Do you consider angling a field sport?

[chesters1]

you will find the smallest but the loudest will always bend the ears of the lawmakers over the mumbling of the majority,especially when some good intentioned but naive "personality" gets involved.

look at seb coe and the power he has and all the tosser did was run around a track!!! now he's almost running the Olympics that few want!

billions of pounds squandered over another bunch of tossers thatrun or jump around with the annoying knowledge that those that host it will get just as many medals as a third world country that wisely doesent want it! just because a few celebs cried loudly!

Edited September 17, 2007 by chesters1

[Janet]

Spider fighting

 

How does that work then? Yuk! Far too many legs....

 

Human-baiting

 

Plenty of that going on here, don't you think? Does it really matter one iota how we describe angling? It can't be pigeon holed. It's lots of thing to lots of people. We all have our different views of how it is for us. We all approach it in many different ways.

 

Stop winding yourselves up about something that is just so totally irrelevant.

 

Janet

Edited September 17, 2007 by Janet

[chesters1]

spiders are great put two in a jamjar and only 1 will be there next morning ,my mrs turns them into smudges!

[Ken Davison South Wales]

I believe there is reason to be worried by the way extremists view our sport and don't underestimate these people by regarding them as those of a low intelligence they can be highly disciplined and very well organised (just because they disagree with your point of view doesn't make them stupid)and certainly in the case of PETA they have some quite high profile supporters.Trying to disassociate fishing/angling from other field sports will not work because these people will view our sport as a bloodsport/fieldsport whatever we call it and will only weaken any support base we may have from other field sport enthusiasts.

 

PETA lost a lot of credibility and support in the US and over here when it was found to put down more animals than any other organization in order to take up advertising campaigns. Plus a lot of it's senior members were found to be living a little above their means.

 

The hunting ban was an easy target, the overall image of hunting was not good, to many cases of trespass and other misdemeanors dented their public persona and a lot of class was brought in right or wrongly that was the case, the TALLY HO BRIGADE. Add to this there was no manufacturing business backing them, all the horse tack will still be sold and the only thing out of business was the hounds and foxes

 

Angling on the other hand is a vast business turning over billions in all its' forms and is not regarded as a class thing anyone can take up the hobby/sport and sit along side a Lord or millionaire or a Joe Bloggs and all be regarded as an equal. The majority of the none fishing public regard it as a peaceful pastime which does not cause problems with other people.

 

Chucking elderly people into rivers has not helped their cause one bit, they are now regarded as abusers and like all saboteurs will find themselves on some very unpleasant list.

[Sportsman]

How does that work then? Yuk! Far too many legs....

Plenty of that going on here, don't you think? Does it really matter one iota how we describe angling? It can't be pigeon holed. It's lots of thing to lots of people. We all have our different views of how it is for us. We all approach it in many different ways.

 

Stop winding yourselves up about something that is just so totally irrelevant.

 

Janet

 

With respect Janet, it is not about how we describe angling it is how we view it.

My very strong feeling is that all people who indulge in field sports or call them what you will should be natural allies and it surprises me, and to be honest, offends me when I find that not to be the case.

I find it hypocritical and selfish when people take an attitude that it is OK for me to do what I want but if I don't want to do it, it should be banned.

We have enough enemies out there without turning on each other.

I don't think that angling is in any danger of being banned, and for that matter I don't believe that shooting is in any danger either. What they are both in danger of though is death from a thousand cuts. Little local bans where individual antis can get themselves on local councils or committees and get angling banned in a local pond "for health and safety reasons"

We have just had a complete ban on the use of livebait in Scotland. It went through without a whisper. What's next, a ban on using maggots or worms?

I fish and I shoot, and I find the two things compatible. I would say that almost all the people I fish with or shoot with do both so maybe I have a different view on things than an urban angler who fishes in the local canal, but surely we have more in common than we have differences.

[Ken Davison South Wales]

With respect Janet, it is not about how we describe angling it is how we view it.

My very strong feeling is that all people who indulge in field sports or call them what you will should be natural allies and it surprises me, and to be honest, offends me when I find that not to be the case.

I find it hypocritical and selfish when people take an attitude that it is OK for me to do what I want but if I don't want to do it, it should be banned.

We have enough enemies out there without turning on each other.

I don't think that angling is in any danger of being banned, and for that matter I don't believe that shooting is in any danger either. What they are both in danger of though is death from a thousand cuts. Little local bans where individual antis can get themselves on local councils or committees and get angling banned in a local pond "for health and safety reasons"

We have just had a complete ban on the use of livebait in Scotland. It went through without a whisper. What's next, a ban on using maggots or worms?

I fish and I shoot, and I find the two things compatible. I would say that almost all the people I fish with or shoot with do both so maybe I have a different view on things than an urban angler who fishes in the local canal, but surely we have more in common than we have differences.

 

I read this post with interest and have given it a great deal of thought. The views stated below are my personal feelings and I would in no way wish to influence the way others think.

 

I have no problem with angling and shooting being aligned for me they both use implements to capture animals, in the case of shooting it is final were as with angling there is the choice to catch and release or retain for the table.

 

I have no problem with dogs used for flushing game for the gun but I do have a problem with dogs being used for the kill. There was a time when hunting with dogs was done to put food on the table and this practice has been going on since man domesticated dogs. But this then evolved into a pastime where tabling the kill was not an option and I personally think we have moved beyond this practice.

 

There have been comments on rearing game birds for shooting, again I have no problem with it as we rear many species and dispatch them for the table. My only comment on this is I much prefer to see a rough shoot rather than beaters flushing birds to the guns, in my book you just as well shoot clays. Having said that it does put a useful amount of money into rural economies.

 

Live baiting is an emotive subject, it is one that I practice for bass using sandeel or mackerel but I have to say I have seen many good fish caught on dead baits. Will I carry on the practice? I am slowly coming around to thinking that a dead bait or lure presented well is just as effective and again my personal view is if it was to be banned it would not effect my sport or catching ability.

 

I have fished freshwater venues where maggots and/or ground bait were banned in order to reduce polution and over fed fish and these restrictions were brought in by angling clubs with good reason. I certainly don't think maggots or worms would be banned by any local authority on the basis of cruelty.

 

I personally do not see the difference between anglers views on shooting as dependent on post code as most city anglers venture well beyond their post code boundaries and as good angling achievers they will have a good knowledge of their surroundings and it's activities. It is case of personal beliefs and how the individual interprets them and they will vary through out all post codes.

 

As stated tis is my personal feelings and I do not wish to offend anyone.

Edited September 18, 2007 by Ken Davison South Wales

[chesters1]

i have fished venues with a no living bait (inc worms and maggots) on camp sites i suspect the rules are not there for the baits benefit but to take away the chance that some campers could find seeing people using them abhorrent and not camp,sometimes just bank balances make the rules bums on seats as it were!

Edited September 18, 2007 by chesters1

[kleinboet]

I believe the worm has started to turn, I read an article the other day, (I wish I could find it to quote from it!) There was a bloke fishing when two "antis" appeared, (funny that, there is NEVER just one!) they started shouting, throwing rocks in the water etc. The one then snapped his landing net pole, which was then that the angler used his phone. They laughed, saying he couldn't prove it as there was two of them. The police arrived and arrested both! Turned out the angler was an off duty copper!

[chesters1]

i'v seen it myself but they were thugs not anti's

[barry luxton]

I believe the worm has started to turn, I read an article the other day, (I wish I could find it to quote from it!) There was a bloke fishing when two "antis" appeared, (funny that, there is NEVER just one!) they started shouting, throwing rocks in the water etc. The one then snapped his landing net pole, which was then that the angler used his phone. They laughed, saying he couldn't prove it as there was two of them. The police arrived and arrested both! Turned out the angler was an off duty copper!

They would have been better off kicking him the water then.