Simple Match Fishing Forum

I know what you mean Bill, i went in cricket club a couple of weeks ago and there were anglers from 3 different canal matches in there plus Lee ran a match the same day but your not going to get the joker anglers on squatt matches and vice versa. There is a circuit where there are anglers that dont want to fish against the so called big boys and they have 20-30 every week.

Bill, I hope it was a tongue in cheek comment and I agree turnouts are dwindling BUT the canal circuit looks healthier than anything else at present other than perhaps the northern river scene. Even your Heronbrooks, Cudmores, Woodlands and Oaks are struggling and venues like Lindholme arent getting the turnouts they should for the time of year either. Look at whats on offer on the cuts and its perhaps not as gloomy as you picture:

Milton Keynes
HanKat
Loughborough
Coventry/Nuneaton
Shroppy/Norbury
Erewash
Foss d**e (virtually a cut!)
Cornerstone
Dudley
etc

I dont think these are necessarily all the same circuit although there is a lot of cross over and familiar faces. Most are B&J which suggests to me thats what the majority want for a reliable days sport but theres still bread/squatt venues for those that want it and many of the B&J venues (except HanKat and Cov it seems!!!) still respond to worms, casters and a bit of bread. Kamasan qualifying matches are becoming rarer and rarer yet I think a canal at this time of year is easily the best bet if you want to fish a 30-50+ peg match rather than a knock up.

I think travelling seems to be peoples biggest stumbling block these days  :-/

Can't think of anything I said that was tongue in cheek EP.
Turnouts in the immediate Midlands are quite a lot down on last year. It would take me an age but I even have all the figures here.
It is a bit unfair to class MK or Lincoln as Midlands though.
Not too sure but I think Lee's is down about 20 on last year.
Basically it as as last year with Erewash.
Nuneaton League is slightly down unless some crappity smack tried to con the Kamasan last year.
True there wasn't a Cornerstone League.
No FMS that had 70-80.
Don't think I said anything was intended to be gloomy, facts prevail.
Last seasons summer league was over 50 too.
I think you are right about travelling but doesn't travelling mean 'money' to most!?

One thing that that may answer a few questions and it hasn't reached most of you yet but it will. I have nothing whatsoever againsy b&j fishing (we did win div 1 on it) but as you get older you definitely slow up using such baits, you'll just have to believe me on that but in any case look around the b&jcircuit and see how many are aged 60 plus. Answer not too many but on the none b&jcircuit there are loads.
True, I have only fished the WL this time whereas last 'season' I fished a 50 plus match every Sunday from middle of September to the end of the season (Xmas excepted).

In all the years I ran matches I can honestly say it was the easiest thing in the world to get at least 50, that was never a problem.
IT WOULD BE NOW.

Bill



just to cheer you up even more ......



Stoke got hammered again

Ta Dodge,
Feel well on form now
Last Sat morning had my third attempted burlary this month (3.45 am).
Last time they put a crappity smack hole in my roof, this time they tried to hammer the crappity smack front door down. Wished I knew what they were trying to nick, I'd have it myself.
Do you think it could be Joff after the two roach I have in a tank, the Loughborough Cut needs restocking!!!

Can't think of anything I said that was tongue in cheek EP.
Turnouts in the immediate Midlands are quite a lot down on last year. It would take me an age but I even have all the figures here.
It is a bit unfair to class MK or Lincoln as Midlands though.
Not too sure but I think Lee's is down about 20 on last year.
Basically it as as last year with Erewash.
Nuneaton League is slightly down unless some crappity smacker tried to con the Kamasan last year.
True there wasn't a Cornerstone League.
No FMS that had 70-80.
Don't think I said anything was intended to be gloomy, facts prevail.
Last seasons summer league was over 50 too.
I think you are right about travelling but doesn't travelling mean 'money' to most!?

One thing that that may answer a few questions and it hasn't reached most of you yet but it will. I have nothing whatsoever againsy b&j fishing (we did win div 1 on it) but as you get older you definitely slow up using such baits, you'll just have to believe me on that but in any case look around the b&jcircuit and see how many are aged 60 plus. Answer not too many but on the none b&jcircuit there are loads.
True, I have only fished the WL this time whereas last 'season' I fished a 50 plus match every Sunday from middle of September to the end of the season (Xmas excepted).

In all the years I ran matches I can honestly say it was the easiest thing in the world to get at least 50, that was never a problem.
IT WOULD BE NOW.

I never mentioned Midlands but theres still a big general Midlands following that fish all the leagues i mentioned. My point is that, yes, the turnouts are low but one look at the AM website over the last few weeks (perhaps not this week though!) will confirm the canal circuit is one of the healthiest of the lot. Everything in this country has been hit, not just fishing. We've just got to try and be positive and weather the storm.  

And if you ever decided to run the FMS again you'd still get 50+  

BTW, I've thought about a big canal league next year with some decent sponsorship and coverage but im still mulling it over. You could have 2 rounds squatt and pinkie and 2 or 3 rounds B&J. eg. Shroppy, Milton Keynes, Dams & Lock, Walsall, Cov. What do you think? Its gotta be good for canal fishing.   Might even attract the pensioners...  

its early enough to sort something out for next year what about this
2 before christmas ??????? only thinking of the squatt venues or all six after christmas
Northampton on the grand union squatt/bread venue
shropy/norberry squatt/bread
hankat b/j
loughborough b/j
erewash b/j
beeston canal b/j
most of these venues are central based
teams of 6,8,or 10
and if we did something similar in the summer
perhaps 2river
2 canal
2 lake
2 commercials
the only problem i would have,they would need to be sundays

EP, I realised after you said you didn't mention Midlands but Idid originally if you look back so that it where I got it from.
I don't know whether you know but I have covered results now for East, North West, West Mids, EA and down South for more than a few years now, quite a bit over 20 now (Ok I don't every single one but it is the lion's share.
Not all that long ago I used to finish at midnight or just before every Saturday, it was crucial I did it this way because it was impossible to keep on top of it with Sunday's to come.
Now there is hardly anything at all on Saturdays; I can go to the pub if I want to.
Sundays was always 2.30 am finish (sometimes later) and up again at 5.30am to finish them off and check them (it's nigh on impossible to check your own work in this game, you can only do your best; part of my job in the printing trade for 25 years was a proof reader).
Last year it was around a midnight finish on a Sunday with no early start. This year it is down to between 10 and 11 in the evening and just recently quite a bit earlier than that.
I used to do at least 10-14 A4 pages of results, reports and stories; now I am lucky if I can complete 5 pages at this time of the year. This includes midweekers as well.
The only plus side of this is I might soon be able to catch up with a pint or two on Sunday nights if it keeps declining!

I know it sounds 'gloomy' but that is how it is.

Hmmm, it wont explain all of the downturn but there's quiet a few 'closed shop' and secretive matches going on now which never get publicised - many arent publicised to retain a more friendly atmosphere, some are to get away without paying peg fees and others to put the 'stars' off from attending. I know one or two venues that have changed their midweek dates to stop the 'names' entering. Sad but true!

EP
As you know I have run match summer and winter for years (some with bw some without) and I while I think a mixed league is a great idea (I had thought of it before, honest) I just can't see it working until an 'attitude' problem is well sorted.
Having fished and run both the main bones of contention are. I will not get a bite without b&j. It is far too expensive for what I catch. The matches without it are too cheap. I can't quite get of grips with that one or this next one from a well known canal guy, 'I would sooner catch 1 lb 6 oz on joker than 6 lb odd on other baits'. These sort of comments are not solitary (except the last one of course!).
I have never heard mention of fishing against 'superstars' or supposedly better anglers but the older regime do slow up a bit and find it difficult to compete in 'joker' matches, it is nothing to do with fishing against better anglers.
This is what we are all up against getting turnouts.

By far the easiest way to get big canal turnouts is via the phone. I used to have a little pool of guys living in different areas that always spread the word and never let me down. About six phone calls did the job, 60 plus present no problem; my problem was trying to keep the number down to fit in HQs. The Shakespeare Six I used to run gather in over 800 regularly and never less than 600 (spread over six matches) that was a great format and would easily work again. However, bear in mind the Stafford area is so simple for all to get to.
You can call call it criticism, you can call it what you like but from Stafford/Stoke fishing in Cov is a nightmare. We can get straight to the venue via the Toll Road in the same time we could get to Mancetter. This would apply to all travelling down the M6 from the north. It could well be cutting the entry down with travel costs as thet are. I know you have to do the same but when you have already done anything up to and over 100 miles, long detours to the draw are not what travelling anglers want.

Good point about about the travelling to Mancetter (cov canal). The A5 is a nightmare possibly one the worst trips i have ever experienced when we fished the Warks W/L last winter ....... took nearly 2hrs from Manchester and its always worse on the way back , everywhere else in the Midlands has excellent access via the motorway network

I also find there seems to be a bit of i'm not going on there match from organisers which then spreads to they don't come on my matches why should i go on theres, if organisers worked together instead of against each other venues wouldn't get as much pressure and turnouts would be higher

what you saying lloydy

what you saying lloydy

Nobody on here mate but it does happen, i've heard it. The worst culprit then moans when he dont get a turnout

we get it around here as you heard on sunday they don't want to fish the canal yet will sit on a flooded river at least it would be comfortable on the canal i'm hoping to go on barrow canal this weekend just to see what thats like where the river meets the canal they have had double figures this week.mindyou the gritters are out around here now

Is that Gary Gritter

Is that Gary Gritter  

Is that Gary Gritter  

I've had to stop myself getting into trouble

Bill, the no 'superstars' thing is more to do with commercials and 'full-time' anglers...

I also find there seems to be a bit of i'm not going on there match from organisers which then spreads to they don't come on my matches why should i go on theres, if organisers worked together instead of against each other venues wouldn't get as much pressure and turnouts would be higher

Yep, Ive heard that off several circuits, not just canals.

And why are any of you going down the A5 from the North? I think that explains why some of you reckon its so far away. The A5 is a bitch. Try M6 Junction 3 then the A444 to Nuneaton. Sorted. I live 5 mins from Junction 3 and can get to Stafford in an hour. Mancetter is 15 mins from Junction 3! It may look a longer route on paper but its mostly motorway and its rarely busy after the M42 interchange.