Mark Walters
Senior Member
Sound's like a recruitment drive to me 
-
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How can the Barbel Society help?
- Thread starter Howard Cooke
- Start date
- Status
Graham Young
Senior Member
Oh dear, reduced to name calling, I am afraid when anyone does that their argument is lost.
Rob Hilton
Active Member
I didn't realise I was engaged in an argument Graham.
No name calling from me anyhow, I was speaking in general terms of those who act in that manner. If the cap fits anyone, so be it.
Rob
No name calling from me anyhow, I was speaking in general terms of those who act in that manner. If the cap fits anyone, so be it.
Rob
Graham Young
Senior Member
Replace the word argument with debate, there is that better, strewth I thought I was a pedant
Tony Rocca
Senior Member
We can forgive Rob for name calling Graham, he doesn't have a lot going for him and to cap it all hes a Leeds utd fan. I would be a bit touchy given their recent management appointment.
So, back on topic, what can the barbel society do to help?,....... er, nope, lost me there, cant think of owt.
.
So, back on topic, what can the barbel society do to help?,....... er, nope, lost me there, cant think of owt.
.
Rob Hilton
Active Member
That cap fits you well then does it Tone?
Tony Rocca
Senior Member
Nah, way too small Rob.
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Hi men,
Right , two requests to try and keep it on track , yes it wanders , yes there's banter , but when things start to go personal it means it makes the mods jobs harder . Disagree , heated if you want , but within reason please .
Hatter
Right , two requests to try and keep it on track , yes it wanders , yes there's banter , but when things start to go personal it means it makes the mods jobs harder . Disagree , heated if you want , but within reason please .
Hatter
Nathan Walter
Senior Member
Ahah, should have guessed, makes sense the Rocca Gibralta
Now that made me chuckle. Very quick witted is our Crooky.
Lee Fletcher
Senior Member
Facebook, fishing clubs, the future.
Is this merely a recruitment drive by the BS? I very much doubt it. And even if it was no one is going to join. Facebook and sites like Prince of the River have taken the place of single species groups like the BS for the vast majority of barbel anglers. And their local fishing clubs are pretty much all they require for catching fish. One of the local clubs I belong to have thousands of members and a very large portfolio of river venues. As do lots of other clubs in my area. Many of these clubs have been around for well over a 100 years and many also have a "proven" and consistent track record with river and still water conservation work. Then there are the River Trusts who also do sterling work for rivers and anyone can join their local trust and volunteer to help out.
Regards,
Lee.
Is this merely a recruitment drive by the BS? I very much doubt it. And even if it was no one is going to join. Facebook and sites like Prince of the River have taken the place of single species groups like the BS for the vast majority of barbel anglers. And their local fishing clubs are pretty much all they require for catching fish. One of the local clubs I belong to have thousands of members and a very large portfolio of river venues. As do lots of other clubs in my area. Many of these clubs have been around for well over a 100 years and many also have a "proven" and consistent track record with river and still water conservation work. Then there are the River Trusts who also do sterling work for rivers and anyone can join their local trust and volunteer to help out.
Regards,
Lee.
Bobby Baker
Senior Member
Hiya Lee,
slight mistake comparing a Facebook chat forum (prince of the river) to the barbel society. A completely different cup of tea. Off the back of that, the BS FB page is merely a promotional tool. Not a social media forum. The above mentioned statement by Steve Pope was an invitation for people to get in touch with any concerns and see if they (the barbel society) can help, quite clearly. You can dissect it how you want, no doubt the usual suspects will and keep them going for a week or two. Personally there is more to worry about in life. Well, mine anyway. Another fault needs highlighting is that that you mention 'local'. The society attempts to make a difference for 'all' barbel anglers nationwide. Thankfully, it's a bit bigger than 'local' but rest assured it will try to help with localised problems where needed. It too has a massive portfolio. Which is nice.
slight mistake comparing a Facebook chat forum (prince of the river) to the barbel society. A completely different cup of tea. Off the back of that, the BS FB page is merely a promotional tool. Not a social media forum. The above mentioned statement by Steve Pope was an invitation for people to get in touch with any concerns and see if they (the barbel society) can help, quite clearly. You can dissect it how you want, no doubt the usual suspects will and keep them going for a week or two. Personally there is more to worry about in life. Well, mine anyway. Another fault needs highlighting is that that you mention 'local'. The society attempts to make a difference for 'all' barbel anglers nationwide. Thankfully, it's a bit bigger than 'local' but rest assured it will try to help with localised problems where needed. It too has a massive portfolio. Which is nice.
Bobby Baker
Senior Member
Can you name these clubs and what they've done for our beloved barbel?
Jeff Collins
No Longer a Member
Well said Bobby. I see the usual snipers at those in the media are crawling out of the woodwork yet again. If you have nothing constructive to say keep it to yourself please trolls.
Or if like rocca says he's done loads for the sport let's hear your story?
Paul Carter
Senior Member
well said bobby ,at least the society are making an effort so keep up the good work .
Bobby Baker
Senior Member
I've been a member of the BS for three years now. Not long at all for sure. Especially when they've been going almost twenty!.. That's a long time apparently doing nothing. Would it have not collapsed on its backside by now?...I know the ins and outs and why certain people are waiting to pounce at any opportunity they can. But unfortunately that's all they have to bring to the table, a moan. Twenty years on!...The constant crying about the society makes no difference to me at all. Or any of the many new members that have joined. And there are many, year on year, which is great. Thankfully the majority of anglers who use the forums have cottoned on too and just shrug off the relentless dribble these days. The BS are pushing forward, new generation, new goals and tasks to look forward to. It's 2014. Crack on. Everyone else is......The committee and members do a cracking job. Lots of work to look forward to and all coming very shortly! Less talk, more action......anyway, that's enough of that nonsense. Please get in touch if you have an issue, the society can and will help. What they can do will all depend on the situation that's raised. Details on original post by Howard. Tight lines.
Howard Cooke
Senior Member
Lee, I think it will be a depressing development if social media platforms such as FB become the sole future of how single species groups connect. Facebook has it's place of course, it's immediacy, it's quick hit mentality means it's perfect for what many anglers want. But is that it? I regularly dip into the barbel devoted pages and the vast majority of posts are photos of catches, favourite swims/rivers and quick tip requests. And there is nothing wrong with that.
But I don't see it as a platform for the deeper debate and analysis that we arguably need more than ever given the current state of river fishing (although saying that, it is heartening to see the river reports for the first week of the season with a lot of barbel being caught and, interestingly, silver fish including roach). I certainly think that's where this forum comes into it's own and we have had that particular debate on here too with many predicting its demise at the hands of FB. The otter thread whilst depressing to many has at least meandered to all corners of the wider barbel stock debate.
For me though, what we predominantly see is just that- debate. And as worthy and important as it is, ultimately it only serves a very narrow purpose. There is also the issue of limited data and analysis meaning that the debates we have are naturally handicapped in some cases and have the potential to reach misguided conclusions. The more we can do to learn and understand, the better informed we will be and, for those that run fisheries and have the mandate to effect change on those fisheries, this could help better direct their own conservation programmes.
If as you say there are numerous clubs with a track record of conservation work then it would be great if that could be shared so other clubs could learn from the experiences.
It's already been said that the at its heart, the BS is different to a social media platform but of courses utilises these to promote its activities. And of course it should do that and seek to widen its membership. The more resources the society has, the more people that are willing to get involved, the more effort can be directed at accelerating and widening the research and conservation programme.
There is diverse range of workstreams and a number of rivers that have benefited: The Dane, Aire, Stour, Loddon, Teme, Kennet, Hampshire Avon, Cherwell, Severn.
Barbel stocking, gravel beds and fry bays, scale analysis , grants to local clubs, research funding. Something on the horizon that I will be interested in is the barbel diet analysis, looking at the proportion of natural food/crayfish/anglers bait etc.
But resources and time are limited which make all the Society's ambitions difficult to achieve. Steve's request is simply to understand what matters most to barbel anglers and how the Society might be able to help. Where this is R&C focused then it helps Pete Reading, with the support of the committee, to consider how the R&C programme can be flexed to accommodate some of these concerns.
Lee Fletcher
Senior Member
Good morning to all,
In answer to you specifically Bobby. I am a member of many of my local, and not so local clubs. But talking locally, the clubs I belong to total tens of thousands of members. Nott’s Anglers for instance has no less than 21 fisheries, over 2400 members with mile after mile of Trent river fishing. They also control the fishing at the prestigious Attenborough Nature Reserve Complex. NAA have been founded since 1895 and in all those years have stood the absolute test of time. They have also worked closely with the various water boards, NRA and EA in areas of stocking and conservation on a host of projects. NAA have just won funding from the Olympic Legacy Fund for car parking at one of its venues with the specific aim of creating even better access for disabled anglers. NAA also bid successfully for the Sport England’s “Inspired Facilities Award” that has allowed the NAA to create a first class Junior Development and Coaching facility at the NAA Bestwood Complex. Taken from the GAA website which says, “The Association are pleased to announce the appointment of a Junior Development Officer and qualified angling coach.
Ian Wilks is a fully qualified angling coach who has offered to further the Junior development of the Association.
Coaching sessions have been held during the summer months on various Association waters and have been funded so they are free of charge to both the Junior being taught and to the Association.
GAA (Grantham Angling Association) is another local club that was formed in 1872 and is yet another shining example of a fishing club which has stood the test of time. I doubt there are few angling clubs that have worked with the NRA and EA more closely than the GAA. Having their own stock ponds in my own village, (four in total the largest being around 12 acres) and arguably the best equipped in terms of netting equipment (seine nets, holding cages, transportations tanks, boats etc) we undertake a lot of our own stocking at the venues we control whilst working closely with EA Fisheries. Indeed, the GAA netting equipment is often on loan to the EA fisheries teams as are our club personnel who are all fully competent whilst working in this area. Having been a committee member and bailiff for this great club I have also worked alongside EA fisheries officers like Ruben Page on various netting/stocking projects in the past. The GAA also undertake their own river restoration projects whilst again working closely with the EA, the Wild Trout Trust and other conservation groups. For their restoration work the GAA have won awards from the Wild Trout Trust, the River Restoration Centre and the Lincolnshire Environmental Awards. Taken from their website; Community Winner: Grantham Angling Association. Over the last ten years or so habitat restoration projects by the Grantham Angling Association has returned the Upper River Witham near Grantham to the state it would have been a hundred years ago benefiting the rare white clawed crayfish, water vole, and native brown trout. Colin Hided said; “We sometimes feel we are ploughing a lonely furrow and are very pleased that people feel we are doing a worthwhile job. It gives us encouragement for the future.
The restoration in the Upper River took place on the clubs “trout section” where the aim was to create natural recruitment for the wild trout population that had previously been poor due to impoundment and certain modern agricultural practices. The restoration project was a complete success. There are now plans being made for similar restoration projects to be undertaken along its course fishing stretches of this lovely river. Incidentally, it was the GAA working in close relationship with the NRA that saw the first barbel stocking’s in the Upper Witham. These fish came from Calverton. These original stocking’s began breeding successfully within the river and have spread along the river. In the centre of Grantham where the fishing is free to all, barbel are now appearing and are doing well breeding successfully.
SPAC. (Formerly Scunthorpe Police Angling Club now Scunthorpe Pisces Angling Club) With over 1500 members SPAC was formed in the 1970’s by a few Scunthorpe police officers. The club has also stood the test of time and now has “30” fisheries. This is another fishing club with a long history of working with the NRA and EA on a huge range of restoration and stocking programmes on the waters it controls. Their Lady Pit Farm fishery on the river Trent at Nabbs Island is also home to undoubtedly the most important fish spawning site along the entire river. The EA Calverton Fish Farm take barbel, bream, roach, dace and chub from this venue for egg stripping back at Calverton. The majority of barbel stocked into other rivers comes originally from fish at Lady Pit Farm. Obviously this is of huge importance for clubs seeking to stock barbel in their own stretches of river. SPAC work very closely with the EA in this regard.
I was the very first head bailiff for SPAC at this venue when they first acquired it. Back then this was the Bad Lands for loutish behaviour when it was available on a day ticket from the then land owner. It became so bad that the land owner decided to let the fishing to SPAC. Through my experience with bailiffing I was tasked by the club to clean this fishery up both in terms of behaviour and the dreadful state the fishery was in. In that first close season I single handily took away well over 110 black bags of litter and rubbish whilst embarking on an extensive restoration project of the fisheries river banks. I was also involved in the clubs PR campaign to win more members and fisheries. I handpicked my team of bailiffs and within six weeks of the new season beginning we had quashed all rule breaking and instances of bad behaviour that were spoiling the enjoyment of our members. Restoration of fisheries sometimes involves zero tolerance bailiffing if one is to create a quality fishery once afflicted by loutish behaviour and litter.
Nottingham Piscatorials. Conservation status? Legendary! This club “own” a lot of their waters. Formed in 1891
Newark Piscatorials. Conservation status? Legendary. Formed over a 100 years ago has worked closely with the NRA and EA on restoration projects over the years.
Nottingham Federation of Anglers. Conservation status. Legendary. Formed in 1908
There are heaps of other clubs in the Nottinghamshire/ Lincolnshire area alone with similar credentials. On a national basis the work our cherished fishing clubs have undertaken for the aquatic environment is mind blowing not just in terms of fish recruitment, habitat improvement and fishery management and creation, but in terms of manpower when tens of thousands of grass roots anglers turn up year upon year to help on restoration projects given their time freely. When you add all this effort up it is absolutely huge and it has been quietly going on for well over a hundred years now. Outside my local area look at NACA? What they did for conservation and restoration was outstanding. It’s a similar story right across the country with many other clubs doing remarkable work for rivers and the watery environment.
Then there are the Rivers Trusts. Conservation status. Mammoth.
I could go on and on about the great work our nations fishing clubs do for rivers.
Bobby. The BS does not come remotely close to the work that just one of my local clubs does for rivers!! Raising a few bob via fund raising then donating sums of money to this and that is NOT river restoration. It is donating money. That in itself is fine, but please, its little more than that and certainly doesn’t come close to the work that our nations angling clubs perform year upon year and let’s not forget, a lot of these clubs have been doing it for over a 100 years.
The future of river fishing in our country remains firmly in the hands of our glorious fishing clubs. Both in terms of availability for our nation’s anglers, and in terms of conservation, preservation and protection. But also let’s not forget the actual contribution our fishing club members make to angling as a whole? It is the grass roots club members that keep the tackle industry afloat which creates wealth and jobs. They also keep Fish Legal in business via their club. And before anyone bangs drearily on about the Angling Trust I, and perhaps a million others like me are members of the AT via our fishing club memberships so we are even contributing there as well!!
Sorry Bobby. I don’t know you but have seen many like you before rushing in to defend the walls of your keep. Like so many others before, you come and go. The BS is just a single species club and that’s all it is. With perhaps several hundred members it’s really very small beer even in comparison to just one of my local fishing clubs. The BS is shrinking and has no real influence. It’s a talking shop against a swathe of angling clubs that walk the walk not talk the talk. You are behind the crumbling walls of the Alamo Bobby. But there isn’t actually any army ranged against you, there is actually no one outside the walls because there is simply nothing inside the Alamo walls that anglers want. You see Bobby, our angling clubs are all we want. And social media is taking the place of single species clubs like the BS who simply can’t compete. The days of the larger single species groups, of which the BS isn’t actually one of them any longer, have gone Bobby. That is a factual statement as the demise of the BS membership and BS fisheries merely confirms. Propaganda just doesn’t wash any longer amongst an army of grass roots anglers who are more informed than ever before.
Of course I realise that you will defend the BS vigorously. That is your choice. But the way the BS hierarchy perform its defence has always been predictable and often ends up with BS members attacking those who seek to criticise it. All this does Bobby is pour petrol over the discontent that the wider angling community has for the BS and is why the BS membership has dwindled. Now I have answered your questions without one single insult on anyone or one single mention of the BS chairman.
At the end of the day Bobby the facts speak for themselves. I would bet a gold clock that even the most staunchest of BS members rely on angling clubs NOT the BS for their fishing?
Our nations fishing clubs remain the Kings of river fishing just like they always have in every area. And anglers get 24/7 up to the minute interaction with the wider angling community via social media sites such as Facebook. Angling sites like this one will probably stay the same providing it accepts the need for change because many internet sites have to learn how to keep up with an angling community that is not just moving ahead, it is sprinting towards new technology and new interaction.
Regards,
Lee.
In answer to you specifically Bobby. I am a member of many of my local, and not so local clubs. But talking locally, the clubs I belong to total tens of thousands of members. Nott’s Anglers for instance has no less than 21 fisheries, over 2400 members with mile after mile of Trent river fishing. They also control the fishing at the prestigious Attenborough Nature Reserve Complex. NAA have been founded since 1895 and in all those years have stood the absolute test of time. They have also worked closely with the various water boards, NRA and EA in areas of stocking and conservation on a host of projects. NAA have just won funding from the Olympic Legacy Fund for car parking at one of its venues with the specific aim of creating even better access for disabled anglers. NAA also bid successfully for the Sport England’s “Inspired Facilities Award” that has allowed the NAA to create a first class Junior Development and Coaching facility at the NAA Bestwood Complex. Taken from the GAA website which says, “The Association are pleased to announce the appointment of a Junior Development Officer and qualified angling coach.
Ian Wilks is a fully qualified angling coach who has offered to further the Junior development of the Association.
Coaching sessions have been held during the summer months on various Association waters and have been funded so they are free of charge to both the Junior being taught and to the Association.
GAA (Grantham Angling Association) is another local club that was formed in 1872 and is yet another shining example of a fishing club which has stood the test of time. I doubt there are few angling clubs that have worked with the NRA and EA more closely than the GAA. Having their own stock ponds in my own village, (four in total the largest being around 12 acres) and arguably the best equipped in terms of netting equipment (seine nets, holding cages, transportations tanks, boats etc) we undertake a lot of our own stocking at the venues we control whilst working closely with EA Fisheries. Indeed, the GAA netting equipment is often on loan to the EA fisheries teams as are our club personnel who are all fully competent whilst working in this area. Having been a committee member and bailiff for this great club I have also worked alongside EA fisheries officers like Ruben Page on various netting/stocking projects in the past. The GAA also undertake their own river restoration projects whilst again working closely with the EA, the Wild Trout Trust and other conservation groups. For their restoration work the GAA have won awards from the Wild Trout Trust, the River Restoration Centre and the Lincolnshire Environmental Awards. Taken from their website; Community Winner: Grantham Angling Association. Over the last ten years or so habitat restoration projects by the Grantham Angling Association has returned the Upper River Witham near Grantham to the state it would have been a hundred years ago benefiting the rare white clawed crayfish, water vole, and native brown trout. Colin Hided said; “We sometimes feel we are ploughing a lonely furrow and are very pleased that people feel we are doing a worthwhile job. It gives us encouragement for the future.
The restoration in the Upper River took place on the clubs “trout section” where the aim was to create natural recruitment for the wild trout population that had previously been poor due to impoundment and certain modern agricultural practices. The restoration project was a complete success. There are now plans being made for similar restoration projects to be undertaken along its course fishing stretches of this lovely river. Incidentally, it was the GAA working in close relationship with the NRA that saw the first barbel stocking’s in the Upper Witham. These fish came from Calverton. These original stocking’s began breeding successfully within the river and have spread along the river. In the centre of Grantham where the fishing is free to all, barbel are now appearing and are doing well breeding successfully.
SPAC. (Formerly Scunthorpe Police Angling Club now Scunthorpe Pisces Angling Club) With over 1500 members SPAC was formed in the 1970’s by a few Scunthorpe police officers. The club has also stood the test of time and now has “30” fisheries. This is another fishing club with a long history of working with the NRA and EA on a huge range of restoration and stocking programmes on the waters it controls. Their Lady Pit Farm fishery on the river Trent at Nabbs Island is also home to undoubtedly the most important fish spawning site along the entire river. The EA Calverton Fish Farm take barbel, bream, roach, dace and chub from this venue for egg stripping back at Calverton. The majority of barbel stocked into other rivers comes originally from fish at Lady Pit Farm. Obviously this is of huge importance for clubs seeking to stock barbel in their own stretches of river. SPAC work very closely with the EA in this regard.
I was the very first head bailiff for SPAC at this venue when they first acquired it. Back then this was the Bad Lands for loutish behaviour when it was available on a day ticket from the then land owner. It became so bad that the land owner decided to let the fishing to SPAC. Through my experience with bailiffing I was tasked by the club to clean this fishery up both in terms of behaviour and the dreadful state the fishery was in. In that first close season I single handily took away well over 110 black bags of litter and rubbish whilst embarking on an extensive restoration project of the fisheries river banks. I was also involved in the clubs PR campaign to win more members and fisheries. I handpicked my team of bailiffs and within six weeks of the new season beginning we had quashed all rule breaking and instances of bad behaviour that were spoiling the enjoyment of our members. Restoration of fisheries sometimes involves zero tolerance bailiffing if one is to create a quality fishery once afflicted by loutish behaviour and litter.
Nottingham Piscatorials. Conservation status? Legendary! This club “own” a lot of their waters. Formed in 1891
Newark Piscatorials. Conservation status? Legendary. Formed over a 100 years ago has worked closely with the NRA and EA on restoration projects over the years.
Nottingham Federation of Anglers. Conservation status. Legendary. Formed in 1908
There are heaps of other clubs in the Nottinghamshire/ Lincolnshire area alone with similar credentials. On a national basis the work our cherished fishing clubs have undertaken for the aquatic environment is mind blowing not just in terms of fish recruitment, habitat improvement and fishery management and creation, but in terms of manpower when tens of thousands of grass roots anglers turn up year upon year to help on restoration projects given their time freely. When you add all this effort up it is absolutely huge and it has been quietly going on for well over a hundred years now. Outside my local area look at NACA? What they did for conservation and restoration was outstanding. It’s a similar story right across the country with many other clubs doing remarkable work for rivers and the watery environment.
Then there are the Rivers Trusts. Conservation status. Mammoth.
I could go on and on about the great work our nations fishing clubs do for rivers.
Bobby. The BS does not come remotely close to the work that just one of my local clubs does for rivers!! Raising a few bob via fund raising then donating sums of money to this and that is NOT river restoration. It is donating money. That in itself is fine, but please, its little more than that and certainly doesn’t come close to the work that our nations angling clubs perform year upon year and let’s not forget, a lot of these clubs have been doing it for over a 100 years.
The future of river fishing in our country remains firmly in the hands of our glorious fishing clubs. Both in terms of availability for our nation’s anglers, and in terms of conservation, preservation and protection. But also let’s not forget the actual contribution our fishing club members make to angling as a whole? It is the grass roots club members that keep the tackle industry afloat which creates wealth and jobs. They also keep Fish Legal in business via their club. And before anyone bangs drearily on about the Angling Trust I, and perhaps a million others like me are members of the AT via our fishing club memberships so we are even contributing there as well!!
Sorry Bobby. I don’t know you but have seen many like you before rushing in to defend the walls of your keep. Like so many others before, you come and go. The BS is just a single species club and that’s all it is. With perhaps several hundred members it’s really very small beer even in comparison to just one of my local fishing clubs. The BS is shrinking and has no real influence. It’s a talking shop against a swathe of angling clubs that walk the walk not talk the talk. You are behind the crumbling walls of the Alamo Bobby. But there isn’t actually any army ranged against you, there is actually no one outside the walls because there is simply nothing inside the Alamo walls that anglers want. You see Bobby, our angling clubs are all we want. And social media is taking the place of single species clubs like the BS who simply can’t compete. The days of the larger single species groups, of which the BS isn’t actually one of them any longer, have gone Bobby. That is a factual statement as the demise of the BS membership and BS fisheries merely confirms. Propaganda just doesn’t wash any longer amongst an army of grass roots anglers who are more informed than ever before.
Of course I realise that you will defend the BS vigorously. That is your choice. But the way the BS hierarchy perform its defence has always been predictable and often ends up with BS members attacking those who seek to criticise it. All this does Bobby is pour petrol over the discontent that the wider angling community has for the BS and is why the BS membership has dwindled. Now I have answered your questions without one single insult on anyone or one single mention of the BS chairman.
At the end of the day Bobby the facts speak for themselves. I would bet a gold clock that even the most staunchest of BS members rely on angling clubs NOT the BS for their fishing?
Our nations fishing clubs remain the Kings of river fishing just like they always have in every area. And anglers get 24/7 up to the minute interaction with the wider angling community via social media sites such as Facebook. Angling sites like this one will probably stay the same providing it accepts the need for change because many internet sites have to learn how to keep up with an angling community that is not just moving ahead, it is sprinting towards new technology and new interaction.
Regards,
Lee.
Howard Cooke
Senior Member
Lee, that's great to hear about all the fantastic work that these clubs are doing. I doubt many have really appreciated that. But this isn't a competition is it? It's all complementary activity and endeavour isn't it at the end of the day? Has the BS claimed to be the only organisation doing anything or the best at what it does? It seems somehow to come under attack just for existing it seems to me and the defence you see on here simply boils down to statements to the effect that it is trying to do some good-not the whole good, not everything. I find it slightly baffling that at a time when so much needs to be done, there is this level of posturing and desire to exhibit a higher status and bragging rights. All because what, someone asked what the Society could do to help? Why didn't you just reply with "thanks for the offer but we are all good hear Steve thanks". Wouldn't that have been a more positive response rather than essay aimed at showing why yours is so much bigger than everyone else's.
It's a little depressing to be frank when, in fact, there appears to be much to feel positive about and heartened by.
It's a little depressing to be frank when, in fact, there appears to be much to feel positive about and heartened by.
Lee Fletcher
Senior Member
The Duck is dead. Bury it.
Howard,
Do you think that our nations angling clubs have been doing nothing? That they have no experience with river restoration? Like I said in my previous post our fishing clubs, even just one, dwarfs anything that the BS has ever done or hopes to do in the future for rivers.
Facebook "IS" where anglers go now for social interaction. That is a fact Howard. I was slow in embracing this myself but my word this is definitely the new kid on the block for angling interaction there is no doubt about that. As for angling itself? Its the nations angling clubs that the majority turn to for their fishing. Its really that simple.
Some have muted this thread is merely an attempt at recruitment for the BS? I simply don't know if it is or not. What I do know is if it is, then its a complete waste of time.
The proof of whether social media has taken over or not is in the numbers Howard. Look at the BS FB page for instance. It has 2,094 members. Why then doesnt the BS have anywhere near that amount of members and NEVER HAS?
But even in the Facebook race the BS is lagging behind Prince of the River who currently have 3,621 members. That's a massive 1,527 difference to what the BS have on FB! That's more members than the BS have ever had Howard. Why is this? The numbers speak for themselves.
And of course its no where near the end of the story. Technology is racing and the savvy modern angler is keeping up with this technology. This is a new era Howard and a technological party that everyone has an invite to. One either attends this party and embraces the technology by being on board this train or gets left behind at the station.
Howard, there ain't another train coming. This is it. The BS is done in terms of having any influence or membership past what it might have now. It was born from within the ranks of the BCC and it's limited membership and from what I see is going back to where it began. At best a small group of like minded anglers chewing its version of the barbel fishing fat in similar fashion to what the BCC club does. Howard, there is nothing wrong with that. Its how the specialist angling single species groups began. Its just not for the majority and in reality never has been.
Our nations fishing clubs are the future of our sport just like they always have been. And social media has already taken over.
Regards,
Lee.
Howard,
Do you think that our nations angling clubs have been doing nothing? That they have no experience with river restoration? Like I said in my previous post our fishing clubs, even just one, dwarfs anything that the BS has ever done or hopes to do in the future for rivers.
Facebook "IS" where anglers go now for social interaction. That is a fact Howard. I was slow in embracing this myself but my word this is definitely the new kid on the block for angling interaction there is no doubt about that. As for angling itself? Its the nations angling clubs that the majority turn to for their fishing. Its really that simple.
Some have muted this thread is merely an attempt at recruitment for the BS? I simply don't know if it is or not. What I do know is if it is, then its a complete waste of time.
The proof of whether social media has taken over or not is in the numbers Howard. Look at the BS FB page for instance. It has 2,094 members. Why then doesnt the BS have anywhere near that amount of members and NEVER HAS?
But even in the Facebook race the BS is lagging behind Prince of the River who currently have 3,621 members. That's a massive 1,527 difference to what the BS have on FB! That's more members than the BS have ever had Howard. Why is this? The numbers speak for themselves.
And of course its no where near the end of the story. Technology is racing and the savvy modern angler is keeping up with this technology. This is a new era Howard and a technological party that everyone has an invite to. One either attends this party and embraces the technology by being on board this train or gets left behind at the station.
Howard, there ain't another train coming. This is it. The BS is done in terms of having any influence or membership past what it might have now. It was born from within the ranks of the BCC and it's limited membership and from what I see is going back to where it began. At best a small group of like minded anglers chewing its version of the barbel fishing fat in similar fashion to what the BCC club does. Howard, there is nothing wrong with that. Its how the specialist angling single species groups began. Its just not for the majority and in reality never has been.
Our nations fishing clubs are the future of our sport just like they always have been. And social media has already taken over.
Regards,
Lee.
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