yep sad news pedro.might get a few to boost our numbers though. 😀 😀 😀

Struggling for numbers Chris.Most of the teams around here have seen a decline in anglers wanting to team fish.Shame really as it,s such a well run league(its the old drennan n.e super league run by paul caygill).As pedro says we have an abundance of commercials around here and anglers are just drifting away gradually.Not for me though. 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

The sign of the times. So why doesn’t somebody try and run a league on commercials to see how it runs. No need for the whole country to change but its worth a try. Say six to ten matches over 3 or 5 venues.

Yes I know we all want to fish rivers and canals, me especcially, but it ain’t going to happen any more.
I’m near the top end of the thames and used to have some of the best river fishing around. Now its crayfish city. The canal is the same or just full of tiddlers.

At least commercials have fish in them.

Sad to hear 🙁

Always enjoyed fishing matches on natural venues around Doncaster , Thorne and Stainforth and the practice matches for last years Div One on the Junky were top class 😎 Sadly with fuel prices and the cost of living so high match angling is also suffering hugely 🙁 🙁

They say team fishing is dead but I dont see much recruitment being done by any of these teams !!
I used to team fish 20 years ago when it was very popular but since having a break from fishing and getting back into it seems the only route worth while is commercial opens which i enjoy but it i do like a change !
I have guested for one of my local teams on the winter league semis on commercials as some of their team will only fish natural waters but then I have not had a look in otherwise as to not rock the boat !
I would love a chance to go back team fishing on the canals etc and I live in the Yorkshire area.

Simmy, you’ve hit the nail on the head really when it comes to one of the main reasons I think team fishing is dwindling. If teams want to continue, they have to put time and effort into attracting new anglers, bringing them through, teaching them if they are not up to scratch, and making them feel part of the team even if they aren’t quite there yet. This goes for young and older anglers. Is the only way it will improve.

Look at the big teams, they take on anglers and mature them. Little teams struggling for anglers need to do the same. But as you say, they don’t want to rock the boat.

I tried a couple of years back to get back into team fishing, hooked up with a local side, knew I wouldn;t be fishing the winter league rounds proper but turned out for the practise matches. One of our guys won one of them, the captains response when I asked how he’d fished it….we’ll tell you once your good enough to fish for the team. Lets just say I didn’t turn out again, if that’s the kind of attitude teams have then no wonder they are dying a death.

Hi Chris.The first summer league match is not until june 17th(river don practice).I,m sure that there will be some matches organised by the Doncaster/Thorne lads on the junky and stainy canals (whichever is fishing best) during april and may.Usually get 20 to 30 turnouts.I will post details on here nearer the time as the matches are organised week to week.

Yep will do mate.might get a few more on. 🙂 🙂

A lot of teams used to be based around a Tackle shop and with these been on the decline I think this has contributed a lot to the demise of team fishing !
In my area over the last 5 years it has dropped from 7 tackle shops in a 5 mile radius down to 2 shops and from these used to advertise Knock ups, opens, leagues etc on Natural venues and commercials.
There is more press coverage of match results than of Matches, How often do you look at the match results and find out about a match after its taken place.
Most of my friends are all commercial biased and I can see the reasons why.
The easiest thing to do nowadays is go to the nearest commercial because you know there is a match on nearly everyday, you will be given advice freely as they know you are pools fodder ,

The two biggest shops in my area(stainforth angling centre and doncaster fishing centre) organise their own leagues in the winter.one is a pairs league,the other individual.both used to put out teams in the local summer and winter leagues/team championships. 🙁 🙁 🙁

how about a list of members who would like to take part in team fishing,lets see just how much interest there is

Ok I will put my name forward !

@loda wrote:

The two biggest shops in my area(stainforth angling centre and doncaster fishing centre) organise their own leagues in the winter.one is a pairs league,the other individual.both used to put out teams in the local summer and winter leagues/team championships. 🙁 🙁 🙁

Thats great Loda but are the leagues advertised outside of the area ??

no they,re not simmy mate only in the shops.not sure if they dont want to take “outsiders” or just to restrict numbers. 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

Very sad to read that news. I fished for Stainy for a few years back in the eighties, great years for me I can tell you. Good luck to all the guys for the future