The BAA

[Ken L]

I can't remember the lasat time I got asked for my BAA (Birmingham Angers Association) card on the bank and with hours to go before the start of the new season, I find this:

http://www.baa.uk.com/html/memberships.htm

 

How many people are simply going to fish without a licence ?

 

OK you say, so just buy your card online. Great idea but whist the BAA site allows you to buy a card online, the site appears to be unencrypted and you can almost hear the sharks circling as you enter the page asking for card details.

 

Oh yes and no more disabled concessions. So my father who has been a member for 40 years but can't climb a style these days has to pay full whack.

 

and they wonder why river fishing is becomming less popular

Edited June 15, 2006 by Ken L

[john cahill]

I can't remember the lasat time I got asked for my BAA (Birmingham Angers Association) card on the bank and with hours to go before the start of the new season, I find this:

http://www.baa.uk.com/html/memberships.htm

 

How many people are simply going to fish without a licence ?

 

OK you say, so just buy your card online. Great idea but whist the BAA site allows you to buy a card online, the site appears to be unencrypted and you can almost hear the sharks circling as you enter the page asking for card details.

 

Oh yes and no more disabled concessions. So my father who has been a member for 40 years but can't climb a style these days has to pay full whack.

 

and they wonder why river fishing is becomming less popular

 

Got to say Ken my view is similar.

 

Bought a card at tail end of river season to fish one specific stretch. Up at 3am, on the road only to find the car park padlocked on arrival. No mention of padlocks, no codes with card to member on payment (at HQ).

 

Fished elsewhere.

 

Once very proud club now in decline.

 

Needs a shake up & some new blood IMO

[Dick Dastardly]

makes you wonder where the money is spent... who knows maybe its better this year.

 

 

I should imagine they are still paying the mortgage on that whacking great clubhouse/HQ of theirs!

[Ken L]

To be honest, I'm seriously thinking about giving the BAA card a miss for the first time since I was 15 (that's 26 years !) and getting by with a KDAA card. OK so I won't be able to fish on Wednesday evenings because of the opens but is it really worth buying a BAA card to fish their water maybe a dozen times before my next forign jaunt when they seem intent on making it hard to give them my money.

 

I could always borrow a card for a session because they don't even have the brains to incorperate a photo on their licences much less basic security features like a hologram that might stop someone running off forgeries on any inkjet printer.

 

Edit: The white elephant has gone. They're now based in a little brick hovel next door.

Edited June 15, 2006 by Ken L

[john cahill]

I bought my permit in January so I had no problem... and maybe I am a fool but I bought it online..

A lot of the venues do have locks or funny directions precisely to prevent non - permitholders from blocking up the car parks etc.

 

don't suppose they want it broadcast but the codes are in the guidebook and the entire guidebook is also online. It's pretty essential to cehck online before you use BAA waters because the water you fish is probably booked out to a club for a match...

 

I don't thinks its an expensive option at all - you can still buy day tickets from the agents.. Of more concern to me is the ongoing lack of maintenance on the river banks, makes you wonder where the money is spent... who knows maybe its better this year.

 

Educate me

 

Guide book not in stock at HQ upon visit

 

Website contains maps not codes.

 

How is the padlock code communicated to members ?

 

Edited June 15, 2006 by john cahill

[Dick Dastardly]

John it is unbelievable that you can buy a club book but not get given the padlock codes!.............................but even more unbelievable if they then put them on a website which anyone can acsess! surely Im mis interpreting your post Mr M?

 

By the way the Kiddy stretchs are thought by many to be some of the best barbell stretchs on the Severn.

[john cahill]

John it is unbelievable that you can buy a club book but not get given the padlock codes!.............................but even more unbelievable if they then put them on a website which anyone can acsess! surely Im mis interpreting your post Mr M?

 

By the way the Kiddy stretchs are thought by many to be some of the best barbell stretchs on the Severn.

 

Budgie

 

To be honest i didn't need a club book as i've fished most of em over the years. i just asked if there were any new updates & got told out of stock & went on my merry way.

 

Very disappointed given the 100 mile round trip not to be able to get through the gate & no mention of padlocks at HQ or website (that i could see).

 

I can understand the need for padlocks on some of these venues but discussed it with 4 other members afterwards & they too knew nothing about it.

 

Simple communication i would have thought.

 

I'll still buy a card as i always have done but must agree some of the stretches are now bordering on unfishable / unsafe on the Severn.

 

Shame really

 

JC

[Guest Ferret1959]

I was going to give the BAA a go this season, used to be a member many years ago.

 

Not now though, no disabled connession means no money from tight wad Dave.

[Dick Dastardly]

Its kind of ironic really.In the BAA's hey day you could hardly get on the rivers at weekends due to matchs.They even used to publish in the Anglers Mail which stretchs would be avaiable to "pleasure anglers".Although if the river came up overnight matchs were often "swapped" to a cannal or still water venue that morning.A real bummer if you had planned to fish (or in fact was even fishing) the stretch.The matchs took priority and this did get up your nose a bit seeing as you all paid the same for your card!

 

The upside of this though is that all of their stretchs (and they had water from the Trent to the Thames!) were kept in top order with all swims/pegs safe and acsessable.Now we have the waters near enough all to our selves we moan that the bank isnt so well kept!

 

The BAA was "The" ticket to have in the 70's but Ive not been a member since 75 when I moved from the Midlands.

[Vagabond]

Just had a look at the BAA site out of interest, and find this anachronism

 

"CONCESSIONARY MEMBERSHIP

OAP: Having reached the State Retirement Age and on production of Pension Book "

 

Someone please tell them that many pensioners don't HAVE a pension book. I have my pension paid direct into my bank account - it's daft to waste valuable fishing time queuing at the post office for your weekly pittance.

 

In any case this government is closing post offices as fast as it can - making life even more difficult for the diminishing few with pension books.