What YOU Can Do For Angling

Is Barrie Rickards right? Is this what we can do for angling? And is it enough to keep the wolves (anti's) at bay?

the problem with anit's are they are do gooders with nothing better to do.remember do gooder's wanting baa baa black sheep banning because it was racist?nobody found it racist.anti's,you may find are also,but not always vegetarians,meat is murder they say.where did their new leather shoes come from?one of our biggest problems with angling is the younger generation.i have two children and will not buy them a bicycle for fear of the arses who use our estate like brands hatch.likewise there are so many sickos about can you trust a child in a rural setting on his own?where is the coverage on tv or in newspapers for angling?yes we have our weekly and monthly publications but so does every other sport.you take cricket for example.five or six hours of garbage every day in the summer on bbc2.after every ball is bowled you have a slow motion action replay.slow motion someone should hit fast forward.yorkshire score 386,nottingham score 194 it pisses down with rain and they call it a draw.imagine fishing with Bob Nudd he bags up with a ton of carp you catch a handfull of roach a draw?then there is snooker.insomniacs here is the cure.we need more press coverage,realistic tv coverage et al.now don't get mme wrong John Wilson has done a fantastic job for almost two decades but you get 'Matt "my shit don't smell"Hayes'as well.who blasts about the plight of tuna cod and sailfish etc etc then gloats later in his column how priviledged he is to go and catch them.this is the sort of stuff the anti's are looking for.come on Matt if you want to show how it's done get done Gunthorpe on the Trent or get down Butterley res and sort the bream out.come to the real world where us general slapnuts fish.one voice cannot be heard but together thousands of us talking as one can make the difference

Here here.

Ive writen enougth on this mater,check out some of the othe links.
At present im involved with our local community forum.They have a conservation group whos meets i attend.
Im in the proces of forming another group that will tackle the sole needs of our local river cray in north kent.Also to promote angling and the rivers wild life habitat.

I think any intelligent angler can piece togther jusy how good some of the angling stars really are. Most are pretty awful but they get to the positions thay hold by being able to pose well.

It's the same in business as well.

I have had the opportunity of being able to watch a couple of these "stars" at work and quite frankly their angling skills are abysmal. One famous name who caims to be an all round angler is the worst fly caster I have ever seen.

Our Graham would make most of them look like idiots.

I have to laugh at the so called 'Wallis casting' antics of certain stars. They may be casting but it certainly isn't Wallis style, ask Alan Roe.

But back to the main subject. William mentions his concerns - highly valid and I do agree - about unsavoury, so called human beings who prey on kids. I'm not a big fan of commercial fisheries but these places are safer than a tucked away lake or overgrown canal. But, please don't lump all vegetarians in with the anti brigade. I know a few vege's who are committed anglers - proving that they 'know' that fish are not discomforted by being caught. My oldest daughter is vege and she will shout down any anti-angler. She doesn't fish herself but is aware of the good we, as anglers, do for the countryside. She is always on my side in standing up for mine, and every one else's right to fish.

Kevan

We have a full monty vegan (no, meat, no animal products whatsoever, and no alcohol) mate who went carp fishing in France with us last year, and he's as keen, if not keener, on fishing, as the rest of us. Nice bloke as well, who just laughed when he had the mick taken out of him unmercifully by the rest of us meat devouring, beer slurping louts (except me and Sedge that is), so Kevan is right, don't judge all vege's as being anti-angling.

please do not misinterpret my article that all anti's are vegetarians.my point is that the anti's claim that fish feel pain et al.to make their point more valid a lot of them claim meat is murder and that any sport,hobby or pastime involving any sort of animal is cruel.i have no arguments whatsoever with vegetarians.my partner does not eat meat yet will prepare a meal for me after work with meat in it.the bottom line is that anti's as we know will try to use and manipulate every trick they can to ban not just our sport but the majority of all rural and field sports.

I think our problem (anglers) is that we all have different interests. We have groups for just about every major coarse fish ,match angling, several sea species, sea match angling and then there is the game angling fraternity. Some species have more than one voice. All these groups fight their own minor battles. At the end of the day these small battles are in everyones interest.For example water quality on the Kennet , there is a group for that , but it is of benefit to Barbel chub , match and pleasure anglers without them even being aware a battle is being fought on their behalf.This is reproduced the length and breadth of the UK.We need one voice. We need the representatives of every group there is under one roof on one day and for a few decisions to be made.A rep from each lobbying group and then one spokesman/woman.It should have a media liason person who can articulate anglings aims objectives and reasons to exist.This spokesman should promote angling and not just counter PETA once a year.We do not need a big name. They may be big names to us but will mean nothing to the man or woman on the Clapham Omnibus. This person would be paid a decent wage , they would become a name and face that the public would know. All our issues affect every angler not just a select few.The pilloging of the sea has brought Cormorants inland. The purification to Perrier standards of the Thames affects my Barbel fishing and is the ruination of the Thames match scene.And so it goes on. One voice can cover all our problems.
I must go and photograph the pig that just flew over.

Mr. Rickards.
I cannot find fault with a single opinion expressed (not that I looked for one), however, there are a lot of (sports,past-times) that are coming under pressure from people who are members of associations such as PETA and PISCES who indirectly effect the angling fraternity. As pleasure anglers, the majority of people think you are slightly eccentric. As specimen anglers they think you are plain nuts, but also you are viewed as harmless. There is no answer to these people who threaten our pastime, they will not listen. The best the angler can do is consolidate with as many people as possible, and this means parting with money to join the relevent organisations who are trying to protect our interests. Dare I now mention, Shooting-Hunting. I Firmly believe (All for one And One for all)
Do not underestimate these nutters, if you do, your kids kids will not have the freedom of choice which we now enjoy (Do I want to angle) Years ago I sais YES, It's been the best waste of time i've ever found.

Angling, it would appear is trying to get it's act together. The SAA seem to have got off to a good start, lets hope It continues and gets better. (Yes I am a member)

I can hardly believe some of the dismissive comments that have followed Barrie Rickards article. I won't pursue the rather strange view that Barry Rickards is some kind of angling Worzel Gummidge, save to say he is amongst other things, the president of the Lure Anglers Society, a much respected member of the angling community and one of the finest lure anglers and angling authors that this country has produced.

Lets concentrate on the real issue.
First PETA are not some bunch of 'do- gooders with nothing else to do' They are a highly motivated political group with a multi-million pound budget and a legal team to match. The 'do-gooders' are a minority of new world hangers-on, whose agenda will change next week if something more interesting comes along. But take it from me the hardcore are in for the long term and are well supported financially by the likes of the McCartney family and any number of aging popstars and actors who think their involvement might freshen up their image. Make no mistake they will be back and when they do they will be nibbling away at the edges of angling, bigger and wiser than the last time and in reply UK anglers as a society will be it's usual disorganised, 'couldn't give a toss', 'not my problem', 'what can I do' rabble and that's the reason why PETA came here in the first place. Fishermen in the USA are far more organised, far more aware of each other and far more together, whether it be fly,lure, salt, game or whatever they are far more active in supporting the continuing existence of their sport. Kids are encouraged at a very early age. There's a tag line that a lot of people use on their websites, ads and forum messages-it says 'take a kid or an old person fishing' and they do.
When the EA started down the road of banning live and dead bait in the Lake District, PAC put together pre-printed forms protesting at these draconian measures and all it's members had to do was sign and return them to the EA. The response was pathetic and yet those that didn't bother to respond will be the first to start whining on the predator forums if things turn sour and the ban is upheld. By then it will be too late and the EA will turn their attention to similar restrictive bye-laws somewhere else and then somewhere else. The Countryside Alliance should have a larger representation from a broader spectrum of the angling community,it doesn't. Game anglers are out in force, no doubt due to the great job Charlie Jardine did, but where are the maggot drowners, the boilie brigade, the match circuit, the sea anglers- gone fishing.
If anyone believes this is not their problem, that there's nothing to worry about, then you're in for a rude awaking, and soon, the Lake District baitfishing issue is only the tip of a very large iceberg. You could at least start by reading Barrie's message again and making better sense of it, oh and stop buying Paul MacCartney CDs. But then who does.

Most of us, in truth, are apathetic about our sport, we just want to go fishing.I can sit here by a keyboard and come up with a reasoned response to just about anything but I would not feel capable of doing the same thing on the spur of the moment representing anglers at a meeting.I expect the large majority of anglers would feel the same way.This is why I suppose it is always left to the few to do all the dirty work, but then do they do it because it needs doing or is it because they like to be involved ? I suspect it is the latter.(I don't suggest there is anything wrong with enjoying the involvement, I just feel that is the way of it).
One organisation that Barrie didn't mention by name was English Nature, I believe these people will in the future be far more of a problem to anglers than the E.A.. They really do seem to be a law unto themselves.

Sorry but I'm going to upset some people here. Once again, we, as anglers, are being pushed to join the Countryside Alliance. That's fine if you agree with them, I don't. I will not ever say a word directly against them I would rather not say anything. All I can say here is that I just don't agree for my own reasons. We need our own pressure group just as organised as the CA and not knocking them or falling out with them but not, in my opinion, affiliated to them.

We, as anglers do all have one simple thing in common regardless of whether you fly fish, sea fish whether you fish matches exclusively or just do the odd spot of gudgeon bashing with the kids. We enjoy catching fish. That is our 'glue'.

Kevan

These same arguments have been going round for years within angling,im guilty of it too.But those people who are in a position to do something constructive for our sport because of their position in an organisation, or their fame dont seem to have done much to bring awareness to the novice or non angler.If they do somthing then it seems to be kept within the angling world.
I did write some letters along these lines to AM and CF some 3 yrs ago,there have been several others who have writen too,as do you all do.But are those at the top taking notice,are the media?
I may be an all round angler for many yrs but am still learning new things all the time. Im a proficent angler,but by no means a expert,much the same as most of us.Does that then mean that our angling abilities,points of view or contributions are unworthy.
We all know the positive side angling has and the negative,we all talk about them but dont get the recognition outside the angling world except for the very few.Even then their views and achievments are pushed aside or not given the time of day compared to other activities and organisations.
Even when angling is put across to the public via the media, its in a tongue in cheek humour or we are portreyed as ecentric.

So is some one or body doing anything on a national scale and not just within the angling environment.
I think thats enough of my ranting for now.
Oh on a lighter note,why is men can go to the pub,say 3 times a week,play golf about twice a week or football or both.Spend days or nights in glued to the tv watching sport all the time.
Then when I mention im going fishing for a few hrs,twice a month if im lucky these days,Its,oh no not again,your always out fishing,your never in.
Sound familair?

Ashe. Have you tried taking your partner with you? My wife accompanies me on the few times I do manage to wet a line. she hates fishing - she doesn't think it's cruel no, she's not in that camp just thinks it's boring. Anyway, she brings a book or some needlework - as many long stay anglers take a book - and it works out fine. Of course we are somewhat hobbled in as much as it has to be commercial venues - proper toilets, no squatting behind bushes for her.

Kevan

Hmm,
I've being thinking about this, Barrie is quite right in saying that changes to angling will be by groups to which we as anglers are under-represented. Angling representation on Local Biodiversity Action Groups is inevitably small to non-existent and they are usually run by various wildlife trusts (local or national groups), the EA and EN. Because if feel we have generally excluded ourselves from these forums by in the main being disinterested changes that effect us as anglers often catch us on the back foot, the live bait/dead bait issue in the Lake District being IMO one such occasion.

So what can we do, yes there is a need for representation at a national level in the hope that we can change or better still educate those in power that anglers are a responsible conservation minded group in total and not a bunch of blood thirsty hooligans as some group would like us portrayed.

It’s at a local level that we are IMO selling our selves short. We need to be a lot more proactive than reactive in local representation and its how we achieve this level of proactive-ness that we need to address. Access and regulation in the future will be more decided on a local level than national with the Biodiversity Action Plans and the onset of Catchment Management Plans so we need to organise ourselves so we have representation on both groups.

A perfect vehicle IMO is for anglers to form specific catchment angling groups which are non-specie lead but have the inherent well-being of the river catchment as the lead aim without reverting to interspecies group rivalry, which of course we all know doesn’t exist, and respond to any BAP or CMP as they arise and being able to talk with the full mandate of the angling interests will automatically gain inclusion to these aforementioned groups.
Ok so that’s one way.

To finish with, here’s another thought, there are 3 million anglers out there, that is one hell of a lobby power. I wonder what would be the effect of say 1 million anglers joining a national group, the RSPB for instance (I’m a member), I’m sure with that voting power we could effect some interesting changes or realignment national policy- think about it.

I like Barrie and many others see a future for angling but its up to us NOW to do something before it’s too late, remember it’s easier to change something before it happens than after.

Duncan

Well said Duncan and far more eloquently than I managed to do.

Duncan. I agree with what you say about joining groups such as the RSPB. You are not the only angler in this particular organisation. I know of one other in the fairly small circle of anglers I personally know so there must be others. But, be very careful about bringing pressure from within. I don't mean not to do so as I'm all for it. Just take a look at what happened in the RSPCA only 12 to 18 months ago. A number of members there tried to influence the body of the RSPCA with regard to hunting. In effect trying to make the RSPCA pro hunting. It didn't work and they ended up shooting themselves in the foot - no pun intended. All I say is do it carefully.

Kevan

...didn't the same thing happen with certain commitee members of The National Trust as well? With regard to hunting on their land.

Kevan

My wife and fishing.

She was a regular angler till her early twenties. Often she would join myself and her dad on the bank.
She also entered a few matches,got a couple of trophies too,unlike me,nowt.
She is a weekley reader of AM and CF and has a keen interest in FM.
She fully supports angling and can get very wound up by negetive comments.
I do try to get her to come out,as our local as full facilities and a bar,although she would probley invite her girl friends to join her at the bar.
Shes caught when those around her have blanked,that includes me again.
Shes also caught a bigger roach than me.
She is very glam,hair ,make up, clothes,but isnt afraid to rough it and get her hands dirty,so long as she dosnt break a nail.

Back to angling and conservation.
The aim of the group im setting up is not just to be a angling club,it will cover all aspects of our local river.
It will involve local residents who are regulary about to pick litter and remove debri on a daily basis,organise larger work parties and work along side the local conservation groups and council/EA.
I also intend to provide conservation/wild life and fish education whilst promoting angling.Also angling tuition along with environmentle education.
There are huge amounts of focus on the parks and nice places within our area,but the ares of the river that dont run through the landscaped parks are neglected and used as a dumping ground,example 18 dumped/burnt cars in a 1/4 mile stretch,along with construction and household waste,even though we have a council refuse centre opposite the river and a landfill site.
This debri may be removed once a year by the council,and a local consevation group may spend two afternoons a year removing some debris,but it tends to get left along the bank,only to be chucked back in.

So do i have a valid reason to form such a group,some local organisations say it isnt needed.

Duncan, your idea of a group representing a catchment area is fine but the organisation for this almost certainly already exists in the form of the Angling Clubs in that area,perhaps we should be doing more at this level to promote ourselves.
I left the RSPB because of their stance against lead shot.