The Complete Fisher Forum

[Allrounder]

Some really thoughtful posts above and there is nothing I would take issue with. It is good to see that people are supportive of the positive steps so far but I totally agree that much more needs to be done if the fishery is to have a secure future.

[JCP]

Might be able to do something on the film front.I do have a YouTube Channel under the mantle of ''Shotaway Films'' Majority of films are about game shooting days but there are some from Trout fishing on Chew and Farmoor and some River Pike Fishing with bait and some vintage from Mexico.Main issue is getting afloat when needs be just to film.It is a hobby so not looking for renumeration.I just cannot do it properly when I am fishing myself.If folks think it might help then maybe could try in fair conditions.I can post the link to Youtube on here so anyone can view footage and access as they wish.I just do not wish to personally get involved in social media but if folks want to post links feel free.I do agree the phones today shoot great footage but you need to be able to edit it.Anyway food for thought.

Best JP

[mc07fly]

Good input above on (1) targeting young potential fly fishers and (2) assembling better quality promotional material.

However....the classic problem with targeting young teenagers is that they often develop other interests by their later teens! And fishing is not high on the list.

The classic fly fisher recruit used to be a previously enthusiastic coarse fisherman who was now married and was looking for a new challenge/hobby that he could integrate with his new life. Fly fishing worked well and being able to bring a fish or two home for the missus usually gained bonus brownie points for our Renaissance Man (RM).

Today our RM has more recreational choices. For example, Cycling is now very high on the list of attractions I understand.

So the challenge is how to get our RMs attention and promote our sport?

As a former (but sadly past sell-by date) marketing man I would have jumped at the chance to work with BWF on this.
I don't know if the BWF/Consultative Group has any specialist advisors to help with this but I would certainly throw it out for interest and see who/what comes back. It need not cost a fortune and may be very productive.

Best,
McFly

[swampydick]

Good points made here,
Kids should be encouraged but at the end of the day they got no money or transport and a heath and safety nightmare. more videos is great and to get it on through instagram, snapchat is the channel to target kids as they wont be anywhere near facebook.
100% agree with Mcfly concerning Renaissance Man That's the target species.
When I was at salt and malt the other day I thought there really should be some adverstising here promoting fishery but nothing.
I wonder if planting some fish in to tank 1 including some tigers, blues and maybe some lumps which have been tagged with the chance to win cash or xmas hamper might be a good, Only for December maybe. I would be up for that.

cheers mike

[arkle]

Swampydick, speaking of the "Salt & Malt", I was chatting with the manager of London Camera Exchange (Broadmead) a week or so ago. He said that they won't be running their "mini-franchise" from next year onwards, as they sell very few items there. As it seems their "tame" market, has just about reached saturation point.
_________________
Hi there, I have around 40 yrs exp. of tying flies, incl. some semi-pro work. I've taught at adult evening classes, written for and supplied photos for most U.K. fly magazines. Given talks/slide shows/lectures/demonstrations etc. Am founder and life pres. of local Fly Dressers Guild (27years), our members have won more prizes for tying than any other similar club, we've also won several national flyfishing comps. I look forward to both learning from and contributing to this highly respected forum.

[Thomas Tom-Thomas]

Good debate this

Before I go off on another stream of "What you wanna do is..." I should say that I met two chaps at Jacklands last Sunday who had been through the tuition, then the mentoring day with BRFFC and were driving up from Shepton to Jacklands to get their hand in before the new season starts on BW. Clearly the BWF activity has made an impression on them.

Yes kids have neither money nor transport, but when I see the under 11s football teams from across North Somerset that play against the village I live in, it shows just how far parents will travel to allow little Keanu to indulge his passion. Whether it's kids or not I still feel that there needs to be some sort of good value pathway to provide the skills to fish a big rezzie effectively (pipelining new customers). Dare I speculate whether this was on the mind of a certain former Fisheries Manager when he wanted to dig a small put & take lake at Woodford Lodge (same chap also features in some very watchable video on YouTube...hmm)

Mike - I think you're on the money about the lack of promo stuff around the lakes. The CVL circuit is a favourite time trial for the lycra clad middle aged Bristolian cyclist. He sounds like he could be Renaissance Man in waiting , if only there was a sign telling him what he was missing as he whizzed past Villice Bay at 30mph. Woodford and Salt & Malt are also favourite coffee stops for our as yet unawakened two wheeled Renaissance Men/Women so is an obvious place to target them.

Alan - Your video clips are just the sort of thing I was thinking could be shared on by BW on Social Media. My idea on the comp was to encourage more people to do what you do. I'll try to take some footage next season and share it with BW too.

Finally, I think Renaissance man could come in many (sometimes unexpected) forms so we should cast our nets wide. He could even be some sort of pinko-hippy, knit your own lentils, yoga practicing Vegetarian type. Sounds unlikely? Well - full disclosure - that's me, and I've put a fair bit of cash into BW's coffers this season

Now I'm just sitting here, pale and wan, waiting for next March to come round so I can eat something's flesh again...<sigh>...Oh well, at least I have my Friday Ashtanga session to realign my chakras and console myself.

Keep it real man, peace out.

Tom

[arkle]

fFootball, a bit like rugby, table tennis & the rest of the "ball games" is sort of impregnated in the national pshycy from a very young age most often pre-school. Yes it requires a venue, though it seems that up to the present time, there's not a shortage of those. It seems to be stuck in the minds of the vast majority of kids & because it's more or less thrown at them from every angle, almost everything else takes 2nd place. This is especially so in area's where there are no fisheries within easy distance from home. Teachers, are mostly in a similar mind-set, that it's not only a way to release excess energy, it "sort-of" promotes a competative spirit - if that's the right choice of words. This is also an area, where often or not by nowhere always, less academically "gifted" kids can start to achieve things.

Fishing, & that means any method often requires more time input for potenially less outcome, especially if not trained (brain-washed ?) into the intricases of it by a parent or qualified gaurdian. Attention spans are shorter etc etc & there's so many other things that offer, often a more gratifying outcome in a shorter space of time.

Not every large fishery, has the space/facilities/money/incentive/staff etc available to undertake the sort of facilites that were mentioned above unfortuatly. It seems the troutfishing industry is very reluctant to even consider such schemes.

A lot of trout fisher's tend to be "loner's", where as the ball game fraternity are, in 99% of cases "team" events. If the parent's have little interest, for whatever reason, then it will always remain the same.
_________________
Hi there, I have around 40 yrs exp. of tying flies, incl. some semi-pro work. I've taught at adult evening classes, written for and supplied photos for most U.K. fly magazines. Given talks/slide shows/lectures/demonstrations etc. Am founder and life pres. of local Fly Dressers Guild (27years), our members have won more prizes for tying than any other similar club, we've also won several national flyfishing comps. I look forward to both learning from and contributing to this highly respected forum.

[Allrounder]

[BristolFlyer]

[tenet]

End of season summary now on BWF website.

http://www.bristolwaterfisheries.co.uk/news/end-of-season-summary-2018/

[arkle]

Thanks, some interesting comparators/ratio's there
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Hi there, I have around 40 yrs exp. of tying flies, incl. some semi-pro work. I've taught at adult evening classes, written for and supplied photos for most U.K. fly magazines. Given talks/slide shows/lectures/demonstrations etc. Am founder and life pres. of local Fly Dressers Guild (27years), our members have won more prizes for tying than any other similar club, we've also won several national flyfishing comps. I look forward to both learning from and contributing to this highly respected forum.

[codfather]

Looking through the archives I noticed that since the new format, the number of posts and replies have gone down significantly. Maybe not as easy to find.

[Allrounder]

I agree the number of posts and replies on here have been down this year but I feel some of this is possibly due to some regular posters drifting away after the Forum went offline for a while back in the summer and more people preferring the instant nature of the Completefisher Facebook sister site. If you count the number of posts and replies across both platforms then the Completefisher online brand appears to be in very good health.

I'm also not sure that the new Forum architecture is to blame for any downturn of traffic on this thread as the new dedicated 'Bristol Water Fisheries' section should make it easier for the casual browser to find than when the thread was one of many buried threads within the 'catch reports' section.

Personally I love the instant nature of the CF Facebook group and the fact that you can post video clips which is a natural development on from pics, but for considered reports and comment you cannot beat a forum like this.

Happy New Year, folks !

Alan

PS I'll get the 2019 thread up tomorrow evening.
_________________
Member of ...
The Angling Trust
BRFFA
B.A.S.S.
Pike Fly Fishing Association

If you see me on the bank, say hello!

[Appleman]

If the cabin fever is setting in, Farmoor is on fire!

30 of us out yesterday for 488 fish....Average over 16!! Unreal....

Fish on the deck, takes are savage and they are fit as fleas!