Another River laid Fallow

[Dick Dastardly]

Of course though it does beg the question that if no one wants/has the fishing rights then who is going to bother to "police" it any way? Maybe this will see more rivers return to "free fishing" or the days of a bottle of something or similar for the landowner each Christmas? No one wants it then it no longer has a value to the owner.

[watatoad]

Of course though it does beg the question that if no one wants/has the fishing rights then who is going to bother to "police" it any way? Maybe this will see more rivers return to "free fishing" or the days of a bottle of something or similar for the landowner each Christmas? No one wants it then it no longer has a value to the owner.

 

Problem is some bright spark sticks a few trout in there just to get a syndicate started and its all over or perhaps a club of canoeists move in or worst some greenies move in to make it a conservation centre and probably get grants to do it.

[John Weddup]

I am afraid the pressure for many clubs to give river sections is building.

 

The sole reason is not many fish them now. If the rental is still based on the value some 10 years ago when they were still popular its far too much today.

 

Infact without inflation linked rents the actual figure paid ten years ago is too much now on many sections.

 

I advise any club members who value a peice of river to survey the amount of anglers using it and make sure your club commitee know this.

 

Another unhelpfull aspect is the great secrecy act. Many specialist anglers keep any good catches to themselves where publicising catches is the best way to keep interest going.

 

Its easy for a club bailiff to go to a pond and see instantly how many anglers fish it. Most will be sat still allday and easy to count.

 

Go to a river and many wander over many miles. A bailiff could not see anyone all day covering several miles of river although several have fished. He then reports that no one is fishing the river sections.

 

Rivers are still good value compared with most still waters and if you want to keep them you must let club officials know.

 

regards

 

John

[Anderoo]

Another unhelpfull aspect is the great secrecy act. Many specialist anglers keep any good catches to themselves where publicising catches is the best way to keep interest going.

 

That's a really good point John. I am certainly guilty of this, I wouldn't dream of openly publicising a good fish from a club water. I tell friends of course and usually put something on here if I feel particularly pleased with the capture, but no details on location.

 

The reason I don't do it is because I don't want the 'fish chasers' turning up. These are the people who have loads of time, who fish mid-week and are prepared to travel for that extra notch on the bedpost. They are sometimes also in the mags publicising themselves as much as possible. The trouble with the ones in the mags is that they atract the wrong kind of attention, and so ruin your own fishing. The trouble with the former is that, if someone has hammered a short stretch of river on Thursday and Friday, you're going to have a crap weekend's fishing - and remember that is was you who discovered the fishing was good in the first place.

 

However, you're absolutely right. That sort of publicity would probably keep the club ticking over. You've made me think now.

 

I guess this only applies to clubs who have bits of river that are underfished and where no-one really knows what's in there (my favourite kind). If a club river is well fished and people know pretty much what it holds, I guess it's not an issue.

[benacre]

The rent was a pound a year. The reason it was let go was lazy anglers not bothered to catch "Hard" fish, in preference to commercials and not having to walk too far from their cars. One thing about Commercials is the easy fishing. I am now arranged a meeting to see the new land owners to get a syndicate together

[Anderoo]

I am now arranged a meeting to see the new land owners to get a syndicate together

 

Very good idea - best of luck with it.

[poledark]

The rent was a pound a year. The reason it was let go was lazy anglers not bothered to catch "Hard" fish, in preference to commercials and not having to walk too far from their cars. One thing about Commercials is the easy fishing. I am now arranged a meeting to see the new land owners to get a syndicate together

 

If the rent was only £1 a year then why give it up? A bit shortsighted I think. The time may come when the club may regret that decision.

 

Den

[John Weddup]

If the rent was only £1 a year then why give it up? A bit shortsighted I think. The time may come when the club may regret that decision.

 

Den

 

 

I agree its pure madness.

 

The more waters you can show on a clubcard the better.

 

Obviously cost was not the reason.

 

It would be interesting to here the clubs point of veiw.

 

john

[Dick Dastardly]

If the rent was only £1 a year then why give it up? A bit shortsighted I think. The time may come when the club may regret that decision.

 

Den

 

As both you and John say WTF is this all about? a quid! Must be more to it surely? Be carefull Benacre and get all the facts first! Good luck with it.

[watatoad]

I am afraid the pressure for many clubs to give river sections is building.

 

The sole reason is not many fish them now. If the rental is still based on the value some 10 years ago when they were still popular its far too much today.

 

Infact without inflation linked rents the actual figure paid ten years ago is too much now on many sections.

 

I advise any club members who value a peice of river to survey the amount of anglers using it and make sure your club commitee know this.

 

Another unhelpfull aspect is the great secrecy act. Many specialist anglers keep any good catches to themselves where publicising catches is the best way to keep interest going.

 

Its easy for a club bailiff to go to a pond and see instantly how many anglers fish it. Most will be sat still allday and easy to count.

 

Go to a river and many wander over many miles. A bailiff could not see anyone all day covering several miles of river although several have fished. He then reports that no one is fishing the river sections.

 

Rivers are still good value compared with most still waters and if you want to keep them you must let club officials know.

 

regards

 

John

 

I can see where you are coming from John but then in fairness to today's anglers all clubs should have a website with a club access only section for those specimen or specialist anglers to add fishing reports, comments, catches etc.

 

The other thing a great many clubs fail to do is advertise even their existence and on these points Sudbury club is certainly very guilty along with thousands of other clubs I will admit.

 

Then you must also consider there are quite a few older and mid aged anglers who have stopped fishing during the last fifteen or so years because of the move to commercials some myself included can easily remember when the rivers anglers were supporting quite high rents on lakes for just a very few Carp Chasers and surprisingly enough without any moaning. Clive and I have caught bag fulls of Dace, quality Roach, excellent Chub and some of the finest Perch I have ever seen on our clubs waters only to be treated as fantasizers, dreamers, liars and ridiculed even when I have shown others photographs of many excellent large Roach and several 3lb and 4lb Perch they have been dismissed as rubbish. Sorry John but in my book Roach over 18" - 46cms and 20" - 51cms long are what I call excellent Roach and a bag full of Roach where the smallest is 2lb 2oz 1 kilo and 30 odd fish have come out in a couple of hours is no mean achievement.

 

I saw an angler have a really great Chub of over 7lb within 50 yards of where I was fishing and I do accept that if I had not been there to see it I would never have known about it - but at the same time if he had told anyone he would just have been ridiculed and laughed at - and he could not have put it on a non existent website could he.

 

Lets look at the average United Kingdom Club.

 

But does the club have a website - no.

Does the club advertise its existence even locally - no.

Does the club have a regular newsletter - no.

Does the club send regular mails out - no.

Does the club send regular E-mails out - no.

Does the club notify all members of forthcoming matches - no.

 

So some might say what does the club do for them.

 

I am not personally complaining but that could be because of my limited access requirements.

 

The Sudbury club used to be much larger but its not just the commercials and the Carp Chasers that are causing the decline its the secrecy of so many clubs. What is it are they ashamed of their existence? I am not speaking just about my local club but about 90% of all angling clubs in the United Kingdom.

 

So how and where except in tackle shops does one mention it the committee would very soon just dismiss regular letters from anglers and how many anglers have the time to just sit and write on a regular base and then remember to post it.

 

Incidentally Brian - Stour Valley (tackle shop) is gone as of Christmas and personally I expect George to follow sometime this coming year as I have noticed less and less new tackle appearing in his shop. Pity they are both great chaps.

 

 

The rent was a pound a year. The reason it was let go was lazy anglers not bothered to catch "Hard" fish, in preference to commercials and not having to walk too far from their cars. One thing about Commercials is the easy fishing. I am now arranged a meeting to see the new land owners to get a syndicate together

 

O.k. they want to be stupid that's up to them p.m. me the address of the landowner and I will take it up, at £1.00 no problem.

Edited December 21, 2010 by watatoad