The Angling Times

quickcedo · Jan 29, 2010

Having read the Angling Times on and off for most of my life, I have generally thoroughly enjoyed the publication. Hoever just recently there have been one or two articles which, to say the least "got my goat". The final straw was in this weeks paper by Greg Whitehead (page 4). This article imo. is deliberately antagonistic and tries to set anglers against other canal users. As I live on a narrow boat I see both sides of the arguement and can assure everyone that there are bad "users" of the canals in all camps. I would just like to say, if like me you enjoy fishing a canal, please be polite and accept there are many groups of people who enjoy, and are entitled to use the towpath. Even if some of them do annoy you, we need to show fishermen can rise above the rest.

preston96 · Jan 29, 2010

Greg is soooooo blameworthy:wh

alan whittington · Jan 29, 2010

mark t said:
Having read the Angling Times on and off for most of my life, I have generally thoroughly enjoyed the publication. Hoever just recently there have been one or two articles which, to say the least "got my goat". The final straw was in this weeks paper by Greg Whitehead (page 4). This article imo. is deliberately antagonistic and tries to set anglers against other canal users. As I live on a narrow boat I see both sides of the arguement and can assure everyone that there are bad "users" of the canals in all camps. I would just like to say, if like me you enjoy fishing a canal, please be polite and accept there are many groups of people who enjoy, and are entitled to use the towpath. Even if some of them do annoy you, we need to show fishermen can rise above the rest.

You are right Mark,but when you get a mountain biker or jogger giving you foul abuse for sitting on the canal bank(for which the rental isnt cheap,nowhere near your boat fees mind),or worse ploughing through your expensive pole,then i feel we would all be most offended.I dont buy the a.mail or the a.times now after a virtual life times support because i fear they care not a jot for their readers problems,unless its good copy.

mick rees · Jan 30, 2010

alan whittington said:
You are right Mark,but when you get a mountain biker or jogger giving you foul abuse for sitting on the canal bank(for which the rental isnt cheap,nowhere near your boat fees mind),or worse ploughing through your expensive pole,then i feel we would all be most offended.I dont buy the a.mail or the a.times now after a virtual life times support because i fear they care not a jot for their readers problems,unless its good copy.

OH please why do these pole anglers believe they have the right to block the towpath with there poles when all they have to do is, when unshipping them put them paralell with the canal then there not in the way(problem solved) ie not blocking the footpath. I myself have beenfishing for over40 years and have had dirty looks and some abuse from anglers with poles ,and that is for walking past with my gear any way tight lines to you all

dezza · Jan 30, 2010

The problem on a lot of canals with pole anglers is that they have to put a blinking roller device behind them and send the pole violently backwards every time a fish is hooked.

As Mick says it's just as easy to lay the pole sections down parallel to the water's edge.

Or why not use a rod?

tortoise100 · Jan 30, 2010

I am an angling times subscriber though I prefere the angling mail but the A.T times is better value for money.
I too felt that article was missing the point and not that I am a pole fisherman but if I was and was blocking the path then it is my fault for blocking the path not the other users fault for being on the path .
(Great picture of the bloke in lycra doing hurdles over some poles though that would have made me laugh though not if he broke a pole)
They obviously go out of there way to make argumental opinions that get peoples goat.

I find that the A.M is more like talking to your mate about fishing but has far to much of the magazine devoted to a were to fish a section that most people proberbly do not read as it is totally irelavent.

On the other hand the A.T is a bit like reading the sun sometimes (and when will they stop all these get whatever free ads on the front which fool nobody),when it's not busy telling you what a bad angler you are for(insert what you want here) or not having joined the angling trust yet.

dezza · Jan 30, 2010

Never forget why canals were built, certainly not to accomodate anglers.

I have a DVD showing Bob Nudd pole fishing a canal. Not only does he show you a few canal tactics, he shows how to manage poles when there is a towpath, which is also a public right of way behind you.

The name of the game with canal pole anglers is to use the pole roller to rest your sections against.

preston96 · Jan 30, 2010

The reasons the canals were built is confined to history Ron.........

Now all we can claim is our fair share of them.................and we HAVE to learn to share.

Some pole anglers seem to think it a god given right to obstruct the tow path.

As i understand it cyclists have to pay for use of the tow path........but that doesn't give yuppies with £1000 mountain bikes the right to hurtle along them at high speed anymore than anglers causing obstructions.

But as common sense is something else that is confined to history along with the original uses of canals we have little chance!!

keora · Jan 30, 2010

I don't think Greg Whitehead was being antagonistic. All he did was interview various anglers and reported what they thought about other canal users. And what the anglers thought wasn't complimentary. Why shoot the messenger ?

Other canal users may have equally derogatory views about us anglers - for example that we are scruffy chavs littering the bank with tons of kit. And probably some day a journalist working for Weekend Sailors' and Joggers' Gazette will do a similar article about anglers.

alan whittington · Jan 30, 2010

Paul Williams 11 said:
The reasons the canals were built is confined to history Ron.........

Now all we can claim is our fair share of them.................and we HAVE to learn to share.

Some pole anglers seem to think it a god given right to obstruct the tow path.

As i understand it cyclists have to pay for use of the tow path........but that doesn't give yuppies with £1000 mountain bikes the right to hurtle along them at high speed anymore than anglers causing obstructions.

But as common sense is something else that is confined to history along with the original uses of canals we have little chance!!

Paul,indeed we must learn to share,let the others pay £1000 per mile per annum,but i think you ought to find out how much a cyclist pays to ride the towpath,as ive been led to believe its a very small sum,as for runners,they pay sod all,so should wait for the angler,as he has paid for the priviledge,its like buying a garage and someone else parking in it,not on.

Some pole/carp/any anglers are obstructive,and it is wrong,but not as wrong as running straight through the tackle(without paying any fee for the right of passage),lets be honest BW may be changing tactics and angling possibly is no longer high on their agenda for revenue and a change may be coming.

quickcedo · Jan 31, 2010

I'm glad to see that most of us know we have to share the tow path. I realise there are some obnoxious people about and instaces of rudeness and aggresion will always occur. All I'm saying is the article imo made canal using anglers defensive before they got there, in a similar way the instance of the thug who attact the Cormorant culler, this was reported as a bird watcher attacts. No it wasn't. It was a nasty evil b*@&ard who attacked someone going about there lawfull right to cull Cormorants who happened to be watching birds. This is not representative of bird watchers in general, but again was reported in a way so as to stir up anger. I'm not attacking Mr Whitehead, just the tone of the report.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Jan 31, 2010

I don't know of any bikers who pay to use the towpath, as a public right of way they don't have to pay as far as i know.

The reason for pole rollers is so the angler doesn't have to take the pole apart all the time, it's to help with speed, but i do think anglers have to think of others when fishing canals

Morespiders · Jan 31, 2010

It was £2 for a bike licence for riding the canals, payable to BW, never had any trouble with bikers as i dont leave anything hanging over the towpath,
Ride the canals myself, 99% of bikers are fine

alan whittington · Feb 2, 2010

Spiders,the canal in the L.Buzzard area can have a very narrow towpath,so some pegs it is not possible to avoid some confrontation,i know of one mountain biker who rode through three poles,which is totally illegal whether the anglers were deliberately blocking the towpath or not(being unlawful damage),and £2 is what i heard,which doesnt compare with £4-5 a day ticket,sorry but as an angler i feel im only wanted for my cash,the BWB certainly would like me to pay and not be on the towpath,peeing and obstucting people(who dont pay).

slime monster · Feb 2, 2010

I chucked a bike rider in the Exeter canal

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC) · Feb 2, 2010

alan whittington said:
and £2 is what i heard,which doesnt compare with £4-5 a day ticket,sorry but as an angler i feel im only wanted for my cash,the bwb certainly would like me to pay and not be on the towpath,peeing and obstucting people(who dont pay).

Watch your blood pressure folks

Cyclists need a permit. They can download it from here

Download a British Waterways cycling permit | Cycling | Things to do | Waterscape.com

Cost? NOTHING

alan whittington · Feb 2, 2010

Even better Poshers,so what do we get for our money,apart from being treated like sh*te.

Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC) · Feb 2, 2010

Thought that may wind you up a bit. It is a blooming disgrace.

Fishing on the canal with Spiders have got to say that we have found all the canal users to be friendly and courteous. Quite a few of the boaters who have moorings give us tips and information. Never had problems with cyclists although one or two do come along like wazzocks - they do have the Middlewood Way cycle path running parallel to the canal for about 20 miles but I can understand why the canal has its attraction.

However if we need a rod licence etc I cannot see why cyclists shouldn't pay an annual fee...although who the hell would enforce it??

slime monster · Feb 2, 2010

There was a time when cycling was not allowed on tow paths ,but then you had to contend with shire horses

Richard Clay · Feb 2, 2010

I'm a cyclist and a fisherman so I see both sides of this argument. When I see a pole blocking my way, when cycling, I make sure I ring my bell nice and early and slow down a bit to give time for the fisherman to move out of the way. Never had any problems as yet and think we can all live in harmony. A bit of consideration is all that is needed.

What annoys me most on canal tow paths is out of control dogs and owners who don't clear up their dog's mess. Whether it's on the bottom of my wellies or stuck to the tread of my bike tyre, dog mess is always rather unpleasant.

Must say thanks for this post as although I regularly ride down towpaths I never realised you needed a permit. I'm going to get a permit now and you might have saved me a long stretch inside.

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