On thrsday night was going to fish the six mile water,as I had every thr for the last 6 weeks.Around 6.30 drove to the petrol station in templepatrick to buy a £12 day ticket, when the girl went for the book she realised that it had ran out. Devastated I went back to the car to figure out what to do, I had been looking forward to fishing all week, conditions were perfect and had tied some flies that I was looking to try but didnt know where else to get a ticket, so made the desicion to go anyway.
Sods law, after fishing for about an hour just after it got dark I ran into Mr jobsworth who was looking for my ticket. Explained to him the situation at the petrol station,showed him the last six weeks tickets and had the 12 quid in my fishing vest but still he made me feel like a criminal. Mister personality then took my details and informed me that he might take further action and if he seen me again I would recieve up to a £1000 fine. I was raging,only that I love the river and would like to become a member I would have pushed the ballacks in(only joking). Understand that there a rules that we must obey but surely there must be a wee bit of commonsense for a honest fisherman

Why did you not get the girl at the petrol at station to sign a piece of paper to say you had paid your ticket and the reason for not being a proper ticket. Not all anglers are of the honest breed like your good self and will try and pull the wool over his eyes by saying i will pay for it the next time when they have got more tickets in. He was only doing the job he is paid for and protecting the river you so much enjoy.

no doubt somewhere it will state in there rules "tickets must be purchased before commencing fishing as tickets are not available on the bank" or similar ,if so then your in the wrong and will have to put up with it ,just take it as a lesson learned and "hope" he doesnt pursue it further ....

no such thing as a jobsworth bailiff ...you wouldnt complain if he pulled someone for the same if you had your ticket and they were fishing without one !!!

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

Tried that with the girl but it wasnt in her job description. I understand that he was just doing his job but it was his lack of listening to all the info and making a decision based on it. I also had done everything that I was supposed to and had drove 25 miles, it was the club who wasnt organised.

no you have got it all wrong it was yourself who wasnt organised ,other wise you wouldnt be posting this thread !!

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

It isn't in his job description to determine which excuse is genuine and which is bulls*1t. Although you had attempted to obtain a permit, how many times will he have heard that?
Ultimately, you shouldn't have been fishing without a permit.

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"Calling Fly Fishing a hobby is like calling Brain Surgery a job."

absolutely agree with you...people in the role as bailif must, as part of their job, be able to assess a situation on its merits. The fact that you had 6 weeks of previous tickets and a reasonable excuse delivered in an apologetic manner should have been enough for him. Absolutely no need for the 'talking down to'....some people are just ridiculously rigid when it comes to rules, perhaps he had a little danish ancestory

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"We took care only to choose the green, newly hatched variety of this unlikely insect, as the trout reject the ones that have turned black after twenty four hours out of the water. Or at least they do unless you can't find any other kind - and then they don't"

Are rules there to be adhered too or as in this case with the best intentions intended broken the baliff did his job. I hope ginked got onto the club secretary and told him about the shortage of permits and the trouble he had taken to support their club by traveling to fish their water and being prepared to purchase the said permit.

doesnt matter if he had a years worth of tickets ,it doesnt alter the fact he shouldnt of been fishing without a ticket!!

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

Ok.....I'm on your side in this Gink.I'm well aware of the sort of low-lifes a bailiff will have to encounter on a regular basis,therefore I dont think it should have been too difficult in this case for the bailiff to realise you were not a chancer.
As you say,its bad organisation on the clubs part that a ticket was not available at the petrol station.Not your fault that the club have no system in place to provide an on the spot permit if the usual outlet has run out of them.

No need to be threatening you with further action or to put you off the water.He should have given you the benefit of the doubt in this instance....