As a youngster I was in awe of those that held records, it was the "Mecca" of anyone's angling career, I used to look at the Angling weeklies and magazines with envious eyes, it was always my goal to emulate those that were good enough to catch quality fish, that is what we are all trying to do but it seems the “envy” can also turn and bite you on the rear!
This is a post I put up on another forum, it is a private club site and the subject was “Publicity”, but it sort of fit this thread so I have reproduced it here to save my fingers!
“Publicity is very much a double edged sword; you can cut from either side AND get stabbed by the point!!
Lets face it for those that plaster articles all over the place (and I admit I am one) the words are useful but a picture emphasises the point very well.
Where would we be if none of us ever posted a picture or sent an image to the comics, we would live in a very boring world!!
When you post an image you do so for very definite reasons, sometimes for recognition, sometimes for material gain but also to illustrate a point, mostly I suspect it is a mixture of all three, but what ever your reasons, recognition is a by product like it or not!
I can’t go anywhere these days without being recognised, whether I fish a VAC water or anywhere else for that matter, mostly I don’t mind but there are times when I just want to fish quietly on my own, everyone likes a bit of personal “ME” time and I am no different, I am not complaining, I brought it upon myself, but it is there and I will have to get along with it!!
But with that recognition come responsibility, not only must I do “it” right but I must be seen to do “it “ right, from fish care to how to cast, I realise that I have a responsibility that extends beyond my own personal enjoyment of this sport I love!
The problem seems to arise when anglers either ignore the responsibility or don’t care what others think, often because personal gain is the prime reason, either for themselves or to advertise their sponsors products, what ever the reason there will always be some anglers that will publish and damn the consequences for everyone else.
One thing I would mention, whatever your reason to publish, you will receive a certain amount of flak, 5teve (I won’t name him without permission) mentioned that he did not remember me getting any moans when I published a certain picture, 5teve may not have seen it but I got some serious flak, much of it quite upsetting and the vast majority of it completely wrong or not at all a representation of me or the way I fish, it came from all quarters both from anglers I know personally and from people I have never met and have never seen me fish, so if you do go down that path remember, yesterdays newspaper may be tomorrows chip wrappings and although the actual paper might be long gone, once within the sphere of the “media” it never EVER goes away, and if anything the internet is waaaaaay worse!!!
So “Tight Lines Chaps” and perhaps a little thought, “BEFORE” that magic moment arrives, might save a whole world of aggravation!”
It is for the above reasons that if I were ever lucky enough to catch a record fish I would certainly think long and hard about what I would do, as I have already stated, publication brings with it a responsibility, you must be prepared to take that responsibility, AND that comes with a price!
Tight lines chaps.
