New Look Rod Licence Brings Benefits To Anglers

[Elton]

And what about fisheries that insist on seeing a valid licence before allowing you through the gates?

 

And when I join my local club at a tackle shop, I'm asked to show my valid licence.

 

A simple licence with an expiry date would suffice, I think, just like car tax disks. I do believe that the April-April system is way out of touch with modern day. In fact, was it ever "in touch"?

[yorkio]

The system we have now allows any licence holder to ask to see another anglers licence.

 

Whether they choose to do so is another thing.

 

I don't believe that anyone's entitled to check other anglers' rod licences any more. Maybe it was on the back on the old licences, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing there now. Clubs may well have something in their rules about members being entitled to check other members' licences/tickets, but that's something quite different.

[Elton]

I don't believe that anyone's entitled to check other anglers' rod licences any more. Maybe it was on the back on the old licences, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing there now. Clubs may well have something in their rules about members being entitled to check other members' licences/tickets, but that's something quite different.

 

I think you're right. I just looked at mine (well, one of them) and it said something about bailiffs and coppers, but nothing about other licence holders.

[gozzer]

I don't believe that anyone's entitled to check other anglers' rod licences any more. Maybe it was on the back on the old licences, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing there now. Clubs may well have something in their rules about members being entitled to check other members' licences/tickets, but that's something quite different.

 

If that's right, I stand corrected. (I can't be bothered digging my gear out of the shed to check).

It was an assumption based on being asked, (and asking), in the past.

 

I have asked (sometimes directly, and sometimes subtly depending on the situation).

If I thought there was a problem, then at least I was able to suggest that the Authority might use their meagre resources to target that area.

 

Not very neighbourly I admit, but at least it was better than doing nothing, or just moaning about it.

 

I seem to remember cases of well known anglers being caught out, (even fishing Nationals).

 

In the days of dinosaurs like me, (in my experience), you wouldn't be able to join the club, or fish a match if you didn't have a licence.

I don't fish commercials, but would have thought that before getting a day ticket, a licence would have to be produced. (Or would that reduce revenue too much?)

 

John.

[Steve Walker]

And what about fisheries that insist on seeing a valid licence before allowing you through the gates?

 

And when I join my local club at a tackle shop, I'm asked to show my valid licence.

 

Fair point. That's all optional, though - I mean, it's a nice thing to do, to try to help enforce the law, but it's not really essential to the system. And it's not universal, I've never had to show mine to buy a club card or to enter a fishery. I do think that the assumption should be that the enforcement costs of the system should be carried by the system and not passed on to the private sector.

 

A simple licence with an expiry date would suffice, I think, just like car tax disks. I do believe that the April-April system is way out of touch with modern day. In fact, was it ever "in touch"?

 

I suppose it made more sense when people still observed the closed season.

[Elton]

I suppose it made more sense when people still observed the closed season.

 

I thought that, but it takes you two weeks into the closed season, which has probably caught out a few naive people over the years.

[gozzer]

I thought that, but it takes you two weeks into the closed season, which has probably caught out a few naive people over the years.

 

Don't get me started on the closed season issue.

 

I find it strange that so many complain about the "nanny state" deciding things for us, but when it's suggested that we as individuals or groups help ourselves, it's said that "it's not our place to do it, that's what we pay our licence fee for".

The EA will never have the financial resources to do all that we might want. I think that if we can all take a little of the responsibility for the welfare of angling, then some of the problems can at least be reduced, if not eliminated.

 

John.

[Steve Walker]

I find it strange that so many complain about the "nanny state" deciding things for us, but when it's suggested that we as individuals or groups help ourselves, it's said that "it's not our place to do it, that's what we pay our licence fee for".

 

Dunno about that, Gozzer - I might wrestle with a moral obligation to report my neighbour to the authorities if I knew he was committing benefit or tax fraud, or that he was fishing or watching TV without having paid the appropriate tax, but I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to investigate these things.

[BoldBear]

I think the new licences are a lot better than the old paper licences. There will definately people collecting them if the graphics changed each year, I suppose that this seasons last paper licence may also be collectable to some people as well.

I also agree with others that the licence should be valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Edited February 17, 2009 by BoldBear

[mjbarnes12]

My private club do not require seeing my license at any time!?!? The waters are all private and padlocked on long rural tracks!! I have never seen or heard of any EA baliff coming around checking the still waters but when fishing the river some 10 years ago when i was a nipper they used to ask me all the time - think they thought i was upto no good - the once i remember snagging up all of my bombs in a session so i turned to using a pair of scissors (YES scissors) as my leger weight!! haha brilliant!! i was soooooooo scared he would ask to see my terminal tackle, he didnt, he just said he would sit by to watch for bites and give me some tips!! thankfully i didnt get a bite in the 30-40mins he was there!! but anyway back to the subject!! i think it is a brilliant idea!! i always laminated all of my licenses and club tickets but still it was large and cumbersome. Just got to get my club to do the same now and i'll be happy!!

 

 

Secondary - what the hell would be wrong with a carp being on the card?!?! I find it quite pathetic that people who do not find modern carping methods and the people who employ them to their taste mocking an entire species !! it is not my cup of tea however if it wasnt for carp i wouldnt enjoy my fishing as much!! I am not overly enthused about piking but i do not say silly, childish things like 'i would not buy the license if there was a pike on it' - 'those silly pikers dont know anything about REAL fishing'

 

Rant over!!!