Our important role on the bankside

Graham,

This article is rather thought provoking and I am glad that you bring the activities of these mindless thugs to light (it would appear that these so called do gooders are trying to use what ever means of violence against adults and children alike and in my view are no better than a street mugger). I can understand that they wish to get their point across, but there are ways and means of doing so and this is not the way to do it.

I am an angler of 20 years and proud of it, and have done my share to help with the environment be it reporting pollution to the EA, or helping clear up after other river users have left. I know that there is still a fair amount of work for us anglers to do in showing the general public that we have an important role in the countryside and how much will be lost if our sport is withdrawn.
I would say to all anglers that we need to ensure that we clear up after our trip to the bankside and make it harder to these so called do gooders to find fault in what we enjoy.

Well said Paul we could all do a bit more to keep our own house in order,ive never had a problem while fishing and it would seem matchmen have to put up with more flack than most,but at the risk of sounding antagonisic id love a bunch of tree huggers to try to disupt mine or my fishing mates hard earned time on the bank.

How many of these so called do gooders took a small net and jar to the river and fished for minnows as children..? I bet a large number of them??

if they have to start why pick on kids?
maybe they relise that what we have to makes sence so they are going to scare kids away instead.

I am a professional devils advocate so here goes ....again.

How long has every angler you know been saying we should clean up after our selves.....?????

Nearly everyone on here says I tidy up any rubbish I find not just my own, in fact every angler I have ever spoken to says the same thing, so how is it then nearly every peg on every "open access" river has litter?????

Perhaps it is the thousands of other river users????? I mean every person on a picnic or in a canoe must carry round bits of nylon or empty corn/meat whatever tins.....

Come on we must realise that there is a high percentage of anglers who are lazy ignorant tos*ers!!!!

One thing for these so called do gooders is whatever actions they take whether it be against kids or "opens" or in the press or tackling individuals on the bank at least they get off their arses and do it.....perhaps the odd angler could learn a thing or two from them????

Ok so what do you think about that then????

I first heard of this incident on Keith Arthurs programme at the weekend and I wonder if anyone else had the instant 'hackles up' reaction that I had. Crack a few skulls I thought, and instantly realised how futile that would be, the reaction they want in fact. It must be very hard if you are in that situation to remain calm, which is what they did in that particular incident. They eventually left and everything went off smoothly and hats off to them for that but it must have tested their patience to the extreme

WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN ON OUR STRETCH OF RIVER, TALKING TO ALL THE ANGLERS, DOG WALKERS, FAMILY STROLLS, EVERY ONE.

WE EXPLAIN THAT THERE IS AN ANGLERS CONSERVATION GROUP AND TELL THEM ABOUT THE WORK WE DO.

WE ALSO GIVE OUT FLYERS, ONE TARGETTING THE ANGLERS THE OTHER IS FOR THE PUBLIC.

WE ARE ALSO SEEN TO BE ACTIVE, ALL LITTER AND DEBRI IS RECORDED AND REMOVED.
LITTER PICKING EVEY OTHER DAY AND LARGER SCALE CLEAN UPS THJAT ARE PUBLISHED WITH A REPORT AND PIC IN THE LOCAL PRESS.

WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE EA AND THE COUNCILS VARIOUSE DEPARTMENTS.

THINGS ARE STARTING TO GET THROUGH IN OUR AREA AND ITS 99% NON ANGLERS THAT LEAVE THE CRAP NOW AND 1% NOVICE OR IDIOTS.

You're shouting Ashe but at least you're shouting the right things. It sounds like an excellent project and will reap the rewards I reckon, well done

As a novice individual angler but someone who has been fishing with my dad for years I think it's vital that kids learn young and from the right people about respecting the river banks.

I have always had it drummed into me that no litter is left and problems with the fishing environment or animals in distress should be reported instantly.

To target innocent children in this way is not only counter-productive to these kids learning about these people's stated aims of ensuring environmental respect (how are they going to learn about it if they are never exposed to it?!) but is the use of the most digusting bully boy tactics.

Ashe I applaud you but I think your % as to who is doing what might be a touch ambitious. I know a lot of litter is left by others who are not anglers but to blame it all on kids and novices...
I know a lot of people do a lot I used to take home a bin bag full of rubbish every time I visited LOmond usually 3 times a week, and I know others that do the same I dont ask for thanks just that more do the same, it is not hard! I used to fish a lot of matches where the scales assist was also litter spotter and any litter the full length of your peg had to be removed or your weight was scratched!!!!

It seems that all groups and organisations have d**k heads and morons within their ranks and non like to have them pointed out publicly as being totally representative of the group. May be the animal rights lot don’t think that releasing mink into the environment to devastate the countryside was utterly irresponsible or that causing criminal damage to property and people to prove a point, is actually no different than the reasons terrorist use to justify their exploits. So if they are happy to point out to the general public that our angling morons are typical of the species then we should also point out to the general public that they are basically no better than terrorist and criminals themselves willing to break the law to get what they want?

yes i do find angling litter and its mostley left by kids on our stretch, Inapropriate tackle packaging for a small river, mixed with licence vouchers from the tackle purchased in high st chain stores or catalogues, also the fizzy drink containers, sweet and crisp packets.

there are adults too, fag packets, dog ends, beer cans, Carp terminal tackel, on a small chalk stream with about 6 carp in it.

But this tackle litter is only a very small amount compared to the other stuff we pick up.

today for example i picked litter over a 1 mile stretch, filled one small carrier bag.
One hook to nylon and a float band packet.
The rest of it was food and drink related along the byway, not on the bank.

If i give out 20 flyers a week, i may find 1 scewed up on the bank.

I reported a motor bike in the River and leaking fuel, 3 weeks ago to the EA.
Said they would remove it.
3 days ago i reported a major fly tipping incident to the EA, it was on the verge of an access Rd.
Cleared up and taken away yesterday.

We have a power utilities company post notice of total tree felling, 8 mtres each side of the power line for about 100 mtrs.
Got the letter today, work to start on tuesday. bank holiday weekend too.
The EA know nothing, the Council know nothing.
no public consultation or Environment study.
area home to Kingfisher, voles, Heron,owls and so on, even has a protected back water stream in it.

Ea said call back in office hours.
Council said they can do what they want.
These power lines pass over the river and water side private gardens.

Reason for work, security and public safety.

Any suggestions, help, advice at this short notice.

As a club bailiff i think the activists have a point on the litter, 90% of anglers say they hate people who leave litter, but i still manage to take my sunday morning picking up litter instead of fishing. The team of bailiffs where i am, spend a lot of time and energy keeping our lakes and surrounding area nice not just for anglers but the public too, it takes 2 seconds to put discarded line in your box. So perhaps everyone could make our life as anglers easier and instead of just saying about litter actually do something about it. As to protesting on the bank perhaps they should just get a life and let people enjoy themselves in a safe and legal way. I am sure we would much rather kids were fishing properly on the rivers and lakes than turning to crime for fun.