specialist groups!

I have wondered for a while now about the reasons folk join the so called specialist groups such as the tench fishers the perch fishes and such and what benefits folk get from such ''clubs'' and what would I gain by joining?
From looking at some of the webs sites of some of the groups it looks like most of them are just a social thing for elitist anglers and make it jolly hard for ''normal anglers'' to join! I know all about the barbel society and what they stand for, but one I cant get my head round is the Chub study group, from looking at their website they just seem like a bunch of elitist guys out to have a jolly good time with their little gang!
Is it just me that think these clubs are a waste of time or have they really got any benefit?

Exchange of info on venues, baits etc might be one advantage

I'm not sure any are particularly elitist, if there's some kind of qualifying criteria I see it as being to establish that someone who is applying to join has genuine experience in the species, not that I'm a member of any of them.

In my eyes then yes I reckon the social side of it is the great appeal

mark brailsford 2 said:

I have wondered for a while now about the reasons folk join the so called specialist groups such as the tench fishers the perch fishes and such and what benefits folk get from such ''clubs'' and what would I gain by joining?
From looking at some of the webs sites of some of the groups it looks like most of them are just a social thing for elitist anglers and make it jolly hard for ''normal anglers'' to join! I know all about the barbel society and what they stand for, but one I cant get my head round is the Chub study group, from looking at their website they just seem like a bunch of elitist guys out to have a jolly good time with their little gang!
Is it just me that think these clubs are a waste of time or have they really got any benefit?

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I think using phrases as 'elitist' and 'little gang' is really only going to get some hackles up and there's no need to do this. Why would you feel the need to get 'your head' around the Chub study group anyway - if they're of interest; investigate further there are people posting here that are members and may be able to help you determine if this is for you.

I'm not a member of any specialist group but if I were interested in a given species, there seems to be a group out there. I can see the attraction, getting together and exchanging information with a group of like minded anglers who share passion is something that should be celebrated as a positive.

A few years ago I saw and read an article about wels catfish and I decided I wanted to catch one. I had no idea where the nearest cat water was or the best tackle ,baits etc to use. So before wetting a line in pursuit of a catfish I joined the Catfish Conservation Group. I was soon in possession of their extensive guide to UK catfish venues ,plus a couple of copies of their annual magazine ' Whiskers'. One of my first catfishing trips was on a fish in organised by the group , where I met lots of cat anglers who readily shared their knowledge with me and gave me many pointers on catching cats.

Without doubt the information I got from the group helped me catch my first catfish in the UK . I also first read about the Ebro in Whiskers and had my first fishing trip overseas after reading articles written about Mequinenza and the catfishing there on the Ebro and Segre.
I went on to catch English cats to 62 lbs and Spanish Catfish to 154 lbs and I have written several times for the C.C.G. 'S magazine now.

So my advice would be to anyone seeking a particular species , join a specialist group !!

simon dunbar said:

So my advice would be to anyone seeking a particular species , join a specialist group !!

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Couldn't agree more; I'm in the Barbel Catchers and ex-PAC...

You get what you give back essentially... these groups won't put you automatically onto the best or going swims, but through exchange of info, built on trust, you willl learn an awful lot but also teach others a great deal about your favourite species...

The guys in these clubs are not elitist (well most not), they are enthusiasts, and this is how you can brush up technique, learn new stuff, and very occassionally get the heads-up on a going waters...

Many of the biggest fish in the country go un-reported...

****y (Angling Trust PAC) said:

Couldn't agree more; I'm in the Barbel Catchers and ex-PAC...

You get what you give back essentially... these groups won't put you automatically onto the best or going swims, but through exchange of info, built on trust, you willl learn an awful lot but also teach others a great deal about your favourite species...

The guys in these clubs are not elitist (well most not), they are enthusiasts, and this is how you can brush up technique, learn new stuff, and very occassionally get the heads-up on a going waters...

Many of the biggest fish in the country go un-reported...

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I'm sure that's probably the intention, ****y but what if [like me] you have very little [or very little new] to offer ? I joined the Barbel Society hoping to learn a thing or two but found it very,very difficult as I basically knew no-one and no-one knew me. Only 1 guy made the effort to ice-break and freely admitted he did so because I looked so "lost". "Socialising" is all very well but my idea of socialising is not watching discreet groups of people who know each other drinking endless pints. I'm sure nobody meant to be intentionally unfriendly or to appear elitist but that's very much how it felt.

I learned nothing,went to no more meetings and never bothered rejoining. It was really quite an unpleasant experience.

I freely admit that's a biased view and I am not,by nature, a "group" sort of person anyway though I'd like to think I'm reasonably gregarious among people I know even if only a bit. I felt rather intimidated because I wasn't anybody. Perhaps I should have tried harder but I was the new boy so I didn't feel it was my place to do intro's and it was such a horrible evening I really didn't fancy going through it again.

Not for me I'm afraid.

S-Kippy said:

I'm sure that's probably the intention, ****y but what if [like me] you have very little [or very little new] to offer ? I joined the Barbel Society hoping to learn a thing or two but found it very,very difficult as I basically knew no-one and no-one knew me.

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Can't comment on Steve's crew... never been a BS member...

But Skip, your experience is not necessarily the norm either in the BS or amongst other specialist groups...

Couldn't disagree with the comments from the people that have stress the positive thing about being a member of a Single Species group.

I'm also in a unique position as I did know and still do know most/many of the Sec and Chairs of all the groups that are active.
Old NASA, SACG, SAA days I'm afraid in case you were wondering.
To a man I can't say I ever found any of them elitist or gang leaders. Well other than the Monk Right Nick!

Being an all round Specialist Angler, all have been very helpful when I've buttonholed them for a bit of info at meetings.
Some at the time didn't know me from Adam or had only seen perhaps once or twice at the meetings.

Two in particular stand out for their generosity, Steve Younger Zander Anglers and Eric Hodson Brit Carp Study Group.

SY was generous without fault when I first started going to Fen after Zds and he'd only met me once before at a meeting. The quality info Steve gave me was invaluable to increased success with the fish and waters worth looking at.

Eric was always the perfect gentleman, totally free with his info and knowledge of carp fishing. Now in some circles the BCSG was considered to elitist but the Sec certainly wasn't. He was the same with everybody I ever heard him speak to at any meeting.

Big bream angling has never had a group but what it did have was a lose coalition of anglers that knew one another. As a very young 22 year old I gave up carp fishing and set my sights on catching a double figure bream. This btw was nearly 40 years ago and few water held them then. The Cheshire meres were one place that did, so I started fishing them. Not really knowing what I was doing, but through perseverance and sure obstinance I stuck at it and slowly but surly the guys that did, to many to recount, accepted this whipersnaper's serious about breaming and started to to talk to me and share their hard won secrets.
There is no doubt they took me into their circle and that opened lots of doors to better waters and so on. Whilst this was an informal type of group, but all single species group work much the same as this with all the members in them.
So if you're serious about their species then joining that group is in my view a must to increasing your knowledge and fishing opportunities.

****y (Angling Trust PAC) said:

Can't comment on Steve's crew... never been a BS member...

But Skip, your experience is not necessarily the norm either in the BS or amongst other specialist groups...

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Not suggesting it is ****y but beginnings are very diffcult and generally,by definition,a specialist group will be seen as elitist or expert [call it what you will] by the ordinary "would be" enthusiast like me.....even if that is not the groups intention and I accept that its very hard to get the balance right. Its a bit of an enigma when you are actively encouraged to come along only to find yourself billy no-mates in the corner.

I know there are some really helpful & friendly guys around...I've met plenty via this site & more than a few on the bank if you are prepared to wade through the rest but so far as "societies" go this was enough to put me off anything like this for evermore. Same with clubs....intended or not there is always a hard core clique.

I can only talk from my personal experiences of being a relatively new member of the CSG. I had formed an opinion that it must be really difficult to join - especially for an average angler fishing average Chub rivers.

In reality, my opinion was further from the truth than I could have possibly imagined!! It is not an open membership group - send in subs, get the t-shirt, get the badge type of group. I would have always shied away from that rather impersonal type of organisation for much the same reasons as S-Kippy.

What i could demonstrate was that i had a passion for Chub and chub fishing and probably more importantly from a personal point of view, felt I was reasonably competent - its not just seen as numbers, PB's etc. I attended my first fish in and was astounded how welcome I was made to feel. Members went out of there way to speak and just talk about our different experiences and rivers.

I make a point to make it to fish-ins and the AGM as I can't wait to meet up with friends and anglers who share a common passion - its infectious!

I have made really close friends, make my own modest contributions to the group and most importantly have learnt so much. Joining a single specimen group recharged, or even reinvigorated my passion, determination and drive to catch Chub. All that enthusiasm rubs off!!

The group membership is kept at a level that I feel contributes to the special atmosphere that would be difficult to create if membership was allowed to grow unchecked in light of the increasing interest in Chub fishing - no clicks or 'in' groups - just anglers from all walks of life sharing a common bond.

Now I can relate to that....and there is no doubt in my mind at all that the best "meetings" take place bankside not barside. This is one reason why I lament the apparent demise of the FM Fish Ins.

I think "anglers from all walks of life sharing a common bond" is perhaps a bit too much to expect everywhere you go. If that's how it is in the CSG then you are a very fortunate bunny indeed.

I'm probably wrong but I don't think that there is a specialist group for roach fishing? Maybe because they are so bloody hard to catch! Big carp, barbel, perch, etc are easy by comparison.

****y (Angling Trust PAC) said:

Couldn't agree more; I'm in the Barbel Catchers and ex-PAC...

You get what you give back essentially... these groups won't put you automatically onto the best or going swims, but through exchange of info, built on trust, you willl learn an awful lot but also teach others a great deal about your favourite species...

The guys in these clubs are not elitist (well most not), they are enthusiasts, and this is how you can brush up technique, learn new stuff, and very occassionally get the heads-up on a going waters...

Many of the biggest fish in the country go un-reported...

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Couldn't agree more ****ie.

I am a member of the Barbel Society who are a really good lot of people. I've also been invited to rejoin the British Carp Study Group. I was made a member in the early 70s by Eric Hodson.

Ron The Hat Clay said:

Couldn't agree more ****ie.

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Ditto Ron.

Although this doesn't relate specifically to single-species groups Mark, give this a read (if you haven't already). It gives my personal perspective of what you can get out of and put into, a Group.

http://www.fishingmagic.com/features/coarse_fishing/specimen_fishing/15525-specimen-groups.html

I first became interested in Pike around 1980 and it wasn't long before I met PAC members in my area, who helped me to catch & most importantly care for Pike. I've been a member ever since. It's a fantastic club for Pike anglers of all experience & I'd recommend it to anyone.
Pike Anglers Club of Great Britain

Ron The Hat Clay said:

Couldn't agree more ****ie.

I am a member of the Barbel Society who are a really good lot of people. I've also been invited to rejoin the British Carp Study Group. I was made a member in the early 70s by Eric Hodson.

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As do I Ron.........I have also been invited to join the BCSG and my first meeting will be next month, and I see it as a great honour as the total membership world wide is 400!
Now tell me how many Carp anglers are in the UK alone! Honour indeed!

mark brailsford 2 said:

I have wondered for a while now about the reasons folk join the so called specialist groups such as the tench fishers the perch fishes and such and what benefits folk get from such ''clubs'' and what would I gain by joining?
From looking at some of the webs sites of some of the groups it looks like most of them are just a social thing for elitist anglers and make it jolly hard for ''normal anglers'' to join! I know all about the barbel society and what they stand for, but one I cant get my head round is the Chub study group, from looking at their website they just seem like a bunch of elitist guys out to have a jolly good time with their little gang!
Is it just me that think these clubs are a waste of time or have they really got any benefit?

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Elitist?

No way...they let me join.

I don't think groups like the CSG and the BCSG allow just anyone to join. They want to know a bit more about you for obvious reasons.

These groups as Lee says are not elitist. What they are, when it comes to membership, are careful.

Ron The Hat Clay said:

I don't think groups like the CSG and the BCSG allow just anyone to join. They want to know a bit more about you for obvious reasons.

These groups as Lee says are not elitist. What they are, when it comes to membership, are careful.

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You are going to have to run that one by me again. Sounds like the absolute epitome of elitist to me. Whether that is a good or bad thing is another matter entirely. However, suggesting that it's not elitist strikes me as peeing up my back and trying to tell me it's raining.