[John]

Hi Coasty and a warm welcome to WAB from me.

I envy you the area you live in as it is a lovely area to live.

I sympathise with your thoughts on how the general public, and supposed wildlife lovers, perceive what fishing is all about. I can't talk about Fly Fishing, as I have never done it, but as a very long term Coarse Angler (gave it up 10 years ago) I can see that opinions that I encountered way back then have not changed.

To be honest I'm not sure if they ever will and I don't know why as in the main I wholeheartedly endorse what you say about any fishery (especially rivers) benefiting from the input of Anglers. After all it is they that see the condition of a river changing and it is they that invariably report these changes.

You tend to get the mindless minority leaving litter behind (i.e line and tins etc.) and that tends to get reported more so than the good work undertaken by the clubs and Angling bodies.

I used to have an opinion about Game shooting as the pastime for people with no conscience but over the years have completely changed my opinion on that. I now know that managed reserves like these are a massive benefit to our birds as these reserves hold unspoilt habitats. It's a shame Angling of all forms can't promote itself along similar lines.

John