Frustrating aspects of angling.

Derek Gibson · Jul 8, 2016

I don't have many but, the few I do have seem to have been with us for many years and shows no sign of improving, at least it seems so to me.

Litter, why oh why won't anglers take their rubbish home. Those discarded lager cans, bait packets, discarded line, all drive me nuts.

Then there are the parasitical element often referred to as ''The Circus''. who are determined to capitalize on the efforts of others for the sole purpose of elevating their standing amongst others of their ilk. Or dare I say it, the possibility of some sponsorship deal should their leeching habits pay off.

These are but two examples, and if I give the impression that I am tired and angry by these antics, you would be right.

Rant over, though I will not apologise for my belief.

thecrow · Jul 8, 2016

Not many other than the 2 you mention Dereck, one that annoys me is anglers that have no consideration for others shown by insisting on fishing within yards of another already ensconced angler, why on earth they do this no matter how big the water I don't know, maybe they are lonely

S-Kippy · Jul 8, 2016

All of the above....plus the inability of a lot of anglers to simply sit still & be quiet. They might find their catches improve if they tried this....leaving the bait in the water helps too.

Peter Jacobs · Jul 8, 2016

There are many frustrating aspects for me, the main ones being:

1. Litter left at venues . . .take your rubbish home with you, it is not all that difficult

2. Buy a license, or suffer the consequences!

3. Magistrates who impose meaningless and paltry fines for those who do not buy a license.
The maximum is £2,500 for crying out aloud - a few of those would certainty tune the minds of those who think buying a license is something for "others to do"

4. The "Circus" for the same reasons as yours Derek.

5. Anglers who need to pile-drive a ruddy tent pegs into the ground . . . I go fishing for the peace and quiet . . . . . . you numbskulls!
Buy screw-able ones!

Now, I will go and lie down in a darkened room for a little while . . . .

GRRRR!!!!!

Graham Elliott 1 · Jul 8, 2016

Loud bite alarms!!!!

binka · Jul 8, 2016

Again...

All of the above with the addition of militant paddlers who push their luck and work on the basis not of what is right or wrong but instead on how difficult it is to catch them and hold them to account for their trespassing.

Not only on rivers where no PRN exists but also over private land in order to launch or change to a different watercourse by carrying their canoes and re-launching in the middle of spawning grounds... As is the case of a regular group of paddlers in my neck of the woods that make a general nuisance of themselves by tangling in lines and generally hurling foul mouthed abuse from the relative safety of mid-river

swizzle · Jul 8, 2016

All of the above and loading and unloading the car.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Jul 8, 2016

for me
Litter - I take a bag with me to take rubbish home

people -other anglers or passerbys - who stand very close to me - be aware of personal space

kids who's parent have dropped them off to fish and not stopped to supervise - not always but often the kids be bored in 30 minutes and if in a group start to mess about

Groups of angler who turn up together and shout to each other every 5 minutes

john step · Jul 8, 2016

All of the above, litter particularly.

Let me say there is absolutely no need for litter in the first place however I would like to play the devils advocate here regarding one aspect of litter.

At a football match, music event and the cinema etc there is always a large amount of food wrappings and cans etc dropped on the ground by those who are too idle to find a bin or take it home.

Afterwards people are employed to clear it away.

May I suggest that there is also a responsibility by people organising fishing matches, day ticket owners, clubs who control waters to clear up regularly.
Thats not meant to single out match anglers by the way.

As much as its reprehensible to leave rubbish its been going on for so long I doubt there will be a time when the dirty so and so's stop doing it so it falls to the usual club volunteers/owners if we want to fish litter free venues.
Education doesn't seem to have worked much.

rayner · Jul 8, 2016

Definitely the worst for me has to be what I call lurkers. Lurkers wonder around fisheries chatting to anglers who just want to sit there quiet.
They stand as close as they can wanting to see bites or tail patterns in the water, the thing is they can't understand that when they are there the fish move off. They effectively ruin a margin swim by skylining, a swim that you have nurtured to cajole fish into feeding so some fool who is just curious to know what's going on. Lurkers by the way they cackle on are anglers , if they need to know about a fishery they should put a little effort in and fish, they have no right to be at a fishery if they are not fishing.

Over the years I have acquired a total intolerance for lurkers and shoo them away before they get too close, some get a little perturbed by what can only be described as an outburst but far too many times has my day been ruined.
Lurkers really drive me mad.
My usual response is "excuse me go away I don't want to speak to anyone" after that my demeanour changes.
I hate lurkers I've paid for my space on a fishery so keep off.
That will be a project for me, I will make a sign to inform lurkers to stay away.

Litter you know who you are. Do the right thing!!!!

I must say if the bloke in the next peg has a licence or not is not a concern to me. Also anglers braking any rules doesn't bother me in the slightest.
I am licenced and never knowingly brake any fishery rules that is my only concern.

sam vimes · Jul 8, 2016

Beyond failing miserably to catch, or catch anything of significance, not a great deal. I'm occasionally frustrated when venues are a pale shadow of their former glory. I'm occasionally frustrated that there's a dearth of tench and crucians locally. However, I can't do much about either and in respect of the latter, it's always been that way locally.

I may share being irritated by all of the usual things mentioned already, but I go out of my way to avoid places where such irritants are to be found.
I'd rather catch nothing much than catch big fish or big weights at venues that tested my patience. However, I'll never join the "just being there" crowd, I go fishing to catch fish. More or bigger within the limitations of the venues concerned.

john step · Jul 8, 2016

rayner said:
Definitely the worst for me has to be what I call lurkers. Lurkers wonder around fisheries chatting to anglers who just want to sit there quiet.
.

Absolutely. The ones that stick in my mind most were on the Upper Lea/Veralum water when I was a member.
Its a narrow shallow stretch containing roach,chub, barbel etc. I dont know if there is any vegetation now but the banks used to be very sparse and a careful approach to get below the skyline was needed.

1. Old Geezer bailiff who used to see me and check my ticket every week by walking the entire length on the skyline wearing a bright jacket. He recognised me but still insisted on f*cking up the couple of hours fishing I managed to snatch.

2. Same river another stretch, another kind soul in a white raincoat coat " Its OK mate, me being here cos' I USED to be a member and kept the key to get in" !!

3. Nearby stretch. Tackling up about 10 yards from water for obvious reasons and along come two numpties who hadn't caught anything. They walked straight across to my chosen spot to peer in and scare everything off.
They couldn't understand my anger and certainly couldn't grasp the reasons they failed to catch fish themselves.

Move over Victor Meldrew

mg:

thecrow · Jul 8, 2016

Oh dear I have been guilty of lurking this afternoon

I have visited a local day ticket complex a few times to try to find out which of the 5 pools would suit me best as far as float fishing, unfortunately on all previous visits no one has been fishing so I just had a bit of a walk (hobble) where I could, today there was someone fishing on the pool I have decided to have a day on and in a swim that is close to the car park so easily reachable I didn't talk to the angler just watched for a while, I went back to the car feeling a little guilty that I hadn't spoken to the angler and that i may have seemed unfriendly, not sure what I should have done now

Graham Elliott 1 · Jul 8, 2016

Crow.
I find.
" cawt anyfin mate" works.

To honest I never have a problem with anyone coming for a chat. As long as they swop / give info when I grill them.

Graham

S-Kippy · Jul 8, 2016

Graham Elliott 1 said:
Crow.
I find.
" cawt anyfin mate" works.

To honest I never have a problem with anyone coming for a chat. As long as they swop / give info when I grill them.

Graham

I'm fine with this too provided people approach me in a way that wont wreck my chances. I would never skyline another angler and typically approach at a crouch and kneel down. This is why I get so hacked off with headtorches....by all means use them if your scared of the dark but DONT shine them on my water or in my eyes.

Bob Hornegold · Jul 8, 2016

Pot chasers on the back of other efforts, I could name you a few who seems to have found favour with the great unwashed and feature in the comics every year.

Rotating a swim on a number of famous waters I have fish as a syndicate member.

The bloke who use to turn up on the opposite side of the Upper Lea and fish into my swim, I would not mind, but the river opposite side was private any way.

The sky liner who climb over the top of my bivvy, just to tell me I was doing all wrong ?

Otter lovers who have not had their rivers ruined by the inconsiderate within the EA who supported the Otter Trust.

The Dog walker at Hartham Common who insisted throwing a stick into the water when I playing an Big Barbel in the Weirpool.

And the canoeist and night swimmer who went through my line at the same venue, telling me fishing was cruel and should be banned ?

The two Pi$$ heads head, who took pictures of my 49lb Mirror 30 years ago and not one photo was any good.

Like Derek, I also like a rant !!

Bob

Chefster · Jul 8, 2016

"Old Hasbeens" that bang on that there way of fishing is the "Only way",and anything else isnt Proper fishing

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Jul 8, 2016

Round this way it's not always the anglers leaving litter. Many of the pits in the Lea valley can be walked around by the public, so it's a hard call on litter. It doesn't matter who leaves it, just take your rubbish home.

The Circus in all forms, The clowns who know it all, or think they do, and Specimen and Match men Circus, all has been said. Other than them, I don't care how others fish or what they fish for.

no-one in particular · Jul 9, 2016

I will add

Mullet-first prize
All vegetation, first prize to trees
Surface scum
Barbed Wire
Electrified wire
"No Fishing" signs-abominations
Nibbling fish-eat you buggars

mikench · Jul 9, 2016

Oh dear oh dear I must plead guilty to being a lurker . When I first got the bug back I did indeed visit lakes both commercial and private( ie no day ticket) and spoke with many an angler ! On reflection I think I was considerate and kept my distance and in most cases my opening gambit was usually good morning or afternoon. If a friendly response was forthcoming a conversation ensued and I have made a couple of good friends as a result.

How do you find out about the water, the club or the correct tackle without talking to fisherman? As a result of such chats I have joined two clubs, helped out with some minor cutting back of vegetation and had many interesting conversations over a flask of coffee. I am convinced that had the responses been silence or worse I would not have joined. Truth to tell I have met many pleasant and helpful anglers who are as important to the sport as the fish.

I have noticed my own increasing tendency to be grumpy but I sincerely hope that i am never that curmudgeonly that I refuse to talk to someone interested in the sport and who can converse coherently and pleasantly with me in ,usually, idyllic surroundings. Isn't that part of the sport and why we do it? Those 2oz roach can just wait

I conclude my plea of mitigation in defence of the lurker by saying we are not all bad Rayner and you never know but we may have knowledge and experience of use to you

Life is too short! There is much more to fishing than catching fish!

Frustrating aspects of angling.

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