea. So many want instant success nowadays.
 
T

The Monk

Guest
knowing were to draw the line is the key to it of course as Graham rightly states. Let me give you an example, a friend invites you to fish a lake because he is having a good hit (as a former angling columist this sort of thing has happened to me on a few occassions), I would not do a write up on my friends venue while he is into the action for obvious reasons.

Example 2, I am driving around France and drop on a lake with some good carp present I fish the place and have a good hit. I would write about this and hope other experience the same pleasure as I did.

People do worry about these things though, a few years agao i was writing for carp World and turned up on a Northwest ticket water were I didnt know anyone, they knew me of course and clamped up, the tops went on all the bait tins, boilies vanished inside bivvies and no one would talk to me for the first month or so. About a year after fishing the place I did publish an article about it, but disguised the name. Anyone who knew the water would through a bit of research soon find its location, I don`t consider this secretive, just cautious and respectful journalism
 
CAT

CAT

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Sell the info to the highest bidder, lol
I know where you can catch the loch Ness Monster, fifty quid and i will tell you.
 
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Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)

Guest
It depends on the circumstances I believe.

If I caught a 9lb chub at Throop then I would have no hesitation in naming the venue.It's common knowledge that big chub can be caught there and its a circus venue in any event.

If I caught a 9lb chub from a Yorkshire River I would name the river but not the stretch.

Stillwater pike are a different propositon given their adverse reaction to angling pressure and I would not criticise anyone who did not divulge a venue.I think I would draw the line at misleading however.If you would go to that extent I would recommend not divulging the fact that the fish had been caught in the first place.You can't have your cake and eat it.

No publicity is always an option and I am sure a lot of big fish never get reported.I am with Graham though in that the angling media which we all enjoy in one form or another do rely on capture news.I also feel that the history of angling has always been based on stories of monsters and to loose that tradition would be a shame.

Now i'm just going off to get my 9lb Chub.
 
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