FACE UP TO IT

You?ve got to give that man Des Taylor a big hand. And I don?t mean across his gob either.
Looking at this weeks article in the A.T. Des has got it spot on. Why indeed should we be bribing kids with cheap licences when they can afford a full priced licence? And why should oap?s get a concessionary licence just because they?ve been in the club for X amount of years. It?s a bluddie joke if you ask me.

When are certain people going to wake up to the fact that clubs simply can not afford to give concessionarys out?

I am not having a poke at pensioners but try asking at your local club, just how many pensioners there are as members, as opposed to middle aged members. I can tell you now that the figures are frightening. And they are going to get even worse. The ever increasing number of pensioners is a big problem for any government. And angling clubs are no different.

Back to the under 16?s.
They now expect to have a licence at half price. Why for goodness sake? Have you seen the equipment they are using? So why should their licence be cheaper than mine or anybody elses? You can forget about encouraging them into the sport, if they want to be part of it, then they must by all accounts pay the full price. For one thing if nothing else, it might just teach them to value it a little more.

Every adult angler is subsidising those who shout and scream for their rights at every AGM. WHAT FLAMING RIGHTS?
A cheap licence was never their God given right. It was something that was GIVEN in better times at a clubs discretion. The point is that we simply can not afford to do it anymore. No club can. Angling needs every penny that it can lay its hands on. And at this moment in time, like it or not, while there are parasites amongst us, we will be going nowhere.

Why do I say that there are no free licences? Simply because that somebody has to pay, and that somebody is you.
These are the hard facts. FACE THEM.

A small percentage of any extra revenue could then be donated to the single angling group to represent angling as a whole, When and if it gets formed.
This way, not only does your local club benefit, but so does angling in general. Let's not mention female anglers though eh? they are so bluddie different aren't they?

Quite Right Baz old boy

But what about the ladies, those lovely, lovely ladies -you can't expect them to pay the full price.

1. They only go fishing when the suns shining.

2. They're scared of worms and maggots and need to have them hooked for them.

3. They're scared of un hooking fish and men have to do it for them.

4. They can only go fishing when their men folk say so - the rest of the time they're at home doing the ironing or something.

Charge the young and the old full price but let the ladies, those lovely, lovely ladies have cheap rates, and after all they're never going to get full value for money with all that house work to do.

Tally Ho

Baz old chap

Whilst we're on the subject of full price fiddling coffin dodgers and hoodie wearing pimple faced youths - why do they get cheap rates on buses trains and trams?

The oldies can now work till they're 105 if they want but still expect free bus passes (and to be given a seat), cheap hair cuts and free prescriptions.

Time to stop the free flu gabs and let nature take its course I say!!

And they want half price hair cuts - just cos they're old not cos they're bald!!

Whilst the young'uns can commit whatever crime they like and be to young to be sent to the gallows. Hanging to good for 'em. Spell in the army is what they need!!!

Makes my blood boil all these free loading OAP and young louts layabouts.

Sounds like you've a recent bad AGM experience Baz!

I think I agree with you, although calling people who merely accept what they are given "parasites" is a bit OTT.

There are two issues: first do youngsters need a reduced price ticket to encourage them into the sport? It depends what the basic ticket price is to some degree but, in principle, probably no. Individual clubs need to assess their own situationbut perhaps joining fees could be waived or reduced for those under a certain age if that is seen as necessary. Perhaps also clubs could set up a bursary fund to pay for the tickets of those kids who genuinely are in need.

The second question is whether pensioners should benefit from reduced membership rates. Again it depends to some extent on the fees involved but in general I think the answer is "no" also - again some discretion could be given - perhaps when people retire with a reasonably lengthy period of club membership behind them they could have the option of buying a life membership (many folk get a lump sum payment from their pension funds on retiring) at a reasonable rate - that would give clubs an initial hike in fees but mean the pensioner does not have to worry for the future.

Has it crossed your mind what the financial result to a club would be if all the pensioners and juniors say "okay, fair enough but as far as I'm concerned you can stuff your club where the sun doesn't shine, I'll just use day ticket waters in future".

I'm lucky I can afford to do what I want and when I want but others aren't so fortunate and the end result would be no juniors, no future for angling. Pensioners adjust their financial priorities as necessary and most would just say "thanks but no thanks".

Funnily enough we have gone through this same process at my golf club.

The age profile of members is increasing. We are keen to encourage youngsters as they are the future of the game and the club. But retired people get a significant discount, just at a time when they are free to use the club much more.

We took the decision to phase out discounts for seniors over a few years, and with a few exceptions they took it surprisingly well. After all, they are likely to be the last generation with half decent pensions anyway(which we are effectively paying for...)..

What about disabled anglers Baz?? Do they deserve a concession??

I don`t know why Baz is haveing a go at O.A.P `s , after all he is one himself !

Graham.
Apply a few simple maths. A membership of around ?40 per year with a choice of numerous waters, against around ?5 per day Day ticket. It is quite easy to see which is the cheapest and most value for money isn't it? Or are all pensioners thick as well as stupid? If that is the case then they should be classed as Lemmings. Piscatorial Genocide is what they are commiting. They are running towards it at full tilt.
AND DRAGGING EVERY DECENT FULLY PAID UP ANGLER WITH THEM, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

So to me, any pensioner that takes the attitude that he will go to a day ticket water and stuff the club, we can well do without.
And indeed they are freeloaders and parasites.

REGISTERED disabled "might" be a different case Ian. All depending on their circumstances. But then again I don't get the choice of a new car every three years do I?

John.
Not a recent bad AGM by any means my friend. This is how things are, and for the good of the club concerned and angling as a whole it has got to stop.

Anybody but anybody who bangs on how they should be entitled to a free or cheap licence in todays angling climate has got to be amongst the most short sighted and selfish people that ever were.

It really does fill me with Horror at the thought of what would happen if they could be bothered to even turn up at an AGM in big enough numbers.

Mean test the tight buggers!

Tally Ho

I will remind you all again.
It is way beyond the time to put a stop to romancing the stone and FACE THE FACTS.

Juniors can afford a full licence fee, and so can pensioners and the disabled.

?40 a year membership , its outrageous ,no wonder the O.A.P.`s and the poor under sixteen`s need a reduction in fee`s !

Graham, Ian, and anyone else who is tempted to feel offended - don't bite!

No audience = no act.

I'm registered disabled, and I do get my license at a concessionary rate. However I do agree with Baz about some of what he's saying. I would willingly pay full price at a fishery, but if I did, I wouldn't be able to go so often. So I think the fisheries that offer reduced prices, win out in the end, as who else would go mid week? OAP's and disabled people keep a fair few places "afloat", by fishing them at a reduced rate in the mid week.

This is no act Graham and you know it.
Tell me what is the point in half the people pulling one way, and the other half sitting back and grabbing what they can?

It is me that should be offended. OFFENDED BY THE LEECHES THAT ARE SUCKING THE LIFE BLOOD FROM THIS SPORT.

It is totally pointless in me or anybody else pussy footing about with these matters. I TELL IT LIKE IT IS!

I agree with Baz.

?24 a year for a fishing licence is a paltry sum. I would happily pay ?100 a year knowing the money was going to improve our waters.

And next year in April, I qualify for a concessionary licence. Personally I will continue to pay the full amount.

Why not pay on a scale of how often you fish and have the club book stamped each visit- the more you fish the higher the annual fee. Let's face it if you can afford the bait to fish more often then you can afford to pay a greater yearly fee.

If you can afford to pay a greater yearly fee to fish then you can pay full fare on public transport and to get your hair cut!!!

Tally Ho

Do people seriously want me to mollycoddle them? Do you seriously want me to begin a post by saying -:

Dear angling friends, please forgive me for bringing this unsavioury request to your attention but blah, blah, BUL$HIT BLAAAAAHHHH!? I am sure you do, but you will not get it from the likes of this one. I will tell you in such a fashion that you will be left in no doubt whatsoever in what is expected of you, and what you MUST do for the future of angling.

PAY YOUR WAY LIKE THE REST OF US HAVE TO.

Its not about fairness, its about simple economics.

We are an ageing population. If current trends continue, then we will be looking at a situation where us poor blokes with a job are completely skint after subsidising the old guy's pensions at a rate that we will never be able to afford for ourselves.

To ask us then to subsidise their fishing too is taking the michael.

However I don't agree about kids not getting a cheap ticket. They are the future of the sport and without them none of us will be able to afford a ticket one day. Encouraging them with concessions is really just enlightened self interest.