M
Mark Williams
Guest
I've been round the block on this one, and Mark's done a great job of posing the questions. Des Taylor's banging on about it currently, but I think Des is way off beam. Doing away with the close season won't save angling clubs from dwindling funds. If the rivers were thronging with anglers until March 15, there'd be a case. But the fishing's not especially good in the lay-off, so why would anglers suddenly start fishing rivers again? At best, it's a case for 20 per cent or so more day ticket money, but since I haven't paid for a day ticket in two years due to the paucity of bailiffs to collect the money, clubs would be better off sorting that one out fisrt.
The truth of the matter is that rivers aren't what they used to be, and clubs aren't what they should be. If the EA could stop the pthalate pollution which is making the fish into hermaphrodites, and if clubs got off their collective fat arses to encourage more kids into fishing and to market what they've already got (simultaneously charging more for an annual book) it's all a bit grim. Personally, I love not seeing a soul all day... I just hope the riparian rights don't end up in the hands of PETA or some do-gooding landowner who chucks us all off.
The truth of the matter is that rivers aren't what they used to be, and clubs aren't what they should be. If the EA could stop the pthalate pollution which is making the fish into hermaphrodites, and if clubs got off their collective fat arses to encourage more kids into fishing and to market what they've already got (simultaneously charging more for an annual book) it's all a bit grim. Personally, I love not seeing a soul all day... I just hope the riparian rights don't end up in the hands of PETA or some do-gooding landowner who chucks us all off.