Letter From The Countryside Alliance

[Peter Waller]

Not forgetting that a number of Tories voted in favour of the ban, and, presumably, they didn't receive a donation.

[trent.barbeler]

Dear Peter,

 

Has the FACT 2 come on here to tell us where it got the information about the CA supposedly contesting MP Salter’s seat? Lets keep the thread on course and get the FACT 2 to come on here and justify their support for a labour MP by telling us all who gave them their information which triggered their labour party supportive stance?????

 

I have no agenda Peter. I merely see the facts and comment.

 

Tell us all Peter who in FACT actually asked the CA to join FACT??

 

It matters not, to me at any rate, what type of angler is in CA membership. What type of anglers are individual members in FACT? NONE.

 

“Let’s assume that FACT will survive, it will if it’s allowed to."

 

Let’s assume that FACT "WON'T" survive given the history of those sitting around the FACT table. The FACT remains, its "THEM" that can't get along not the angling majority and certainly "NOT" the CA who have an enviable reputation for total unity in their ranks!!!

 

Perhaps FACT will join the ranks of CA instead of going it alone consistently with the end result always ending in failure?? FACT could learn a thing or two about unity AND sustainable funding inside CA? Don't believe that entire trot about the CA not being as rich as some might wish.

 

How many CA fund raisers have you attended Pete? I've attended 12. Any idea about the amount of money these typical local fund raisers generate? I've yet to attend ONE local effort that doesn't manage to raise the SAA equivalent of its whole yearly budget in 24 hours!! The CA regions make FACT organisation and fund raising look like a church jumble sale.

 

Let’s give FACT a chance. To do what? Let us all down again? Remain pathetically none funded? Consistently deny ordinary anglers the right to join it? Become a single political party organisation?

 

Coarse anglers? It’s not about what type of angler you are, but how we all remain prepared to stand up for each other. The CA does exactly that. It fights for its angling membership fishing rights. The thing that separates FACT from the CA, is that the CA leadership gets on with business and doesn’t waste valuable time, money and angling’ future, engaging their energies in pointless fall outs that get us absolutely no where!

 

Angling under the FACT predecessors HAS a long history of failure. HAS a long history of disunity.

 

The Countryside Alliance stands tall in its position for staunch unity. It is well funded by committed individuals and groups, and is organised beyond recognition to that of FACT and what came before it.

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[kleinboet]

I see in a previous posting that I am being urged to join another organisation, the ACA " because of what they do for anglers" WHY? I'm an angler, what have they done for me?

 

I belong to the BDAA, an organisation for the disabled, who SHOW you what they have done and are doing - Thats why I belong - I can SEE results!

 

When ANY other organisation, be it FACT, the CA or whoever can SHOW the average angler fishing a river or lake, THIS is what we have done for YOU and we can do more if you join us!! Maybe then I will Join.

[Paul Boote]

trent.barbeler:

 

The Countryside Alliance stands tall in its position for staunch unity.  It is well funded by committed individuals and groups, and is organised beyond recognition to that of FACT and what came before it.  

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

Well, as Mandy Rice-Davies very nearly said, forty-odd years ago, "it would do, wouldn't it?"

 

Summat (judiciously edited) that I received by email today soon to follow this preamble. No reply received yet, which I had rather hoped for, at least an acknowledgement...

 

Wait a sec'...

 

Here it comes...

 

 

Sent to me from someone. via AnglersNet. earlier today:

 

 

"Hi Paul

 

I was wondering if you would like to come and give a talk, it will be in the XXXXXXXXXXX area.

I am going to arrange some talks for junior anglers...

 

LHR is getting more and more schools interested in putting angling into their school curriculums so the cost is increasing all the time.

 

XX & YY are coming down to do one for me.

 

JZW came here last year so I thought it would be nice if you would do one.

 

Please let me know.

 

Hope you can make the above. Hope to hear from you soon.

 

XXX"

 

 

-- my reply:

 

Hi, XXX

 

Thanks for your note and very kind invitation to come and give a talk.

 

One problem though, XXX, I just don't give talks anymore. I used to give quite a few (for free or at very little cost) until a few years ago, when information that I conveyed in a series of UK talks (about many months, over several years, spent travelling and fishing for trout and sea-trout in Argentina and Chile, and for freshwater dorado in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil) was badly abused by some British and foreign individuals and companies, causing friends of mine (plus pretty well every trout and sea-trout fisher) in the countries concerned to lose ALL of their worthwhile fishing to upmarket angling-travel operators and their guides PDQ. Here in Britain, at the same time, I found myself being universally treated by "fishing world" types (by magazines and their staff, by tackle barons & dealers, by travel firms etc, among them people I had known, liked, got on well with and, above all, trusted for many years) as some noxious pile of poo! The me-too money-makers and landgrabbers covering their mucky behinds, you see... Not nice.

 

So I decided, then, not to talk about fishing again - any fishing, British or foreign. A pity perhaps, as some have subsequently said to me, but when I make an important decision - especially one about something that I consider to be a point of honour, a matter of principle - I stick by it. Call me old-fashioned, but when something I greatly value and love gets itself hijacked by greedy rogues, I'm gone!

 

Love to talk to those kids, XXX, I really would, they're our sport's future - I am an entertaining speaker with much experience and, in certain angling departments, what might just be unique knowledge (I suspect you would have seen a fair few adult fishers fighting for a seat!) - but that's how it is now. Very sorry I can't help.

 

Tight lines and best wishes,

 

Paul

 

 

It all looks and sounds a bit desperate, even tragic, dunnit (them and / or / yours truly...)?

 

Our fault, or theirs...?

 

[ 18. March 2005, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: Paul Boote ]

[argyll]

I'm going outside. I may be gone for quite some time.

 

[ 19. March 2005, 12:17 AM: Message edited by: argyll ]

[Jim Roper]

I don't think most people will have angling in mind when they cast their vote.

 

Someone wrote somewhere that within 10 years there won't be any manual jobs for Btitish white males.

I'm inclined to think they are right with that assumption.

More than half the people I work with every night are Polish.

[Paul Boote]

Well, as Mandy Rice-Davies very nearly said, forty-odd years ago, "it would do, wouldn't it?"

 

Summat (judiciously edited) that I received by email today soon to follow this preamble. No reply received yet, which I had rather hoped for, at least an acknowledgement...

 

Wait a sec'...

 

Here it comes...

 

 

Sent to me from someone. via AnglersNet. earlier today:

 

 

"Hi Paul

 

I was wondering if you would like to come and give a talk, it will be in the XXXXXXXXXXX area.

I am going to arrange some talks for junior anglers...

 

LHR is getting more and more schools interested in putting angling into their school curriculums so the cost is increasing all the time.

 

XX & YY are coming down to do one for me.

 

JZW came here last year so I thought it would be nice if you would do one.

 

Please let me know.

 

Hope you can make the above. Hope to hear from you soon.

 

XXX"

 

 

-- my reply:

 

Hi, XXX

 

Thanks for your note and very kind invitation to come and give a talk.

 

One problem though, XXX, I just don't give talks anymore. I used to give quite a few (for free or at very little cost) until a few years ago, when information that I conveyed in a series of UK talks (about many months, over several years, spent travelling and fishing for trout and sea-trout in Argentina and Chile, and for freshwater dorado in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil) was badly abused by some British and foreign individuals and companies, causing friends of mine (plus pretty well every trout and sea-trout fisher) in the countries concerned to lose ALL of their worthwhile fishing to upmarket angling-travel operators and their guides PDQ. Here in Britain, at the same time, I found myself being universally treated by "fishing world" types (by magazines and their staff, by tackle barons & dealers, by travel firms etc, among them people I had known, liked, got on well with and, above all, trusted for many years) as some noxious pile of poo! The me-too money-makers and landgrabbers covering their mucky behinds, you see... Not nice.

 

So I decided, then, not to talk about fishing again - any fishing, British or foreign. A pity perhaps, as some have subsequently said to me, but when I make an important decision - especially one about something that I consider to be a point of honour, a matter of principle - I stick by it. Call me old-fashioned, but when something I greatly value and love gets itself hijacked by greedy rogues, I'm gone!

 

Love to talk to those kids, XXX, I really would, they're our sport's future - I am an entertaining speaker with much experience and, in certain angling departments, what might just be unique knowledge (I suspect you would have seen a fair few adult fishers fighting for a seat!) - but that's how it is now. Very sorry I can't help.

 

Tight lines and best wishes,

 

Paul

 

 

argyll:

I'm going outside. I may be gone for quite some time.

Yup. Nobly walking out into a blizzard is infinitely preferable to meeting large numbers of the angling members of the CA (and even one or two of the FACT crew) fishing Argentine sea-trout and trout waters at this time of year that NONE of the locals can fish anymore - unless they have several thousand dollars available to pay for a week's fishing, and, even if they do, are prepared to put up with some very tweedy English company... I mean, with protectors of the sport like ours, who needs destroyers...?

 

[ 19. March 2005, 09:58 AM: Message edited by: Paul Boote ]

[jim doyle]

But dosnt the same thing happen here paul? the formation of a syndicate to "preserve" the fishing on x y or z, the time share of scotish rivers. If theres money to be made be assured someone will try to seperate us from it. It is a shame that you could not have done something for the youngsters as it would probably meant more than any CA or FACT contribution put together!

[trent.barbeler]

Dear Paul,

 

How many of the FACT head honcho's fish abroad in the manner you describe?

 

You said;

 

"Thanks for your note and very kind invitation to come and give a talk.

 

One problem though, XXX, I just don't give talks anymore. I used to give quite a few (for free or at very little cost) until a few years ago, when information that I conveyed in a series of UK talks (about many months, over several years, spent travelling and fishing for trout and sea-trout in Argentina and Chile, and for freshwater dorado in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil) was badly abused by some British and foreign individuals and companies, causing friends of mine (plus pretty well every trout and sea-trout fisher) in the countries concerned to lose ALL of their worthwhile fishing to upmarket angling-travel operators and their guides PDQ. Here in Britain, at the same time, I found myself being universally treated by "fishing world" types (by magazines and their staff, by tackle barons & dealers, by travel firms etc, among them people I had known, liked, got on well with and, above all, trusted for many years) as some noxious pile of poo! The me-too money-makers and landgrabbers covering their mucky behinds, you see... Not nice.

 

So I decided, then, not to talk about fishing again - any fishing, British or foreign. A pity perhaps, as some have subsequently said to me, but when I make an important decision - especially one about something that I consider to be a point of honour, a matter of principle - I stick by it. Call me old-fashioned, but when something I greatly value and love gets itself hijacked by greedy rogues, I'm gone!

 

Love to talk to those kids, XXX, I really would, they're our sport's future - I am an entertaining speaker with much experience and, in certain angling departments, what might just be unique knowledge (I suspect you would have seen a fair few adult fishers fighting for a seat!) - but that's how it is now. Very sorry I can't help."

 

It’s a fact Paul old love, that no one apart from yourself forced you to trot across the globe fishing? The choice to either NOT talk about your fishing publically (I've noticed you do the opposite on here?)Or do public talks concerning the same remains again your choice.

 

BUT;

 

Personally mesun, I feel that UK angling generally is missing out by what I see are silly reasons for your self inflicted ostracism. As are you.

 

Everyone old enough or informed enough know that YOU have been a modern day pioneer of fishing overseas. Yes, there were various sportsmen who in Victorian/Edwardian times made a name for themselves fishing in far away places. But you, and a few others, brought the magic of fishing for unknown species abroad back "home" to a UK based angling audience eager to emulate your pioneering successes.

 

Paul, I say this with total sincerity, take absolute pride in everything you have done for angling over the long years you have been involved. Whatever might have transpired since you graciously shared your experiences with the wider angling audience is "NOT", your fault. The world has shrunk beyond anyone’s expectations so it was always on the cards that "others" were going to capitalise on the experiences of those pioneering out in far away fields first.

 

Locking your adventures and experiences away in some dark box remains totally pointless. Angling across all of its spectrums can appreciate your vast experiences.

 

Angling politics is a pile of disunified crap. You know it, I know it. But pure fishing remains timeless as the passion we all share what ever we fish for. "GOING" fishing is what it’s all about. And when it comes to "GOING" fishing across the globe, you are a master Paul.

 

OK. So you will never be a master Trent barbeler like my glorious self, or reserve my obvious modesty. Then again, I have been on the tigress Trent for 47 years man and boy forgetting more than the Barbel Police will ever know about Trent barbel fishing.

 

You can't have everything. But you can share an obvious expertise with others far less fortunate than yourself for actually being there when modern day angling history was being made far, far away.

 

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

[Paul Boote]

trent.barbeler:

Dear Paul,

 

How many of the FACT head honcho's fish abroad in the manner you describe?

 

 

Regards,

 

Lee.

Moran's Number 2, Glasspool, in FACT, has twice (and probably thrice, now) fished a stretch of a river that a very good Argentine friend of mine devoted 20 years of his life to protecting (the entire river, 170-odd kilometres of very fine water)- protecting it and its fish stocks at his own expense (liaising with owners, educating locals both regionally and nationally to fish catch & release and not to spin and to net the sea-trout runs to boogery, teaching his fellow locals to flyfish and getting that dean of American flycasters and fishers, Mel Krieger of California, to come over annually to teach Argentine fishers and to generally spread the sportfishing and conservationist gospel.

 

One river, one example, and I can supply more.

 

As for the rest of your stuff, Lee, I'll read it and, if I feel that it merits an answer, will get back to you.

 

[ 19. March 2005, 02:12 PM: Message edited by: Paul Boote ]