As some of you may be aware the Intersite Challenge Match is coming up to it’s second leg. With three weeks to go I am still four short of a squad( a good way to describe my mental status). I took this on thinking there would be any number of cheerful idiots willing to put away the buzzers and avons and try and catch small fish on purpose,apparently not! We raised a team for the first leg with a little difficulty and those who took part had a good day out but now I must admit to struggling.
In the great scheme of things it is a minor inconvenience and no more but it has set me to thinking.Are we really that far apart, do matchmen only matchfish and specimen-hunters/specialists only specialise? Forgive the clumsy English but is this a true statement?
Thinking back to the recent fuss with PETA and the fish/pain debate one thing was made quite clear and this was the fragmented nature of our sport. Perhaps these divisions go deeper than politics and there really are some fundamental differences between the disciplines. I would really hate to think so.
Anyway to the point. We are short for the squad and I need volunteers. If they do not materialise then various things will happen. I either appeal to other sites for their reserves,(embarassing at best),we compete short-handed but with dignity intact or we give it up as a bad job and endure the abuse that will surely follow. I could appeal to your better nature and ask you to do your bit for the unity of angling but that would be a cheap shot (wouldn’t it?). All I can say is, it’s a nice venue, you get a chance at some decent fish, you get to meet some good people and have bit of a day out.
What are you waiting for?
