Yuku free message boards

Some interesting ideas here guys:

Dave – Whether the League says something is irrelevant – these guys operate on a very targeted basis – What is the weakest target for them to go at (it used to be hunting)? If they decide say live baiting or barbed hooks are easily banned then they will go for it. I do not believe they have no agenda with fishing – it may not be public at the moment but you can be sure they view it as one of their ‘Cruel Sports’.
In addition large amounts of anglers do kill their quarry – Salmon and Trout particularly but also Pike, Zander, Perch and Eels find their way to the pot so a distinction with shooting rarely works on this level.

Stuart – You say….

“how would you like to be eating a McDonalds and then a hook suddenly cuts into your mouth before you are dragged underwater where you cant breathe?”

This is a very commonly quoted idea but falls into the very easy trap of anthropomorphising fish. Fish are not humans – they have basic brains/ nervous systems that operate on two levels: Firstly they have to eat and secondly survive. This becomes an inbuilt fear of predators be they man, pike, mink, otter, cormorant etc. You cannot talk about ‘feeling pain’ on a human/ mammal level with fish, their nervous systems are too basic – they are cold blooded for goodness sake. The study which came too the conclusion that fish ‘feel pain’ was done by injecting bee sting venom into their lips – how comparing a hook to a toxin makes any sense is beyond me?!
Yes Anglers are the guardians of the waterways and contribute hugely to the economy etc etc but I really feel the general public are very easily duped by these organisations and their propaganda.

Vigilance is the key – Personally I believe we need a central united angling body that resists each and every encroachment on our sport – Angling as it stands is fragmented into little bodies here and their. Each not prepared to stand their ground on something that affects another aspect of the sport that does not affect them.
We need a united front on everything.