IT’S RIGHT WE SHOULD AIR OUR OPINIONS
DOWN the decades many a productive debate has been had when a group of people sit around a table with a few beers, chatting until the early hours of the morning.
Last weekend, myself and several other members of the Angling Times team had the pleasure of spending an evening in the company of our long-running columnist and legend of the sport, Des Taylor.
As you can imagine, the main topic of conversation was fishing, and anyone who knows Des will also know that he’s no shrinking violet when it comes to airing opinions. So, as the clock struck midnight and another round of drinks was passed around the table, we embarked on a lively discussion covering a whole host of topics including predation, angling politics and the perception of anglers among the general public. All weighty topics, and none of them cut and dried. I’m sure you can imagine how heated the debate got at times!
I didn’t agree with everything Des said, and he didn’t agree with some of the points I made. But that’s the whole point of a healthy debate – wouldn’t it be boring if we all just thought the same? How would anything ever be challenged or questioned?
Des has been a key figure in our industry since before I was born, so obviously it’d be foolish of me not to listen and ask more about his insights. If someone makes an educated and informed argument, then I’d never be so narrow-minded as to not reconsider my own original standpoint.
But ultimately, while some of our views on how to achieve certain desired outcomes may differ, essentially we all want the same goal – a secure future for angling so that the sport can be enjoyed by future generations.
Likewise, we always like to hear the views you guys hold dear, so if you’ve got a point or want to discuss anything with us, please get in touch and share your thoughts.
We’re all in this together!
James Furness Editor