Experience

[Davyred]

On the back of this thread....

http://www.nesa.co.uk/forums/shore-fishing/24636-illegal-fishing-marks-right-wrong.html

I just thought I'd give an example of how important experience is when reading the sea.

I went for a walk down Roker yesterday morning to see a lovely sea running, and was surprised to see Roker pier had been opened. I walked along to the end and thought that the sea was still a bit big to open, as some more experienced anglers could be caught out.

Anyway, when I was on there last night, 3 or 4 big green walls of water crashed over the neck end, up to 3ft deep. Now it wasn't really nothing to get scared about for me personally, as they were very rare in coming over. However, there was a couple of inexperienced lads there who were a bit shocked by it all.

My point about experience is that I would have known NOT to open the pier to the public, yet the job is given to someone who probably hasn't a clue regarding sea conditions.

When these waves come over 3ft deep, they can break bones (I've seen a lad have his leg broken when he was smashed into the bayside barriers). Where would the resposibility lie if this had happened last night? The anglers, or the councils?

Your thoughts....

[willywetegg]

I fished it like that quite a few times years ago Davy,long before they started closing the pier as much as they do now and never gave it a thought. I only once went on and got so far along and changed my mind. If the pier was open it would have to be the fault of the councils as they have taken it upon thenselves to tell anglers when and when not it is safe to fish.

I remember years ago fishing with a very experienced angler on Amble pier. It was his first time on the pier and there were quite a number of big swells that just dispersed around the end of the pier wall. I had fished the pier a hell of a lot and assured him that they would not come over. It didn't help him and after a while I could see him getting more concerned and asked him if he wanted to move. He had his gear in in seconds and we went to meet the rest of the lads that were fishing the small prom by the playpark. We just got there in time for him to get absolutely soaked by a wave that splashed over the top I was nearly in tears and asked him if he fancied going back on the pier as it was a lot drier.

As you have said quite a few times, experience is worth a hell of a lot when fishing (or doing any other dangerous sport come to that) and to give the job of opening the pier to someone with none or very little is not a good idea in my opinion. Most people would go down to the front, see the gate open and think that "It MUST be safe if the pier gate is open".

Jim.

[bazw]

if it gets to the point of arguing who would be responsible ( have to pay ) then i can see only one end to the question of pier access


gates locked all the time and no one allowed on


when it comes to the
"if theres a lame theres a claim " time
then no council will take the risk of letting folks on a pier to risk getting took to court
i cant see them putting some one on the gate with a waver form for people to sign saying the enter at there own risk and some shark in a suit will always get past a notice sign saying that with some loop hole so there only course would be to close it to the public

[willywetegg]

I couldn't really argue with any of that Baz, the day will probably come when that will happen. No one would be able to complain either as there are far too many people willing to take that chance of catching "the big one". I can't really see a way around it either.

Jim.

[5150]

If I remember rightly from talking to one of the harbour guys at Blyth, non-leisure piers (or at least harbour authority owned ones) are not dedicated to the public so it's basically enter at your own risk. Not sure how they'd stand for not having warning signs up though if there's no restriction to access.

[anndy]

fished roker pier today was talking to an old fellow who said he was stuck on the pier all night ,,till 5 this morning could not get off due to the waves breaking over it.

[Davyred]

fished roker pier today was talking to an old fellow who said he was stuck on the pier all night ,,till 5 this morning could not get off due to the waves breaking over it.

He's a liar. That old fella was fishing next to me. I packed up at 2am and he said he was stopping cos he had a load of bait left and didn't want to waste it - he was stopping till it ran out.

He was one of the blokes panicking.

I walked off at high water, and it was calming down all the time.

[anndy]

old fart ,,,,,,, i asked him wot he was doing back down he said need to use his bait up as he was going away till after christmas

[The Great Wallsendo]

Appears there perhaps a lack of consistancy with Roker Pier being open/not open...fished another forums meet last week and the plan was to fish Roker Pier - Closed! yet last weeks conditions were pretty tame...however now, with the sea up a bit the pier is open

[Charlton]

My point about experience is that I would have known NOT to open the pier to the public, yet the job is given to someone who probably hasn't a clue regarding sea conditions.

and you still went on

[Davyred]

My point about experience is that I would have known NOT to open the pier to the public, yet the job is given to someone who probably hasn't a clue regarding sea conditions.

and you still went on

Yes Alan, because like I said, more inexperienced anglers could have been caught out.

The posts on this thread go a long way to prove that experience of the conditions count - an old bloke says he was trapped on the pier till 5am (half ebb), yet I strolled off at 2am (high water).

[Charlton]

Yes Alan, because like I said, more inexperienced anglers could have been caught out.

The posts on this thread go a long way to prove that experience of the conditions count - an old bloke says he was trapped on the pier till 5am (half ebb), yet I strolled off at 2am (high water).

and in my experience inexperienced anglers follow experienced anglers who should know better.

[mark]

Curious use of words with 'responsibility' - in other words who do you blame??

maybe the culture of 'where there's blame there's a claim' creeping into us all sub-consciously??

none of us are too keen on the nannying 'health and safety' attitudes in many parts of life these days, but if you go down the pier and get washed off do you blame the council for not locking the gate?? or do you blame the angler for freely going into a dangerous environment

but you can see some eejit who goes down when its patently obvious that its dangerous to do so, gets injured, and cries 'its the coonsil's folt' and tries to sue them for damages

sure as eggs is egg shaped that'll be every pier in the country getting the 'no fishing treatment'

In my book if you put yourself out there and the sea has you, it's your own fault, end of story

[Davyred]

and in my experience inexperienced anglers follow experienced anglers who should know better.

Well I'm sorry for using my own experience of fishing the pier for 25 years to come up with MY decision to fish the pier LEGALLY in conditions that I deemed safe to me.

[Charlton]

Well I'm sorry for using my own experience of fishing the pier for 25 years to come up with MY decision to fish the pier LEGALLY in conditions that I deemed safe to me.

and when you make your first mistake, many experienced anglers have come a cropper, and a gentleman like my son comes for you and has a nasty or worse, will you come and tell me that i have lost a son, his wife has lost a husband and the little one has lost a dad.