Swan Poisoned by Angler's Lead Weight

[gozzer]

And we want to hand live baiting,keepnets etc to the antis on a plate? We have matchmen saying that sticking hooks in fish for bait is cruel? Pike anglers calling carp anglers "trappers"? and eveyone else saying putting fish in keepnets is wrong?

 

You forgot to mention eating Perch, Budgie

[Dick Dastardly]

And a hundred or so other similar issues Gozzer!

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

I caught a swan last night (and a duck)..........was surface fishing with bread and was a bit kinda half asleep!!! Woke up quick enough for the swan as smoke was pouring off my baitrunner! LOL!!!

 

I of course landed it and carefully unhooked it (classic scissor hook hold any carp would be proud of!!!)...........anyway the crux of my story is it actually half makes sense to occasionally catch a swan in this way to simply check it for the oodles of discarded line they often carry around their legs.

 

I know this post wont be to all tastes and I appreciate that but I say whats on my mind and hope others respect my views.

 

A passing dog walker did ask me if I was gonna weigh it and stuff it in a keep net!

[Steve Walker]

A passing dog walker did ask me if I was gonna weigh it and stuff it in a keep net!

 

Weigh it and stuff it with Paxo if you ask me...

[barblesss]

What's all this 'united' stuff that's always been written. All us anglers enjoy fishing and want the sport to continue.

Those who go on about us not being united are just disappointed that everyone has different opinions to theirs.

We are obviously united in that we all want to fish so get over it. And we all have different opnions on how we feel will make our sport stronger, less liable to losing it. For me, that is not being too greedy and decimating nature around us.

All Leads should obviously be banned, as should livebaiting. But that is just 'my opinion' .

As for this Swan story I woudn't believe anything the BBC write nowadays anyway... bunch of....

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

As for this Swan story I woudn't believe anything the BBC write nowadays anyway... bunch of....

 

Nothing like a healthy dose of stereotyping is there?

 

Seems especially ironic given your rant about people being able to make up their own minds and having their own opinions.

[James P]

Perhaps the swan was poisoned by all the bullshit that's written by the BBC and other misinformed 'journalists' about anglers and fishing in general.

 

"Others are thought to be using up to 15 pieces of tiny lead weights on their lines instead of alternatives."

 

What a load of tosh. Who writes these articles?

 

 

James P

[Dick Dastardly]

Barbless your post sums up the problem! You start by saying that we are all united through our love of fishing, and wish to see it continue.I agree that this should be the prime factor in "uniting" us. You then go and cause dis unity by allowing your personnel preference to over ride this!

 

Im not having ago as Im sure your intentions are well meant but this really typifies the problem.

 

As I said untill all anglers can forget personal preferences and concentrate on the one common thing we have then we will always be at the $h1ty end of the stick.

[gozzer]

I didn't think there was much to add to this thread, but, then a "we are all united, but, I'd ban this" post comes along. I'm afraid that sums it all up for me. I've come to accept that anglers will never be united against a threat that some refuse to accept is there. The antis have a well oiled PR machine, that gets far more publicity than we anglers do.

My own angling has been limited over the last 2/3 years, for various medical and personal reasons. I haven't yet wet a line this season, because Sods Law has struck again, but I am determined that it will not be long before I am back at the waters edge, what ever the cost! I will be mainly going alone because I have become disillusioned with anglers and angling over the many years I have spent involved in it. I am just grateful that I have spent most of those years angling in a less 'enlightened' age, when anglers were just thought of as slightly eccentric and a bit mad. Over the years I have spent some time on most types of angling, and enjoyed them all (some more than others, I admit). If there is one thing that I have learned it is this. Enjoy your own angling whatever branch you decide on. Don't get hung up on the legal activities of other anglers and angling methods (it can and will detract from your own enjoyment). If a method, bait or type of angling is not to your taste, then don't do it. But if it's legal, then leave others to enjoy their angling their way.

 

I'm afraid for the future of angling , (not for me, because having been involved for over 45yrs the majority of my angling is behind me now), but for the youngsters just coming in to angling. Unless they are lucky then their angling experiences will be tainted by hypocrisy, discord, and a reliance on the commercial interests, Which don't always have anglers and angling as a top priority.

Angling (in all it's forms) has never been just a sport, hobby or pastime to me, more a way of life.

I only hope that I'm wrong and the future is brighter than my pessimistic predictions.

 

Rant over, I'm going into the garden to attack a hedge that's got too big, I'm just in the mood for it.

[Dick Dastardly]

Well said Gozzer.It seems that all to often it is people whose "crusading" days are over who see the problem.Newcomers with "fire in their bellys" are still far to intent on catching fish to see the problems the future holds!

 

The more specialised areas of angling become the more this problem will grow.

 

The Barbel angler is far to obsessed about stopping the use of "carp" tactics on the river,the carp angler far too busy trying to show everyone else (including other carp anglers) how much HE loves carp,the match angler is determined to have all predators killed and hates the fact that a predator angler may kill a few roach for bait (whilst happily accepting the few roach that his keep net/weigh in kill) and it just goes on infinitum.

 

There is not one form of angling I dont like but even if I did I would rather share my waters with it than not fish at all.

 

A bit drastic or maybe Im overreacting (Barbless?) Im only 46 and have been fishing for just over forty of those years now but even I have seen loads of good fishing lost/spoilt due to anglers themselves simpley not being able to co exist with each other.Want some examples? or isnt there a problem?

 

Tell that to the guys who have lost their fishing or now share it with other water (ab)users......like jet skis or powerboats etc all because they didnt want to share with other anglers.