More silvers please

I have a moan about my local dayticket fishery ( and probably many others).

I have only recently got back into fishing after a number of years running a business, thanks largely to semi- retirement. I prefer the ' old fashioned' ( so I'm told) method of rod/ reel and float fishing for roach, bream, tench, etc.

I have a day- ticket water local to me and have been visiting its various lakes throughout the past 12 months seeking out silver fish. The fishing has not been prolific on any of the lakes but I had put that down to me being a bit rusty.

However, last week, chatting to the bailiff, I asked him about the best water on the complex for my type of fishing and he stated that "due to the huge number of catfish that were now in every lake the silver fish have declined".

He even stated that a one lake known for tench now has none at all! I was told the lake I was fishing on the day has more than 100 catfish up to 74lb. I packed up and went home. My complaint is that I planned to introduce my young grandsons to fishing this year during the school holidays at this local venue, but the lack of silver fish means that boredom would set in and they would want to revert back to their tablets and iPads for entertainment pretty quickly.

What is it about catfish? I have only spoken to a handful of anglers that like them! Even the carp boys find them annoying.

Like me, a young child will not want to sit by a lake for hours on end waiting for the one big fish to come along, only a regular catching of fish would hold their interest.

If you want youngsters to take up the sport then it is important they catch fish, so come on commercials, wise up and give us silver fish opportunities.