How do you define

I notice that quite a few members of FM state categorically that they would never fish a "Commercial Water". Yet I'll bet a few of them do without thinking.

Most anglers think that commercial waters are those odious places with water the colour of milky coffee, full of thousands of F1 carp, surrounded by wooden stands each with a guy on it with a pole, using pellets supplied by the management and with a series of rules that looks like the first ten chapters of the Torah!

These are waters I would never fish in a million years.

Now amongst them we have a few forward looking fishery owners who are also anglers. They have gone out to create fisheries that are attractive, contain no carp but a few crucians, have good indigenous British species in them such as roach, rudd, bream, tench and perch. Such waters are devoid of wooden platforms, are clear or have a nice colour, match fishing is banned,natural weed growth is encouraged, treesand rushes are planted for cover AND most of all, no silly rules!!!

I have recently been fishingtwo of these waters and quite honestly I have really enjoyed myself. The first is a 3 acre estate lake which is over 200 years old. It contains big roach, a few rudd, some nice bream anda few tench to 7lbs. There are carp, but fortunately not too many of them.

There is only ONE platform which is actually a boat dock. Other than that, this lake is flanked with ancient beech trees and has an island in the middle withlovely weeping willows.

The second lake is quite new, but is about 3 acres in extent. There are two islands and thebottom is sandy. Lilies have been planted and the whole area has been grassed.

Rushes have also been planted in the margins to give good cover for anglers.

The fish stock has been tench to 8lbs, bream to 8lbs, rudd to 2 1/2lbs, roach to 2 1/2 lbs and a few very big perch.

There are NO platforms and the rules are simple. Barbless hooks and two rods maximum. All anglers to be inpossession of an unhooking mat and no keepnets or sacks.

Other than that, you can fish how you like, and even night fishing is allowed.

Marvellous - let's have more "commercial" venues on these lines.

What do you think?

Sounds great Ron.

Do they come out with a huge bell and shout "Grubs up"?

Do they allow kids to run riot?

Do they get the hump when you bag up?

Do they insist on you buying their pellets?

Do they have a rod limit per day?

Are the fish mutilated due to poor handling and angling techniques?

Do they scoop out the dead uns before anyone gets there?

That's just a few of my pet hates about Com's down here, yours sounds nice though.

I think the dividing line between good commercials and a good club water are virtually nill these days.
And as joining a club is a lot cheaper I say lets have more well rungood club waters.

No!

No!

No! Bagging up in the modern sense of the word is not encouraged. What ARE you trying to prove.

No! there are no bait bans.

No!

No - anglers are not allowed without a proper unhooking mat.

No!

Sorry Ron by "Bag up" I meant, having a good days fishing and catching plenty.

And I meant a lake rod limit per day, the number of anglers and rods.

Sounds great Ron, do they have a website so others could watch and learn?

Nothing wrong with catching some nice fish.

What gives me apoplexy is those who go out to break the record for most number of carp caught in 5 hours. Sticking 300 + lbs of fish in a net is not right. Encouraging the same is not in the spirit of angling.

If I ran a fishery I would encourage time out period where anglers could have good discourse in the manner of Piscator and Venator of Compleat Angler fame. I would have a library of old angling books on site. I would encourage talks and presentations by local angling experts.

I would also have some sort of dress code on site. Banned would be pole anglers sutting on boxes displaying bum cleavages with stickers on the same boxes proclaiming"Big Ben's BarnsleyBagup Baits!" or similar.

Baseball caps would certainly be banned.

I totally concur Ron, especially about the bum cleavages!

"Apoplexy" I'm gonna have to remember that one /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

whats wrong with a baseball cap

Looks loutish!

It's fine if you use it when playing baseball.

Other than that it smacks of a degree of coarseness I would not tolerate on my fishery.

/forum/smilies/surprised_smiley.gif

even a nice green fishing one

Rickrod, you'll be rapping along to your radio next!

Radios /forum/smilies/angry_smiley.gif

Another one of my pet hates!

And worst of all, the racket from mobile phones

/forum/smilies/angry_smiley.gif

what about one with two lager cans on the side and plastic boobs on the front

Yep, typical commercial match angler!!!

I love commercial fisheries, lots of lorries parked all over the place, 300lb of carp in 3 hours heaven.

And whats wrong with a baseball hat as long as it's turned back to front?.

Spiders would be banned!!!

Thank's Ron thought we were mates?

"Baseball cap back to front!"

You'll be wanting to wear a hoodie next.

Only so people cant see me if i'm upto no good