Took my little girl for a stroll along the Chichester ship canal this morning. The stretch we walked looked very pikey and cried out for a roving approach with the fly rod. At the canal basin I had a quick chat with the bailiff ,who told me fly fishing was prohibited as it would cause a problem with the canal trust's insurance(a fly angler had nearly taken a passer-by's eye out recently!). He was a very nice gentleman and very apologetic about the situation,but could not make any exceptions.
Was wondering if anyone else had had similar experiences on our waterways?
I can understand that careless casting is extremely dangerous,but is it any more of a health and safety issue than say a pole angler unshipping his mighty weapon on a busy towpath?

I just recently hooked another angler in the ear. Yes he did squeal. The high wind blew my line sideways wraping my line around his kneck. He was very understanding but I could have hooked him in the eye ruining his sight. It's too big a risk to take where you are surrounded by public who don't understand about flies and fly lines.It's a lot easier to step over someone's pole or equipment on the ground or walk round it.

BK

Lots of blokes in shell suits, wearing gold sovereign rings and walking pitbulls?

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

Just by reading the title, I had a hunch the it was casting related, for the prohibitive ruling. It's better to be safe than sorry.

They were the guys coarse fishing

One of my fishing clubs has a council enforced 'No Fly Fishing' rule on it's waters that run through the town. Seems sensible enough as they are a shared public space.

Andy

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GAIC Single Handed Casting Instructor

http://www.andygreyfishing.com/

there is a canal near where i live which they had banned spinning so i enquired as to fly fishing for pike on this paticular stretch and was told this was also banned as it was still using lures.

Does not stop foriegners poaching trout in witney , according to my sources goes on all the time, just about every river in the uk has this problem. more fished are poached than any other mortality.