Barrie Rickards’ Angling – More from the Prof

Good news to begin with

No doubt you will have seen the snide remarks often made about our modern (and mostly young) big carp anglers: that it is difficult to distinguish the bloated carp from the captor holding the fish. Or words to that effect. Of course these remarks are always made by non-carp anglers wanting to have a dig at the bivvy brigade. If they are not being criticised for beer swilling they are being pilloried for being obese. To tell you the truth I did go along with this hype myself, to a degree, because it did seem that a fair proportion of carpers were built in direct proportion to the carp they were catching. However, being the questioning soul that I am I decided to check. I took, at random, a recent issue of Carp Talk magazine. In it were pictured 118 big, fat carp held by their captors. I divided the captors into three categories: slim to normal; chubby to obese; and somewhere in between. The results are interesting. Exactly 100 were slim to norm; 13 were a bit in between; and only 5 were fat. I would not be at all surprised if you could find a higher percentage of weight challenged individuals on a golf course, on a trout reservoir, or jogging. It could be that carrying those barrow loads of gear is good for you, but it is a myth busted isn’t it?

Better press for angling?

Another bit of good news, I think. Have you noticed how angling has been getting a better press recently? Of course, there have been battles, such as the one fought brilliantly by those anglers in the W. Midlands against some idiot anti-anglers. With such victories will come the confidence to do the same again in other regions. But in general there has been an increase in positive reporting of angling in the presses. I saw one fairly local to me recently, and this will interest Fenland anglers.

In the Wicken Fen area (near Ely) all sorts of developments are in the air over the next couple of decades. Anglers are usually ignored in such developments, indeed, angling in the area of Wicken Fen is nothing like so easy today as it was when I fished there myself in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the latest Wicken Fen Vision (no less!) is a consultation process intended to improve communication with ‘user groups’. One of the sessions will allow anglers to ask questions of the organisers. The date is October 11th, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Wicken Fen. I know why angling is included: it is because certain individuals made representations at an earlier stage, and had they not done so, I doubt if angling would have been included. So Fenland anglers take note: drop in, find out what the plans (if any) are for anglers, and have your say. Failure to do so may have wider repercussions because these current developments are only a small part of many changes in Fenland. It is important to get on board now. For clubs, by the way, as well as individuals.

Bugged by litter

Now a few bad thoughts. Litter. It is, though, good to see many senior anglers having a go at the problem of anglers and litter. I can’t remember when I first wrote on the subject – maybe thirty years ago. I did some surveys, of pleasure angler’s litter, of match anglers’ littler, and of litter left by the general public at beauty spots. Match anglers (and specialist anglers too) were by far the best behaved, generally leaving far less debris than other anglers. Pleasure anglers and children were worse by far than match and specialist anglers. But the public as a whole were even worse, markedly so; just look, today, at the aftermath of an event such as an outdoor concert, a cinema or a public park and you will see what I mean. However the worry for anglers is that the litter left by them is so obviously down to anglers and to nobody else. It draws attention directly to anglers and anglers, rightly, get the blame. There is only one answer, at least on any club or association water: the litter in a swim is your responsibility, whether or not you left it there in the first place. Remove it. This was the policy we adopted many years go on a Waterbeach AC water, and whilst it may seem harsh, it works. Anyone refusing to remove litter was simply given their day ticket money back and told not to return. The result was a litter free water.

It is rather difficult to understand the mentality of litter louts. After all, they carry the litter with them when they arrive. It isn’t litter at that stage, of course. It is bait wrappers, bait tins, sandwich wrappers and so on. But when they are due to return home both the weight and the volume of the stuff they brought with them is less. So why don’t they just bung it in a carrier bag and take it home for their own dustbin? And talking of dustbins, don’t just put dustbins around your lake. Not only do they look ugly, but they attract vermin (both furred and non-furred), and in the end, someone else has to remove your rubbish which is really quite unnecessary. There are very few areas today where angling can be criticised, but leaving litter is certainly one of them.

‘Sea Bass’ again!

On another matter entirely. Do you still get irritated by the term ‘sea bass’ in restaurants? I mean, you don’t see sea cod, sea plaice, sea haddock on the menu do you. Let’s face it, it is an affectation (and foodies are good at that) derived from the USA where, at least, there is a case for distinguishing sea from freshwater bass. But in the UK there is one bass and it lives in the sea. (Even in S. Europe you rarely, if ever, see freshwater bass on the menu even though, in theory, it could be). Anyway, let us all fight back. As foodie writers nowadays invite us to comment on their columns, let us do that. For example the latest sea bass enthusiast is Jasper Gerard writing in the Telegraph. Tell him what’s what, as I have done, on: telegraph.co.uk/foodand drink.

The short-sightedness of angling club officials

Our local green wellie brigade has been giving pond dipping experiences to kids on holiday this year. I have not noticed angling clubs locally doing the same. I am amazed, and always have been, at the short-sightedness of angling club officials in this regard. It is a win/win activity. The kids love it. The parents love it (whether or not they know anything at all about fishermen), and it simply raises the profile and respect for anglers in the region.

Every net sweep is a winner

I have been involved in the past myself and I have to say that you cannot drag the kids away. Every net sweep is a winner, and may have fish fry in it as well as bugs, etc. The kids learn a lot. The anglers learn a lot. And the parents are enthusiastic on all counts. From this simple basis are borne not only future anglers, but an appreciation of what angling is about amongst the non-angling community.

So why don’t clubs do it?

You can even set up a couple of club anglers nearby with a netful of fish, to show to the children at the end of their pond-dipping session: show them the different species and how to handle them and return them safely to the water. Have I said something stupid here? If not, what’s the problem. Insurance? The green wellie brigade do it. Working with the children scams? The green Wellie brigade do it. Time off from your other activities? The green wellie brigade do it. Come on, let’s be proactive for a change.

Whilst we are on the subject of appealing to the public to raise the image of angling, what do you think of those guys who are putting notices behind their swims telling people to clear off? A good bit of fun amongst anglers perhaps, but hardly going to endear us to the public is it? In fact, it is pretty tactless and intolerant. Of course it is a pain when someone comes up and asks you about fishing, but it is an opportunity to put angling forward in a green light. I think these guys have lost the plot. Or is there a joke I am missing here?