Fishing on moorings

[Bewildered]

This morning just before we were ready to set off cruising, fishermen to started turning up for a tournament. We were told it wasn't due to start until 10am and as we planned to be underway by 9:30 it wasn't going to be a problem for us.

As we were having our morning cuppa we could hear the fisherman who was assigned the spot in front of our bow moaning that our mooring chain would be in his way. Well what do you expect if you have a competition on the visitors mooring, I thought.

As we were preparing to get underway he started to moan to me about the spot he was assigned, rather than point out that I had a total lack of interest I said "well this is a visitors mooring" I then asked him "what will happen later on when another boat want to moor here?". His response was "that once they started fishing boats aren't allowed to moor up" I then asked " but this is a visitors mooring, what are they meant to do if this is the only place to moor?" His reply was " they will have to keep going"

 

No I've no objection to fishing competitions, if you want to drown worms the that's up to you. But why the hell are they having a competition on the visitors moorings (this was at Penkridge btw)?

And is it right that they can hog the mornings for their worm dangling, and boaters are forced to move on?

Edited September 28, 2016 by Bewildered

[pearley]

From CRT Angling Guidelines:

When fishing at visitor moorings be prepared to pack up and move if yours is the only space available for mooring. When visitor moorings are likely to be busy think whether it is sensible to fish there.

 

From The Boaters Handbook:

Don't moor in stretches marked out for an Angling Match.

 

So you pay your money and make your choice.

 

On the other hand the CRT standard agreement with Angling Clubs states:

Not actively obstruct or impede:

4.6.1 navigation on the Waterway;

4.6.2 the mooring of craft at locations signed by the Trust as being for the

purpose of mooring;

4.6.3 the passage of other legitimate users along the towing path on the

Permitted Length;

[Tiggs]

Canals are for boats not for fishing.

[rusty69]

Canals are for boats not for fishing.

Try telling the fish that!

[Bewildered]

4.6.2 the mooring of craft at locations signed by the Trust as being for the

purpose of mooring;

So really they shouldn't have a competition all along the visitors moorings at Penkridge?

Let's face it, legislation aside, it's just a bloody stupid place to do it; it's not as though it's the only bit of canal available to them.

[Gareth E]

Your use of "worm dangling" and "worm drowning" made your post seem a bit unbalanced.

 

I'd suggest the chap in question was a miserable bugger. Some anglers are, as are some boaters.

 

Personally I live aboard and fish regularly. I'd suggest that the disrespect from one group towards the other is around in fairly equal measures. Many boats don't slow down at all. Just the other day I was fishing off the back of my boat, there was around 50 yards of clear mooring space behind me. A boat came in much closer than was needed. The woman on the front said as they missed me by less than a foot "can you move your keepnet, we're coming in". I smiled and did nothing.

 

Best to be more tolerant of each other, I'd suggest.

[pearley]

Coming back from Liverpool in April about 3 years ago, we turned the corner at Wigan by Trencherfield Mill to be confronted by anglers all the way to the lock. There is no proper lock landing as the whole length from turn to lock has rings. There is a towpath bridge over an arm nust before the lock. As we needed the lock the last angler said 'where you going to stop'. 'There' I replied pointing to him. He got his keep net out pretty quick.

Edited September 28, 2016 by pearley

[Chertsey]

Some fishermen are simply ill informed. A couple of years ago one fishing on a lock landing (when I was single handing so no way was I not stopping there) told me in all seriousness that his angling club owned the canal.

 

If they believe that no wonder they get upset about boats daring to use it.

[W+T]

Canals are for boats not for fishing.

 

 

Since when, if both licences are paid for then it is for all to enjoy.

 

just some awkward folk about that all they do is be difficult as much as possible.

 

in this case the numb sod arranging the pegs. .

[Robbo]

Try telling the fish that!

Got a feeling the fish don't particular like fishing either.

[W+T]

Got a feeling the fish don't particular like fishing either.

 

 

oh they do, other wise they wouldnt eat the food offered

 

it is a give and take world

[matty40s]

Got a feeling the fish don't particular like fishing either.

Well, I've never seen one doing it yet....

[rusty69]

I went fishing once. Small fish on the hook, whilst pulling it in, a larger fish ate it! So fish do go fishing!

Edited September 28, 2016 by rusty69

[FadeToScarlet]

Well, I've never seen one doing it yet....

 

Never seen an angler fish in an aquarium?

[matty40s]

Never seen an angler fish in an aquarium?

no, the staff chuck them out.....

[ditchcrawler]

Some fishermen are simply ill informed. A couple of years ago one fishing on a lock landing (when I was single handing so no way was I not stopping there) told me in all seriousness that his angling club owned the canal.

 

If they believe that no wonder they get upset about boats daring to use it.

That true when you see signs that say private waters or such and such a club waters when they mean that the fishing rights are private or owned by a club.

[Tiggs]

 

 

Since when

 

Since they were built. When they were used commercially no fishing was allowed at all.

 

What's more, people were not allowed to walk along the towpaths.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Tiggs

[davem399]

As the old saying goes - " Give a man a fish and you can feed him for a day, give him a fishing rod and you can make him miserable for the rest of his life!"

[Graham Davis]

Personally I live aboard and fish regularly. I'd suggest that the disrespect from one group towards the other is around in fairly equal measures. Many boats don't slow down at all (1). Just the other day I was fishing off the back of my boat, there was around 50 yards of clear mooring space behind me. A boat came in much closer than was needed (2). The woman on the front said as they missed me by less than a foot "can you move your keepnet, we're coming in". I smiled and did nothing.

 

Best to be more tolerant of each other, I'd suggest.

 

1/ And therein lies the problem. I've had fisherfolk complain we slowed down as they want the swim "stirred up", so who is correct?

 

2/ And then there are the complaints on here about gaps being left at moorings, and reducing the number of boats that can fit, so who is correct?

 

Tolerance works both ways!!

[RLWP]

Got a feeling the fish don't particular like fishing either.

 

I'm pretty sure the crabs at Wells-next-the-Sea were very keen on crabbing. A free meal, half an hour in a bucket, then back into the harbour to have another go!

 

Richard

[ditchcrawler]

As the old saying goes - " Give a man a fish and you can feed him for a day, give him a fishing rod and you can make him miserable for the rest of his life!"

I came through a match last time out all 64 of them and they were quite a happy bunch

[RLWP]

I came through a match last time out all 64 of them and they were quite a happy bunch

 

They often are if you go slowly down the middle and talk to them.

 

Richard

[zenataomm]

 

 

Since when, if both licences are paid for then it is for all to enjoy.

 

just some awkward folk about that all they do is be difficult as much as possible.

 

in this case the numb sod arranging the pegs. .

 

 

Since they were built. When they were used commercially no fishing was allowed at all.

 

What's more, people were not allowed to walk along the towpaths.

 

Have a greenie Tiggs.

I do get tired with those that spout "we must all share equally" and "just because one party pays more doesn't give them priority".

I'd happily prove them right by paying a lot less.

I've yet to find an angler that pays anything like I do for a year's use of the cut, however my impression of them after nearly 50 years is there are far too many that dictate where I steer, where I moor, what risks I take using locks and they cheerfully swear and catapult maggots.

C&RT publish income from angling as being around £550K, they also claim "Our canals and rivers are home to over 35,000 boats"

So if boaters contributed that much we'd be paying an average of £15.71 each

I don't abuse fisherman, I don't swear or catapult anything at them, I don't dictate where they fish, however I'm more than happy to start if I only have to pay £15.71 including my mooring contribution.

Alternatively their fees could be increased to reflect mine.

 

So I uphold the view that tolerance works both ways.

[dogless]

I pay as a boater, and as an angler, and from my observations quite a high percentage of boaters are also anglers.

 

There's room for us all I think.

 

Rog

[churchward]

 

Since they were built. When they were used commercially no fishing was allowed at all.

 

What's more, people were not allowed to walk along the towpaths.

When they were commercially/privately owned I agree canals were very restrictive places in terms of public access for any reason even the towpath was a private place. However, that was quite a long while ago and what was in force then is no longer relevant. Since the canals went in to public ownership they are a resource owned by and behalf of the nation and public access is allowed and blow me even encouraged. So, I am sorry to burst your bubble but the canals are not just for boats anymore (even if that was so in the past) we all own them and we all have access to them.

 

We all need to try and recognise that and share access to the canal system.