Is Angling Heading in the Right Direction

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steph mckenzie

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With more and more anglers expecting and in some cases demanding a fish every cast, is it adding to, or taking away from Anglings roots, and, is it a good or bad thing for Angling as a whole?

(Not sure i have worded that quite how i wanted too, but, i shal leave it as it is and see how it progresses.)
 
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cg74

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Coarse angling is probably the most diverse it has ever been, with the type of fishery and angler the OP alludes to being a part of that diversity.

Within 25 miles of where I live there is just about every style of coarse fishing water:
Gravel pits holding carp to well over 50lb, 12lb+ tench, 20lb bream, 3lb+ roach, 3lb+ rudd, the plethora of gravel pits are also very varied in their stocking densities.
Estate lakes again offering a mixture of stocking levels and fish sizes.
Rivers and a canal, that are on the whole struggling but if you look there are a good number of rich pickings to be found; roach to 3lb14oz, 8lb chub, 5lb perch, double figure bream and barbel.
And of course commercial fisheries, which go from an acre farm pond to reservoirs of nearly 70 acres.

I don't think the number of anglers wanting/demanding a fish a chuck is increasing, I think it's either staying roughly constant or dropping slightly. I think there are new commercial popping up but I don't think that's to accommodate more anglers. More filling a gap, or a perceived gap in the market.
 
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mick b

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Having returned to this country a few years back following a decade overseas I was staggered to find a totally new angling culture had evolved, namely fishing 'commercials'.

In the tackle shops there were racks and racks of ready made rigs, dozens of ' commercial' rods and baits and flavourings by the zillion, plus a whole new angling language I just didn't understand at all.

Now I realise that the commercials are doing all of us who want to fish in solitude or share a water with just a few a big favour.

The seemingly ever increasing number who want a fish a chuck or make huge match bag are well catered for, and I wish every commercial operator the very best of luck in their ventures.

I am safe in the knowledge that if I choose my waters carefully I can fish all day and never see another angler, because they are all on the ' a fish a chuck' places and I hope they stay there.:wh
 
sam vimes

sam vimes

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Angling is whatever the individual wants it to be. Different people have always had different expectations. I don't much care for the direction that others wish to go. I do what suits me. The only time I'd gripe about angling heading down the wrong path is when old established (and perfectly good) fisheries are changed (for the worse) beyond recognition, for no obvious reason. I don't like seeing such places turned into yet another commercial clone. I've no problem with new waters, of any description, being created afresh though.
 
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chefster

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It might not be heading in the direction some people want,but its getting a better public profile due to commercial fisheries and sponsership within them more people are getting into it again........
 
jacksharp

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Fly fishing used to be for Toffs. The opening up of the sport to everyone in the 70's with the stocking of Chew, Blagdon, etc was a step forward. Then in the 80's along came the small stillwaters, which were the fluff-flingers' version of the commercials. Now anyone and everyone can go fly fishing although some, myself included, avoid the small stillwaters.

So yes, angling is going in the right direction as more people than ever are fishing and the tackle industry is healthy.
 
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terry m

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I think the question posed is too broad and therefore difficult to answer with any real objectivity.

Participation levels and diversity would suggest yes, talking to tackle traders may suggest no.

The individuals who truly expect a fish a cast are not typical of true anglers IMHO, they are not likely to stay in the sport long term with that mindset.
 
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mick b

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Terry m,
Quote;

"The individuals who truly expect a fish a cast are not typical of true anglers IMHO, they are not likely to stay in the sport long term with that mindset."

My mate used to refer to these types as 'shelf life'.
Seeing the wholesale selling of complete carp kits to local tackle shops and on fleabay I'm inclined to agree.
Wonder if they come with a 'use by' date attached somewhere?

Lets not knock-em eh, they pay their fees (usually) are very keen for a short while and spend far more in one visit to a tackle shop than most of us (well me anyway) do in a year!
 
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terry m

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That is a good point, the flash in the pan anglers do in a strange way contribute - fiscally at least - to the sport, albeit a sometimes short lived contribution.
 
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chefster

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terry m said:
That is a good point, the flash in the pan anglers do in a strange way contribute - fiscally at least - to the sport, albeit a sometimes short lived contribution.
Click to expand...

And what would you say is you,re contribution then???
 
geoffmaynard

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I think we have to make comparisons before we can judge. What else could we expect? I compare our freshwater angling with the USA and find it sadly lacking. In the states the rivers are stocked every year to ensure there are sufficient good fish there to catch. There is no need for 'commercials' because the fish&wildlife do their jobs properly. Waters are stocked, patrolled and licenses checked. Sufficient money is poured in to make sure that angling is a productive sport, which makes it a popular sport. (See our commercials again). Take a newcomer fishing on many of our rivers and see what they catch - not a lot! That's no way to encourage new anglers, which is why this forum and every other UK fishing site on the net is populated with guys who are are close to retirement.
We need hatcheries (plural!), stocking programs, policing and better ways of spending our money. I wonder how much of our license money goes on administration and pension plans etc and how much on actually improving fisheries?
 
split shot

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Maybe I don't move in the right circles, but I don't see anglers demanding to catch every cast, however what I do see is anglers getting totally disallusioned with the rapidly declining sport available.
I've never known a time when so many are hanging up heir rods for good.
 
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chefster

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split shot said:
Maybe I don't move in the right circles, but I don't see anglers demanding to catch every cast, however what I do see is anglers getting totally disallusioned with the rapidly declining sport available.
I've never known a time when so many are hanging up heir rods for good.
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Thats because they wont move with the times......
 
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fred hall

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sam vimes said:
Angling is whatever the individual wants it to be. Different people have always had different expectations. I don't much care for the direction that others wish to go. I do what suits me. The only time I'd gripe about angling heading down the wrong path is when old established (and perfectly good) fisheries are changed (for the worse) beyond recognition, for no obvious reason. I don't like seeing such places turned into yet another commercial clone. I've no problem with new waters, of any description, being created afresh though.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more
 
Ray Roberts

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split shot said:
Maybe I don't move in the right circles, but I don't see anglers demanding to catch every cast, however what I do see is anglers getting totally disallusioned with the rapidly declining sport available.
I've never known a time when so many are hanging up heir rods for good.
Click to expand...

Can't say I agree with you to be honest. Sea angling has definitely declined, to the extent that I can't be arsed to go, but freshwater angling in my opinion has become better over the years. Most of the rivers are cleaner and despite Otters and Cormorants the fishing is still pretty good, lakes are even better and there are fish to be caught that you could only dream of Forty years ago.
 
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chefster

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terry m said:
Well, since you ask I think that staying away from muddy puiddles so that the 'Fish a Cast' wannabees have more elbow room is my contribution.

Thanks for askiing:p
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No i mean what has you,re actual contribution to angling been,not to sarcasm
 
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elliottwaters

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sam vimes said:
Angling is whatever the individual wants it to be. Different people have always had different expectations. I don't much care for the direction that others wish to go. I do what suits me. The only time I'd gripe about angling heading down the wrong path is when old established (and perfectly good) fisheries are changed (for the worse) beyond recognition, for no obvious reason. I don't like seeing such places turned into yet another commercial clone. I've no problem with new waters, of any description, being created afresh though.
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’ve a lot of sympathy with Sam’s point of view.

Fishing is what you want it to be. I don’t like commercials with their over abundance of carp, manicured banks, wooden platforms, on site café and tackle shops so I don’t fish them! I’m not knocking commercials, anglers vote with their feet and their wallets every weekend, so who am I to judge?

There are still plenty of club lakes, rivers and canals to choose from and while it may not be a “fish a chuck” there are still plenty of fish to catch.

As for whether angling is heading in the right direction, I’ll lay money that when Izaak Walton was in short trousers there were old gits (like me!) propping up the bar in “Ye Olde Anglers Reste” bewailing the state of modern angling.
 
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