Unity?

[Chris Goddard]

My take on this??

 

"It will never happen as long as we walk around with out backsides point down!!!"

 

PERIOD!!

[waterman1013]

We used to have just one body, the NFA. then some silly person started with NASA and we have never looked back!

 

Peter, you forget about sea anglers with NFSA and game anglers with S&TA. There has always been more than one national angling organisation. At least we are now trying to pull it all together for the future. Had the three national bodies then represented the interests of all the anglers within their remit the other organisations would not have come into existence.

 

I often wonder how many who comment in negative terms regarding what we are trying to do are members of any of the national bodies. Certainly if we had one body to represent all anglers I would expect membership to be mandatory with the rod licence. And then we could have representation from a local level through the catchment consultative or sea fisheries committee up to national level. Perhaps then angling would be able to afford the manpower to properly monitor legislation and respond instead of relying entirely on the good will and free time of the unpaid to do it. Perhaps then angling could promote itself properly in a competitive world where potential participants have so many other choices of what to do in their spare time. Perhaps then we could and would get angling onto the school curriculum and engage so many young people who are presently disengaged from schooling and society.

 

The BCU employs numbers to negotiate with government, the RSPB the same. What does angling get? Not a lot to be frank, but then in this life generally you get what you pay for and until more anglers see the need to pay for governence and its function in the modern world, we will all continue to get very little.

 

I recently sat at a meeting where someone said, "We didn't rejoin NAFAC because we found a better insurance deal elsewhere." All well and good but they totally failed to see what else they were getting for their money and what it was doing for angling, even though NAFAC has been very good at keeping members informed on a regular basis.

 

Mike

[Bob Bradford]

Angling Unity? My local Broads Authority have anglers sitting on various committees that are opposing the use of long poles, they are calling for a ban.... and trying to implement; page 11 section7 (1) (i) special directions to vessels.

 

The accusations flying around are that long poles are interfering with vessels navigating the river Yare (the match length is at least 60 mtrs wide and more in places) .

 

I have used long poles on that river (16 mtr) for at least 15 yrs and have never interfered, stopped , broken or destroyed a cruiser,sailing vessel ,dingy or inflatable, nor have I tried too....carbon fibre is an expensive commodity and breaks very easily in my experience.

 

Is this an example of "Angling Unity?"

[Dick Dastardly]

Bob,would you let me carry on live baiting on the Yare? and maybe more importantly fight for my right to do so?

[gozzer]

Bob, I have had a few holidays cruising the Broads, as well as fishing there. As an angler I always tried to be very careful when passing anglers, but on occasion have been surprised when approaching a bush or other bank side feature, to see a pole be thrust out in front of me, causing me to veer out into midstream to avoid it. This is usually followed by verbal abuse, saying that I should look out for anglers. Another thing is when anglers are on both banks both using long poles, effectively halving the width of the river. These were mainly pleasure anglers ( I tried to avoid busy match lengths).

I can see that The Broads is a special case in that it needs the money from boating holidays to bolster the local economy. Surely there must be room for compromise, as to what constitutes a 'long' pole. What would you think to a maximum length ruling? Maybe in regard to which river and it's width.

[Bob Bradford]

Budgie, Without a doubt a resounding YES, livebaiting (if done legally ) is an old and established form of angling, you know from previous posts on here and elsewhere I will never concede an inch to the anti' or Joe public.

 

Gozzer, the Yare match length is only ever pegged out on the Beauchamps side in recent years, true, a few pleasure anglers sometimes fish the Buckingham side but the river is very wide and even ocean going vessels can and have passed easily along for many,many years, I have a favorite saying to boaters that get too close to the bank .... "Why don't you get a set of wheels ?" I have witnessed cruisers beaching themselves on the shallower bits! live and let live is a universal saying we could ALL adopt.

 

I am reminded of an incident on the Bure a few years back when a fellow angler was cut off by a hire cruiser, the angler shouted unpleasantness's and then re-tackled only for the same cruiser sometime later to cut him off again, the boat was so close to the bank the angler jumped aboard and punched the "Admiral" in the face, then the cabin doors opened and 4 burley friends of the "Admiral" gave the angler a good hiding as it made it's way down river and dumped him in a bloodied heap... ha ha.... that is a true story!

[Bob Bradford]

Oh ,and Gozzer in answer to you question on pole lengths, I am all for compromise, anglers can fish a certain agreed distance from the bank with their poles IF boaters keep an agreed distance also, of course you know it will be impossible to police.

[Dick Dastardly]

Budgie, Without a doubt a resounding YES, livebaiting (if done legally ) is an old and established form of angling, you know from previous posts on here and elsewhere I will never concede an inch to the anti' or Joe public.

 

And I will happily back your use of a keepnet and as long a pole (as long as both are used responsibley)!

 

See we can have angling unity! just need to build on this a bit!

[Bob Bradford]

Tell that to Waller mate, the situation on the match length right now is ;

The Broads Authority patrol boat "lurks" when we are fishing our match, it is operated by a ranger that hates and loathes anglers, there has already been one dispute (my fellow anglers thought I was involved......charming!) this "little Hitler" IGNORES bylaws already in place breached by boaters EVERY Saturday just so he can try to "Intimidate" anglers that are NOT breaking any bylaws or rules.

 

Angling Unity? well I can tell you Budgie mate, the 60 or so match anglers that line the bank on a Saturday are united and thanks to the freedom of Information bill we know who is behind this and what is being said, and we will NEVER roll over .

[kleinboet]

I know Bob feels strongly about it, but could we not try and start a "summit meeting" with ,say, three members of each body attending.

That way the larger organisations cannot "railroad" THEIR ideas through, as it would be a truly democratic gathering.