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Passing anglers


jetzi

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9 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Me thinks thou protests too much,  No one on the canals needs to dash, its a selfish attitude that leads to distress to other users and perpetuates the motorway  mentality.

 

You do what you want lad but you get no sympathy from me if you get bawled at.

My boat and engine, for reasons historical, vibrates horribly at certain speeds. It doesn't appear to be fixable at a reasonable cost. It's fine at very, very slow, comfortable at 2 or 3 mph. It's the bit between tickover and 2 that threatens the fillings in my teeth and the engine bolts. So for fishermen I drop the speed by a third, and if they don't llike it they can go and torture fish on rivers. I have the same problem with the 1 mph brigade and those who slow right down at bridges.

I used to get annoyed about the last lot, which I finally realised was pointless, so now I just park on the mud for a bit, make a cup of tea and catch them up again half an hour later. In extreme cases I overtake.

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14 hours ago, Flyboy said:

I used to slow down for fisherman but don't any more. The reason is simply that whatever you do you will be wrong.  Too fast, too slow, too near the towpath, too near the offside, in the middle, I've heard it all.  I have noticed on several occasions when travelling at normal speed fish sometimes can be seen jumping behind the boat, I reckon they are attracted by the bubbles.  

My most interesting fishing experience was of a Common Tern that followed me along a narrow and muddy channel, diving and catching a fish every thirty seconds. After about ten minutes he was full, and stopped for a rest! The Tern had clearly worked out that the boat was good for fishing!

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11 hours ago, tree monkey said:

When working a swim to catch fish most anglers will bait 2 or 3 areas with either ground bait (fine ground bread) bits of the hook bait or a combination of both, this has the effect of keeping the fish feeding in a localised area and encouraging competition amongst the fish, which makes them less skittish of the hook.

All of this can take time and careful attention to build the swim to enable a good catch, boats moving through can/will disturbe these baited areas and can bugger up some hours work, so the request for slow and steady.

Obviously fishing on the canal brings boats as part of the challenge and this should be taken into account by the fishermen, it's just courtesy on the behalf of boaters.

Saying all that some people are just shouty arses and are best ignored when encounterd  :)

Excellent explanation, if you keep to the centre at the low side of a moderate speed you can't go far wrong and will only upset those who are generally intolerant (not unique to anglers, and growing in numbers by the day!)

  Lone anglers may leave lines out to the far bank, with special weights to keep their lines at the bottom of the channel, in this situation most boats will pass easily without incident but at speed, particularly with a deeper draught, their lines will be snagged. Backing off the power for a few yards as you pass will avoid this.

 

Edited by BWM
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16 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Some fisherpeople want you to go past 'fast' to stir the bottom up and give the fish something to eat, some want you to go past as slowly as possible (why ?) and some think you shouldn't be on their canal anyway.

 

Just do what you are comfortable with - you have paid much more to use it than they have.

 

And some want you to pass close to them, others further away.

 

They have to take "misery pills" to get them in the mood for fishing.

 

Best to pass at a slowish speed, bang in the centre of the cut , say "hello" to them and enjoy being ignored. 

Edited by cuthound
To unmangle the effects of autocorrect.
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16 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

if they’re sat there with poles and all the gear ill slow to tick and if possible avoid where i think they’ve lobbed their groundbait. and say hello as i pass.

 

if they’re walking along spinning for pike or zander i just go by as normal. and say hello as i pass.

 

i reckon reciprocation of greeting is about 75%, i’ve not yet been shouted at.

That's what we do as well although would add that we never move to left or right when requested but stay in mid canal.

 

On the Trent a couple of years ago the anglers were out in force. Many of them have really long lines stretching far into the river.  OK when they stay by their rods but when they sit in their cars up on the bank and suddenly see you appear round the corner, boy can they run!

Edited by pearley
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6 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

...if they don't llike it they can go and torture fish on rivers.

Whilst I have a bit of sympathy with this, there are many good anglers who love fish and take great care with them. Sadly, there are also plenty of muppets - that comes with it being the biggest participation sport in the country, I suppose.  However, again to maintain a balanced view, it is worth bearing I'm mind that, if it wasn't for the angling lobby raising the issue, there'd have been no fish left in our ever more polluted rivers and canals a few years ago. The environmental lobby is a much more recent force for fishy goodness.

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16 hours ago, nicknorman said:

How arrogant that you think you can dictate how other people should use the canals. May I remind you that canals were built for rapid transport of goods and that not everyone wants to waste their life away doing everything as slowly as possible. There is no virtue in sluggishness. How arrogant to presume that no-one may be on a deadline, especially when the majority of canal users, except perhaps those using the canals for cheap housing, are probably on some sort of deadline. End of hire period, end of holiday, booked public transport, meeting up with other people, getting to a shop or business before closing. In fact the only people not on some sort of deadline are people with absolutely nothing of interest in their lives except waiting for death.

 

All that rant said, yes it is normal practice to slow down for fishermen, for the reasons explained.

haha, this is the type of rant I come here for.... ?

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5 minutes ago, restlessnomad said:

haha, this is the type of rant I come here for.... ?

Was a particularly good one wasn't it?  Am I a wind up or what?

I can't imagine that these days the canals are for the "rapid transport of goods", but rather a restful way of spending the days. ?

But then I must, by the responses, be  the only one who goes peacefully to avoid upsetting moored boats and fishermen and enjoy a cheery wave and pleasantries with all I pass! ?

 

But I really could not give a damn, I enjoy my boating my way, always have done.  Upstarts may think differently.

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1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Was a particularly good one wasn't it?  Am I a wind up or what?

I can't imagine that these days the canals are for the "rapid transport of goods", but rather a restful way of spending the days. ?

But then I must, by the responses, be  the only one who goes peacefully to avoid upsetting moored boats and fishermen and enjoy a cheery wave and pleasantries with all I pass! ?

 

But I really could not give a damn, I enjoy my boating my way, always have done.  Upstarts may think differently.

It does seem boating is not for fainthearted people like me... first you got to spend tonnes of money not knowing for sure what you are getting, then be careful as not to sink your boat, not get burgled, not get shouted for travelling too slow/too fast ... 

thank god for youtube... all I need is 360 degree VR videos and I can safely enjoy boating from my bed :)

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1 hour ago, restlessnomad said:

It does seem boating is not for fainthearted people like me... first you got to spend tonnes of money not knowing for sure what you are getting, then be careful as not to sink your boat, not get burgled, not get shouted for travelling too slow/too fast ... 

thank god for youtube... all I need is 360 degree VR videos and I can safely enjoy boating from my bed :)

I've sunk, been burgled, been shouted at... didn't spend tons originally but made up for it later. Thirty years later, still love the old tub, the sound of rain on the roof and those odd days sitting on the back in the sun with a good book...

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26 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I've sunk, been burgled, been shouted at... didn't spend tons originally but made up for it later. Thirty years later, still love the old tub, the sound of rain on the roof and those odd days sitting on the back in the sun with a good book...

I love that sound and the feeling I get, fire on, good book and brew, simple things in life

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4 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Whilst I have a bit of sympathy with this, there are many good anglers who love fish and take great care with them. Sadly, there are also plenty of muppets - that comes with it being the biggest participation sport in the country, I suppose.  However, again to maintain a balanced view, it is worth bearing I'm mind that, if it wasn't for the angling lobby raising the issue, there'd have been no fish left in our ever more polluted rivers and canals a few years ago. The environmental lobby is a much more recent force for fishy goodness.

Spot on, and there are plenty of ponds and remote streams that are only visited by anglers, who in my experience are also very observant of all wildlife issues that develop near their waters. 

  Gravel pits and quarries are often leased by angling clubs before they finish excavating them, many of these now form various country parks and would otherwise have been backfilled when worked finished.

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13 hours ago, cuthound said:

Best to pass at a slowish speed, bang in the centre of the cut , say "hello" to them and enjoy being ignored. 

 

Ask "Are they biting today?"

 

You don't need to care about the answer, but you're more likely to get a polite response if they think you're showing an interest in their hobby.

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7 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said: 

But I really could not give a damn, I enjoy my boating my way, always have done.  Upstarts may think differently.

I’m sure you do. But may I mention that most people’s idea of “boating” is to actually go cruising on their boats. I appreciate that your idea of “boating” is to remain permanently on your mooring and pass your day moaning and shouting at any boats that have the temerity to pass by, but you could perhaps bear in mind that your concept of boating isn’t shared by everyone else.

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So having only had the boat for a couple of months, we collected our first fishing rod on the cratch last week. A Sunday afternoon fishing match on the Droitwich barge canal, about 50 rods in over half a mile or so and we crawled down the entire length at just over tickover. Everyone was generally either cheerful or just ignored our 'thank you' which I don't have a problem with. Every rod came up or back at the very last minute, except one which clattered in to the cratch, followed by a quick dragging out the way and a load of swearing at us including shouting about 'use your f-ing horn'. Now maybe I'm wrong but I assumed that the fishermen would get a bit peed off if I sounded the horn every few yards cos it'll scare the fish. And given how they all pulled their rods out of the way at the very last minute I'm not sure how I was supposed to know I hadn't been seen.

 

His mood probably wasn't improved by my daughter asking him if he was likely to catch any fish whilst playing on his smartphone at the same time...nor by the fact they were all fishing on the run up to the winding hole which we were turning at and them coming straight back through them all again.

 

Anyway....horn or no horn, or just put it down to the fisherman needing something to blame for his lack of observation ?

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45 minutes ago, gatekrash said:

So having only had the boat for a couple of months, we collected our first fishing rod on the cratch last week. A Sunday afternoon fishing match on the Droitwich barge canal, about 50 rods in over half a mile or so and we crawled down the entire length at just over tickover. Everyone was generally either cheerful or just ignored our 'thank you' which I don't have a problem with. Every rod came up or back at the very last minute, except one which clattered in to the cratch, followed by a quick dragging out the way and a load of swearing at us including shouting about 'use your f-ing horn'. Now maybe I'm wrong but I assumed that the fishermen would get a bit peed off if I sounded the horn every few yards cos it'll scare the fish. And given how they all pulled their rods out of the way at the very last minute I'm not sure how I was supposed to know I hadn't been seen.

 

His mood probably wasn't improved by my daughter asking him if he was likely to catch any fish whilst playing on his smartphone at the same time...nor by the fact they were all fishing on the run up to the winding hole which we were turning at and them coming straight back through them all again.

 

Anyway....horn or no horn, or just put it down to the fisherman needing something to blame for his lack of observation ?

No horn. If the fisherman wasn’t paying attention then it’s not your problem. He is the one obstructing the canal. If you pass a fishing match and sound your horn at every peg, they will (rightly) be pretty pissed off.

 

I think the correct answer to “use your f-ing horn” is “use your f-ing eyes”.

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1 hour ago, gatekrash said:

So having only had the boat for a couple of months, we collected our first fishing rod on the cratch last week. A Sunday afternoon fishing match on the Droitwich barge canal, about 50 rods in over half a mile or so and we crawled down the entire length at just over tickover. Everyone was generally either cheerful or just ignored our 'thank you' which I don't have a problem with. Every rod came up or back at the very last minute, except one which clattered in to the cratch, followed by a quick dragging out the way and a load of swearing at us including shouting about 'use your f-ing horn'. Now maybe I'm wrong but I assumed that the fishermen would get a bit peed off if I sounded the horn every few yards cos it'll scare the fish. And given how they all pulled their rods out of the way at the very last minute I'm not sure how I was supposed to know I hadn't been seen.

 

His mood probably wasn't improved by my daughter asking him if he was likely to catch any fish whilst playing on his smartphone at the same time...nor by the fact they were all fishing on the run up to the winding hole which we were turning at and them coming straight back through them all again.

 

Anyway....horn or no horn, or just put it down to the fisherman needing something to blame for his lack of observation ?

A few years ago I was approaching a lone fisherman with a long pole across the canal.  I slowed to tickover as I got nearer but the fisherman made no move to remove the rod so when I was about a boat length away I gave a long blast on the horn. The fisherman suddenly went into panic mode and pulled the pole back horizontally and it came apart and fell into the canal leaving him with the first section in his hands. I got the full four letter word rant. I asked him why didn't he just lift the pole up and he said he couldn't because he was fishing under the offside bushes. It didn't matter what I said, I was in the wrong according to him so just went on my way. I've have often wondered if these carbon fibre poles float.

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24 minutes ago, Flyboy said:

A few years ago I was approaching a lone fisherman with a long pole across the canal.  I slowed to tickover as I got nearer but the fisherman made no move to remove the rod so when I was about a boat length away I gave a long blast on the horn. The fisherman suddenly went into panic mode and pulled the pole back horizontally and it came apart and fell into the canal leaving him with the first section in his hands. I got the full four letter word rant. I asked him why didn't he just lift the pole up and he said he couldn't because he was fishing under the offside bushes. It didn't matter what I said, I was in the wrong according to him so just went on my way. I've have often wondered if these carbon fibre poles float.

Yes they do. Fishermen don't though if full of ground bait.

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4 hours ago, gatekrash said:

So having only had the boat for a couple of months, we collected our first fishing rod on the cratch last week. A Sunday afternoon fishing match on the Droitwich barge canal, about 50 rods in over half a mile or so and we crawled down the entire length at just over tickover. Everyone was generally either cheerful or just ignored our 'thank you' which I don't have a problem with. Every rod came up or back at the very last minute, except one which clattered in to the cratch, followed by a quick dragging out the way and a load of swearing at us including shouting about 'use your f-ing horn'. Now maybe I'm wrong but I assumed that the fishermen would get a bit peed off if I sounded the horn every few yards cos it'll scare the fish. And given how they all pulled their rods out of the way at the very last minute I'm not sure how I was supposed to know I hadn't been seen.

 

His mood probably wasn't improved by my daughter asking him if he was likely to catch any fish whilst playing on his smartphone at the same time...nor by the fact they were all fishing on the run up to the winding hole which we were turning at and them coming straight back through them all again.

 

 

The fishermen asked me if I hadn't seen his float.  I asked him if he hadn't seen my boat

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8 hours ago, gatekrash said:

So having only had the boat for a couple of months, we collected our first fishing rod on the cratch last week. A Sunday afternoon fishing match on the Droitwich barge canal, about 50 rods in over half a mile or so and we crawled down the entire length at just over tickover. Everyone was generally either cheerful or just ignored our 'thank you' which I don't have a problem with. Every rod came up or back at the very last minute, except one which clattered in to the cratch, followed by a quick dragging out the way and a load of swearing at us including shouting about 'use your f-ing horn'. Now maybe I'm wrong but I assumed that the fishermen would get a bit peed off if I sounded the horn every few yards cos it'll scare the fish. And given how they all pulled their rods out of the way at the very last minute I'm not sure how I was supposed to know I hadn't been seen.

 

His mood probably wasn't improved by my daughter asking him if he was likely to catch any fish whilst playing on his smartphone at the same time...nor by the fact they were all fishing on the run up to the winding hole which we were turning at and them coming straight back through them all again.

 

Anyway....horn or no horn, or just put it down to the fisherman needing something to blame for his lack of observation ?

 

No horn. The fisherman had probably overdosed on misery pills! ?

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On 05/10/2020 at 09:19, cuthound said:

They have to take "misery pills" to get them in the mood for fishing.

 

Best to pass at a slowish speed, bang in the centre of the cut , say "hello" to them and enjoy being ignored. 

My better half has made a sport of getting a response from anglers when passing them.

I reckon she got up to about 85% success rate now!

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21 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Ask "Are they biting today?"

 

You don't need to care about the answer, but you're more likely to get a polite response if they think you're showing an interest in their hobby.

Indeed. I think most folk, even those we somehow find ourselves on opposite sides of decisive issues with, respond well to a friendly approach. Funnily enough,  the reverse is also true. 

 

Quite a lot of what we receive from others is a reflection of the impression we make. Well, except for those bloomin' (insert the name of your hobby horse here) - every last man of 'em are utter bar stewards! ;)

 

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