BAA Membership.

[Kevin Daly]

Some that go night fishing aren't even members unfortunately......I can understand the pairs of bailiff going around.

 

[Barry Peck]

The BAA could be a great club if it is dragging kicking and screaming out of the 1960’s !!! It is so old fashioned and badly run that it’s membership could be far greater . For me the none rolling membership is the biggest gripe . They seem to have a like it or lump attitude to everything and every one .
Please some one grab the club by the scruff of the neck and give it a shake . I have yet to pay this year’s membership and always leave it last minute as I always pay it , fish the waters and bump in to poachers of all descriptions.
PLEASE BAA START LISTENING AND START ADAPTING!!

 

[Neil Smart]

I have always believed the Association has never considered 'specialist' anglers and angling to be part of what is important to them. Remember they have huge tradition in match angling, where thousands of Midlands anglers at the weekend's joined their work pals and fished alongside each other, many matches were held as far as Tewkesbury, and the train was the main means of getting there.
Of course this is still very much in the DNA of the club, many of the officers of the club were part of that, and their father's and Grandfathers certainly were.
I think you can apply this to most angling clubs in the country, where the reluctance to modernise is real, it really is an emotional tie with the past, never to be repeated of course. However despite all that the club to me is part of my life, but we do need some modernisation.
The club hold the rights to some wonderful stretches, however the environmental understanding of rivers such as the Teme falls short of what it should be, I don't think there is anyone in the club that holds any qualifications in fishery management, I may be wrong, perhaps Terry will know?
The thinking regarding any change is to propose any change to attend the AGM and propose, of course the aforementioned normally scupper any new proposal, so members just suck it up.
Many have tried for change, a few on here, and have failed I am afraid.

 

[Mark Harridence]

I have always believed the Association has never considered 'specialist' anglers and angling to be part of what is important to them. Remember they have huge tradition in match angling, where thousands of Midlands anglers at the weekend's joined their work pals and fished alongside each other, many matches were held as far as Tewkesbury, and the train was the main means of getting there.
Of course this is still very much in the DNA of the club, many of the officers of the club were part of that, and their father's and Grandfathers certainly were.
I think you can apply this to most angling clubs in the country, where the reluctance to modernise is real, it really is an emotional tie with the past, never to be repeated of course. However despite all that the club to me is part of my life, but we do need some modernisation.
The club hold the rights to some wonderful stretches, however the environmental understanding of rivers such as the Teme falls short of what it should be, I don't think there is anyone in the club that holds any qualifications in fishery management, I may be wrong, perhaps Terry will know?
The thinking regarding any change is to propose any change to attend the AGM and propose, of course the aforementioned normally scupper any new proposal, so members just suck it up.
Many have tried for change, a few on here, and have failed I am afraid.

The majority of us realise those halcyon days of most pubs, social clubs and factories having fishing clubs, with miles of river being booked out every Saturday and Sunday have unfortunately long gone. I think there is a reluctance to accept that, and that the demographic of the membership has changed, with the dreaded 'unhooking mat brigade' bringing in a significant amount of income for the club and possibly what they would want is of equal importance.
We won't 'vote with our feet' because the card is great value, So there is no incentive for change is there!

 

[Terry Simner]

... the environmental understanding of rivers such as the Teme falls short of what it should be, I don't think there is anyone in the club that holds any qualifications in fishery management, I may be wrong, perhaps Terry will know?

Not to my knowledge Neil. But whilst in no way defending BAA's attitude towards members in general, and 'Specialist Anglers' in particular, I'd say that there are still clubs out there with an even more archaic attitude towards, and consideration of, 'non-match anglers' and their methods/tackle. For example, Kidderminster & District A.C.

 

[Neil Smart]

Hi Terry, it would not be beyond the realms of possibility to engage such a person or person's either on a paid or voluntary basis. Someone with the knowledge and passion to ensure unique rivers such as the Teme can be saved and even improved. BFW have some ready made candidates for this role, and would relish the role.
Which leads me to your gòodself..armed with a couple of whipper snappers you would get my vote, not many have the love and experience that you have for this fantastic river.

 

[Rob Moore]

This has been an interesting read for me and this is my first post to BFW since joining a few days ago. I was a member of the BAA in the late 70s and early 80s (when a new HQ was being set up resulting in major problems if my memory serves me right). I would join it again but I have the River Wye close by which is my preferred river for fishing both summer and winter. The Hereford and District Angling Association also focus on weekend winter match fishing, but there are stretches where matches usually don't take place which are available to specialists. I remember the match fishing of the 70s, with the coaches for anglers parked up in laybys near the River Trent (I took part myself, winning the Midlands Schools Championship). The River Teme was a lovely river in the 80s and I fished the BAA stretches. For that river and others it seems a pity to me that we anglers can't work better with The Rivers Trusts (though I can understand why as there are different objectives here). Perhaps we should give it a go for the Teme, or have we already tried working with the RT before?

 

[Terry Simner]

Hi Terry, it would not be beyond the realms of possibility to engage such a person or person's either on a paid or voluntary basis. Someone with the knowledge and passion to ensure unique rivers such as the Teme can be saved and even improved. BFW have some ready made candidates for this role, and would relish the role.
Which leads me to your gòodself..armed with a couple of whipper snappers you would get my vote, not many have the love and experience that you have for this fantastic river.

I may know and love the Teme Neil, but I'm in no way qualified to seriously influence its return to its former glory...but thanks for the vote of confidence Now if @Joe Winstanley fancied moving to the Midlands .....

 

[Alex Gowney]

If you ever attended a (say, BAA) bailiff's meeting you'd see that the average age there is somewhere over 55, with many over 65. In my experience, many if not most night fisher are under 40, and often go accompanied by their mates. So clubs ask bailiffs to patrol in pairs at night, as even during the day it can sometimes get a bit iffy. Really iffy at times. If there were more bailiffs, and they were younger/fitter guys who were willing and able to commit to patrolling at night, then there'd be a better chance of rules being changed. But even then, those that want rules to be changed would have to get themselves organised and actually attend AGMs.
Organising, attending, proposing, seconding, voting might work ...but unfortunately just complaining won't.

I understand the bailifing at night issues, but many clubs/rivers allow night fishing and how often do we hear of there being trouble, either for bailiffs or anyone else? I don't doubt it's a concern, but I very much doubt it's the reason BAA don't allow night fishing as a general rule.

 

[Terry Simner]

I very much doubt it's the reason BAA don't allow night fishing as a general rule.

I don't believe the BAA will ever allow night fishing on their waters "as a general rule", basically because they have several hundred miles of water, and not enough bailiffs. They do allow night fishing on some stretches, and those stretches are/should be bailiffed.
I reckon if the BAA was approached and asked to allow night fishing on "Stretch XXX" then they could say "Does the BAA own that bank, and if so, will it be bailiffed?" ... and the answer to the bailiffing bit would be no.

 

[Graham Tremble]

Rules and Regulations on the BAA waters…….Years ago I was fishing a ’intresting’ venue on the middle Warwickshire Avon. This was a venue that did not allow access before 6 o’clock in the morning ( no night fishing either). Fed up of seeing prime swims occupied when I arrived I duly arrived at 5.55 a.m. one morning and set about unlocking the gate only to be stopped by a lady in a dressing gown who strode out of her garden and poked her watch in my face, ‘it’s not 6 o’clock’ she intoned and she stood by the gate until exactly 6 o’clock whereupon she disappeared! Whilst I admit to being annoyed at the time as I considered 5 minutes to being ‘ neither here nor there’, I did sort of get her point. Local residents simply don’t want there peace disturbed by anglers passing their property ‘at all hours’, so it’s not always just the BAA being pedantic……
G.T.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

I may know and love the Teme Neil, but I'm in no way qualified to seriously influence its return to its former glory...but thanks for the vote of confidence Now if @Joe Winstanley fancied moving to the Midlands .....

Well thank you Terry for the vote of confidence, but plenty of people out there better qualified than me!, but its such a big task with so many dimensions from influencing land use policy, effective regulation of the water companies and the need for few million quid here and there for habitat management that its a job for a big organisation. That organisation should be the EA and we all have to start demanding our politicians to step up and instigate wholesale change from them. Getting behind the Angling Trust is a start, and also the Rivers Trusts have an important role to play. On that note I'm pleased to report that the Severn Rivers Trust has a new CEO starting in Sept, Joe Pimblett. He's a doer who will bring a lot of energy, enthusiasm and practicality to the role. Top bloke as well. Good choice imo.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

Rules and Regulations on the BAA waters…….Years ago I was fishing a ’intresting’ venue on the middle Warwickshire Avon. This was a venue that did not allow access before 6 o’clock in the morning ( no night fishing either). Fed up of seeing prime swims occupied when I arrived I duly arrived at 5.55 a.m. one morning and set about unlocking the gate only to be stopped by a lady in a dressing gown who strode out of her garden and poked her watch in my face, ‘it’s not 6 o’clock’ she intoned and she stood by the gate until exactly 6 o’clock whereupon she disappeared! Whilst I admit to being annoyed at the time as I considered 5 minutes to being ‘ neither here nor there’, I did sort of get her point. Local residents simply don’t want there peace disturbed by anglers passing their property ‘at all hours’, so it’s not always just the BAA being pedantic……
G.T.

That's an important point Graham. Often its the riparian owners who don't want night fishing, and as you people coming and going at all hours. It often surprises me that so many do let their fishing rights out, when you look at the rents that many clubs pay and put that in the context of the wider farm/estate income I often wonder why they bother with the hassle tbh.

 

[Neil Smart]

That's an important point Graham. Often its the riparian owners who don't want night fishing, and as you people coming and going at all hours. It often surprises me that so many do let their fishing rights out, when you look at the rents that many clubs pay and put that in the context of the wider farm/estate income I often wonder why they bother with the hassle tbh.

Yes I have considered that logic too Graham, but then we have Fladbury, that is adjacent to homes. The mantra that is repeated from BAA is one of Insurance which of course is not a reason. Severn Stoke is remote as far as housing is concerned and that is bailiffed to death. I have never understood this night fishing policy, it makes no sense at all, neither do all the members and I suspect BAA too.

 

[Neil Smart]

Well thank you Terry for the vote of confidence, but plenty of people out there better qualified than me!, but its such a big task with so many dimensions from influencing land use policy, effective regulation of the water companies and the need for few million quid here and there for habitat management that its a job for a big organisation. That organisation should be the EA and we all have to start demanding our politicians to step up and instigate wholesale change from them. Getting behind the Angling Trust is a start, and also the Rivers Trusts have an important role to play. On that note I'm pleased to report that the Severn Rivers Trust has a new CEO starting in Sept, Joe Pimblett. He's a doer who will bring a lot of energy, enthusiasm and practicality to the role. Top bloke as well. Good choice imo.

Dave Mason turned his bit of the Teme into a really nice productive stretch. He instigated the planting of streamer weed etc, and just managed the fishery in a sympathetic way.
No expert but I believe the key factor here would be vegetation, without that you just have no foundations for anything to grow and multiply. If the natural food larder can be filled, the fish will return.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

Dave Mason turned his bit of the Teme into a really nice productive stretch. He instigated the planting of streamer weed etc, and just managed the fishery in a sympathetic way.
No expert but I believe the key factor here would be vegetation, without that you just have no foundations for anything to grow and multiply. If the natural food larder can be filled, the fish will return.

Yes but first Neil you have to address the reasons why the steamer weed is missing in the first instance. The Teme is failing Water Framework Directive assessments for phosphate, nitrate, sediment and surface water pesticides by a considerable margin. Unless these issues are addressed on a catchment scale then certain local level habitat improvements lose their effectiveness. That’s beyond the scope of any one person, save from perhaps the SOS for Defra.

 

[Barry Peck]

Rules and Regulations on the BAA waters…….Years ago I was fishing a ’intresting’ venue on the middle Warwickshire Avon. This was a venue that did not allow access before 6 o’clock in the morning ( no night fishing either). Fed up of seeing prime swims occupied when I arrived I duly arrived at 5.55 a.m. one morning and set about unlocking the gate only to be stopped by a lady in a dressing gown who strode out of her garden and poked her watch in my face, ‘it’s not 6 o’clock’ she intoned and she stood by the gate until exactly 6 o’clock whereupon she disappeared! Whilst I admit to being annoyed at the time as I considered 5 minutes to being ‘ neither here nor there’, I did sort of get her point. Local residents simply don’t want there peace disturbed by anglers passing their property ‘at all hours’, so it’s not always just the BAA being pedantic……
G.T.

I know the stretch .. I was fishing it one evening . Had been baiting a swim gentle and all settled in for dusk . I had been very quiet and the bait was placed under a willow in my near side margin .
Next thing a big 4x4 pulled up behind me and out jumped a vile bloke who in formed me I was to be off in an hour !!! Stood right in my skyline bellowing at me !!! I literally packed up there and then .
The water is bailiffed by the villagers I believe .. or was . In Winter they don’t seem to care or notice . I think summer brings out a lot of divs to the river on sunny days that I’d not fish …. They ruin it for the rest of us Just my opinion based on experience and observations.

 

[Alex Gowney]

Rules and Regulations on the BAA waters…….Years ago I was fishing a ’intresting’ venue on the middle Warwickshire Avon. This was a venue that did not allow access before 6 o’clock in the morning ( no night fishing either). Fed up of seeing prime swims occupied when I arrived I duly arrived at 5.55 a.m. one morning and set about unlocking the gate only to be stopped by a lady in a dressing gown who strode out of her garden and poked her watch in my face, ‘it’s not 6 o’clock’ she intoned and she stood by the gate until exactly 6 o’clock whereupon she disappeared! Whilst I admit to being annoyed at the time as I considered 5 minutes to being ‘ neither here nor there’, I did sort of get her point. Local residents simply don’t want there peace disturbed by anglers passing their property ‘at all hours’, so it’s not always just the BAA being pedantic……
G.T.

This is often a big problem, and the Wasperton stretch, where you could get away with a couple of hours into dark, received the same complaints from a local. So determined was he to stop night fishing he masqueraded as a bailiff and got away with it until someone asked to see his bailiffs ticket. Then he was exposed as a fraud but got round it by becoming a bona fide BAA bailiff himself, even though he wasn't an angler. He was also made a Leamington AA bailiff. The effort some people put into stopping others doing what they enjoy is astonishing. But given the position of his house he did have a point. This is a case where a bit of common sense like a 10.30 time limit would be appropriate, he wouldn't have cars going past his house in the small hours and people could still get some prime time fishing in.

 

[Neil Smart]

Yes but first Neil you have to address the reasons why the steamer weed is missing in the first instance. The Teme is failing Water Framework Directive assessments for phosphate, nitrate, sediment and surface water pesticides by a considerable margin. Unless these issues are addressed on a catchment scale then certain local level habitat improvements lose their effectiveness. That’s beyond the scope of any one person, save from perhaps the SOS for Defra.

See Terry was right, just the man for the job.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

See Terry was right, just the man for the job.

Sarky devil!!