Tricky one......
With water owned by the local Council I think it is fair enough that those residing outside of the Council area pay a bit more for a ticket. I think, but could be wrong that some of my council tax will go into local amenities, provision of leisure facilites etc. Those paying tax to another council will not be contributing towards leisure facilities in another area therefore it is reasonable that those residing outside of the shire pay a bit more IMO. Additionally, most proprietors are lucky if they break even on their fishings and this shortfall needs to be made up somewhere.
Not sure which bit of the Don you are referring to Paul but I think it would probably be either Grandhome or the ADAA water, day tickets for trout fishing are available to all regardless of address under the terms of the protection order on both. Salmon fishing does not have to be let by the proprietor and can be let to whoever they see fit under whatever terms best suit them, it is a saleable commodity and like anything that is in demand, it can command a high price where the demand is greatest. This may eventually end up biting those charging OTT prices as big money days can often end up being bought up for corporate entertainment where the clients may not be anglers or serious anglers and may not even turn up. Less fish get caught, the value of the beat drops the proprietors assets are, in the long term, devalued.
I used to get really pissed about not being able to get on to certain bits of certain rivers to fish for salmon as I simply could not afford it. Now I just accept it and get a great deal of satisfaction after getting a fish from a £25 day on the Don when many big money beats on the big rivers have not produced depsite having many anglers on the water. And, I will have started, finished, and eaten lunch to my own timetable and probably won't have seen another angler all day!!
As for a state license, I could not see it working in the UK. Too many people on this Island for the number of fish and whether we like it or not, fishing rights are owned by individuals in the UK and I don't see how this could be changed. .
The syndicate issue does get to me, particularly on the Don. These little Syndicates and angling clubs that refuse to let the great unwashed on for a days trout fishing should maybe have a think about how cosy their little club or syndicate may be if the PO was removed and we went back to the old days of bus loads of folk coming from all over the country to empty the river by whatever method they liked. It should be pointed out that there are very few beats preventing access to trout fishing or not selling trout only tickets, access to trout fishing on the Don is generally very good. The Ardhuncart syndicate is one problem stretch, Inverurie Angling club is another problem and no trout only ticket is available for the Edinglassie & Candacraig water, this one is currently work in progress.
Personally I would like to remove protection from these waters and advertise everywhere that it is not a criminal offence to fish there without permission, why should they get protection if they are not giving anything back? I should stress that this is a personally held view and not representitive of the RDBTIA.
Cheers
Ben
