CLYDE: LAMINGTON & DISTRICT(Angling Improvement?) ASSOCIATION:
BAN THIS/BAN THAT/BEWARE WHAT’S NEXT?
(a) Grayling Season Reduced
(b) Bait Fishing Banned
I am trying to work out the logic behind these changes.
Let me put forward the Clyde Grayling Angler’s viewpoint. It’s bad enough reducing the period that we can fish for the lady of the streams from 20 to 15 weeks, a reduction of 25% but on the pretext that the trout are being caught and need a rest?
Who dreamt this one up, on what scientific basis was this conclusion drawn, or was it based on reports from fly fishers or bait fishers or both? or was it based on myth, like years gone by, when the norm was to remove and throw the grayling up the bank because they ate trout eggs and by their removal, would improve the trout stocks?
We have moved on somewhat since then thankfully, or have we?
What the Association has done is set a precedent for years to come, allowing some other misguided fool(s) to come up with the idea that trout need a longer rest and by doing so, grayling fishing is eventually phased out altogether, thus enabling the brown trout to have respite throughout their entire close season.
A fish in February is no different from any other month, so it’s alright to catch brown trout during every other month but not February? Where’s the logic?
Again where do you draw the line of what fishing practice is right and what is wrong?
Not all anglers can fish the summer months due to work commitments and rely on their Grayling fishing for their sport in winter. If they are not fly fishers. THERE NOW NOT WELCOME, on Lamington’s Water.
What really concerns me is the decision that it’s fly fishing only:
no upstream worming, gadger, stick bait, dockin or wasp grubs, natural fly either by float or wool, jigging the natural minnow on a mount with back- to- back hooks.
All LEGITIMATE & LAWFUL in there own right skilful arts of fishing; NOW BANNED.
Many coming into the sport, start by learning bait fishing, gaining experience in river craft and then progress onto fly-fishing.
No maggot or worm trotting for Trout or Grayling, which have been time honoured methods of fishing on the River Clyde for generations and all are LEGAL forms of angling, now BANNED…(exception Quarry Pool (Barrie’s) It’s alright in one very small section of the river, but not in others?)
Question to the Association: is it permissible to fish with a centre pin reel with fly or nymphs below a float on the main river? Or is it only traditional fly fishing methods that will be allowed.? Will strike indicators be allowed? Will you be allowed to put a maggot on your Red Tag ?
(This could open up a can of worms, so to speak, or is it the case that this hasn’t been thought through yet?)
As a fly & bait fisher, having fished the Clyde for 50+ years I view these decisions as a threat to our angling heritage: not by an outside body but by fellow anglers. THIS
MUST BE A FIRST anywhere in the angling world. Or put another way Angler turning on Angler, where has common sense gone, down the river in the last big flood by the look of it.
What do angler’s do now when the water is not suitable for the fly and can’t employ other methods of fishing? Find a river or still water that does and the income revenue move with them?
I would also point out that anglers supporting CRAG (Clyde River Action Group) are not all fly fishing purists.
If the Association had taken time to think through the implication, there were other options that they could have taken. Instead of an outright ban on bait, they could have made other, less sweeping restrictions E.g. fishing with centre pin reels. This would, in effect, take spinning reels and treble hook lures out of the equation.
With 9 miles of water, why not divide the river into section, fly only section, bait only section or a fly & bait section this would have been a fairer compromise where no one would have been totally excluded.
Were any of these options even considered?
Restricting spinning and bait fishing to Barrie’s Quarry is the thin end of the wedge and no more than a red herring with regard to the overall fishing available to members. This probably accounts for less than 0.5 % of the whole water available.
Have they considered the impact that the new regulation would have on their income? Did anyone undertake a cost analysis of the possible loss of revenue due to lower permit sales?
The Association now appears to be elitists favouring fly-fishing. It’s the only conclusion that one can take from their selfish actions.
As an Angling Body they should be working to bring ALL anglers together to defend our sport, not BANNING a section from it. In particular at this time with the threat of the proposed new quarry they need as many friends that they can muster.
This whole episode beggars belief! One section of the angling community DISCRIMINATING against another is at the very least, SHAMEFUL!
It would be interested to hear the thinking and reasoning behind this debacle explained by the Association, as I am sure would many other decent, honest bait anglers who, over the years, have contributed and supported the Association.
Why have we been excluded?
On, what grounds?
Even the most purist of fly-fishers must acknowledge the injustice of these decisions. If the wader was on the other foot and fly-fishing was being banned, what would their reactions be, bloody outrage.
The purpose of this article is to open up the debate, so if you have a view, let’s hear from you.
Pass it on to your fellow angler.
If you agree with the contents, make your views known to the Association email the Secretary,
lamingtonfishing@aol.com if you don’t then nothing will change.
Red Hackle
CLYDE: LAMINGTON & DISTRICT(Angling Improvement?) ASSOCIATION:
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