Fishing in Lockdown 3 - what can you do?
Thanks to the hard work and lobbying of the Angling Trust, fishing is now permitted in the third England lockdown. The rules for anglers are, however, still significantly restricted to comply with the wider lockdown laws.
According to Sport England you can still go fishing as long as:
you are by yourself
with the people you live with
with your support bubble (if you’re legally permitted to form one)
in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
when on your own, with one person from another household while following social distancing.
You don’t travel outside of your local area in order to go fishing
You only go fishing once per day
See the full Sport England guidance here.
The Angling Trust are set to soon release their full guidance but have already made several key points anglers should follow, these are…
We are in a National Lockdown and this must be respected. The law requires a ‘reasonable excuse’ to leave your home or penalties will apply.
The Government has recognised that fishing can be seen as exercise, which is expressly permitted under the lockdown rules, although outdoor recreation is not.
Organised sporting gatherings are prohibited so no match fishing.
The exercise is limited to once a day so no overnight fishing whatsoever.
To remain within the law you should follow the Government’s guidance, and only fish locally. If you have no local fishing available then you will have to take your daily exercise in other ways. Full Government guidance on travel can be found here.
To keep up to date with the Angling Trust guidance visit their website here.
Anglers can now go fishing in lockdown 3
Angling Trust lobbying overturns fishing ban!
Angling Times understands that fishing is one of several outdoor, individual activities which will be allowed during Lockdown 3.0, following lobbying from senior members of the Angling Trust team to Government officials.
Keep an eye on the Angling Trust website today as they are set to release a statement soon with the full story and guidelines for safe and sensible fishing over the lockdown period.
We are thankful for the behind-the-scenes work which goes on, ensuring we can carry on fishing and benefit both our mental and physical wellbeing.
* It’s probably a good time to renew that membership (or take one out) to the Angling Trust!
Stay in touch with the Angling Trust website and Facebook page for the full details
The positives for fishing in Lockdown Three
The break from the bank doesn't have to be all negative. As we witnessed in the first lockdown, it could bring many benefits to fishing as a sport…
Club boom
Mirfield AC in Yorkshire used the first lockdown to create 25 platforms on a stretch of canal.
“You wouldn’t believe how many club books we sold off the back of just doing that,” said club president Martyn Highe.
“We’re going to use this lockdown to create 50 platforms on the River Calder and permanently peg a new stretch of canal we’ve acquired at Knottingley.”
Mirfield AC in Yorkshire used the first lockdown to create 25 platforms on a stretch of canal
Day-ticket improvements
Tony Bridgefoot, owner of Bluebell Lakes, said:
“I’ve been in this position several times before with flooding and I always try to take the positives from a negative situation. This lockdown will give us time to create permanent stock fencing so we don’t lose any fish to floods, and create better drainage to control the flow of water. It’ll also give me time to think about how I implement restrictions on angler numbers across the site, because last spring we had every swim occupied 24/7 and I don’t think it helped the stock or the natural surroundings.”
Bluebell will be using the time to build stock fencing and plan management of returning anglers
Trade catch-up
Fishing surged in 2020, leaving some manufacturers and shops unable to keep up with demand. This hiatus could see a welcome replenishment of stock.
The Angling Trust’s Martin Salter said:
“If we are going to have a lockdown it’s probably the best time of year for it. My contacts in the trade aren’t anywhere near as distressed as they were last spring.”
This lockdown could well have come at the best time of year for tackle shops
No fishing in England during new lockdown
Fishing in England is banned under new lockdown laws
Angling has been banned in England despite high-level government representations from the Angling Trust.
Fishing can still continue, with tight restrictions, in Scotland and Wales, but Downing Street looks set to keep anglers away from English waters for at least six weeks.
Before the decision was made, the Angling Trust wrote to sports minister Oliver Dowden setting out how angling could continue safely. Key points included angling’s solitary nature, the fact the majority of the population live within five miles of a waterway and that allowing angling would reduce pressure on other public spaces.
The Angling Trust continues to put the case for angling to government
Trust campaign manager Martin Salter told us:
“We made our arguments and we disagreed with the government’s decision, but it was not entirely unexpected. I suspect they felt the need to give the public a serious wake-up call, and sadly fishing has been caught up in that.
He added:
“At every twist and turn from last March right through last year we’ve kept making the case that angling isn’t a problem, and we did that successfully. This time around we are obviously concerned with infection rates higher than back in March and higher than when we locked down. We had a feeling that this might be a lot more challenging.”
Mr Salter said the trust is preparing an updated version of its When We Fish Again proposal, which paved the way for angling’s resumption last spring.
He said:
“Anglers can rest assured when we judge there’s a reasonable likelihood of success we will push for angling to be one of the first activities allowed to resume. And this time with the benefit of a whole lot of experience.
“With a few notable examples of idiocy, the angling community has responded responsibly to our calls. The vast majority are acutely aware of the need to act sensibly and be ambassadors for the sport we all love.”
The Angling Trust is preparing an updated version of its When We Fish Again proposal, which paved the way for angling’s resumption last spring
Fishing TV star helps raise £20,000 for kids meals
MONSTER Carp TV star Ali Hamidi has helped provide 80,000 free meals for kids following a fundraising competition that generated a whopping £20,000 for the worthy cause.
Run in partnership with FareShare UK, the campaign offered prize bundles of Mainline bait, a 48-hour fishing retreat in Essex and a personal visit from Ali and his TV co-star Tom Dove.
Ali said:
“I can’t thank enough everyone in our fishing community who took part in helping to prevent our nation’s kids from going hungry. Next time I’d love to do something bigger and provide 500,000 meals.”
MONSTER Carp TV star Ali Hamidi has helped provide 80,000 free meals for kids
NEW 100k fund to boost angling participation
A BUMPER new £100k ‘Get Fishing Fund’ has been created to help support new and returning anglers, and the good news is that you can apply for a slice of the cash to help your club.
The Get Fishing Fund will help support new and returning anglers
The new initiative, announced by the Environment Agency and Angling Trust, has been created using extra cash from 2020’s boom in rod licence sales.
Grants of up to £500 are available for small-scale projects, while larger ones can apply for up to £5,000. Funding can go towards any events that aim to boost angling participation and can cover the costs of tackle and bait, as well as associated resources such as storage facilities.
Graeme Storey, Fisheries Manager for the EA, hopes that the fund will help even more newcomers enter the sport and continue the momentum gathered this year.
“We’re always looking for ways to support angling,” he said,
“and (overall) the Agency has invested £1.5m of the additional income from this year’s licence sales back into projects to improve fisheries.
“The increased interest in fishing over the summer proves that people are not only rediscovering angling, but more people are trying it for the first time. We want to see this continue and hope that the projects will encourage more people to try fishing.”
A few months back Angling Times spoke to Bryan Dray of Wellingborough and District AS, who along with other club members, runs a lot of junior events. We asked him where he wanted to see the additional rod licence money invested. Unsurprisingly, providing coaching events was top of his agenda, so he was understandably delighted with the new fund’s creation.
“It’s brilliant news” he said.
“Finding funds is difficult, particularly between now and Easter, so having this cash available is a real boost, especially at club level. One of our biggest difficulties is storing equipment securely, so knowing the fund can help is fantastic. We’ll definitely be applying.”
To apply for funding visit: grants.anglingtrust.net
Are newcomers missing out on vital skills?
SCROLL back 30 years or so and trotting a stick float, casting accurately and knowing how to feed properly were just three of the core skills people had to master before they could truly call themselves an angler.
Along this challenging journey the foundations for a life in fishing were laid, but are these vital skills being lost on today’s newcomers who make commercials or day-ticket carp lakes their first port of call?
There is a real art to catching consistently on a river
Some old-school anglers, such as carper Nick Helleur, certainly believe so. As one of the most respected people in carp fishing Nick, who turns 50 next year, recently starred on the Thinking Tackle Podcast, where he waxed lyrical about how much angling has changed in recent years.
“I was brought up being told that you ‘cast it out and reel it in’” he said.
“Nowadays, people have bait boats and poles. Learning the skill of casting in a wind or under a bush at range, for example, is falling by the wayside.
“A lot of people are one-trick ponies. Anglers should be able to trot a stick float and set up any rig you care to mention. They should be able to fish for any species without a guide or help. They should be able to go and do it – that’s the joy of angling”
“A lot of people are one-trick ponies”
With a strong correlation between rising rod licence sales and busy day-ticket fisheries this year, it would seem that a lot of newcomers are skipping the challenges of learning to fish natural waters, as Nick suggests. But is that a bad thing? Match legend Tommy Pickering doesn’t think so.
“Does it really matter?” he said.
“I know it concerns some anglers, but a newcomer doesn’t know any different. Commercials are convenient, comfortable, and have all the facilities you need. When people my age grew up, we had no commercials, just rivers and stillwaters where the fishing could be very difficult.”
In Tommy’s mind, the most important thing is that there are new people coming into fishing, full stop.
“The most important advice I can give to a newcomer is to enjoy it,” he added.
“Make sure to ask for advice, too, be it from your local tackle shop or having a coaching day. If you’re catching fish, it’s much more enjoyable, and you’re more likely to stick with it.”
“The most important advice I can give to a newcomer is to enjoy it”
Bob Roberts, one of Britain’s best all-rounders, is of a similar mind to Tommy, although he believes there are certain things that those growing up solely fishing commercials will miss out on.
“The subtlety required in catching roach, dace and skimmers on a natural venue is something that anglers who have grown up on commercials will lack, as well as knowledge of a wide range of techniques, but this is too much to take in,” he told us.
“With the rise of the internet and social media, everything is instant and people expect fishing to be the same. Commercials give people the chance to catch in comfort, with relatively little effort and expenditure. I think they’re brilliant and regularly have catches on them that I would have given my right arm for when I was a newcomer.”
Bob believes the quality of fishing on offer at day-ticket waters will help encourage people to keep fishing, but also isn’t worried that other aspects of angling will die out.
“Take beans on toast. There’s nothing wrong with it, but if you have it every day, you’ll quickly get bored and start adding new flavours or trying different things.
“Fishing is no different. People will eventually want to try something different and will no doubt develop curiosities for fishing a river or canal, even the sea.
“Day-ticket fisheries are having a fantastic impact on fishing and I’m so pleased to see new anglers on the bank. The positive repercussions of the work these fisheries are doing are being felt throughout angling.”
People will eventually want to try something different and will no doubt develop curiosities for fishing a river or canal, even the sea
Why river fishing is set for a boom - Rob Hughes
Obviously, with matches still currently off the agenda for many, there are a lot of anglers who can’t do what they would normally do.
Some commercial match fishing venues have taken the opportunity afforded by lockdown and the time of the year to close in order to undertake maintenance after what have been a ridiculously busy few months. Others are open just for pleasure fishing so it’s still possible to “sack up” even if it’s not in a competition environment.
It’s been interesting, looking at social media, to see how people have been getting their fishing fix during this recent mini-lockdown. Rivers seem to be getting a bit more traffic, and high-profile match anglers like
Des Shipp and Steve Ringer have been heading off to them in search of very different fishing to their norm.
Chub seem to be a real favourite among match anglers, and there’s good reason for that. They’re such obliging creatures. They really pull back and are always great fun on float tactics, in particular. Whether you’re fining down and catching nets of smaller ones or heading out after bigger specimens, it’s one of the best times of the whole year to have a go for them too.
Chub are definitely one of the go-to fish at the moment. It’s interesting to see that my local club, Frome Angling Association, is already organising some post-lockdown river matches. Could this new-found interest be a sign of things to come?
There’s no doubt that chub are an enjoyable species to fish for
Anglers unite to feed lake’s hungry carp
A GROUP of passionate anglers whose favourite fishing lake closed due to the pandemic have descended upon the venue with buckets of bait in an attempt to keep the fish fed during the prolonged period of inactivity.
Shearwater Lake, on Wiltshire’s Longleat Estate, shut its doors to anglers at the start of the March lockdown and it was feared the venue’s prized carp would starve when fishery staff were placed on the Government’s furlough scheme.
Jumping at the chance to intervene was fish farmer Mark Simmonds, whose actions have since inspired others to join in.
He said:
“I’ve supplied the estate’s fish stocks for years so I felt an obligation to help them out. So far I’ve dropped off three tons of Skrettings feed pellets at the fishery, which the estate has since supplemented with its own supply.”
The news of the ‘big feed’ quickly gained traction on social media, causing anglers and dog-walkers to descend on the fishery with buckets and bags full of boilies, pellets and bread to help out.
“As fishing still isn’t allowed, I’m sure all this extra food will be appreciated by the fish!” Mark added.
Angling coaches honoured for 1,000+ hours free coaching
THREE angling coaches have been honoured for giving up over 1,000 hours of their free time to help anyone who wanted to go fishing during the pandemic.
Bryan Dray, Pat Byrne and Ian Halliwell, of Wellingborough and District Nene AC, finished runners-up at the Nene Valley Partnerships Volunteers Stars of the Year awards for services to the sport.
The coaches at Wellingborough and District Nene AC
“Buy it before it’s gone” warn retailers as angling’s surging popularity causes stock logjam
From the big chain retailers to small independent tackle shops, the message to anglers is clear this Christmas – if you see it in stock, buy it now!
Angling’s booming popularity this year has led to a clamour for tackle, causing delays in the supply chain and the need for some adjustment of expectations from buyers and sellers alike.
There has been a surge in demand for fishing tackle
There have been more than 300,000 new anglers on the banks since the spring lockdown was lifted, and an astonishing 36,000 rod licences were sold in the traditionally quieter month of October alone. This has led to increased pressure on tackle manufacturers and retailers who are also battling the continued worldwide fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“My advice to people is if they see an item they want on the shelves then buy it now because you just don’t know when it will be back in stock,” said Dave Eve of independent shop Castaway Tackle in Oxfordshire.
His sentiments have been echoed by James Bigmore, director of large online retailer Total Fishing Tackle, who told us:
“If it’s in stock with your local retailer or with us, just buy it. If it’s a good-selling item and you know it’s had good reviews then pick it up, because there’s no guarantee when stuff will come back into stock at the moment.”
Lack of stock explained
When fishing was banned in March, few could have predicted the sport would rebound so positively from May.
The rush to buy tackle took retailers and manufacturers, who had been preparing for a bumpy year, largely by surprise. When the surge in demand came, the Chinese factories where the majority of tackle is produced were already playing catch-up after enforced closures earlier in the year. The ripple effect also meant shipping-container space became limited, and prices naturally rose.
“You’ve got to remember that this surge in angling popularity isn’t just in Britain,” said James.
“This boom has been worldwide. Everyone is fighting for shipping space, and companies are struggling to get stock.”
Flying hooks and long delays
One trade source told Angling Times that a large British tackle company had begun flying its hooks into the country to circumvent shipping bottlenecks during the initial lockdown, but air freight prices soon quadrupled as carriers saw the potential to cash in.
Dave Eve added:
“One tackle company has got a container of bedchairs and chairs coming in around now, but it’s all sold on back order and the next one isn’t coming until July.
“We’re seeing most orders coming back with 30 or 40 per cent of it out of stock, though that’s the fast-moving items like terminal tackle. Where before we might be ordering one trade pack of items, we’re now ordering two or three trade packs if we know it’s popular stuff that won’t perish. Talking to the sales reps, everyone is doing the same, so it’s creating even more demand.”
Changing buying habits
“What we’ve seen this year is that customers aren’t as brand loyal as they might once have been,” said James Bigmore.
“Because there’s not as much choice as before, where once they might have only been looking for a Trakker bivvy they may now be looking at the Fox alternative.”
He added:
“There aren’t quite as many deals around at the moment and prices will stay very stable. We’re quite a big clearance buyer because we’ve got the space and capacity to buy end-of-line stock, but there hasn’t been as much available this year.
“However, we’ve still bought clearance from firms like Nash, Daiwa and Shimano, and we will still have Black Friday and Christmas sales. It’s been a tough year for some people and I think customers expect those deals to still take place.”
Looking good for 2021
Despite the current logjams in the supply chain, the picture is improving. James continued:
“We’ve got stock arriving every day and it’s definitely been getting quicker in the last six to eight weeks.
“We’ve placed orders based on what we’ve seen this year and hopefully, by next spring and summer, supplies will be back to normal and it should be one of the best years in a long while for the fishing trade.”
Fisheries set for busiest winter ever as licence sales soar...again!
THE BOOM in angling participation has shown no signs of slowing down this month, with many venues reporting unprecedented numbers of visitors for the time of year.
After angling’s busiest-ever summer, it was anticipated that numbers on the bank would tail off as temperatures started to fall, but reports suggest quite the opposite, with fisheries saying business is still booming.
Surrey’s Bury Hill Fishery is one of the venues enjoying a productive autumn, as staff member Ian Chennell revealed:
“I’d say there’s probably a 40 per cent increase on the usual numbers we’d experience at this time of year. We sold a lot of memberships for our carp and predator waters, and these anglers keep coming back.
“In particular, we’ve had a lot more people interested in catching pike and zander, so as the temperatures fall, we hope these guys will keep fishing for these winter species.”
A similar trend has been witnessed further north at East Yorkshire’s Starcarr Lakes.
“We’ve had unprecedented numbers on our banks” said fishery boss Shane Turrell.
“I expect things to drop off a bit more when it gets really cold and the bream begin to back off, but if only half the people come who are currently visiting, we’ll still be doing much better than usual.”
In addition to the continued surge in bankside numbers, the Environment Agency has reported yet another boom in rod licence sales, with 36,851 people buying or renewing their licence in October.
This suggests the influx of newcomers to the sport is continuing unabated. An EA spokesperson told us:
“Despite colder weather, we continue to see thousands of people buying licences. We hope this shows that the current popularity of fishing isn’t just a summer trend but the revival of a much-loved sport.”
People can’t get enough of fishing and now look set to hit the banks all winter too!
Legal threat to club that broke lockdown
MATCH anglers who held a competition during the current lockdown period have been warned they will lose their fishing rights if they do it again.
HanKat Angling Society flouted the rules on organised sporting events by staging a nine-peg event on the Dudley Canal on November 7.
The club advertised a follow-upmatch, before the Canal & Rivers Trust (CRT) warned them that the matches breach Covid restrictions. The CRT told the club
“Should you go ahead and organise further events we will escalate the matter to our legal team to see what the Trust would need to do in order to ensure compliance with law, including the termination of your club’s angling agreement.
This is something we hope we can avoid, as it would not put angling in a good light at this time and undo the work the fisheries team have been doing behind the scenes in fighting the case for angling to be allowed to continue.”
Jamie Cook, the CEO of the Angling Trust, said:
“It is vital that anglers continue to fish safely, locally and responsibly throughout this pandemic. The last thing we need to see is irresponsible actions like this that brings angling into disrepute and endangers the hard-won concessions we have achieved for us to keep fishing through the lockdown.”
HanKat Angling Society flouted the rules on organised sporting events by staging a nine-peg event on the Dudley Canal
Figures reveal low response to fishery incidents - do we need more bailiffs?
THE angling community is deeply concerned for the safety of our sport after damning figures were revealed about the Environment Agency’s response to fishery incidents over lockdown.
Obtained by a Freedom of Information request, they state that between March 23 and August 21 this year, the EA’s National Incident Recording System received 2,924 reports of fishery incidents across England. Just 103 were registered as ‘attended’.
The EA’s National Incident Recording System received 2,924 reports of fishery incidents across England. Just 103 were registered as ‘attended’
‘Fishery incidents’ include poaching and fish disease – but the EA states that it had to prioritise certain incidents over lockdown. A spokesperson told us:
“During the national lockdown we had to limit some field work due to Government guidance on how to manage the risk of contracting Coronavirus, but we continued to respond to the most damaging incidents which could have seriously harmed the environment.
“Over the course of the summer we carried out many fish rescue operations that were essential to protect vital fish species.”
The EA also told us that the figures might be slightly misleading:
“Some of the 2,924 incident notifications may have been from the same source. Others could have been unsubstantiated, while others won’t have been appropriate to attend, or not have been within our remit.”
Many believe the EA is underfunded
While there’s no doubt the EA faced an unprecedented and challenging time, and that these figures may not tell the full picture, this can’t continue – as angling ambassador, Rob Hughes, explains:
“To be honest, I’m not surprised by the figures. Over lockdown there were many problems, ranging from members of the public trespassing on fisheries right through to poaching.
“There was bound to be a high level of incidents, and the poor response time is indicative of just how underfunded the Environment Agency is.
“However, we can’t excuse these figures and people should not get away with poaching. The whole Covid situation has been a learning curve, and hopefully the EA can learn from these statistics and be better prepared in future.”
Martin Salter, Head of Policy at the Angling Trust, gave its view on the issue:
“The Trust is disappointed at the lack of activity on the ground by the Environment Agency during the lockdown period and after, but is pleased that normal service has been resumed,” he said.
What can be done to help the Environment Agency protect fisheries?
But has it? According to Adrian Lane, of Fishery Watch, the UK’s largest independent voluntary water keeper network, problems are still occurring.
“Last week we had a call about a man killing an 80cm pike. He’s admitted to it – I’ve received messages from him doing so – but when the incident was reported to the EA it showed no interest.
“We also received reports from a man fishing a canal who watched someone catching bream and putting them in a bucket to take away. Again, he called the EA, which was unable to help due to having nobody in the area. The problems are ongoing, and we can’t let it go on like this.”
It was Adrian who submitted the FOI request to the EA, after receiving an alarming number of calls from anglers during lockdown saying that they weren’t getting any help.
“People have called in desperation after failed attempts with the EA,” he says,
“and we will try and help out where we can.
“We made 41 calls to the police about fishery incidents over lockdown, and every single one was attended. Officers have even stayed on afterwards on occasions and helped clear up rubbish. It would be great if the EA could refer people to the police if its staff can’t attend an incident.”
Asked where he believes the EA’s problem lies, Adrian says:
“The last thing I want to do is criticise the people on the ground.
“I have great relationships with my enforcement officers, who are as passionate and caring about our fisheries as we are.
“I think the problems come from the top, and until more funding is made available our fisheries are in a perilous place.”
Anglers given the green light to go fishing during second England lockdown
While outdoor sports like golf, tennis and basketball are prohibited, angling’s status as an outdoor recreation has allowed it to continue, with a handful of restrictions.
“Ministers have recognised the benefits that angling brings, not only in terms of health and well-being, but also in getting us out in the fresh air”
The Angling Trust, which has lobbied government on the benefits of the hobby, has produced guidance to anglers after picking through the latest regulations with legal advisers.
Those regulations are still in draft form but sources at the Trust are confident their interpretations of the law will stand up.
Martin Salter, the Trust’s campaigns manager, told us:
“We are delighted that ministers have recognised the benefits that angling brings, not only in terms of health and well-being, but also in getting us out in the fresh air where we love to be and not bunging up already-crowded public spaces.”
The former MP added:
“If the Government had wanted fisheries to close, as it has, inexplicably, with golf courses, then they would have said so. The Government clearly expects angling to continue.”
The only major blow for anglers is the temporary suspension of match fishing, which is caught in the ban on ‘sport below elite level’.
Mr Salter said:
“We are an outdoor recreation like bird watching. We’re only a sport when we are match fishing, which is why that has been banned.”
Match fishing will be banned under the new restrictions
Driving to venues, night fishing and day-ticket angling are still permitted, though Government guidance urges people to stay as local as possible for outdoor activities. Tackle shops must close, but can operate on a click-and-collect basis. Anglers from different homes can also only go fishing in pairs, rather than the previous ‘rule of six’.
Angling Trust chief executive Jamie Cook urged anglers to stay sensible and be aware that their actions will be closely monitored.
He said:
“We’re pleased that fishing can continue during lockdown, even with the restrictions in place. Angling has conducted itself safely and responsibly throughout this pandemic and the Trust is determined to ensure that our chosen form of outdoor recreation remains part of the solution rather than the problem. To do this anglers must continue to fish responsibly.”
“Anglers must continue to fish responsibly,” says Jamie Cook
Extra £1.35m to be invested in fishery projects
Following a boom in rod licence sales this summer, the Environment Agency revealed that £1.35m of additional income will be invested in fishery projects, with an extra £400,000 being pumped into fish farming and research.
The news follows hot debate on where the new income should go, and it seems that the EA is investing it to safeguard the future of our sport.
An EA spokesperson told us:
“Securing £1.35m will benefit our angling community, as it will go to our Fisheries Improvement Programme and the Angling Improvement Fund (AIF) to support local projects across England.
“These projects have already had a big impact, with the AIF helping to fund more than 500 angling projects.
“An additional £400,000 will go towards new equipment at the National Fisheries Laboratory, Calverton Fish Farm and new technology to monitor fish populations.”
The EA is reviewing where further income will be allocated. Watch this space for further developments.
To submit a proposal for the Angling Improvement Fund, visit: www.anglingtrust.net/aif
The money has been generated from a boom in rod licence sales
What does the future hold for our fisheries?
AS THE autumn leaves begin to turn, they herald not just the start of a new season, but also the end of one of the most remarkable summers of fishing on record.
Across the nation, clubs and day-ticket waters have been hit by a tidal wave of new pleasure anglers, giving our sport a much-needed boost. The question now remains: what does the future hold?
Many people will now be going back to work as the furlough scheme ends and, while a return to something like normal levels of angling activity is expected over the coming months, many fisheries and clubs are expanding and upgrading their facilities to accommodate the throng of new anglers ahead of the good weather returning next spring.
A tidal wave of new anglers has given our sport a much-needed boost
Aaron Grantham, manager of Lincolnshire’s Lindholme Lakes, one of Britain’s premier commercial fisheries, experienced such a busy summer that he’s completely restructuring his business plans.
“It’s been scary!” he told us.
“Numbers have dropped a bit in recent weeks, which is a good thing because the fish can have a bit of a rest, but the number of new people we saw was just incredible.
“Around 1,500 anglers visited each week, up from our usual 1,000, with a large proportion of these being pleasure anglers.
“If we can retain just 20 per cent of these newcomers next year it will be a massive boost for the industry, so we’re making some big changes to try to keep these new faces coming through the gates.”
“We’ll often have all our lakes booked on weekends for matches,” Aaron added,
“but from next year we’re going to make sure that we always have a lake or two reserved for the pleasure lads. Every weekend there will be up to 50 pegs to choose from. In addition, we’ll be building between 50 and 100 new touring caravan plots on a new site with a toilet block. We want to keep everyone happy and continue to appeal to the newcomers to our sport.”
Lindholme has big expansion plans
It’s just not day-ticket fisheries that have experienced a dramatic rise in numbers, with angling clubs across the country also experiencing unprecedented demand from new members.
Wiltshire’s Warminster and District are one such club, and its president Richard Curtis revealed how the club was so busy at times that it struggled to cope with the demand.
“It was manic. I spent three weekends solid just sending out membership cards, and we took so much money through PayPal that it shut down our account because it suspected we were money laundering!
“In the 2015/16 season we had 142 members, including just one junior. Now, we have 924 members, including around 150 juniors. It’s a dream situation that I never could have imagined would arise.”
With such a sharp rise in members you’d expect that there would have been problems with crowded banks – as has been the case at some day-ticket carp lakes – but Richard revealed that the club managed to accommodate all the newcomers, and has even expanded its portfolio as a result.
“We’ve acquired a new water, giving us six lakes and two stretches of river approximately four miles long, ensuring there’s plenty of room for people to spread out. In addition, we’ve bought tools to help maintain and improve our fisheries, such as a boat with a weed cutter, which will help to manage our waters and hopefully encourage new members to keep coming. With the influx of cash we can continue to invest in our waters and continue to thrive.”
Warminster AC saw a sharp rise in members
Bedfordshire-based Vauxhall Angling Club also experienced a record year, and even closed its memberships in mid-August after reaching its 11,500 capacity.
Head bailiff Dave Bing, was impressed with the behaviour and respect for the rules shown by club members during the summer.
“At some day-ticket waters I know there have been problems with people kicking off about various things as well as huge queues to enter fisheries,” he says,
“but our members have shown great respect for the guidelines we put in place. I think the difference is that day tickets are a commodity.
“With an angling club, members have made an investment and are part of something. There’s more of a duty of care towards other members and officials. Our bailiffs have also done a great job of ensuring that everyone follows the guidelines set out by the Angling Trust.”
Many of Vauxhall’s new members have been people that have got back into fishing after a long lay-off.
“I’ve talked to lots of people who fished as kids but then started playing football or rugby at the weekend and focused on that as their hobby instead. While these contact sports were still banned, they gave fishing another go, and many of them now say, ‘Do you know what? I’m not sure why I ever gave this up.’ Hopefully they’ll keep coming for many years, and continue supporting us and the sport we love.”
Vauxhall AC reached its capacity
67-year-old runs over 26 miles to fund fishing in schools
WORLD-renowned fly fisherman Charles Jardine has raised £4,500 for his Fishing for Schools initiative (FFS) after running 26.4 miles around Rutland Water.
It took the 67-year-old more than six hours to complete the circuit in driving rain, but Charles said the struggle was ‘more than worth it’ to help bring fishing to struggling kids during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He told us:
“There’s never been a more vital time to help children and their mental health through fishing, and the money raised from this run will enable our licensed coaches to reach out to more schools.
“We don’t want to lose momentum now that Covid is here, and every penny we can raise will continue to make a difference to a young person’s life.”
This the fourth time Charles has run a marathon to generate funds for the project, but he believes this will be his last.
“I struggled with injuries leading up to this run, and with me being 67 years old, the wear and tear is now taking its toll,” he added.
“I’ve had a lot of fun along the way, though.”
Charles Jardine enjoying a cuppa outside the Rutland fishing lodge following his marathon
Post-lockdown rod licence sales soaring - where should the money go?
THE ENVIRONMENT Agency has been handed the chance to tackle some of the biggest issues facing fishing after receiving millions of pounds in extra income.
In the four weeks following the lifting of lockdown restrictions on May 13, more than 335,000 rod licences were sold, a 230 per cent rise in less than two months and 200,000 more than were sold in the corresponding period last year.
In the four weeks following the lifting of lockdown restrictions on May 13, more than 335,000 rod licences were sold
Newcomers to the sport accounted for the majority of the spike in sales, but there is nothing particularly new about the major issues facing angling. Anglers have been crying out for authorities to address growing problems with issues such as water quality and predation, but they aren’t the only problems and now a debate has begun on how the extra cash should best be spent.
The EA will obviously have its work cut out trying to please everyone, so we asked fishery owners, club officials and some of angling’s unsung heroes to tell us where they think the money should go.
Chris Wood, Shrewsbury Angling Club Secretary
SPEND IT ON: Improving river fishing
“The money should be put back into rivers and supporting angling clubs. There are several ways to do this, but the most important is by making fisheries safer. By this I mean building platforms along stretches to make river fishing comfortable and accessible. Clambering down steep banks and cutting your way through a jungle isn’t for everyone, particularly when so many of us are used to sitting by a manicured commercial where you can park next to your peg.
“River fishing’s popularity is on the rise – our club is completely full, with a 300-angler waiting list – so we need to make our rivers accessible to all. By building more platforms you get more bums on the bank so you can police a stretch more easily, as anglers can report anything dodgy.”
We need to make our rivers accessible to all
Mark Barrow ,underwater cameraman for Beneath British Waters
SPEND IT ON: Tackling the major polluters
“The key area to address is the amount of pollution that goes into our rivers, particularly sewage. I’ve been diving and filming in rivers for 30 years and in the past, I’d film shoals of grayling that were 300-strong. Nowadays in the same areas I find small pockets of 15 or so fish at best.
“I’m sure that all the pollution that enters our rivers is having a negative impact and there needs to be a combined effort between the EA, water companies and all other forces to tackle the problem. There are other issues, of course, but sorting the rivers themselves should be the primary objective.
“I’d like to add that the EA gets a lot of stick, but it does some fantastic work. Its people on the ground are just as frustrated and passionate about all this as we are. The problems may be at the top.”
Do the EA need to take a harder stance on polluters?
Bryan Dray, Wellingborough & District Nene AC Youth Coach
SPEND IT ON: More coaching facilities for juniors and newcomers
“It should be spent on funding grassroots level coaching. We’ve seen a phenomenal number of juniors and newcomers get into fishing this year and we need to keep them interested in angling.
“We’ve got 300 juniors in our club, and our coaching sessions have been key in getting these guys interested. The problem is having the funds to keep it all going.
“It’s been so busy that I’ve pretty much had to give up my day job. We’re also in need of more tackle for the kids to use, as well as a van to transport it.
“If we can continue supporting young anglers and keep encouraging more to the sport, we’ll be able to keep fishing on a healthy grounding for generations to come.”
We’ve seen a phenomenal number of juniors and newcomers get into fishing this year and we need to keep them interested in angling
Kevin Clark, Founder of The Angling Initiative project
SPEND IT ON: Policing our waters better
“I’d love to see the extra money spent on better policing for our rivers. Take my local River Wye for example. It suffers badly from poaching, like many waterways, but it also suffers from other so-called water users doing what they like, with little fear of prosecution.
“In recent years the river has been plagued by high levels of phosphates entering the river from neighbouring farmlands, causing terrible algal blooms, which have a detrimental impact on the water quality.
“There’s also an issue with the amount of water from the river being used for irrigation purposes from various interests along the Wye valley, which the river can’t support. It’s caused some of the lowest water levels I’ve seen in decades, and the fishing has suffered as a result.
“The EA needs to contact the local farmers, make them aware of the problems being caused, and start to do something about it. I’m sure many other rivers are suffering a similar fate...”
May waterways suffer badly from poaching
£150,000 boost to community angling projects
COMMUNITY angling projects hit by Covid-19 will continue to provide vital support to minority groups thanks to a £150,000 boost of National Lottery money.
The cash, which has been awarded to the Angling Trust by Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund, will ensure socio-economic groups, ethnic communities and people with disabilities and PTSD will be able to continue engaging with the sport they love as the pandemic continues.
Clive Copeland, Head of Participation at the Trust, said:
“The funding means that hundreds of people will be able to remain connected with the exceptional work funded projects provide.
“Our sport should be accessible regardless of ability, gender, income, race, demographic or place – but Covid-19 is preventing that. This award will mean that work can continue to allow angling for all.”
The news is music to the ears of community involvement charities like Get Hooked on Fishing, which specialises in creating opportunities for young adults through angling.
Its CEO, Sarah Collins, added:
“Rules on social distancing have had a big effect on some of our projects, but knowing there’s money available to help charities like ourselves get back on track is a huge boost.”
The cash has been awarded to the Angling Trust by Sport England’s Tackling Inequalities Fund