ANGLING UNITY, IS IT POSSIBLE ?

[Guest Leon Roskilly]

To talk of 'angling' as a single activity is like talking of 'ball games' (don't you dare Piscary!), as a single activity.

 

Rugby Players and Golfers both play 'ball games'

 

Imagine them trying to play the same 'field', join the same association (Specialist Ball Game Players Group!) and agree on anything!

 

Now try to imagine a group of lure anglers fishing the same water as a group of bivvied up carp anglers, while the local match group is trying to get some practice in!

 

The different disciplines in angling have the same basic aim; getting a fish on the bank, but thats where it ends.

 

Just as ball game players have the same aim; moving a ball to where it's going to score!

 

Our problem is that government and Sport England, though happy to talk to the Lawn Tennis Association, the FA etc as separate groups, insist that they must talk to a single representative body for angling.

 

That's when the fighting starts

 

One specialist angler's meat is another's poison.

 

The needs of pike anglers can be swamped by the needs of matchmen. Tench fishers don't stand a chance against the carp lobby.

 

So each of us feels that we have to fight our particular corner hard, whilst trying hard to co-operate, and share our waters with others.

 

On the whole, all things considered, we do pretty well at it, but there always will be losers and winners, and times when the knives come out

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Guest Steve Burke]

My non-angling wife, Peggy, has read some of this thread and others here and is appalled at the constant slagging off of one type of coarse angler by another. She reckons we're all a bunch of school children and that if this is typical it's no wonder there's no angling unity in the wider sense!

 

For goodness sake, isn't it time we stopped having a go at other branches of our sport. Having recently tried a bit of session carp fishing and even entered the odd match at Wingham I can at least see others points of view.

 

So let's start by uniting ourselves on this Forum. The odd tongue in cheek comment is fine, but IMO what we've had so far isn't.

[Guest Steve Burke]

Originally posted by Leon Roskilly:

To talk of 'angling' as a single activity is like talking of 'ball games' (don't you dare Piscary!), as a single activity.

 

Rugby Players and Golfers both play 'ball games'

 

Imagine them trying to play the same 'field', join the same association (Specialist Ball Game Players Group!) and agree on anything!

 

Leon, what a brilliant analogy!

[Guest Gordon Scott]

Can I add my praise to that of Steve Burke's? Leon, your analogy is bordering on genius!!

What is interesting though, is that the nub of this debate -Barbel Society/SACG- centres not on a conflict of interest but more a conflict of philosophies. (And as a BS committee member and editor of Barbel Fisher until recently I do know what I'm talking about here.) I suspect that this will prove even more insoluble. Only time will tell, but I'm not holding my breath...

 

Gordon

 

[This message has been edited by Gordon Scott (edited 06 August 2000).]

[Guest STEVE POPE]

Leon, you are absolutely correct,it's taken quite a while to reach this stage, but in the end it all comes down to being a realist.

Anglers ( And I mean all anglers) will unite, but they will only unite behind an issue that affects them all, namely being allowed to fish. End of story.

Angling politics is no different from any other form of politics.As there are different parties, so we have our many different groups and organisations which we as individuals can all join.

However in the event of a major issue a co-alition is usually formed and all party differences are put aside for the common good.Everyone then pulls together.

The same thing will happen in angling,IF we come under SERIOUS threat.

Trying to unify for its own sake only highlights our differences and hardens peoples views,eg. Match fishing,keepnets, multiple rods,close season,livebaiting, two hook rigs etc. etc......This isn't slagging off, just the fact we have totally different philosophies in the wide ranging disciplines.

We only have the one thing in common !!

I cannot understand why so many people fail to accept that.

For most, angling is a pasttime, an escape from normal everyday existence. For others it borders on obsession.

This state of affairs in unlikely to change,at least in our lifetimes (i.e. Saga candidates!! )

So what some may consider to be our weakness (The fact that we seem to be disorganised ) may turn out to be our strength in the long term.

What does he mean by that ?

Well the general publics image of anglers is probably still along the lines of a worm at one end and a fool on the other, or a young boy down at the pond catching sticklebacks or grandad sitting on his box by the canal whiling the time away.

While that perception remains we are safe.

Luckily for us, a fish cannot usually be seen,and unlike the cuddly furry animals (fox?), it's slimy.( I know that's a generalisation, but it isn't a million miles from the publics point of view.)

And as I've said before we MUST not lose public support.

Finally, going back to the point about the need for an issue to unite behind, The Barbel Society has been at the forefront in the fight to retain the close season on our rivers.This has involved an inordinate amount of work for a very small number of people in organising a public and behind the scenes campaign (ie. attending meetings,lobbying support etc.)

So it can be done but remember this, if I or you hear any angler say " We should be doing this...... "., just say "Who is this mysterious we ? What are YOU prepared to do?"

I'm going fishing.

 

Steve.

[Guest pikehunter]

I added my thought's to this a short while back and guess what????????? as i'm not in your own little club of writer's OR friend's my oppinions mean sod all don't they ......well BANG goes your brilliant ideas of unity... Talk to all and ignore no-one and you might be 95% of the way there YOU DISPLAY TO ME 100% WHY THERE IS NO UNITY.

PS... stop the bloody politics of what your saying and act like normal people in the street........Look at the government of the last god knows how long for proof of that statement.

Get of your soddin clouds and get into the REAL WORD.....OR YOU WILL LOSE FISHING GUARANTEED......

[Guest Ian Cresswell]

Originally posted by pikehunter:

... stop the bloody politics of what your saying and act like normal people in the street........

 

 

The forums on this site do a lot to promote the positive aspects of angling.

 

It's because of the regular contributors that the thing works as well as it does. This is an ideal 'neutral zone' for people to talk about angling and I think that we all have to accept that some level of 'politics' will inevitably be involved in such discussions.

 

I view open discussion to be a healthy thing. Nobody here is forcing opinions on others and, within reason, addressing contraversial issues 'head on' is essential to the future of our sport.

 

Perhaps 'Understanding' is a better 'U-Word' than 'Unity'.

 

 

Ian.

[Guest Steve Randles]

We all cast a line, perhaps we can at first all agree on this.

 

We all like to catch fish.

 

Now we have two things we all agree on.

 

Can anybody add a third?

 

Then maybe we can move forward.

 

There are thousands of issues, apart from those spoke about here.And ALL will have to be discussed at some stage or another.

 

But the Unity has to come first, if not,it will I fear, never happen

 

Tight lines

 

Steve Randles

[Guest Pete B]

Pikehunter,

You talk a lot of sense.. Let's get personalities out of this and get on with some real 'unity' too many people 'in high places' see it as a route to a future and are full of their own importance, and have a committee mentality.. As anglers we shoot ourselves in the foot at every opportunity and each 'group' seems pleased at the result.. WHY?

Idiots to the end and proud of it!

Happy Fishing

Pete B

[Guest Jase]

Pikehunter, I agree with you on unity, and straight talk, however if there is a writers club, I like yourself am not in it, and certainly don't know anybody here personally, (I don't think so anyway). The key with what I agree, is the talk and listen aspect. I can't see anything that is said or done here on these issues having an effect in the "big picture". It would be nice though, and there maybe, just maybe, that rare occasion that someone will have something that they are keeping to themselves, daren't say anything, because of fear of being ridiculed, that is the solution to whole problem, and everyone pricks there ears up and acts. I've seen it happen once before, a non-angling related subject. To tell you the truth I haven't even got a clue what SACG stands for, it was in an early post, and still wondering. BUT, I will eventually find out and learn, become wiser, this for me is excellent. What does everyone care, we only know how to catch fish, nothing else.

 

What I say, is all for one, one for all on this issue, but the "all" should be anglers, and mean "all" anglers. Everyone agrees with each other, there are no problems here, it's just the solutions to dealing with the minority view problem that we all seek and disagree on.

 

Well said Pete,