February Coarse Fisherman

Mark Wintle · Jan 22, 2006

Graham reckons the tackle dealers are having a rough time of it with the poor, topsy turvy weather conditions making us disinclined to get out fishing, and therefore not spending money on tackle and bait. My own observation is that it has been quiet in the shops and on the banks. Conditions seem to oscillate between floods/rain and freezing cold. I've kept catching most weeks but many fishing mates aren't bothering, having struggled a few times.

What do you think?

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member) · Jan 22, 2006

I have been out a few times, but the days when I have been able to get out have co-incided with terrible weather.

These days angling to me is all about enjoyment, not an endurance test.

Not only that but my business has stepped up a pace and I must make myself more available. Will have hardly any time for holidays this year. Only for another year though.

BAZ (Angel of the North) · Jan 22, 2006

Only about two years ago I can remember being out fishing, and rolling about in the snow and ice laughing my socks off with a mate. The weather didn't matter.

I was out yesterday,(after forceing myself) because of the weather, but once there, it was an enjoyable afternoon. I am only just getting back into the rhythm of winter fishing and reliseing it can be well worth it if you make the effort.

I had a nice chub but missed two cracking bites just on dusk. I think it all depends on how you go about things. I must get some more roaming time in at this time of year.

Big Rik · Jan 22, 2006

I'm going out Monday, because it's my only free day. Given the choice, I probably wouldn't bother because of the weather, but if I don't get out, then it'll probably be 2 weeks before I get another chance.

My local tackle shop is still doing ok, but that's because they've built up a good client base by providing an excellent service in a saturated market, other shops I know of are struggling badly.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member) · Jan 22, 2006

That is so true Rik,

Tackle shops come and go like the wind in my area. My local shop is not doing too badly. I patronise it often. I would truly hate to see it dissappear.

Matt Brown · Jan 22, 2006

I think that because there are some good, internet based mail order shops out there ,they are taking market share from other shops. Those shops have been getting by in the past will suffer.

IMHO, too many tackle shops are run by hobbyists rather than business people.

Bryan Baron 2 · Jan 22, 2006

The biggest problem these days is the amount of tackle out there. Dozens of companys all making the same item. A customer wants say a rig item by company A and will not buy the one by company B.

I always use my local shop first. If they can't supply what i need due to not having a account with that company i then use the web.

I was talking the other day and they told me about there Drennan account. They have to order a minimum amounts worth of gear to get free postage. The problem being is they can not order rods and rig bits on the same order they have to do seperate orders for each. There from the same company. This means that they do not stock Drennan rods anymore as the market for the top end rods is not that great. Mainly commercial pole and tip anglers that use the shop.

Chris Bishop · Jan 22, 2006

Chatting to the secretary of a local club the other day, who remarked how few people were fishing their waters.

He reckoned the bad weather post-Christmas is now the close season for a lot of people, ie they have a couple of months off then get back out for the end of the river season before hitting the stillwaters.

I actually like in when there are less people out, fished a lake with just a mate for company today, much rather that than shoulder to shoulder.

Matt Brown · Jan 22, 2006

Bryan, most retail industries are run that way. If tackle dealers could order as little asthey want whenever they wish, everything would cost more and sales would suffer a worse fate. The saving made by economies of sale benefit us all.

Wolfman Woody · Jan 22, 2006

Our dealer says he can't sell a feeder rod now to save his life. Just a little 10' "Carp" feeder job for the commercials, that's all. At one time the banks of the Thames would have been full of feeder anglers this time of year with water well over the tops in places. The old lock cut used to be packed with anglers too, but you'd scratch to find one now.

FROM EA - We need three months of above average rainfall now not only to replenish our reservoirs, but to fill the hills (natural reservoirs) with water for the summer.

"above average" means only one thing, Old Rolf Harris will be upset again with flood water running through his studio.

Graham Whatmore · Jan 22, 2006

Quite true Woody, we seem to forget that water resources are very low and it will take rainfall of biblical proportions to bring them back up to normal. Come the summer I reckon theres going to be quite a shortage and maybe the water tankers will become a common sight round some areas.

The weather hasn't been on our side since October really and the rivers have had a good rest and that means tackle dealers suffer as well. Not only that but its the close season in another few weeks and that will spell more gloom for them as well as anglers.

Me, I've been out only once since the end of October and that was fruitless so I'm just hoping for a settled mild spell.

William Spencer · Jan 22, 2006

have we had a winter this season?i fished yesterday and recorded the temp at 12 degrees celsius.result was good.last saturday it was cold and miserable and i had my first red letter day of 2006.
i noticed today that it was still light at almost 5pm.

BAZ (Angel of the North) · Jan 22, 2006

We don't really have a closed season as such now though do we?
I already have plans in place for the stillwaters when the rivers close.

Ric Elwin · Jan 22, 2006

I think tackle shops often shoot themselves in the foot, they forget that the customer should be king.

My 2 local shops are both guilty.

One of them usually has a 'gathering' of staff and a couple of customers, drinking tea and exchanging match fishing banter. It appears that I'm an inconvinience to them...

The other, a large shop with a couple of branches in the north west, should do really well. It has all the gear on show, you can browse to your heart's content. That is, if you enjoy over-loud rap music which appears to be for the benefit of a couple of young members of staff. Call me a dinosour, whatever. I'm 44 and as such probably fairly young for a typical angler.

Mark Hodson · Jan 22, 2006

I know a lot of anglers that take a break from fishing in December and January, spend time with the family during the festive season, do the required DIY and keep her indoors happy while the weathers horrid and stillwaters are frozen solid, makes sense really.

Steve Spiller · Jan 22, 2006

Here's a thought.

Could it be that commercial lakes and anglers have a much larger impact than some might think.

The carp have gone off the boil in the colder months, so have the "commercial anglers" (cold weather, rain, comfort!)
Also the "die hard" anglers like me will be respecting the closed season, therefore the local tackle shop will take a big hit!

I might be tempted onto a large res' in search of tench, but that will be it.
They don't ring a bell when the pasties
are ready! But hey!

And yes, we need rain very badly darn Sarf'!

Peter Jacobs · Jan 23, 2006

My local tackle shop has moved from its' previously lovely location in Wilton to Witherington Farm Lakes, and whilst it is now a much larger shop, it is also now about 15 miles away.

Dave tells me that this winter has not been exactly what he had expected or hoped for, as this was his first winter season at the new location.

The matches at Witheringtton still account for most of his winter trade, but supplying bait to river anglers is still a large percentage of his business.

I have noticed on the river that there has been even fewer people than in previous years, but then I have only been walking the banks and not fishing myself.

Winter fishing on the Avon requires dedication as the fishing is usually both hard, and bloody cold ;-)

Matt Brown · Jan 23, 2006

This is Britain. We've always had unsettled weather. Some winters are worse than others and therefore sales will dip, but it's only because some shops are now on the borderline financially that they are affected so much.

Bully · Jan 23, 2006

Matk LoL - "Conditions seem to oscillate between floods/rain and freezing cold."

Its called a British winter !!

Mark Wintle · Jan 23, 2006

Stuart,

I agree it's a British winter but this one perversely tends to have perfect conditions on Thursdays. When you get oscillating conditions the brief floods wash in lots of road salt. I have suffered far tougher winters (and caught less!).

I think we're getting softer in braving tough conditions and are also expecting better catches. Reluctance to walk any distance to reach far swims on rivers doesn't help.

February Coarse Fisherman

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