Should we be like Germans?

peter crabtree · Feb 16, 2012

All this talk of damaging fish, overgunned tackle. skulldragging, etc
Should we have to sit a fishing exam before we are granted a license to fish?

904_cannon · Feb 16, 2012

...and then promptly knock your next 50lb-er on the head - to save it suffering over-due stress

lik the Germans.

terry m · Feb 16, 2012

Not so much an exam, but some clubs/waters insist on predator anglers attending a training session on safe handling and unhooking of pike.

Not a bad idea IMO.

Merv Harrison · Feb 16, 2012

I've thought this would be a good idea for many years, at the 'very' worst, they would know how to treat, handle, unhook etc: with minimum damage.

And hopefully it would keep the absolute idiot/nuisance/pisshead/giving angling a bad name morons away from decent caring people.

jimmybobkin · Feb 16, 2012

The idea of annexing Poland sounds quite appealing at this time

sam vimes · Feb 16, 2012

jimmybobkin said:
The idea of annexing Poland sounds quite appealing at this time

Too late, the Poles have already annexed Lincolnshire.

peter crabtree said:
All this talk of damaging fish, overgunned tackle. skulldragging, etc
Should we have to sit a fishing exam before we are granted a license to fish?

It's not the worst idea in the world. However, I'm not convinced by the whole overgunned/skulldragging stuff.
While it is plausible to fish too heavy and bully fish too much, much of the negative comment seems to come from those that are making assumptions based on their own prejudices. Heavy TC rods and braid lines often lead to such accusations. However, the use of either doesn't automatically mean that the user is either overgunned or skulldragging.

S-Kippy · Feb 16, 2012

Merv Harrison said:
I've thought this would be a good idea for many years, at the 'very' worst, they would know how to treat, handle, unhook etc: with minimum damage.

And hopefully it would keep the absolute idiot/nuisance/pisshead/giving angling a bad name morons away from decent caring people.

Well anything that does that gets my vote.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Feb 16, 2012

some basic understanding of handling fish should be known

Paul Boote · Feb 16, 2012

jimmybobkin said:
The idea of annexing Poland sounds quite appealing at this time

Hmm ... y.e.s.s.s.s.. probably the wrong site on which to mention the conspicuous charms of some, possibly pike- and carp-eating, Polish ladies...

steph mckenzie · Feb 17, 2012

Who would foot the bill to police this idea if it was to come to fruition ?

I do feel that more clubs and volunteers doing something along these lines is a good idea though.
Wouldn't bother me clonking a 50 lber over the bonce if those were the rules, might bother the fishery owners who paid for the fish though. Now if Joe Public paid to have the waters stocked then Bish Bash Bosh we'll just buy another one

Ray Roberts · Feb 17, 2012

With fewer people coming into angling, do we really want to make it less accessible?

Jeff Woodhouse · Feb 17, 2012

steph mckenzie said:
Who would foot the bill to police this idea if it was to come to fruition ? I do feel that more clubs and volunteers doing something along these lines is a good idea though.

Ray Roberts said:
With fewer people coming into angling, do we really want to make it less accessible?

Merv Harrison said:
And hopefully it would keep the absolute idiot/nuisance/pisshead/giving angling a bad name morons away from decent caring people.

Excellent points - all!

Do it at club level, no legislation please, far too cumbersome and enough red tape already.

sam vimes · Feb 17, 2012

Jeff Woodhouse said:
Do it at club level, no legislation please, far too cumbersome and enough red tape already.

The snag there is that a host of people aren't members of clubs. I'd also suspect that amongst their number are the biggest proportion of people that would benefit most from some instruction.

Jeff Woodhouse · Feb 17, 2012

You're very likely right, Sam, but then what else do you do? Maybe the commercials could arrange something.

Edited bit : Yes, post a notice stating that one Sunday (or any popular day) the lake is closed for 'Training Purposes' and invite all those who wish to have a fish - FREE of charge providing they attend the training when it takes place during the day. Bit of incentive there...

I remember our Ian (FM's editor) arranging a pike fishing training day at Thorpe Park some years ago with John (forget his second name, bit like Synow - no?). Good day, I took down a young lad, but there were only two pike caught if I remember.

sam vimes · Feb 17, 2012

Jeff Woodhouse said:
You're very likely right, Sam, but then what else do you do? Maybe the commercials could arrange something.

Not really knowing how the Germans do it, I don't know. I suspect that some form of test before you even get a licence would be the only realistic way. The problem with that is, to pay for it, either the licence gets more expensive or the funding for the EA reduces.
Commercials doing something is possible but, I suspect, unrealistic. It's still not going to catch everyone. Ultimately, it's going to come down to a one size fits all central solution or a piecemeal effort by small organizations or individuals.

peter crabtree · Feb 17, 2012

Fishing in Germany - YouTube

Oh dear!

itsfishingnotcatching · Feb 17, 2012

Looking at new members posts, a large percentage (including myself) are people returning to fishing after a fairly long absence. We're the ones asking the questions that must appear very naive to the more experienced anglers on the forum. I'm pretty much self taught, with a little help from a friend (who has only fished infrequently and often does not have sufficient funds to participate).

I think I'm almost competent with a waggler but without coaching I would not contemplate trying to catch fish such as pike or zander where the landing and handling is more critical (my first reasonable perch resulted in blood loss when I managed to get my hand too close to the gills, something the fishing programmes never told me!).

I'm certain there are others, like me who would love to be shown the "errors of our ways" but I suspect that the geographical divides and the time involved, would prove a major issue. If the ATr (or the larger Angling Associations) included it as an option with membership it could prove to be self financing and a real benefit to all anglers, assuming there are sufficient guides to teach us.

davidwill · Feb 21, 2012

No I don't think so that we have to be like Germans, First we must pass fishing exam and get license and then so on.

chav professor · Feb 21, 2012

The Germans? they are OK, but just should just avoid periods of strong leadership IMO!

Jeff Woodhouse · Feb 21, 2012

chav professor said:
The Germans? they are OK

Just don't mention the war.

Should we be like Germans?

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