Rules, Rules and more RULES.

[roscoe]

I've just retired and I've just started fishing again after an absence of 30 years. My grandson persuaded me to take it up again and boy have things changed. The reels are better the rods are better and the methods are better.

There are more venues but quantity has never meant quality. I remember fishing for carp at Lyndhurst in Hampshire in 1979 with the knowledge that I could use my wits and all ammunition at my disposal to lure the wily carp to take my bait. Not now though, I recently went to a local commercial carp venue only to confronted by a long list of rules, didn't bother to look at the lake turned around and walked out again happy in the knowledge that if aliens ever landed in Britain chances are they would end up in a commercial carp lake.

Stick your rules gentlemen. Don't need ya, bye bye! Lets take them one at a time.

No Boilies. See the opinions of Dr Bruno Broughton B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D., F.I.F.M., Fisheries Management Consultant

No Groundbait. DITTO As they say in Yorkshire Nowt wrong with them.

Barbless hooks. OK I'll give you that one. Never did like barbed hooks.

No rigs.
Please define a rig. Is a rig something that I make up? Yeh know like what we used to do? The right rig can fall apart if your line breaks. Nothing wrong with rigs. If you want no rigs then get rid of the weeds on the bottom.

No hooks above size 12.
What? Ever seen the size of a carps mouth? If it's damage to the mouth that bothers you then there's as much damage with a size 12 than with a size 8. But using a size twelve will catch the smaller fish where damage is more likely.


No I think what we have now is fishing club committees made up of people who have been placed in a position of authority for the first time in their lives and get some kind of buzz out of dreaming up yet more rules. It's like the old adage that if you give a donkey to a beggar he'll beat it to death. Well did anyone see the latest fishing magazines, there's now campaign starting to name and shame venues that are up to their aspects in rules. We'll soon be seeing signs saying NO THIS, NO THAT and NO FISHERMEN.

[MRG2000]

Welcome to the forum,and welcome back to fishing, i'm sure you'l be able to locate a spot without too many rules,to have a relaxing fish at...........

[tightlinesdaz]

Hi roscoe,

I don't know which lake you went to but I feel you may have picked a lake that makes rules up for the sake of it. I've never known any of my local lakes to have the no rig or no hooks bigger than a size 12 rule. Seems very odd to me. I'm sure if you went to another local lake near you it wouldn't be so bad.

Tight lines...

[montygti]

Now I think what we have now is fishing club committees made up of people who have been placed in a position of authority for the first time in their lives and get some kind of buzz out of dreaming up yet more rules. It's like the old adage that if you give a donkey to a beggar he'll beat it to death.

I couldnt agree more with this quote and its taking the fun out of fishing. Yes some rules are important but what ever happened to good old common sense.

[barbelblanker]

I've seen these type of rules too at day ticket waters. Thankfully most clubs are not so anal so join one of them. The problem fishery owners have is that they have no real way of knowing wether the guy who just bught a ticket is experienced, new but sensible or a muppet. Part of the reason for banning large hooks is that they often go hand in hand with lines that are far too heavy and people who just want to drag the fish out in the blink of an eye. If you don't like the waters rules then vote with your feet and go elsewhere. As I said, most clubs have very few "silly" rules.

[roscoe]

Originally Posted by tightlinesdaz

Hi roscoe,

I don't know which lake you went to but I feel you may have picked a lake that makes rules up for the sake of it. I've never known any of my local lakes to have the no rig or no hooks bigger than a size 12 rule. Seems very odd to me. I'm sure if you went to another local lake near you it wouldn't be so bad.

Tight lines...

Wykeham Lakes near to Filey has these two rules.

[Maddison_Twatter]

Another reason why I mostly fish Rivers

[tightlinesdaz]

Originally Posted by roscoe

Wykeham Lakes near to Filey has these two rules.

Ah ok, I've never fished in Yorkshire. I'm based south east of the country.