Flower

[cpwigan]

like hare coursing and bear baiting, its on its way out

I expected better of you Mike

Angling is here to stay

Anyhow, thankfully the 'toffs' like to cast feathers at trout and salmon so angling will always be safe.

[lucky 13]

Sad but true its a rugby forum and the only thing to motivate me to post is a angling debate!
Im a angler a fisher, to me its so much more than catching. I love rivers and when i go its to escape the day to day pains of humanity, its a way out a break. I love fish, i love the places they live and all the other life that shares these often untroden parts of our country. I have walked urban steams, done kick samples for the ea, reported polution that kills so much more than fish! Im angler and proud to be so. People often look at the extremes and bemone them, there are so much more positives to fishing that should be celebrated . How many people would be out on rivers all year round. How many people who find it easy to just moan about stuff like animal welfare get up and do anything about it? When it comes to natural aquatic habitat the main protectors are ones that care and im afraid thats people like me. I dont see many more taking any interest at all. I stood at the side of our best northwest river twenty years ago u could not take a step into the water without standing on dead fish i was almost in tears. I have seen that river come back to life and maily because of angling clubs and river trusts funding the ea re stocking along with lisence fees. When we go to the moral issues ..... the every day things we do like flushing toilets, cleaning stuff or the need for cheap every day products do more damage to fish than anglers but hay do you really care? I do!

[doc]

Excellent posts Lucky 13/CPW. If it wasnt for anglers I would hate to see the state of some of our waterways. It's amazing how the Douglas has improved over the last 40 years (regardless of United Utilities polluting it a couple of years ago). My dad used to tell me stories of setting fire to the swamp gas coming off it and how it never froze as it was that polluted. I remember as a child the horrible smell that used to emanate from it. These days it is full of trout. I get fed up of catching them when I am after chub.

[Owd Codger]

Excellent posts Lucky 13/CPW. If it wasnt for anglers I would hate to see the state of some of our waterways. It's amazing how the Douglas has improved over the last 40 years (regardless of United Utilities polluting it a couple of years ago). My dad used to tell me stories of setting fire to the swamp gas coming off it and how it never froze as it was that polluted. I remember as a child the horrible smell that used to emanate from it. These days it is full of trout. I get fed up of catching them when I am after chub.

The Douglas like many rivers in industrial area's has improved as a result of less pollution over many years being put into it by now defunct industries like Mills etc.

[Matthew]

Anyhow, thankfully the 'toffs' like to cast feathers at trout and salmon so angling will always be safe.

I think you'll find it's actually completely the reverse CP - after all, the 'toffs' couldn't prevent fox hunting from being banned.

Angling won't be banned because of it's appeal to the "working class" and so neither party with a chance of being in power would ban it for fear of losing votes.

[ddtftf]

As a fishery owner I would like to point out that we have free days for disabled anglers organised and assisted by Neet children that we try to help to get back into society, without these days out both thier lives would be much less endurable. We have seen a wonderfull respect and bond develope when we put 16 to 18 year olds with an angler in a wheelchair for 5 hrs together, their attitude completely changes from " I dont want to go with an old fart" to " Can i go with old John next time he is here, he is brilliant funny and can tel some great stories of when he was a kid watching Wigan with Boston, Sullivan, Ken Gee, Bill Ashurst etc". We have a red card system for anyone who mishangles fish, and trust me the welfare of our fish comes before profit. Any info Fir Tree Fishery Appley Bridge WN6 9JB

[Wandering Warrior]

I'm a big fan of Cormorants. Marvellous fish eating birds, I like Ospreys as well!!

[cpwigan]

I'm a big fan of Cormorants. Marvellous fish eating birds, I like Ospreys as well!!

The black plague

[Wandering Warrior]

I'm a big fan of Cormorants. Marvellous fish eating birds, I like Ospreys as well!!

The black plague

Highly efficient at catching fish, do I detect a green eyed monster?

[medlocke]

as another fisherman with 30+ years of fishing experience i have always found coarse fishing to be a complete waste of time, i have never seen the point of catching unedible fish only to throw them back a couple of hours later after being confined to a little net, when i catch fish they are edible, they die a quick death and finally they get eaten and enjoyed.