ANIMOSITY TOWARDS ANGLERS

I have fished the Sussex coast for 40 years, including beach and inshore boat and kayak angling. Until last year, I’d had no bother because I don’t fish busy summer beach spots in daylight or fish inconsiderately.

Now I’ve become concerned by some reactions to fishing. At dusk at West Wittering beach, with the tide up, with no other boats, boards or swimmers about, a man in a stubby kayak sat over my bait. I could see he would touch my line, so I called: “My line’s out there mate”. I wasn’t aggressive or rude. His response: “So am I”. Then he paddled into the line, not 20 yards out, grabbed the line and yanked it. I grabbed my rod to save it hitting the deck.

I wound in and asked: “What are you doing, I’m trying to fish here”. His response: “Yeah, to kill a few fish”.

With the light almost gone, the paddler came ashore further up the beach. I intercepted him walking back. “What was all that about? I was fishing. You could have broken my rod,” I said. He replied: “You should be banned.”

Recently, I planned a short midweek session at Bracklesham. I walked on to beach and spoke to some paddle boarders, who told me: “You can’t fish here, mate, paddle board lessons today”. I suggested I could move further along the beach. “We’ll be going up and down all along here,” he said.

They had no intention of giving me a bit of leeway to fish, so, to avoid a confrontation, I put my gear in the car and drove to Selsey. Having arrived at Selsey, I walked to the beach and put down my tackle box, A woman walked up, handed me a piece of line with a swivel attached, and said: “My dog had that in his mouth, you should take your rubbish home with you”.

What is going on? I don’t feel free to go beach fishing now, let alone collect bait. Animosity towards anglers seems to be on the rise. I can’t be the only one noticing this. I’m not rude, love dogs, never leave litter, and I am always considerate. John Burton, by email