I was unable to assist the clean-up yesterday because of it clashing with following my team Sheff Wed.... Div 1 champions 2010/2011 season..

Anyway, I popped down for a few hours on Friday having a chuck here n there joined by my terrier 'Milo'... I was angered to see numerous coarse anglers fishing away in what is classed as 'close season' until June 16th!! I made general enquiries asking if they knew it was close season and that if they had rod licences?... Nope was the answer... So... I have reported this to the EA... they are going to have a field day when they visit... I'm off to the river now for another session.... with my licence!..

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Good for you Martin!

I was warned not to go down the Don at the moment as it is getting fished by yobboes and that I might get attacked!

dont tar all coarse anglers with the same brush MR PERFECT ,who said they were yobbo's and obviously from what the captain says they were to me anyway quite friendly otherwise he would of said ?? these could be innocent people who just dont know any better "it does happen" but not everyone is as perfect as you eh Ron.. try putting brain into gear instead of bloody neutral or reverse FFS................

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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 !!

I came across at least a dozen coarse anglers.... one was just setting up his spinning rod when I told him the EA may be visiting... he said to me he will just use Plugs instead .. as they were legal .... another told me he was ok if he fished worm....... ... another group of young-uns had a little picnic on the bank while they were fishing.... beer cans being emptied washing their takeaways down... bless em... they even took thier rubbish away with them...

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Fact is Ron, few of the SPRITE members have come close... also by flytippers!

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"Anglers fishing for trout in our rivers are only legally allowed to use natural or artificial flies, minnow, worm, shrimp, sand eel or artificial lure as bait, until 16 June when the coarse fish season opens."

Environment Agency - Anglers warned to respect seasons

?

Hi Captain - thought you'd died and gone to fishy heaven (but would that be a fantastic urban river where course and fly can live in peace and harmony?)

You are right El Capitano, the Urban Don is full of these uninformed citizens (I want to write something else there!). Like you, I run the risk of a black eye and confront them every time. On saturday we had a pair fishing above Hillsbro ground, and 6 in a group at Livesy St bridge (these putting trout in a submerged keep net and leaving presumably to come back later and take them for the table.)

To respond to previous replies, you will not get mugged down there. On the whole these course chaps are perfectly agreeable, but either don't know the rules or don't care for fish welfare. This makes them irresponsible, not sociopaths.

How do we solve the problem.
1. the EA gets its finger out and bailiffs the river. (don't hold your breath)
2. we confront the individuals. each to their own on this one, I prefer a good cop approach, Captain prefers a bad cop approach.
3. we have an increased presence on the river. I think most of the course fishermen know when they shouldn't fish / what licence they need, and don't give a damn. (like it or not it is course fisherman that are the problem - and I say that as a lifelong course fisherman myself) If more of us take responsibility for the river and lead by example, then eventually appropriate behavior will become the norm.

This is of course where SPRITE comes in. A raised profile with SPRITE working parties etc has worked in reducing fly tipping. Major occurances have almost ceased. What hasn't reduced it seems to me is garbage from course fishermen. I'm talking about discarded line, sweetcorn and luncheon meat tins, beer tins and fag packets in established swims, and of course fishing out of season. We know it isn't all course fishermen, but unfortunately Bruce, the evidence on this river is plain to see.

On a lighter note, the clear up session was a success and the fishing is excellent. I've posted a 'match report' on the Urban Don thread in trout and grayling fishing. We have got too many threads open I think...

Soggy

Soggy, im not saying there isnt an element of bad ones there is in everything i just dont appreciate it when it s put down as coarse anglers !! which gives indication that were all the same and nothing could be further from the truth ,i have been a coarse and game angler for nigh on 50years and respect everything around me aswell as i what i pursue ,its the way i was brought up born and bred in countryside and learnt to respect that ,as usual i think its education thats lacking or more probably the parents were slacking when they were looking after these people

by the way its "coarse" of course, not course

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

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

[QUOTE=BRUCE1;689878]Soggy, im not saying there isnt an element of bad ones there is in everything i just dont appreciate it when it s put down as coarse anglers !! which gives indication that were all the same and nothing could be further from the truth

Thanks for the speeling leson Bruce. Of course it is coarse.

The problem is we are short of an alternative noun for these rogue fishermen. We have football fans and football hooligan, and the difference is clear and understood. These chaps are fishermen (of a sort) using coarse methods (of a sort) so the best we can do with the vocab we have is coarse fishermen.

Lets have some alternative names suggested to let us all have a dialogue without causing offence to the responsible majority. How about water louse? (gives invertebrates a bad name) Or tackle terrorists (gives the taliban a bad name!)

You are right, education is the key. I'm not the first to mention it, but it seems to me that there is a 'lost' generation that were, for a variety of reasons, not taken onto our waters at a young age and shown how to behave. A knowledge and appreciation of wildlife and habitats is learnt, and I for one, continue to learn to this day. Engaging kids however, is the tricky bit. It takes more then a vague willingness, it takes hard graft and commitment. We all should help wherever we can, and talking to kids on the bankside (and adults for that matter) is a start. We are all guilty of assuming the worst of people I think.

Soggy

Hi Guys
The E.A have more plans on the destruction of the Don,this time on the section we fish.It is not confirmed yet,but watch this space. Lots of arguing about what to call the rougue fishers what about "f**kwits" ,I think that sums them up. Thanks for the clean up guys,soggy welly you was right about not many of the local group not turning up. 2oo leaflets went out and four turned up. The rest must be f**kwits.
I think some of the people who use the forum do not understand that most of us are interested in the improvement of the river,its cleanlines,its attractiveness and its accessibility to all. It just happens that most of the guys fish it with a fly,I fish it with worm and fly and have fished it with sweetcorn. The basic fact is (please you fishers who only fish with non artifical baits prove me wrong) that only 1 person that helps on the clean ups prefers to fish for non game most of the others are fly persons,some dont even fish. The guys who put prizes in the lottery were game fishing people,some of the others had no attachments to fishing at all,but they could all see a bigger picture. I for one have been deperately trying to get a coarse fisher who would be willing to do a coaching course to help the kids,one person has shown interest. So you non f**kwits stop knocking and come and help. If you cannot physically help all donations are gratefully recieved for the upkeepof the river and the education of the younger generation of fishers seeus on Sprite