Winter League Final

Bristol_Angling · #1

If nobody complains nothing will change

http://matchtackle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/ ... tidal.html

joffmiester · #2

hang on a minute !! nobody complains nothing will change !!if the biggest team in the country with all the talent they have don't speak out what chance have we
the problem is international anglers can't speak out they are afraid to it might cost their place in the team .the management can't speak out as they might lose what funding they get for the world champs
so tell me who do you want to speakout the average angler ???? no they can't do anymore than support the matches the top boys fish
i'm afraid its down to you repected Internationals to get the ball rolling before its too late
I FOR ONE HAVE HAD MY UPS AND DOWNS WITH THE ANGLING TRUST where has it got me at first i did it the wrong way and held my hands up since learning that lesson i have tryed to go through the right channel
and if you want to start changing things try asking where all the money goes !!! for a start
sorry but to change anything it has to start at the top !!! and thats not a easy as you think

joffmiester · #3

you need to get a group of respected organisers around a table if team angling is going to stay you need to face them face to face lets see who will stand up and be counted
you've hit a very passionate nerve here i love fishing and want team fishing to succeed and this has gone on for long enough
its all happening on facebook and websites but this is only hiding behind the scenes

#4

If nobody complains nothing will change

I don't know who made this suggestion.

Maybe I have got it all wrong but I was always told, -
'Never load the gun unless you are prepared to fire it.'

#5

shoot yourself in the foot avatar / smiley ?

ropa · #6

And where the crappity smack is the trophy cos we didnt recieve one ???

#7

I aint got it, just checked

#8

Last I heard was it were in a shop in Rothley

joffmiester · #9

what trophy

joffmiester · #10

We didn't have enough medals as it was

joffmiester · #11

as i thought no response there is a massive debate on social networks Steve Collett,Keith arthur and a few others but its no good hiding behind websites and media networks

Statler · #12

as i thought no response there is a massive debate on social networks Steve Collett,Keith arthur and a few others but its no good hiding behind websites and media networks

Interesting to read this chain
I fished in the Nationals and various leagues and knock outs since 1983 until our team folded last year. We won our fair share of medals over that time.
In the early days Nationals were a joy to attend with tackle displays, bookies present and a real gala atmosphere.
Like Joff I put up and shut up. I attended NFA meetings where changes were being proposed but ended up being shot down.
A number of factors have led to the demise of nationals and team fishing- some within our control and others outside.
I may be controversial here but here goes.
Outside our control:
Poor matches on many natural venues with anglers travelling miles to catch very little;
Buses having to be withdrawn due to cost and lack of availability;
Rise of commercial fisheries
Reemergence of a thriving Club scene but this time most club anglers do not want to make the jump to team fishing due mainly to cost and the type of venues fished
Within our control:
Domination by the major teams
Events run solely to cater for the few elite teams
The random draw resulted in all the excitement at the draw being lost. No more were you looking for a particular draw, or looking if one of the big teams had drawn badly;
The random draw favours the top sides - how often has a minor team won since the random draw was introduced?
The top sides have and always will poach anglers from the smaller teams, often as much to weaken them as strengthen their own side.
As a result of the random draw the bookies disappeared - ask Billie Knott!

I am not moaning but merely stating the situation as I see it. If you want competitions heavily weighted in favour of the top teams then carry on as you are, but remember without the smaller teams you don't have a competition.

craftytafty · #13

Joff, I agree with you that there's no point in arguing about it on various websites, facebook etc etc,

As you know, I have absolutely no interest anymore in team fishing, I just want to fish a match, whether there's 10 or 50, have the banter, a pint after and most important catch some fish, if I win a few quid great, but I'm 52 soon and don't want to spend my fishing time catching 2oz for a pat on the back, there are lots of anglers who feel the same.

However, if I did have the inclination to return to team fishing, what is the incentive, venues such as last weekend ( whether the tide was wrong or not ) certainly not, when anglers have to resort to catching 30 roach for just over an ounce it's a joke. When I consider the match I fished last Saturday, almost 40 fished, silver fish only on a reservoir, I came 3rd with 43lb of skimmers to 3lb on the pole, some bl**dy good anglers fishing too you can maybe see what I mean.

There are a lot of anglers of my generation who have spent a lot of time team fishing, but now don't have the desire to chase around spending a fortune travelling round to cr*p venues and catching nowt, I was talking to a high profile angler last week who says he is getting fed up with it all.

Now that brings up Team fishing's major problem, there are not enough youngsters coming through to take over, ok, there's some really good youngsters about, but nowhere near enough. When I fished for example the Derby Summer League 25 years or so ago, there were no end of teams with an average age of under 30, maybe even under 25.

I don't believe that there aren't some good natural venues for you guys to hold finals and leagues where everyone can at least have a days fishing and if not then swallow your pride and go on a commercial and fish for silvers cos you are missing out on some brilliant fishing.

The only problem with going on prolific venues is that then teams such as Dorking, Starlets etc will always win, then attendances will drop off even more as people will get fed up with that.

I hope you guys can get round the table and try and sort things out as the effort you are prepared to put in deserves some reward.

#14

There is a lot of good things said here by very good guys.
We have been over all this before though. I have put my neck on the block in the past more than once and I will still maintain that all match anglers that have fished a large match should have a balance sheet accessible to them.
This was something I always did; it just has to be the right thing to do; anglers want to know and you have to cover yourself.
Nobody minds anybody making a bit from running matches, I never did and very few in my era did/do - we do/did it for the love of the game, the key and important thing is HOW MUCH IS TAKEN OUT?

Most of us on here have posted this type of 'discussion' before but Joffe is dead right.

Did you know at the current rate of decline there will be hirty teams at most in the National at the end of the 2020's. Does anybody care?

Joffe is so right, the bigger teams MUST speak out or they will have nobody to fish against before too long; it is no good leaving it to then, THE GAME WILL BE OVER.

joffmiester · #15

the top teams do need to speak out its there's too loose !! and until a proper organised calendar for team events is devised they also need some hands on helping with organising instead of sitting back and just fishing for their own reputation

Statler · #16

the top teams do need to speak out its there's too loose !! and until a proper organised calendar for team events is devised they also need some hands on helping with organising instead of sitting back and just fishing for their own reputation

It is a shame but from my experience it is usually the high profile anglers that are quick to criticise match organisers, but seldom do much in the way of support

#17

Our sport is RUN BY A FEW TACKLE FIRMS AND MAYBE A FEW COMMERCIAL FISHERIES LINKED TO THESE FIRMS ! nuff said ! Dosh rules !

joffmiester · #18

might be true dodge but very negative if they put all their eggs in one basket the tackle trade needs a massive captive ordnance to sell too

#19

might be true dodge but very negative if they put all their eggs in one basket the tackle trade needs a massive captive ordnance to sell too

well it seems they have gone down that road the last few seasons mate ....... and where the crappity smack has our sport declined to ? oh this sh!t we have now !

crappity smack em

joffmiester · #20

i also think it would be a good idea that the winners of the National and the winter league should automaticly get invited to evesham team festival as another reward