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What are we doing to our young?


bluerinse

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I kind of disagree with some of what Den has wrote here.I personaly think that having learned to catch lots of small fish has helped me no end in catching big ones. Ive also noticed that many people who go straight in to "big fish" seem to lack a lot of the basic skills.

 

My main worry though is that these people (young or old) are missing out on a lot of fun! Admitedly I prefer to catch big fish now but I still enjoy days just targeting small fish.

 

Boldbears comment about "big" fish not having to be carp is also valid.

 

When Emma talks about the big differences between "natural" and "commercial" fisheries (be they game or course) I dont necesarily see this as condeming the comercials full stop or trying to be elitest just pointing out the extra dimension that for example trout fishing on a natural loch has over a small put and take fishery.

 

I often wonder though about my own attitude to the modern day scene (ie comercial waters,instant specimen hunters etc) Is my dislike of it purely because it is new/different? I some times think I might be a bit hypocritical and need to change with the times! A prime example is that I look down my nose at all the modern cat anglers big (40lb+) UK cats as in my day there were only a handfull of waters and a 30 was a very big fish.With so many more of the modern day waters stocking so many much bigger fish It kind of demeans my catchs.......but if these waters had been available in my time would I have fished them and thought different? most probabley yes! Same as the comercial carp waters I would guess.

 

Must stop knocking the modern scene just because its different. But I still have this nagging worry about it.

 

I honestly believe that you need to struggle at first to really get bit by the angling bug.Seen lots of well known specimen anglers sons come into the sport via Dad,catch lots of big fish (thanks to Dads knowledge) and give up by the time they are 20. Todays waters,methods,tackl;e etc might be making it too easy? The modern scene may bring lots of people in but does it keep them? judging by the amount of complete carp outfits for sale and the people Ive seen come and go no.

And thats my "non indicative opinion"!

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Emma, I must be privileged, as my local water is ONLY concerned with the welfare of the fish in the lake. I know some of the locals think that not enough is being done to make the ANGLERS comfortable!!! When I spoke to Andrew, the new owner, his answer was that he would ensure disabled access to most pegs, but would do nothing to jeopardise the 'natural' habitat of the fish.

You say you battle to get to the river, but I can no longer even THINK about river fishing as it is an impossibilty to get near them.

However, he will always ask me before making ANY changes to the water, as he will listen and act on any advice I give him!

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fishing is nature's medical prescription

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Well what can I say? I don't know the nature of your disability, nor the nature of your rivers. Some rivers have easy access, I had a broken leg and was in a wheelchair when I was in my early 20s and got pushed down to the Ouse in York (The Fulford stretch for those who know the area) concerete walkway then river and weeks off work to go fishin', great, the only downside was that I didn't have much of an idea of how to fish that type of river in those days, but I caught lots of Eels, and each floatfished Roach or Dace was considered a triumph! Now I can get to the river which runs 15 yards from the house in which I was raised and my mother still occupies, the terrain is tarmac, wall and river, no good when there is no water in it, but in spate its worth having a go at ambushing migratory fish on their way upstream. I took my first ever Salmon there and had it in the kitchen before it was unhooked. On the other hand there are some pools upstream which I don't expect to see again.

 

I'm unsure of your point when you say, 'I must be privileged, as my local water is ONLY concerned with the welfare of the fish in the lake'

Come on, we have to get the status of fish in perspective, if the place is ONLY concerned with the welfare of fish, then ALL anglers should be banned, 'cos there can never be a 100% certainty that a fish won't be harmed by being caught, and given the option I imagine that they (the fish) would put on top of their welfare wish list, 'to be left alone to do their thing unmolested by humans'. ;)

Edited by Emma two
"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
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I really can't understand what all the fuss is about ("worry for the future of angling in this country etc"). I think it's great that we have commercials that cater for all sorts. If it weren't for commercials it'd be much harder to find solitude and beautiful litter-free places on a river or lake.

 

The pressure exerted on our "natural" rivers and lakes by our bloated population would be unsustainable if it weren't for commercials.

 

Den is correct, many people just want to say "I caught one this big" and often seem immune to their surroundings and indeed very much outside of fish size at all. Great, they can stay on the commercials.

 

MC

 

Totally agree, if people want to bag up or catch percy the 40 out of some syndicate lake then good luck to them....more space elsewhere.

 

Expectations are so high often due to the angling press that make it look so easy and don't really go into any detail of how many weeks/time it may have taken to catch such large fish.

 

It all depends on the water your fishing, I'd take my hat off to someone who could catch a 20 or even a mid double (pike) on my local stretch....forget the flippin' 30s!

Edited by Neil G
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Naw, get it off your chest and write about it now...I'm enjoying this! :lol:

 

We are each entitled to our opinion and I believe the one expressed in the topic to begin with was the fact that kids seem to be taught how to be tackle tarts and just head off to a local commercial carp hole in the ground (yes, I know they're not all like this) to catch a monster. Carp are the cool fish to catch and if you dont catch double figures then your a loser!

 

There are good and bad aspects to this. If all these people who choose to limit their fishing to mud coloured holes in the ground leave us well rounded anglers alone to fish the stretches of rivers and little know lakes alone then thats great.

 

However, if all these anglers make up the vast majority and commercial carp waters become the only gig in town then does this mean clubs who own stretches of these rivers give up and close it down? Will these little known public park and other lakes get filled in a topped off with a block of flats?

 

Yes carp fishing in a bivvy is a lovely social event with bbq's, boozing, parties, pizza, bring the kids lets all camp outside sort of thing. If you like it then go for it, but I for one worry about the kids attitudes to fishing in general and possibly the future of angling.

 

Maybe I worry too much and should head off to my local carp lake for some pizza and beer! ;)

 

 

The future of angling. I'm sure it will continue being a matter of preference to the individual. If the future of angling is carp fishing only, then who's to say that is bad? In that possible future the only anglers fishing would be carp anglers, they wouldn't be protesting against their own choice of activity. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be the case because there is no such thing as uniform when it comes to this sort of thing. As far as I have seen I have never seen an angler forcing his way of doing things onto others. The future of angling will be as it has always been, personal choice and preference and freedom to exercise it.

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I'm sure I come across like an elitist, and I couldn't care less :P The idea that 'small' fish aren't worth catching because they're easy and don't fight is simply nonsense. I caught a few dace from a local stream yesterday that had my trotting rod bent double. If you match your tackle to the fish, every species has its challenges.

 

I could, if I wished, go to any number of local carp lakes in the next few days and in all likelihood catch some big fish (much bigger than my PB). Big isn't always best, and is no proof of skill.

 

Two of the most important skills in angling are versatility and improvisation. You can only build up these skills with varied fishing. I know for a fact that my early days/years of fishing help me every time I go out, regardless of what I'm hoping to catch.

 

It's a matter of perspective of course - obviously kids want to catch 'big' fish, but the definition of 'big' has changed beyond all recognition in my lifetime (and I'm not exactly over the hill!). It used to be a 2lb bream or (gasp!) a 4lb carp. On a float rod (or, as it was known, 'my fishing rod') these were epic battles!

 

Maybe I'll mellow when I'm older, but at the moment I don't like the way things are going. Any fishery with more fish in than nature would allow is not proper fishing. Kids now should be pitied, they literally have no idea what they're missing.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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If the future of angling is carp fishing only, then who's to say that is bad?

 

Me and all my mates... :P

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"I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do. I envy nobody but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do"

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Me and all my mates... :P

 

It would be bad from our perspective. But you missed the point. There would be no one to say it is bad if everybody in the future chose to carp fish.

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Debating is an art, it requires an ability to present ones case logically, and to support that case with evidence.
You'll not find a whole lot of that on AN Emma, your more likely to be assaulted by Strawmen, Ad Hominem attacks, Appeals to Authority, Special Pleading, Anecdotal Evidence, Observational Selection, Appeals to Ignorance, Non Sequitors, Slippery Slope Arguments, Argument from Adverse Consequences, False Dichotomies, Statistics of Small Numbers, Weasel Words with the odd Red Herring thrown in for luck.

The problem isn't what people don't know, it's what they know that just ain't so.
Vaut mieux ne rien dire et passer pour un con que de parler et prouver que t'en est un!
Mi, ch’fais toudis à m’mote

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The pressure exerted on our "natural" rivers and lakes by our bloated population would be unsustainable if it weren't for commercials.
Do you have any evidence to support this argument?

The problem isn't what people don't know, it's what they know that just ain't so.
Vaut mieux ne rien dire et passer pour un con que de parler et prouver que t'en est un!
Mi, ch’fais toudis à m’mote

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