Countryman, Nature lover, All the same?

[coasty]

Hi there, I have been a member of this Forum for a few weeks now and have enjoyed reading all the posts, I have lived on the North Yorkshire Coast all my life and am fortunate in living less than a mile from both the beach and the NY Moors park, I love walking with and without my pet Lab also I am a lifelong fly fishing fan on the local rivers, I enjoy seeing all sorts of nature , ie bird and animal life, In the last 12 months I have been fortunate enough to watch Badgers and Otters in the wild and have seen Slow Worms , Adders and Common Lizards. Times when I feel truly privileged.
I am increasingly puzzled by the attitude of people to those of us that believe that something like fishing is opposed to a love of all things natural.
I spend many hours each winter with other fishing club members improving the habitat on the river to increase insect life for the benefit of the fish, including spending time all year round removing litter and debris others leave about. In the 40 years I have fished I have never been on a river where the activity of fishing has done nothing else but improve the habitat for all species,
I meet many people who are interested in Birds or Funghi or whatever who are wonderful and enjoy been out and about in a diverse enviroment. But am worried about the increasing number of people who only are interested in their particular obsession wether it is covered in fur or feathers or slime but seem to have little regard for the rest of this wonderful planet.
What does the forum think?

[goosey]

Hi Coasty, welcome aboard! With all your interests and sightings you will have lots to contribute to WAB. I came to WAB with an interest in garden birds, gardening with wildlife in mind and the begining of a fascination with moths. In the months that I have been here other people enthusiasm for their interests have triggered new interests myself. I think this is the same for a lot of people here.
I look forward to seeing you around - enjoy and have fun .

[ron1863]

Hello and welcome coasty. I too used to fly fish and loved a day out on the river or loch, it didn't bother me if I didn't catch anything, as there was always something interesting to see while in the countryside.

[Meles meles]

Hi and welcome,
Having read this i look forward to seeing you on the boards.Sounds like you have lots to talk about
I used to fish lots, still do at times. Nothing more relaxing.
There may be some who oppose fishing, like shooting. Each to their own, I say.
See you around.

[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

[jdurbo]

Hi Coasty
I used to go fishing with my dad in my younger days and used to love watching (then he would get fed up with me going cause i used to eat the bread he was using)
Once at school we could choose a 3 day thing to do like canoeing,or some other great things and me and 2 other girls decided we would go fishing...Well it was not my fault honest but i killed a few trying to get the hook out their mouth as they had swallowed the hook
Welcome from me

jen xxx

[Gaina]

Hello Coasty

Yes, I agree with you. I think people who don't live in the countryside would be very surprised at the amount of countryside maintenance that hunts and pheasant shoot members do, and whilst I don't take part in either of those activities I see this possible reduction in maintenance activities that would have been carried out by the hunts as a major side affect of hunting bans.

I enjoy falconry myself (as an observer - I went on a training course but I don't have a bird) and the last time I accompanied some falconers it was wonderful to enjoy the birds of prey themselves and also to see the abundance of wildlife that you only witness by being still and observant.

The people I know who hunt see themselves as very much part of the eco-system and take only what they need from it and have great respect for the animals and plants they utilize. It's people who take 'because they can' and don't have any knowledge or respect for the fine balance of nature that disgruntle me .

[demicav]

Hi Coasty and welcome to WAB. I never really gave fishing much thought really but if I'm honest I could never see the sense in it if the fish was going to be thrown back, which I know has to be done in some places ( if I'm correct ). That's just me. I've seen someone taking home a good catch from sea fishing and they must have had a good supper that night .
I've also stressed on more than one occasion that not all country folk agree with hunting, it's a myth but I don't have a problem with shooting for food such as a Pheasant for the table. It's much more humane than animals being cramped all their life and transported around in all conditions.

[Jez]

Welcome To Wab. I'm plain & simply an omnivore so can't complain about gaming or fishing as theres a means to an end, Fox hunting i've never been to keen on! All the best and look forward to your pic's & comments-Jez

[Maccattack]

Hi coasty you'll like it here I'm sure .

MMac

[buzfuz8149]

Hi Coasty,

a warm welcome to WAB, looking forward to your posts and photos.

Carol.

[coasty]

Hi All
thanks for the welcome. Will have a good read of the posts tonight. Jobs for today are split logs for the logburner for the winter, ( whilst moving the frogs I find in the woodstack to the area around my garden pond) , any logs that are rotting and unsuitable for the woodburner go in a heap at the back of the pond for the Hedgehogs and frogs. Trim out some of the shrubs around my pond and net out some of this years goldfish fry for a neighbours pond. Oh and I think that the goldfish make the pond even better for wildlife ( the heron and the foxs all catch them) and they dont seem to bother the insects other than keep the freshwater shrimps and mozzy larvae down.

For those people on here who are looking at doing a nature pond and are confused by all the complex instructions , Its easy make a pond and let it get untidy and a tad overgrown nature will do the rest. It has for me. I have frogs and goldfish , dragonflies and the local birdlife all living in total robust disharmony, Just remember nature doesnt do neat.and it doesnt have to be a large pond mine is 7 ft diameter.

[stirling]

Hi coasty welcome from me,hope you enjoy WAB.
Best from mike.

[clover green]

Hello Coasty, pleased to meet and greet you! Welcome to WAB. I'm sure you will have lots to discuss with the other members, so get posting! Have fun & enjoy. See you on the boards?

[mammalman]

Hi, Most fishermen that I know have a great respect and love for the countryside and its wildlife. Sadly, there a few anglers who spoil it for everyone by leaving rubbish including discarded hooks and line. Though not a fisherman myself I believe fishing is a great way to learn about riparian wildlife as to be good at fishing you have to understand fish and be observant.

[coasty]

Quiet agree mammal man like all pastimes there are good anglers and bad, I feel that the current craze for carp fishing has encouraged a lot of people who are not sympathetc or interested in wildlife in general. Unfortunateley it is possible by spending a few hundred quid you can go out and catch large fish . Lets get something right here a great many carp anglers are intelligent skilled and sympathetic to the other wildlife. However there are many who arent and are the sort who can do great damage to the sport and give ammunition to the anti brigade.