To me, one of the greatest attractions in angling is to spend time in the realm of nature. To look at and see a truly wild species in wild surroundings.
I have never ever wanted to fish matches, because in many cases fish are being used as footballs, or snooker balls, or distances marked out on tracks. Yet it will be the match anglers who will no doubt support these horrendous developments.
Call me a traditionalist if you like, but such developments are the thin end of the wedge in the gradual elimination of the magic of being part of a little bit of wilderness that is a major part of why we go fishing.
And as the concrete and tarmac gradually destroys parts of these islands, especially the South East, we can only but wonder what it will be like in 20 years hence.
The people in the South East will not know what a wild river is all about. Concrete will have destroyed that. The oast houses of Kent will be just a faint memory.
And the only waters left for fishing will be such hideous concrete monstrosities that have been described.
I am with Graham here. I am delighted to have lived and known true wild fishing in my life, even if some of it has been fly fishing for stocked rainbow trout in a reservoir.
At least I stood on mud and weeds and had rushes and lilies in the margins.
And I have known the chill blasts of winter, as well as the balmy breezes of springtime and the flight of the cockchafer and the scent of the watermint.
Not Astroturf and air conditioning!!
