code of conduct

[TF_joffmiester]

i’ve been asked to write a piece in the paper about the canal after a couple of weeks some of the general public have taken it up with the papers and published there own letters in the paper non of theses letters are carrying any truth just the public being put out with us being there
i understand that the canal is for everybody to enjoy and none of us anglers would dispute that, but i feel unless we stop these unprovoked attacks on our sport threw the media and speak out about the rights we have to be there no one will ever understand.one of the biggest problems are us the angler if we could all read from the same hymn sheet the better we would be for it
as you know i had a pole joint broke last weekend i never raised my voice and was diplomatic how i covered the action i told that i would move it and made sure he agreed to that then swapped details i did phone the number straight away and it rang in his hand so i knew it was right. now this lad is paying for the section yes i’ve got the section at a discount price but surely i should try to help the lad. but i ask you this how many times have you heard of this and i’m sure its because i didn’t loose my temper or like the bloke said to me next door I’d of punched his lights out THATS GREAT FOR OUR SPORT !!!
and this is what we need to stamp out of our culture we are a dying breed less and less young anglers coming into the sport why because we are selfish towards others
now i’ve got to get this bang on and i need to know the rights and wrongs
as i understand it at the moment boat users and anglers are the only two groups that pay towards the use of the canals ie licenses and rent so i presume have more rights and entitlement to be there
as for the towpath is it a public right of way or footpath for walkers,dog walkers,joggers and bikes.i know we will never stop these people doing it no-re do we want to stop them but they all need to know the facts and rights we have
one fact i do know if we fished the canal every week theses problems would be halved as the bikes and dog walkers would fined another root or just by pass the canal on a Sunday
i have asked for notice boards so we too can inform the public about our use of the canal

[TF_joffmiester]

waterways code
Only cycle on stretches where it is permitted.
Check with the local waterway office or
http://www.waterscape.com.
Look after your waterways
n
Avoid cycling where your tyres would damage the
path or verges (eg when they are wet or soft)
Consider others
n
Give way to others on the towpath and warn them
of your approach. Pedestrians have priority. A polite
‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ mean a lot.
n
Watch out for anglers’ tackle and give them time
to move it before you try to pass
n
Dismount under low, narrow or blind bridges
n
Never race one another or perform speed trials
n
We recommend you obtain third party liability
insurance and equip your bike with a bell or hooter
Take care
n
Access paths can be steep and slippery. Join and
leave the towpath with care.
n
You must get off and push your cycle beneath low
or blind bridges, and where the path is very narrow
n
We strongly advise against cycling the towpath after
dark, but if you have to, use front and rear lights
n
Thorny hedge trimmings can cause a puncture.
We recommend plastic-reinforced tyres or
puncture sealant

[TF_NathanWatson]

How was the section broke? If it was blocking the path then surely it’s your fault, not his?

[TF_joffmiester]

i asked him to wait[nicely] as i was playing a fish and would move soon as

[TF_NathanWatson]

So did he break it deliberately?

[TF_joffmiester]

@NathanWatson wrote:

So did he break it deliberately?

no matey i don’t think he did just couldn’t wait a few seconds and to be fare he didnt kick off

[TF_GLEBE1]

@NathanWatson wrote:

So did he break it deliberately?

K’nell if he did he must have been high on crack……….. have you seen the size of Joff lol????

[TF_herbie]

joff its a shame that today we live in a country full of meme,s, there mostly retired middle class who have never been in a position where the unwashed challenge there authority, so concequently cannot handle it as a normal person would. so the climb on there high horses and send the usual whingy letter to the times/council/mp, honestly believing they are the spokesperson for the masses. its not just anglers they hate its everyone that spoils there little walkies. then you have the 25 year old billy no mates usualy a tax collecter or vat man who cannot in any way wait for you to move your pole.
we then move on to the worst of all ” the student” on his mountain bike and his 5 stone jogger stick of a girlfriend who is always trying to beat her personal best, and cannot stop no matter, or her day will be ruined . he the student knows ( because of his age knows everything including his rights) that his sex life will suffer if she stops so makes every effort to shoo you along. all in all the very fact that there would be no canals if it wasnt for the unwashed, makes no difference to them, in there meme world.
then you have the liquid hippy. buys a boat, ties it up, and then tells all who will listen, this is my space so dont go fishing too close to my world ie 100 yards will do. any closer and i will rev my engine all day.
finaly you have the retired exec. who along with his upper class wife buy a property boardering the said canal, and then spend there lives writing to all concerned that there privacy is being invaded by poor people fishing opposite. when this fails the use their influence with the council/ MP and harrass the local club to death. all the above is currently true of the kennett and avon canal.
its a shame joff that we dont have a body to represent all anglers to a man and lobby for more and fair right to people who actualy pay to use the facility. oh silly me we do have one its just no one wants to join it.

[TF_orexina]

I position my kit across the towpath to SLOW the bikers down. You don’t have to block the path but just put in a chicaine. They can moan if you block it but can’t if they only have to slow down.

[TF_wightangler]

Well done Joff for this and your code,

& Herbie – sheer quality post~clap ~clap ~clap

[Anonymous]

Its a real shame that this seems to be the norm on todays canals – to much hassle for the angler to put up with.

Thank the lord for commies – lol

[TF_Waveney One]

I feel for you Joff, I once had 2 kids use my pole as a ‘jump’ whilst I was playing a fish and that was on a river although there was a footpath I don’t think they were entitled to be riding their bikes along it.

[Slione07]

I fish my local canal weekly, and never suffered any problems such as this until the towpath was widened and levelled, from which point it bacame a cyclist’s dream! On a couple of occasions I had cyclists dismount and climb over my sections, even after telling them I’ll move it in a minute, on others I’ve had cyclists ring their bell from a hundred yards away as I’ve shipped back while playing a fish, and they’ve cycled right up to the section (within inches) so I’ve moved it while stil playing the fish and without so much as a thank you or acknowledgement!

Luckily, I’ve not suffered any breakages, but as a further example of this was on the DIV 2 National last year. One of the anglers on K Section shipped back through a hedge only for part of his section to be ‘chopped’ off by an irate homeowner who then berated the angler for putting his pole through his hedge! To his credit the angler was very calm, but anglers around him had a similar attitude as mentioned earlier “If that happened to me, he’d be in the canal”

For me now, I simply ship to the side, not ideal I know, but the majority of the time I’m the only angler on the stretch and can do without the hassle. To be honest, the majority of people I come across on the towpath are very friendly and
seem genuinely interested in how you’re doing, etc. Some even seem surprised I’m catching! The best ones are the dad’s and lad’s, where the lad is in awe of 10m of pole being shipped out and even more amazed when I ship back in with a fish on the other end!

However, due to the ‘minority’ of arrogant and confrontational towpath users, I now spend the summer away from the canal and on my local lake instead, and I’m fortunate I can do so, but it’s dissapointing to think I can’t fish where I’ve paid to and want to, just becuase there are towpath users unable to ‘share’ and find anglers an ‘inconvenience’ or ‘annoyance’

[Author]

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