magazines do tend to take some stick,some rightly some wrongly as there is some info which is very usefull to all anglers.Which brings me to the point of my post.

Each year there is a Free where to fish guide published and it helps many choose waters when on going on holiday for trips and gives them details of facilities and what to expect on arrival.

My question is this ,those who have used it do you find that the report on a fishery you visted because of the guide reflected a true report of what you found when you got there?

For instance did the report say it had refreshments/or tackle for sale or tuition available? but when you get there you faced with a bag of crisps a couple of spools of leader and joe from down the road doing the tuition.?

The guide is a great benefit and good to have but only if the facts in it are spot on and you find what it says is there and its not put in for promotional purpose of a fishery, which the magazine cant be held to account for and can only put in what its given or should someone get out there and tell the true story which will give the angler a true account of what to expect.

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Kevin

if its in a magazine i would tend to avoid it in case it was busy.

I think I know the one you mean. I have used it and found a couple of places which were on my doorstep but dont advertise, so from that POV it was great. As for the facilities, I generally dont get past the word fishery. Like a good boy scout I tend to be prepared prior to arrival so I dont tend to rad and compare what is printed to what is actually there. The one thing I do find though is that there are a lot of portaloos out there which are billed as toilet facilities. As far as I can see (myself included) if an angler needs a whiz then they tend to wander into the bushes to relieve themselves, the trouble is getting caught short the other way and having to use a portaloo is one of lifes more unpleasant experiences. This leads me to believe that the magazine producer phones up rather than turns up to find out whats available i.e. there can be a degree of inaccuracy.

if its in a magazine i would tend to avoid it in case it was busy

It is a guide and just happens to come out in a magazine for information for anglers to help choose where to go has most fisheries wild and stocked so being busy doesnt come into it.

thanks Po thats just what im looking for.Spot on and maybe it should show PL for portaloo or WC for a real sit down jobbie.
keep them coming please

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Kevin

A really accurate guide would be very handy, but there's the rub. It must be very difficult for compilers to keep their finger on the pulse with changes in ownership, rules, 'phone numbers etc etc. I was caught out twice in Scotland two years ago when I went to a couple of fisheries out of a fishing in Scotland booklet. Both were closed and had been for some time. I tend to go with the t'internet followed by a 'phone call to the local tackleshop. Incidently while on the subject of fishing guides, many moons ago, around 1983 I think, I was bought as a present a copy of the AA (automobile association, not the other one) guide to fishing in the UK. It listed just about every water that ever there was, rivers, stillwaters, canals and sea. I still use it from time to time though it's well out of date now. I think they only ever did one. Pity, it was a good book. Anybody else got a copy?...........birdsnest

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Fear not if I steal from your side, as of yore, from paradise streams to fish Teifi once more.
BN based in Wolverhampton

I have used these guides in the past. I often like to look for new waters within travelling distance, or across the country to try out when visiting family and friends.
But I agree with others that I don't taketoo much notice of 'facilities' as i am ususally self contained, so to speak.
What is of more interest, and will affect my decision to explore further, is the size of the water and some basic info on the sort of stock - browns, 'bows, blues, etc, avg stock size perhaps.
And of course info on ticket prices , contact details, directions.
I would avoid a water for a few weeks that has been featured in the mag in case it got popular, but wouldn't worry about it appearing in one of these guides.

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Andrew W

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets." Arthur Miller

I find most of the time they are detailing waters that are basically very similar. I think most could be listed as:


"a couple acres of artificial looking ponds, surrounded by ugly pontoons, a shed and a smelly chemical loo.

Facilities....a few spools of overpriced line and some gaudy lures for sale, Nasty coffee available in even more nasty styrofoam cups"



---------- Post added at 04:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:34 PM ----------

There is a Scotland specific guide that comes out every few years....I think it used to be in conjunction with SANA and the tourist board? I am sure Cafaro Bros used to sell them.

They also list wild waters and sea charters

if you have used the guide does it reflect what the guide has said?

like if it advertises a fishery saying it is good for disabled persons is correct?

"a couple acres of artificial looking ponds, surrounded by ugly pontoons, a shed and a smelly chemical loo.

Facilities....a few spools of overpriced line and some gaudy lures for sale, Nasty coffee available in even more nasty styrofoam cups"


so did this reflect what the guide said? Or was it more glamorous in the guide?

If someone needs a place which has a toilet due to medical reasons and its advertised in the guide BUT when you go its inhabited by anything but clean and you need to fumigate yourself the guide should know about it.

these are the points Im looking for guys thanks.

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Kevin

When you consider the huge number of fisheries, large and small, in these islands then compiling an accurate and comprehensive guide to them all would take a couple of years, and by then the guide would be out of date anyway.

Just regard the ones supplied by the magazines as an indication of what may be there and do your own research accordingly - like phoning the place before you go to check what they have got or not as the case may be.

Hi Morayflyfiser the angling times issued a guide in 2002 called the ultimate guide to freshwater fisheries ; this was in conjunction with fishooked.com which still exists the guide is quite comprehensive hope this helps Noel