Hello...Again...Just a small question

[Peter Waller]

My local Tesco even stocks Horse & Hound as well as fishing mags!

[Tog]

It's seems to me there are much more important 'wrongs' to be 'righted' than mithering about alleged 'cruel' sports but the 'anti's currently have the media's ear (a lot of 'em work in it!) so expect more in the near future.

 

As for 'media' types not knowing about the close season - about 7 years ago I dropped into 'the rod box' a 'fancy game fishing emporium' near Winchester on the 16th to be met by a bedgraggled anti bemoaning the 'cruelty about to be unleashed upon the slimy fishes' (or something like that )

He actualy knew that the season was starting that very day - until I informed him that trout anglers had been fishing since easter! - & he ought to go and protest outside the coarse fishing emporium instead. ' bloody berks - they did'nt tell me that when they dropped me out the minibus this morning' & off he plodded for another smoke.

Strange thing that - a heck of a lot of 'animal' rights types pollute the air for the rest of us with their stinky puffings with god knows what in them - no wonder their brains are rotten!

[Dick Dastardly]

rob.i:

yes pete but f*** off gets right to the point

Rob,you to must have attended the Budgie Burgess School of Diplomacy!

[Stewart_Bloor]

We all have different ways of handling things I guess.

[Resident Carper]

yes i have had several nosey dog walkers come up to me and not ask me what i think but Tell me this, and thing i normaly do is just smile sweetly, and ignor them and agree with them then after a while they get pi$$ed off cos they arnt getting to me, then i say have a nice day and off they trot in a pi$$ed off manner

[fenboy]

Weird stuff. I started fishing in 1966 and I've never been confronted by an anti on the bank. Ever.

Had a few arguments in the pub, but I'm quite adept at holding my own in that environment. Spend a lot of time there.

The "f**k off" option is lovely. It would certainly be my instinctive choice, because ot a bit of a temper and I've I'm a bit loud and aggressive. But I do feel that the diplomats among us would be better at batting for our cause.

It's true, though... the antis are going to hammer us unless somebody speaks for us in a believable manner.

[monkeyboy]

Ive had many an argument away from the bank in the pub.

Usually about the recent "findings" that fish feel pain.

All i say is how would you feel if that hook was replaced with bee venom and injected into the fishes lips? they usually say well thats disgusting. And my reply is thats what it took for you to tell me that fish feel pain.

My other argument in the pub is usually with thick t.wats that dont even know we pay £23 a year to fish and keep the riverways and other waters clear and healthy.

Sometimes these arguments get very heated i can tell you, and i love every second of ripping peoples mis-conceptions of the angling world apart!

[Peter Waller]

The only comments that I ever get from walkers, doggy ones or otherwise, always relate to the unbelievable amount of rubbish left by some anglers, generally young ones. These keen youngsters should remember that what they can carry to the bank can also be carried home, and that their mothers only clean up after them at home. How do I know that they are youngsters? Well, the bank was clean the day before, because I picked the previous lot of stuff up, and when I went past in my boat later that evening I saw a gang of young fishermen camped there.

[Stewart_Bloor]

The question I usually get asked is 'Do you eat the fish'

 

Misinformed, but harmless. However, it also gives the opportunity to talk about fish welfare and the positive aspect of angling.

[RUDD]

I suppose that I am lucky in that the waters I fish are on private land and I dont have much contact with the general public.

 

One of the places I do come into contact with them on the bank is at Beccles on the Waveney.

Most anglers ignore the people out for a stroll but I always give a hearty good morning/afternoon.

Most reply back and a good few come and have a chat. The majority of these are locals who walk the banks at least once a week, they see anglers every week but have never spoken to them.

The reason they give is that the anglers ignore them and wont even reply to a good morning/afternoon and that some anglers are very rude.

We have to share public banks with the public be they dog walkers, joggers, bike riders, duck feeders, walkers etc etc.

Its not that hard to be polite and cheerful or to talk to the public to raise awarenes of our sport/hobby/pastime.