Nigel Williams

[fishfinder]

I've just been reading a few posts on another forum regarding N Williams guilty plea. All they seem bothered about is the fact that he was caught "cheating" (apparently livebaits are banned in Ireland)

 

I think they are mising the point completely - the "cheating" is not the main issue here. The fact that he tried to smuggle live fish to Ireland is the real issue.

 

Apart from knowingly breaking the law, he ran the risk of introducing disease and aquatic parasites to Irish water. I assume that any leftover fish would be released into the water (why risk taking them back to the UK and being caught - having evaded detection on the way out). Also, some of his live baits would no doubt have escaped from the hook.

 

Introducing non-nativbe fish (especially carp) can easilly upset the ecosystem. Carp can do extensive damage (look at Australiam where they are shot as a pest).

 

In my opinion, as he is "high profile" (I donh't like the word "celebrity" as that's not what fishing is all about), he should be made an example of.

 

I say reevoke his fishoing licence and give him a ten year ban on any kind of fishing in the UK.

 

I've already emailed Anglers Mail - they obviously condone what he's done, otherwise they would have removed his weekly column immediately. Shame on you AT. No doubt I won't receive a response from them.

 

Masterline (and any other tackle manufacturers he has links with) should drop him iummediately.

 

If he was smuggling live reptiles or proper"animals", it would've made national news and the public would've been after his blood. Why is this any different?

 

Also shame on those of you who have stood up for him.

 

Apparently he had his car boot modified to hide a livebait tank - the fact that he went to such efforts suggests to me that he has done this before - but how many times?

[andyml]

fishfinder

 

i sympathise with your views and am amazed - not to say greatly disappointeed - that Angler's Mail still carries his column...

 

but generally speaking the standard of angling "journalism" is low...and hugely influenced by it's advertisers....

 

all rather depressing

 

tight lines

 

<')Andy<

[Peter Waller]

Smuggling, yes, but cheating too. Williams claims an impressive list of trophy pike. We can now wonder just how many were caught without resorting to some form of cheating. In many other sports his claimed record would be disallowed, and so it should be in angling.

[Houseplant]

Smuggling, yes, but cheating too. Williams claims an impressive list of trophy pike. We can now wonder just how many were caught without resorting to some form of cheating.

 

If the guy's integrity is in question, then you could wonder about other claims. In particular, the weights of his trophy fish.

 

As an aside, I think it's interesting that such an experienced piker went to so much effort and risk to fish livebaits which if the popular angling press is to be believed, is a bit outdated for big pike hunting.

[Waveney One]

From what I heard the courts haven't even recovered all the costs involved in prosecuting him. It is a joke.

 

I know from an e-mail received from Keith Arthur that he will not be invited back onto Tight Line. The producer of the programme wanted him but Keith said he wouldn't have him on. They got Gord Burton instead.

[BoozleBear]

From what I heard the courts haven't even recovered all the costs involved in prosecuting him. It is a joke.

 

I know from an e-mail received from Keith Arthur that he will not be invited back onto Tight Line. The producer of the programme wanted him but Keith said he wouldn't have him on. They got Gord Burton instead.

 

In order to catch big pike do you have to take a sensible name and shoten it to sound daft, like Nige and Gord. Makes it sound like they are trying to sound younger than they are.

 

If so please call me Sim from now on, I'm off to catch a fifty!

 

Simon

 

I mean, Sim.

[Paul_D]

If so please call me Sim from now on, I'm off to catch a fifty!

 

Not 'Boozy' then?

[BoozleBear]

Judging by what I got up to on Saturday night that would be appropriate enough too!

[Dunk Fairley]

Andy (andyml), I am actually quite surprised that Angler's Mail still carries his input. Some of the guys I fish with aren't going to buy Anglers mail, for this and a couple of other reasons.

 

I stopped getting it years ago (along with the Times) as I didn't want to contribute to the wages of people whom I thought talked a load of old cobblers!

 

What happend to objective, well informed reporting? It dissappeared, about the time when people started getting famous enough to have fishing chairs named after them!!!

 

I appreciatte what the weeklies try to do, which is give good information, good reportage, good value. All they succeed in doing, is give good advertising. They also have a rather annoying habit, whereby if an actual "News" event happens which is covered by one of them, the other seems not to want to publicise it.

[andyml]

Fair comment Dunk....

 

the angling press panders to a very low common denominator unfortunately..

 

thank gawd for Anger's Net!

 

tight lines

 

<')Andy<