Hi,
Does anyone else feel that some of the venue rules about nowadays are starting to force you into a prescribed way of fishing?
I have always enjoyed a wide range of styles of carp fishing: bottom, zigs, surface, float and freelining and to me one of the joys of the species is that at different times they can respond well to any of those methods. I do like to fish a few waters at a time and having recently lost one of my favorites I've been looking around to see whats about nowadays. I'm finding again and again that fisheries (D/T & syndi) seem to have rules in place which are really dictating how they want people to fish. I'm not talking about all the usual stuff thats been about for years (barbed/barbless,bait bans,fish safety rules etc) which are largely things they don't want and the rest is the anglers choice. I more mean things like: tubing must be used (with min length), leads must be discharged on the take, all fish must be fully photographed and reported.
Maybe to many those are not significant things, but to me it prohibits surface fishing, freelining, float fishing and the use of simple running rigs which is mostly how I fish, and it prevents me from catching a carp, admiring it and quickly slipping it back to where it belongs without putting through the ordeal of being fully documented for someone else. I have enquired at a couple of these places just to comfirm that they do mean to prohibit any form of fishing other than tubing & lead clip bottom fishing and yes, thats pretty much it.
So I'm kind of left wondering how widespread is this and are there many carp anglers happy to spend 12 hours on a bright summers day, watching motionless rods pinned to the deck, whilst most of the lake stock cruises the surface and not be ALLOWED to carefully fish for them??
Or maybe just as an angling fundamental, not being allowed to tie a hook to line, bait the hook and fish with it does seem odd, as to me the freeline is the simplest, purest, strongest and one of the safest ways to possibly fish.
Also, just to say that i'm not questioning any specific venues rules, as far as I'm concerned it's an owners/managers right to have whatever rules they like and they don't have to have rational justification for it. It's more the wider implications of dictating fishing methods as these rules do seem to me to be spreading.
Does anyone else feel that some of the venue rules about nowadays are starting to force you into a prescribed way of fishing?
I have always enjoyed a wide range of styles of carp fishing: bottom, zigs, surface, float and freelining and to me one of the joys of the species is that at different times they can respond well to any of those methods. I do like to fish a few waters at a time and having recently lost one of my favorites I've been looking around to see whats about nowadays. I'm finding again and again that fisheries (D/T & syndi) seem to have rules in place which are really dictating how they want people to fish. I'm not talking about all the usual stuff thats been about for years (barbed/barbless,bait bans,fish safety rules etc) which are largely things they don't want and the rest is the anglers choice. I more mean things like: tubing must be used (with min length), leads must be discharged on the take, all fish must be fully photographed and reported.
Maybe to many those are not significant things, but to me it prohibits surface fishing, freelining, float fishing and the use of simple running rigs which is mostly how I fish, and it prevents me from catching a carp, admiring it and quickly slipping it back to where it belongs without putting through the ordeal of being fully documented for someone else. I have enquired at a couple of these places just to comfirm that they do mean to prohibit any form of fishing other than tubing & lead clip bottom fishing and yes, thats pretty much it.
So I'm kind of left wondering how widespread is this and are there many carp anglers happy to spend 12 hours on a bright summers day, watching motionless rods pinned to the deck, whilst most of the lake stock cruises the surface and not be ALLOWED to carefully fish for them??
Or maybe just as an angling fundamental, not being allowed to tie a hook to line, bait the hook and fish with it does seem odd, as to me the freeline is the simplest, purest, strongest and one of the safest ways to possibly fish.
Also, just to say that i'm not questioning any specific venues rules, as far as I'm concerned it's an owners/managers right to have whatever rules they like and they don't have to have rational justification for it. It's more the wider implications of dictating fishing methods as these rules do seem to me to be spreading.
In reply to Post #1
The kiss of death is having to book a specific peg.
The kiss of death is having to book a specific peg.
In reply to Post #1
Yeah I agree.
The problem is fisheries attempt to account for idiots by banning certain methods, tactics, tackle and bait. It's wrong imo, you should ban the idiots and not the gear or tactics/bait they employ.
You end up with everyone using the same kit/tactics/bait, waiting their turn to catch something. That's not angling imo.
Yeah I agree.
The problem is fisheries attempt to account for idiots by banning certain methods, tactics, tackle and bait. It's wrong imo, you should ban the idiots and not the gear or tactics/bait they employ.
You end up with everyone using the same kit/tactics/bait, waiting their turn to catch something. That's not angling imo.
In reply to Post #1
Yes, I can see the need for some rules, but I also would like owners to grow a pair and ban a few c$$$$,
Yes, I can see the need for some rules, but I also would like owners to grow a pair and ban a few c$$$$,
One of the many reasons I won't fish day tickets. There's always at least one rule you can't get your head around.
In reply to Post #2
Booked swims too! It goes against all learnings.
I have come across a place with no booked swims, but once set up you cannot move. It's not a written rule but one I got TOLD after moving onto some fish. I wouldn't have minded but there were a total of 2 anglers including me on a 100+ swim venue!
It's like some places don't want me to do what I would genuinely regard as GOOD fishing. Moving onto fish, reacting to conditions/fish behavior, changing tactics... It's weird.
I was thinking about how many memorable/epic catches I have read about over the years caught by some of the most respected carp anglers out there purely because they moved or changed tactics or saw an opportunity or did something different. They didn't do it at these places!
Booked swims too! It goes against all learnings.
I have come across a place with no booked swims, but once set up you cannot move. It's not a written rule but one I got TOLD after moving onto some fish. I wouldn't have minded but there were a total of 2 anglers including me on a 100+ swim venue!
It's like some places don't want me to do what I would genuinely regard as GOOD fishing. Moving onto fish, reacting to conditions/fish behavior, changing tactics... It's weird.
I was thinking about how many memorable/epic catches I have read about over the years caught by some of the most respected carp anglers out there purely because they moved or changed tactics or saw an opportunity or did something different. They didn't do it at these places!
In reply to Post #6
No moving swims has to be the funniest one I've ever heard
No moving swims has to be the funniest one I've ever heard
This is a very good thought provoking post..
All these overt rules ,it's not really angling is it,you pay a lot of money ,look forward to the actual trip,when you are fishing,most anglers would react to the ever changing situation that presents to them..ie a bit of floater fishing for a poor example.
As long as it does not interfere with another angler ,and or puts a fish in jeopardy.. or wildlife even ,I see no problem,let's not forget inside every angler is a suppressed hunter..
Rules, rules ,rules,control,control..bit like everyday life,so in short yes,carp angling under those conditions,is sterile, boring,and no chance of individualistic thought processes into catching a fish,everyone sat in a little green mushroom doing the same thing as the guy next door..
Like I said,that's not angling ...next mug please,gissa yer money ,off,next mug,...thank you..
All these overt rules ,it's not really angling is it,you pay a lot of money ,look forward to the actual trip,when you are fishing,most anglers would react to the ever changing situation that presents to them..ie a bit of floater fishing for a poor example.
As long as it does not interfere with another angler ,and or puts a fish in jeopardy.. or wildlife even ,I see no problem,let's not forget inside every angler is a suppressed hunter..
Rules, rules ,rules,control,control..bit like everyday life,so in short yes,carp angling under those conditions,is sterile, boring,and no chance of individualistic thought processes into catching a fish,everyone sat in a little green mushroom doing the same thing as the guy next door..
Like I said,that's not angling ...next mug please,gissa yer money ,off,next mug,...thank you..
In reply to Post #7
Why move? You dont need to on these Mickey Mouse day ticket/syndi waters, stuffed with so many fish if they aren't in front of you right now they will be again in half an hour, no skill needed but that suites most of the anglers on these instant cess pit's because they have no skill apart from what they see on FB and You Tube.
All the best waters have the least amount of rules, they also have a different type of person fishing them.
Why move? You dont need to on these Mickey Mouse day ticket/syndi waters, stuffed with so many fish if they aren't in front of you right now they will be again in half an hour, no skill needed but that suites most of the anglers on these instant cess pit's because they have no skill apart from what they see on FB and You Tube.
All the best waters have the least amount of rules, they also have a different type of person fishing them.
A large part of the problem is greed. A ten acre lake with ten swims means room for all to fish different methods without conflict.
Cram 30 or more swims on it and give everyone half a tennis court to fish with other anglers less than 10 yards to the left and right and looking at a row of anglers 80 yards away on the opposite bank there is no room for angling.
For an increasing number of people it's what they want, lodge, telly, barbecue, beer, spliff, baitboat and starving fish hanging themselves. Sit around being well carpy.
Angling! What's that?
Cram 30 or more swims on it and give everyone half a tennis court to fish with other anglers less than 10 yards to the left and right and looking at a row of anglers 80 yards away on the opposite bank there is no room for angling.
For an increasing number of people it's what they want, lodge, telly, barbecue, beer, spliff, baitboat and starving fish hanging themselves. Sit around being well carpy.
Angling! What's that?
In reply to Post #10
A lake I fish (20 acres) used to be lightly fished as it only had upper doubles in it. 7 years on and it now has an upper 40 and a good number of upper 30s. Your lucky if you can get a swim and now there are limits on how for you can cast out and how far left and right you can fish. If you're not on the fish there is hardly any chance of moving onto the fish.
Kind of makes it a lottery rather than skill. Next step will be people sewing up swims and handing them over to their mates as happens on some other lakes I fish.
A lake I fish (20 acres) used to be lightly fished as it only had upper doubles in it. 7 years on and it now has an upper 40 and a good number of upper 30s. Your lucky if you can get a swim and now there are limits on how for you can cast out and how far left and right you can fish. If you're not on the fish there is hardly any chance of moving onto the fish.
Kind of makes it a lottery rather than skill. Next step will be people sewing up swims and handing them over to their mates as happens on some other lakes I fish.
In reply to Post #11
You moaning fxxxkers lol.....great post though,there is some silly rules around but as posted previously we all have a choice to be there or not, carping 71 on YouTube said he had just visited the cubicle of death on hunts corner, the condition of that is partly down to the anglers as much as the owners.We all have things that annoy one person more than the next, I prioritise the condition of my surroundings and the condition of any fish I catch. My personal opinion is bailiffs are nowhere visible enough on the day tickets I visit, one man's priority is totally different to the next.....booking swims would work for me for instance.
You moaning fxxxkers lol.....great post though,there is some silly rules around but as posted previously we all have a choice to be there or not, carping 71 on YouTube said he had just visited the cubicle of death on hunts corner, the condition of that is partly down to the anglers as much as the owners.We all have things that annoy one person more than the next, I prioritise the condition of my surroundings and the condition of any fish I catch. My personal opinion is bailiffs are nowhere visible enough on the day tickets I visit, one man's priority is totally different to the next.....booking swims would work for me for instance.
Yes, great thread. I was on a syndicate, landed a fish, few pics and put it back. The lake owner later told me I had let him down by not weighing it because he needs that information to aid him in running the fishery.
That was the final straw for me, if he's that bothered about fish weights, he can catch them himself! He seemed to forget that I was a paying customer.
That was the final straw for me, if he's that bothered about fish weights, he can catch them himself! He seemed to forget that I was a paying customer.
In reply to Post #12
For me, there is some appeal with the whole swim booking system - it basically means that if you're not on a club / syndicate with hardly any members and loads of space, then you're more likely to see fewer anglers and have better choices than on a lake where you can just turn up and fish. For whatever reason, the worst type of anglers don't like to make such a great commitment and making a booking is a step too far for them.
With regards to overbearing or nonsensical rules, ultimately it is down to the owner; that said, prohibiting people from doing certain things simply due to the incompetence of other anglers is definitely frustrating, but people who don't know what they're doing can cause serious problems; tricky one.
For me, there is some appeal with the whole swim booking system - it basically means that if you're not on a club / syndicate with hardly any members and loads of space, then you're more likely to see fewer anglers and have better choices than on a lake where you can just turn up and fish. For whatever reason, the worst type of anglers don't like to make such a great commitment and making a booking is a step too far for them.
With regards to overbearing or nonsensical rules, ultimately it is down to the owner; that said, prohibiting people from doing certain things simply due to the incompetence of other anglers is definitely frustrating, but people who don't know what they're doing can cause serious problems; tricky one.
In reply to Post #15
My current syndicate has a peg booking system, and there's software that means if fishing weekends, you cannot book more than 48hrs in any one peg in a 4 week period. This suits me down to the ground, it's by no means a peggy lake though, I love not having to rush around and having that knowledge of where I am fishing, and, as I have done on may occasions, you can re-book and move at any time, when you get there or mid session.
My current syndicate has a peg booking system, and there's software that means if fishing weekends, you cannot book more than 48hrs in any one peg in a 4 week period. This suits me down to the ground, it's by no means a peggy lake though, I love not having to rush around and having that knowledge of where I am fishing, and, as I have done on may occasions, you can re-book and move at any time, when you get there or mid session.