In reply to Post #15
I think what 55 means is ,angling will die because it will become political, politically incorrect to angle,...or woke if you will...thats what I think he means,

Time will tell, my humble opinion is ,it'll happen before then (50 yrs)..

In reply to Post #16
I see. The way things are going we.may be angling for protein.

In reply to Post #17
Funnily enough you should say this,as today I've seen traces of someone trying to do the very thing...

( longlines)...


I removed em...

In reply to Post #16
Spot on - in my day we fished because it was a done thing, it wasn't promoted as an alternative to knife crime, gangs or play station. That is the way fishing is directed at the moment, and with our new ‘vegan' and otter friendly mentality- fishing will eventually become collateral damage. Such a shame, that our younger generation may not experience the great outdoors, mud, stick floats and trying to untangle the mess behind a fixed spool reel - the biggest issue they will face is turning something off and on again or restore factory settings. Thank god I'm old and thank god I had girls who are more interested in make up, too tok than unhooking a jack pike.

In reply to Post #19
At the moment ,angling is being heralded for the betterment for mental health,which is great..

Recently we have seen a Hedgefund mega bucks,who owns a lot of Dartmoor,now he's stopped wild camping on his land ,destroying people's access to lovely wild country..and removing people's perception of freedom,freedom from the pressures of modern society..

As always,this could have a cost, a precedent in more ways than one..

I'm glad I got my son into fishing and the outdoors,...but...I think...in his lifetime,maybe mine as well,our enjoyment, and access to so called wild places will diminish, and become very urbanised,in fact ...where I live ,most would say its rural ,it was,not anymore there seems to be a tangible shift ,to link the countryside very quickly with urban ideology....

If you love the country,enjoy every second that you can....

In reply to Post #13
"nowadays you need hundreds to even try the sport, plus access to decent places"

Last few years during summer, if you spend £10 in Angling Direct they were giving away a free 4m whip with rigs on winders etc which makes it slightly more accessible; decent places is more difficult, however there are plenty of commercial venues where kids can catch a fish a chuck and whilst I wouldn't want to fish them, it's not a bad starting point for getting youngsters into it.

In reply to Post #1
Angling as we knew it has all but disappeared.

its more about social media likes, hash tagging, you tubing, fishing behind fenced with hoards of others catching in over stocked ponds that charge a fortune.

or is it that bad?

there are still some wonderful waters to fish away from all that rubbish, finding them isn't easy, but they are out there if one doesn't want instant gratification

I think really what's changed is the waters that I see as entry level. By that I mean you start fishing so you go to a day ticket cos you don't realise that things like syndicates are even a thing. Now going back thirty years those waters like linear were empty. I remember myself and my cousin having the whole of hardwick to ourselves for a whole weekend. That was normal. I remember being only one of about six people on St John's for a weekend. Those sorts of waters are now a circus. Then as you move up the ladder a bit with experience you start to join local clubs. They were still fairly quiet back in those days. They were cheap. We fished waters all weekend with only a handful of guys on them. These day tickets and clubs have become rammed out circuses.

So people say we had the best of it back then. But fast forward to today. I'm fishing quiet waters, full secure, for some of the biggest carp in the country, on cheap tickets, can fish swims where I wouldn't see another angler all weekend. I dropped a 30man syndicate last year, fully otter fenced, tree lined, lilley pads, cost £100 a year. I fished it every Sunday from Nov-Apr and never saw a single other angler.

There's loads and loads of waters out there that still are like it was thirty years ago. It's just they are kept away from the masses. But if you do a bit of digging, ask the right people, conduct yourself properly then they open up for you. If you think it's all about social media and bruv/geez/bro then expect to be fishing the circus waters for the rest of your life.

In reply to Post #22
Couldn't have put it better myself. Is there a nail on the head emoji?

Think there will definitely be a North / South divide on this one, which will probably be down to southerners being spoilt for choice. All that lovely countryside you used to have (before they started building on it of course,) with what seemed like bits of blue dotted everywhere. Not so for us 'oop north'. We had to make do with what was available or travel. Now I have access to fishing far, far better within walking distance from from my front door than what we used to have. I can drop on the cut for some quality caster Roach, run a float down the Trent ( that used to be no more than an open sewer) for Chub, Dace and the odd Trout,and local club waters with Carp up to 30s. If one wants something bigger then better waters are only a taxi ride away. I now fish syndicate and club waters with access to fish I could only dream of forty years ago, all within a forty-five minute drive.
Do your research and find some nice fishing, it's out there. For me these are the best times.

In reply to Post #24
Both posts above good..


I can't speak for others,but myself it's not all about catching fish of whatever species you are after, for me ,its deeper..quiet corners of countryside is what does it for me..I'm really happy then...

I seen earlier,that there are plans to make sure that everyone has access to green spaces,within a 15 min walk of where they live,I find that interesting as I note ,in this area its turned into a big housing estate,building is being allowed on some beautiful areas..complete opposite to what is being pushed in the media..

I often wonder what our lovely British countryside will look like,in years to come..in that respect, I think we have had the best of it...

In reply to Post #26
Regarding the countryside I'm with you on that, it's vanishing at a scary rate. Overpopulation !
I'd love to know what they class as a 'green space.'

In reply to Post #27
Overpopulation for sure..

(It's ruined now where I live)...

In reply to Post #1
Weird!
I had the same conversation with a 70year old angler myself on the bank yesterday while he was working a lure around the lake.

I've aged and watched times change, how fisheries have developed or regressed, been lost through inaction or purchased by big money and become lost to clubs.

As a spotty youth, around 35years ago I was spoilt with personal best chub of 5lb, tench of 9lb, bream to 8lb and a 20lb carp was still a dream, although I had just caught my first ever 20lb pike, and 2lb roach which are still my target today.

My children have all been brought up fishing, my eldest daughter has caught carp to over 20lb, my son has caught 4lb chub and my youngest daughter has also caught roach, perch and bars of soap tench herself.

Carp fishing has become the biggest winner, but in my view, also the biggest loser; where anglers learn no or limited skills, but have become clones of a fashionista.
The 20lb carp dream has become not only easily reachable, but almost every water has them in numbers and other species are almost vermin.

The rivers are now often unfished and frequently unfishable; pollution and predation, abstraction and weeded over.
The joys of taking the kids out to the park lake or club venue for a couple of hours float fishing after Sunday dinner are gone. Waters wrecked by criminality, anti-social behaviour, just lost to fishing or overpriced tickets.
I do have one exception to the overpriced ticket close to me at Bromeswell, but its more small carp than most other fish species.

In reply to Post #22
its more about social media likes, hash tagging

Exactly that #****ers