Unity?

[Bob Bradford]

I lifted this from the latest Broads Authority Navigation Committee meeting, of which you are a Committee member and NONE of the anglers you list are;

 

(3) Page 11 Section 7 (1)(i): Special directions to vessels

 

"In reply to a member’s question it was confirmed that it may be possible to use this provision to restrict the use of long fishing poles."

 

 

Now, I really do not wish to get into a protracted argument with you, because at the end of the day, I know if it goes through , it will be just another silly rule or law that will not be possible to police properly anyway, much like the legal limit a speedboats wash should be (1ft for those that do not know) how many prosecutions have taken place for that little beauty?

 

I will repeat a few things for you here and then leave you to get on with it,

1, There is and never has been a problem on the match length regarding the use of long poles (it may be true of other areas but do the highways department erect traffic lights where they are not needed?).

2, You say a "compromise " is to be made, what "compromise" have the boaters agreed to? A ten meter limit from the banks?

3, Water skiers have signs erected to warn others of the hazards and zones they are allowed to ski in , where are the match anglers signs for the permanent match length, warning boaters ?

4, The invitation to visit the match length is still open.

 

Regards Bob.

[Waveney One]

Two incidents happened on the Yare today. An angler 4 pegs up from me was stupid enough to leave his line in when relieving himself. Not a good idea at the best of times but a cruiser cutting in too close caught his mainline and dragged the rod in. The first I heard about it was when the guy came along to see if I had seen it go down the river. About 10 minutes later I looked upstream and there, like Excalibur, was a rod floating down the river with the quiver tip and about 2 foot of rod poking straicht up into the air!

 

Another boat was coming along at the time and I hailed it, explained the situation and they very helpfully and retrieved the rod. Just shows that some boaters are good and some bad.

 

Not only did we get the usual launch patrolling the match length today but we also had an inflatable, I believe they are called Zodiacs, crewed by two Broads Authority personnel. That came awfully close to my peg and I had to dip my rod to ensure I wasn't cut off, but I just looked at them. I also lost a large bream that was well hooked when a cruiser ran over my line.

[andy_youngs]

See we can have angling unity!

I think someone called it the "the brotherhood of the angle" 400 odd years ago

[Peter Waller]

The compromise, Bob, is a simple one. There are many who would wish to see poles banned outright on the tidal rivers. By suggesting 11 meters as a reasonable compromise it might be that they won't get their way. It would also introduce a degree of fairness in putting all anglers under the same handicap. Maybe that is a reasonable suggestion?

 

If the rangers are getting in the way then COMPLAIN. I can see no practical reason why they should outstay their welcome.

 

Re the bloke who relieved himself, atleast he didn't just stand on the bank in full view, did he?

[Bob Bradford]

Yes I can see the "compromise" coming from anglers, but I repeat ; where is the boaters "compromise?" who is going to stop them coming within 3 ft of the bank despite anglers being present? it happens ALL the time Peter, my favourite is the guy tacking up/down the river in a sailing yacht, they just head straight for you and turn right at the last minute, I can get my pole out of the way a lot quicker than trying to rel in from the middle of the river, Christ! My mate John Hudson was RUN OVER by a cruiser 5/6 years ago it came straight at him whilst he stood in one of the mud holes at sluice bend with all his gear , the boat ran straight at him ,beached itself and stalled trapping poor John, I rescued his rod, asked the idiot in charge of it if he knew where reverse was , told him to start it up and I pushed with all my strength to get him back onto the water, this was successful thank God.

 

The damage these people do to the environment in the name of "Holidaying" is quite appalling, in reality they are on a pub crawl on water, they are not interested in the surroundings , but just in getting from one pub to the other as quickly as they can, it's a bloody disgrace and what do the BA do about it?

 

Look at the wording Peter, I have;

 

3) Page 11 Section 7 (1)(i): Special directions to vessels

 

"In reply to a member’s question it was confirmed that it may be possible to use this provision to restrict the use of long fishing poles."

 

 

There is nothing in that statement to indicate reducing the length of poles is there?

 

That looks suspiciously like some-one is calling for a ban to me, and am I correct in stating Angling was not represented when this was called for?

 

Regards Bob.

[Peter Waller]

Angling has already mmade its case Bob. Re the question that you have highlighted, the proceedure of such a meeting is simple. The questioner chooses the officer whome they wish to question, that didn't happen to be me. That it was asked proves my point. I assure you, if 'angling' accepts a length limit, that it is unlikely to go any further. Unfortunately there is no angling representation on the full Broads Authority.

 

If we accept the good points of the forthcoming new Broads Bill,

due in Parliament this autumn, http://www.broadsauthority.gov.uk/authorit...ority-bill.html

you will see that measures are in hand to control the behaviour of boaters, not least that boatyards put rather more effort into educating holiday makers before they set off on their holidays.

 

Regarding waterskiing, it is likely that wakeboarding will be outlawed and waterskiing reviewed.

 

There is a point though, Bob. If you restrict where boaters can go, it is likely that anglers might also be told where and when they can fish. And don't forget many anglers fish from boats. We have had the farce on Horsey Mere regarding telling anglers where and when they can go fishing. Its a thin line that we sometimes tread. Bull in a china shop is not always the best way forward.

Edited July 23, 2006 by Peter Waller

[Bob Bradford]

"I assure you, if 'angling' accepts a length limit, that it is unlikely to go any further. "

 

I and my fellow match anglers have never been asked or consulted regarding this issue on the Yare, we are being targeted for something we are not guilty of, I repeat there is no "problem" on the match length and last week was the first the rank and file new about this..... whats next? a keepnet ban? I will not agree to this one-sided attack on angling, it is totally unjust and unfair and you should hang your head in shame, yesterday we were being provoked by a Broads Authority patrol vessel, the ranger deliberately came close to us anglers on sluice bend and slowly drifted past, one by one we had to reel our rigs in otherwise we would have been cut off...what the hell is going on? not ONE angler reacted I am proud to say, as for boats on the Yare I do not wish to curtail their activity's nor do my fellow anglers.... live and let live is our way.

[Dick Dastardly]

Bob,Peter etc Im struggling to understand why there is a problem with long poles and boats.Most matches these days on cannals are pole orientated.These poles near enough reach the far bank of most cannals.Narrow boats and cruisers frequently navigate even the most regularly fished of these cannals.The anglers simply raise their poles vertical at the last moment allowing the craft to go past then lower them again.Boat doesnt have to change course and angler isnt restricted to where he fishs or what length pole he uses.So whats the problem on the Yare?

[Bob Bradford]

Quite correct Budgie and I will keep on repeating THERE IS NO PROBLEM ON THE MATCH LENGTH OF THE YARE.

 

My own personal pole is a Garbolino 995 16mtr top of the range job, it retails at nearly £2,000 because of it,s high carbon fibre content it will break very easily, others have even more expensive poles, It is absurd to suggest these poles are a hazard to navigation (by the way I rarely fish as far out as 16 meters on the Yare, but reserve my right to do so) the poles are neither permanent or used that often, I have fished 6 matches thus far of the river season and used my pole once for about 20 minutes, this time of the year (the busiest time for boats is July/august) the best method to win a match is to feeder fish and catch Bream and Skimmers, but what is a fact is the match length on the Yare is the ONLY place on the entire Broads system during the summer where large numbers of match anglers gather every Saturday, and some Sundays to fish, we know (in the letter received by the match organiser Keith Ford) that the Broads Authority patrol vessels are filming us , in fact this Saturday for the first time I can remember, there were two vessels present, and this Saturday there were no "Problems" just like all the other Saturdays over the past 20 years I have been competing on there, I know anglers fish many different areas of the Broads away from the match length but never in great numbers except the occasional open match run on the river Bure by Tony Gibbons.

My view is ; On a rare occasion an "Angler" ( and he/she could have been on holiday and not even local) somewhere has upset a committee member of the Broads Navigation Authority whilst out sailing his boat and the vast majority are being tarred with the same unjust brush, calling for a blanket ban or restriction of use of long poles on the ENTIRE Broads system.

 

Did I mention there is NO "problem" on the match length of the Yare with long poles? and remember this is where you will see the largest amounts regularly used ANYWHERE on the Broads system, year after year.

 

Regards Bob.

[Peter Waller]

Budgie, the problem has arisen because, alegedly, long poles can't be lifted vertically to avoid passing boats. Poles are being left in until the last moment, understandably, and this has caused a growing rift between boaters and anglers.

 

We have bylaws on the Broads that protect both angler and boaters, basically neither shall interfer with the other, and, to a degree, this has been sufficient in the past. The match boys can only catch when their rigs are in the water, understandably, and their marked relunctance to ship back in causing problems, especially when accompanied by a torrent of foul mouthed abuse, as has been well documented.

 

Bob, you have only just returned to river fishing after a few years on the commercials, so I have been told. This is a situation that has been growing over the last few years, at about the same rate that poles have been growing. 17.5m poles are now being sold up at Brudall Angling, that has really impressed the sailing fraternity.

 

The Navigation Rangers are seeking a compromise solution, hence the filming. But the truth is that poles sticking 40 feet out into the tideway are seen as a problem.

 

Canals and rivers are not quite the same thing Budgie, for a start the rivers have sailing boats and sailing boats need to work the tides and flow just as anglers do. I will agree with Bob, and others, that there is no need whatsoever for powered craft to interefer with the matches.

 

Keepnets being banned, Bob? Now, that could be a real Pandoras Box!!!