[harpo]

this is going to be very bitter pill to some the only way to protect fishing or stop others trying to ban it as cruelty is to make changes before we are made to by law. the amount of fatalites in match or comp fishing is growing and these actavists are going to jump on this band wagon they will start turning up at venus with cameras and will have the evidence to start the ball rolling.we have to make sure the fish are returned alive and well other wise comp fishing will be a thing of the past just like pack hunting.so think on my friends either we do something first or we may be forced to alter by parliment.DONT LET THE ACTAVISTS GET THE FIRST SAY.how many of us kill dogfish for no other reason than their a pain in the butt

 

[Mike Thrussell Jr]

Mostly agree Harpo...there is a first

Never fished a match seriously (except when I was six) and came out because of all the slaughter and chaos that went on back then (16 years ago). We shifted over to a point system for a while which was great and did little harm to the fish, they all went back in a few seconds and everything was dandy, people got fed up and went back to heaviest bag...so again I quit.

In my mind, match angling is slowly retreating; anglers are now going over to other competitive aspects. Such as trying to catch as many species as possible in a year, trying to beat their pb's etc. Like our comp, unless somebody wants one for a tea, all fish should be returned after a very quick picture, (it’s very easy to take pictures of fish quickly if you want to).

You all know me, I hate "banning" it goes against every grain in my body. We are all individuals and should be responsible for ourselves, we don't need a nanny state telling us what to do. So I won't go the whole hog and say "lets ban it" but those who take part in SOME matches, need to start looking after their fish better and the environment (look at the e-mail I got a few weeks ago). Although I do believe that in *some* of the big organised matches, the fish are looked after a lot better than they where and the situation is getting better, slowly. I can’t comment on small club matches as that would be impossible, so whether or not the fatalities are increasing, we don't know. A lot of clubs are now employing good catch and release techniques and are very good at organising matches, and if that is the case, then who am I to try and ban them. I don't like match fishing, but if other people do and its conducted in a sensible manner, then, let them do it.

As for dogfish, if anybody kills them just because they are dog fish and are a pain, you don’t deserve to be called an angler.

Mike Jr

P.S Harpo, get over the hunting, we disagree, end off, I think you are wrong, you think I’m wrong, that’s why we live in a "semi" free society. It doesn’t however give you the right to ban something I agree with...just like it doesn’t give an anti the right to ban my fishing, they can speak out against it, but they haven't got the right to ban it.

 

[harpo]

this is getting serious we are agreeing on to many points next thing you know we will be fishing shoulder to shoulder. catch and release is the way to gobut how do you get clubs and people to accept it. as for anglers killing fish because their a pain ask on the forum i think most people have seen doggy abuse.MIKE iam over the hunting isue we all have differances but mine comes within the frame of legality now. i dont like the speed limit of70mph but the law says i have to accept it or face the penalties.its what we call majority rule even those who dont agree have to live by rules otherwise anarchy and I'D STILL VOTE FOR YOU MIKE