A
saboteur’s tactics
In a
previous column I have promised to talk about the subject of angling saboteurs
and how they allegedly go about disrupting our sport.
Firstly, they find details of matches by:
Reading the angling press such as Angling Times and Anglers Mail.
Visiting tackle shops that have posters or notice boards with lists of
club meets.
Checking other newspapers and radio stations that have features on angling.
But what happens at a match?
The section
of bankside to be fished is divided into pegs, at least 15 metres apart.
Some waters have permanent pegs while others are marked out and numbered
the night before or the morning of the match.
Anglers usually arrive one to two hours before the match to draw peg numbers.
They then go to their allocated peg to set up.
The match is started and ended by a signal, usually a whistle. The anglers
then fish for three to five hours to catch the highest
weight of fish that are retained in a keepnet.
At the end of the match the fish are weighed then released. The winner
is the one with the highest total weight of fish.
Before
a match the saboteurs often: Ring
up the organiser and book a peg. They may ask for directions to the venue,
or to sound more convincing, ask about bait bans (e.g. bloodworm, joker,
wasp or grub).
Remove or change around the peg numbers on the morning or the night before
the match to cause confusion and confrontation among the anglers.
Wire up access gates to the water.
Talking to local anglers on the same water or in tackle shops to find
out the best day, weather conditions and stretch of water to concentrate
their saboteur efforts on.
Erect match cancelled notices around the match area.
During
the match, saboteur tactics may include:
Blowing a whistle 10-15 minutes before the start of the match is due to
begin. Some anglers may begin fishing early and be disqualified. Similarly,
blowing before the match is due to end.
Rowing up and down the river in a canoe or boat to prevent the anglers
from casting or make them reel in.
Swimming, wading or splashing their feet in the water to stop anglers
casting and to scare away the fish.
Making noise in the water by submerging objects (e.g. dustbin lids and
a spanner) and banging them together to scare away the fish.
Making noise above the water with whistles, shouting, air horns, hunting
horns.
Talking to anglers to disturb their concentration.
Standing behind anglers to make casting more difficult and to cast a shadow
on the water to scare away the fish, especially if the water is clear
and still.
Using poles (e.g. long bamboo canes) to disturb the float or line. Trying
to lift the float and/or line out of the water.
Throwing twigs at the float or line so anglers do not know when to strike
(i.e. pull back with the rod) and the fish may take the bait but not get
caught on the hook.
Emptying keepnets. They will ensure that the fish will exit the net downstream,
keeping the net submerged at all times and not touching the fish.
Pleasure angling is another major target for saboteurs because it is easier to pull off.
Tactics
may include:
Erecting signs saying: ‘No fishing - contaminated water’ or
similar and making them look as professional as possible.
Stretching a rope across the river then, with a person on either bank,
moving it along the surface to create a wake, so disturbing the float/line.
Moving the rope up and down to hit the water and scare away the fish.
Putting a groundsheet with a string or rope on each corner onto the surface
of the water with a person on each bank holding the ropes. The groundsheet
is moved about to prevent the anglers casting where they want to. The
sight of the sheet above the fish will also scare them away.
Scooping water up into a bucket and throwing it at the float or line to
disturb the water and scare away the fish.
Cleaning up any litter and discarded fishing tackle which they feel could
injure or kill fish, birds and other animals.
Taking a camera with them to get pictures of dead fish, poor handling
of fish, tackle victims, discarded tackle in the river, poor emptying
of keepnets and so on.
Photographs are then used as evidence to attempt to get a local ban or
restriction
Saboteurs
are warned:
Do not take dogs/pets to the bankside as they will be in danger from discarded
tackle.
Do not pre-feed. Putting food into the water attracts fish, and any food
not eaten would rot and pollute the water.
Do not throw tackle in the water. It is a danger to fish and other animals.
Do not break fishing line for the same reasons.
Do not damage any of the anglers tackle or you might be arrested.
No doubt, this makes interesting reading which some of you may find amusing
and some, on the other hand, disturbing
Prospects
Lakeside Fishery is
continuing to produce the goods with bags exceeding 40lb in match weights
over the weekend, where pellet and cat meat were the preferred baits.
Pleasure anglers are also getting among them with an 80lb+ catch of carp
and tench from the second strip pond.
On the carp lake, Dinnington anglers Scot Davey and Chris Daniels took
eight carp to 20lb 4oz from peg three using boilie.
Floating line and buzzers, and sinking line with bloodworm have kept the
flyboys happy with trout to 10lb 10oz in catches and into double figures
for many C and R anglers.
Notice Board
Stewart Goulding of
Go-Baits Angling is hosting a series of open matches at Langold Lake every
Sunday. Entry fee is £15 all-in with the draw at 9am and fishing from
10am to 4pm. Call 01909 540105 for more information.
Round-up
GO BAITS’ open
match on Sunday 11th April saw Pete O’ Donavan finish first (9lb
3oz, peg 32) ahead of Kenny Hoyle (6lb 5oz, peg 44), Andy Woolford (6lb
2oz, peg 36) and Ray Marsh (5lb 5oz, peg 43).
The winner had two tench and one bream with groundbait feeder and red
maggot the top method on the day.
If you want to get in contact with Martin to give him any results, stories or information, you can e-mail him at martintrona@aol.com