Demise of traditional angling

[gozzer]

I'm not surprised someone gave you a bucket kleinboet, I'd be crapping myself and need one too.

 

Getting back on topic.

 

As Steve said in an earlier post, there must be a lot on AN that like the 'commercial' type waters.

I am surprised that so few have posted to defend them.

I can see very little positive in them, but that might be just me.

Apart from relatively easy fishing, and the facilities they provide, what else do you like about them?

Some have touched on, safer environment, lack of litter on some.

So come on, tell us what you like about them.

As most of us have said, it's each to there own choice.

It's just the numbers, and how they are spreading that worries us.

 

Who knows, you might even convert me .

 

John.

[Frummo]

I wish I'd read this thread before posting a new topic (too many anglers) on more or less the same lines. Moderators can amalgamate it if they see fit!

[Vagabond]

there must be a lot on AN that like the 'commercial' type waters.

I am surprised that so few have posted to defend them.

I can see very little positive in them, but that might be just me.

Apart from relatively easy fishing, and the facilities they provide, what else do you like about them?

Some have touched on, safer environment, lack of litter on some.

 

John.

 

As most of you know, I fish for all sorts, game, coarse, sea, big game, and exotic fish from far-away places.

 

Much of my local fishing is on rivers, using split cane - either a fly rod or trotting with a centrepin. Oh, and I like Wingham as well

 

That said, I do sometimes fish commercials, usually as part of a team that has been invited to do a "feature" on them for an angling newspaper.

 

Very rarely, I fish them as an ordinary paying punter.

 

In both cases I tend to concentrate on float fishing for either roach or perch - there are good specimens of each in many waters where the main emphasis is on carp. One water I fish for the large tench that are there, whilst everyone else is fishing for big carp.

 

Thus I am not a "typical" commercial water angler. When I do fish for carp, I use floaters (bread, dog biscuit, marshmallow etc) on one of my club waters - there are still some of the old so-called "wild" strain from the days of the monasteries left in one of them.

 

So, if you like, I help advertise commercials, because, when the chips are down, more people participating in our sport makes the task of those that would curtail it more difficult.

 

There is of course a selfish aspect to this too - I'm all in favour of more people fishing, just as long as they are not fishing where I want to fish Encouraging anglers to fish commercials leaves the rivers relatively free - but as Gozzer and Ken L have pointed out, there may be a long-term downside to this.

 

I should add , when I say "commercials" I mean those that cater for "pleasure" and "specimen" anglers. I have no experience of "match" commercials, nor do I wish to have. I'm not against match fishing, but its something I grew out of in my late teens.

[kleinboet]

I don't know what they call them these days, but in my day a bucket was a leather belt with a leather "bucket" that would take the butt of your rod. I used to have the press photo's of me and the shark, but have not seen them since my divorce! Remember we are talking over 40 years ago that I caught it!

 

Unfortunately, you can't catch them for sport any more as you can no loger get hunks of whale meat we used on the hooks (don't ask me what size hooks, all I remember is that I could put my fist in the gape!) and the Great White is a protected species.

[poledark]

Klein, shades of Mitchell Hedges and "battles with giant fish".......I seem to remember a giant Sawfish he caught which towed the boat for miles.

 

I have to concede, that having caught a Great White, then even I would stop looking for another PB

 

Rabbit, what about sea anglers who have never fished a stick float or waggler? are they not true anglers? I could just as well say that if you have never cast a fly, punched a 6oz lead to the horizon from the beach, trotted a stream, freelined a worm in a tiny brookor watched a huge carp follow and take a slow sinking bit of flake or corn, or any of the dozens of other ways I have caught fish, then YOU are not a true angler.

 

I have over the previuos 59 years done all those things, sometimes for a few years before moving to pastures new, sometimes going back,or even as I do now, having come full circle back to carp. Location plays a big part in my fishing, had I moved to "somewhere near the Kennet" when I retired, I would probably not be on this forum at all, but on BFW, (mind you, the RDAA have some lovely carp waters )

 

Den

[Guest Rabbit]

Klein, shades of Mitchell Hedges and "battles with giant fish".......I seem to remember a giant Sawfish he caught which towed the boat for miles.

 

I have to concede, that having caught a Great White, then even I would stop looking for another PB

 

Rabbit, what about sea anglers who have never fished a stick float or waggler? are they not true anglers? I could just as well say that if you have never cast a fly, punched a 6oz lead to the horizon from the beach, trotted a stream, freelined a worm in a tiny brookor watched a huge carp follow and take a slow sinking bit of flake or corn, or any of the dozens of other ways I have caught fish, then YOU are not a true angler.

 

I have over the previuos 59 years done all those things, sometimes for a few years before moving to pastures new, sometimes going back,or even as I do now, having come full circle back to carp. Location plays a big part in my fishing, had I moved to "somewhere near the Kennet" when I retired, I would probably not be on this forum at all, but on BFW, (mind you, the RDAA have some lovely carp waters )

 

Den

Den at my age and the number of years I have fished I have fished for and caught a variety of species, from shark and huge grouper, to the wild brook trout. and like you I suppose I am entitled to an opinion on what the attraction of angling is to a number of people. My point was that as children we discovered fishing, in a more simple way than the current newcomers to our sport. Many young anglers

fish for carp and have not had the benefit of fishing for any other species. That as I see it is a pity, and it is a fact that all other species according to them are inferior to the carp.That is why some of our most beautiful inland waters are being given over to a commercial profit making business. This is a great shame, and I am afraid the blame has to be laid at the feet of the carp anglers, there insatiable appetite for bigger and still bigger fish has cost the rudd roach and tench anglers dearly. Why then should the non carp anglers sit back and let this cancer spread even further?

The title of this thread is the Demise Of Traditional Angling, some may not care about its demise, some may, I do, and call me old fashioned, but I think Angling is poorer for it.

[Vagabond]

The plan started to come apart not from any failure of the plan, but from the weight of advancing years .

 

....Yomping wearing waders, and carrying two rods soon had the aches and pains spreading through bones, joints and muscles

 

The plan to stay on until dark had to be abandoned because I was basically knackered come 7pm, ..... although I consider myself reasonably fit through jogging and cycling, my bones are no longer up to it.

 

....new plan ......fish one of the available low number swims to give my aches and pains a chance

 

I've been resigned to failing agility for a while now ....hopping amongst the coastal rocks have been out for some time now, ...now it seems that 'long distance' walking with gear is another option that I engage in at my peril

 

...make the most of it while the years are still good to you

 

I was so sorry to read that Leon. I know how much you enjoy the roving approach, and there are so few of us "traditionalists" left. Your loss is everyone's loss sooner or later, and as I read your post the thought "I might be next" came to mind.

 

Although still rock-hopping the coasts, and yomping miles along rivers at the age of 73, I am aware that time will eventually run out. Bernard Venables fished until age 92, and if I could emulate that I would feel highly privileged. With my lifetime's intake of red meat, alcohol and tobacco the health gurus might think that unlikely, but I have only nineteen years more fishing to go before I can equal BV,s achievment.

 

The problem you outline seems to be arthritic in nature. If you will forgive the impertinence, may I offer what advice I can ?

 

If you are not already on glucosamine, get yourself onto it pronto. It is cheap, it is a natural substance (an amino sugar) and causes no side effects. There is evidence that it is essential for joint lubrication, and whilst it will not cure existing joint problems, there is some evidence that it helps prevent further deterioration.

 

BTW you mentioned cholesterol at an earlier Wingham fish-in - if you are on statins, that may have a bearing on the muscular pains - just a thought.

 

We must keep you mobile!!

Edited May 27, 2007 by Vagabond

[Leon Roskilly]

BTW you mentioned cholesterol at an earlier Wingham fish-in - if you are on statins, that may have a bearing on the muscular pains - just a thought.

 

We must keep you mobile!!

 

 

Fortunately, for the last couple of years my chloesterol has beend down to 4.9 (It had been as high as 7.5 in past years). Purely changing diet and exercise seems to have done the trick

 

My blood pressure, although a little high, also seems to be reasonably under control with just daily water tablets and calcium inhibitors (beta blockers nearly knocked me off my bike, and I had an allergic reation to ACE inhibitors).

 

The aches and pains have quietly crept up on me over the years, and I've just regarded them as part of the ageing process, a cross to bear, but now that they are getting to the point where they are really affecting what I want to do, rather than simply something to grin and bear, it's probably time to see what the doctor has to say.

 

(I've a friend, a few years older than me, who also grows his own vegetables, and can happily dig for hours without any great problem, whereas I know that I'll pay if I attempt more than one row of potatoes a day)

 

I'll look into the glucosamine - thanks

[poledark]

Join the club Leon, I have suffered (greatly) from Sciatica for about 15 years, it was what inspired me to retire at 60. Would have been nice, and financially very rewarding to have carried on another 5 years.

 

When I knew I was moving to East Kent I contacted Steve and joined Wingham, but I didn't reckon without worsening Sciatica...unable to walk 50 paces without extreme pain (not a bit of backache, but agonising stabbing pains all over the lower half) So I dropped the ticket, became severely depressed and thought I would never fish again.

 

I then discovered MKF and particularly the new lake..park by some swims, or very short walk. But what initially attracted me was the prospect of Big bream, but I went and hooked a carp on my maggot feeder and all the old urges returned

 

Steady improvement in health (like you I daren't do any digging) and a wife who drags me out with her and the dog, mean I can now walk a fair way, albeit leaning on my motorised barow

 

I can't face a dawn start and long drive (there and back) in fact I don't want to have to drive more than a few miles. I don't want to get involved with 48 hour sessions and all the self imposed pressure it involves, so toddling down to the nearest carp pool, taking what swim is available, and having the chance for a "lump" is what keeps me happy.

 

 

Thank goodness for carp fishing, and the people like MKF who provide it, without them I would probably have gone back to sea fishing.....I can still chuck a lead out

 

Look after youself Leon, get a barrow? works for me..

 

Den

[Tony U]

Leon

I can sympathise I am waiting a hip replacement op and I can only do so much wandering around these days, even the morris dancing has had to be curtailed.

Mind you I could live with the blue water trolling mullarkey, sitting in a comfy seat waiting for a strike drinking cold beer.

 

 

Tony