Last year I was unable to take part in the World Carp Classic due to my doctor not allowing me to go, but this year I have her blessing providing I follow some simple rules. Everything is arranged and we have a place in probably the largest carp competition in the world. 26 countries are taking part at the massive Lac de Madine in France this year.

There has never been a team of less able/disabled anglers taking part in its 11-year history, until now that is. Our team consists of two anglers and our runner and all three of us are registered as disabled. Ok so why do I need to let off steam?

We’re looking for sponsorship for this event which lasts six days and five nights non-stop. There are many things we need and of course sponsorship is the answer. We’ve been promised some bait from Chris at Mr Baits Boilies and he has already sent samples for us to try out and practice with.

Now we’ve had five people offer to sponsor us in various ways ranging from money, a different type of bait, up to a boat we need costing just under £700. What I don’t understand is why they promise to help and then ignore us completely? Either you want to sponsor us or you don’t.

The boat, for example, will be used to teach less able/disabled kids about water safety so after the competition, it will not go to waste. This is a massive let down and it’s causing frustration due to us crossing things off our list as done, and then having to put them back on the list.

We’ll be making history by fishing this event and showing sceptics that it’s possible and of course we want to motivate other less able/disabled anglers into thinking, like us, that anything is possible. All too often we hear the words “I can’t do that because…” well take it from me, and if you want to do something, find a way of doing it. You will feel good about yourself when you achieve it and then your life will change for the better- mine has!

Rant over…

Tight lines

Nick

In the world of angling there are some great competitions, but alas for somebody in a wheelchair many of these have to be missed due to the venues they are held at.

However, I managed to fish four venues in the Fish-O-Mania competition which was a great experience and I got to meet some of the country’s top match anglers, a few of whom have become friends and one of them has become a patron of my organisation, Reels on Wheels.

I also fished the Midland Carp Masters this year, which was extremely hard for me as I had to use crutches because I was determined to take part. It took almost a week for me to get over the event as I pushed myself too hard.

Now to my main point: sponsorship. Trying to get any form of sponsorship is hard in any sport, but I have found that sponsorship in the world of angling is almost impossible to get.

In 2011 I am going to take part in the World Carp Classic which is a six day event held at Lac de Madine in France and involves competitors from 26 different countries. Events like this cost money, so one or two sponsors are very important. In this competition you fish in pairs and have a runner to attend to your everyday needs and to assist with the boat if you need to go play the fish or free it from a bed of weed, for instance.

There have been less able/disabled people take part in the past, but all three of us are disabled, albeit in different ways, so it is going to be an even greater challenge for us, and as I understand it, we will be the first all-disabled team.

Chris from Mr.Baits Boilies has agreed to be our bait sponsor, but we still need some financial help to the tune of £3000. It sounds a lot, but we are away for nine or ten days and six of those days we will be fishing non-stop.

I have already been told by a couple of very large organisations that they can’t help us as they have already allocated all their funding for 2011.

Times are hard we know, but there have to be people out there who would like to be involved in supporting disabled anglers and supporting them in major international events such as this one. The publicity surrounding an event like this is one massive media circus and at the end of the day somebody has to win. Who knows? It could be us.

I have been fishing now for 54 years and love the sport and no matter what happens to me I will always find a way to fish.

I’m a wheelchair user so it can be frustrating at times but I never give up trying to do something. I will always find a way and with the support of my wife and daughter, the word “Can’t” is like a red rag to a bull.

I love the fishing magazines and papers but have you noticed that they never have articles or reports from people who are less able/disabled? Like many of the big names in angling today there are some great anglers out there who have a disability and there are thousands of less able/disabled anglers to be found on the banks of our rivers and lakes around the country.

You never see them in fishing programs on the television either, can somebody explain to me why?!

Tackle companies have created some wonderful products over the years to help anglers in the sport. When I went to buy a Bivvy I asked if it would be easy for me to put up…the guy in the shop just shrugged his shoulders and said that it was used by Joe Bloggs who is a top carp angler. Great, I thought, that’s a lot of help, he is 20 years younger than me and is fit and healthy.

So to all you tackle dealers out there how about asking less able/disabled anglers to test out some of your stuff now and then and make recommendations?

I ended up with a Prologic Spider Dome which is ok to put up, so long as I got out of my chair and on the ground, I can now put this up in about five minutes on my own.

What sort of bedchair can you suggest I buy that is safe for me? I can transfer from my chair, which seat box will be good for me? What sort of barrow can we use because I have to walk with one crutch? I’m in a wheelchair and my wife moves all my gear, she isn’t very strong so what’s the best barrow for her to use?

The list of questions could go on but it comes down to so many questions and very very few answers.

We may be a minority amongst anglers but we are still anglers so please give us a thought sometimes, guys.

Something for you to think about… I went to a match and the organiser told the others that there was a “disabled angler” fishing… Wrong… I am a disabled person and a bloody good angler.

Tight lines.

Once again I have bounced back after another spell of ill health.

I took part in the Midland Carp Masters back in August with my team mate Martin Cronin (Peterstone Coarse Fishery and Birch Syndicate also a Patron to Reels on Wheels).

I picked a swim that was very hard to get to, but because I am stubborn and push myself, we made it to the swim for the 36 hour event.

We were up against some of the best carp anglers in the country so I guess coming 12th out of 28 was a good result although we were in third place a couple of times, but then the fish vanished from our area and we just went down the table.

The weather got to me, as it poured with rain on the Saturday afternoon and almost all night, so that did for me and it’s taken over a month to get over it.

Anyway, I’m back fighting fit now and have been involved in forming a new association. A guy called Richard Stringer from the Kent Disabled Angling Assciation approached me and asked if I would be interested in helping him form The Disabled Angling Association (DAA).

The idea being to try and bring clubs, organizations and fisheries together as a group so that instead of having small pockets all trying to do the same thing they could call on other clubs etc to ask for support in something they were trying to achieve. It would give them a louder voice which means they would be heard instead of being pushed to one side.

The DAA will be run by a committee formed from members of clubs, organizations, groups and fisheries which I think is the best way forward.

There are many groups and clubs out there all trying to make a difference and I think that if they all pulled together things might get done easier and quicker…we can only try.

We’re hoping to launch the website in the next couple of weeks and already have support from four clubs, five fisheries and even one Member of Parliament, so things are looking good.

That’s it for now so Tight Lines to all you anglers and onwards and upwards to all you athletes.

Reels on Wheels held its third annual festival at the Peterstone Coarse Lakes in South Wales which is part of the Walnut Tree Farm Park. The fishery is run by Martin Cronin, a staunch supporter and patron to Reels on Wheels.

Friday was a busy day at the fishery with members of Reels on Wheels arriving from all over the country and setting up bivwacks and numbering the swims ready for the two fun matches to be held over the next two days.

Over the next few months the fishery will undergo some major changes to become one of the top venues, if not the top venue, in Wales. It will cater for all anglers and wheelchair anglers will be able to use the day ticket waters with ease and in safety.

The event saw 22 anglers take part. It is a very light hearted affair and open to able bodied anglers and less able alike… it’s all about bringing anglers together. Tackle was moved around for those who needed help and everybody mucked in.

On the Saturday before the draw Dave Gawthorn (Patron to Reels on Wheels) took time out of his busy schedule to pay us a visit and held a question and answer session, much to the appreciation to all. Dave then posed for a few photos with members of Reels on Wheels.

Dave Gawthorn (in the blue shirt) with members of Reels on Wheels

Saturday evening, everybody sat down to a BBQ, a few drinks and a cake which had been made by one of the members’ wives. The cake was fantastic and had Reels on Wheels Festival 2010 written on the top and I have already begged her to make one for next year’s festival.

On the Sunday, Matt, got up earlier than usual to get to the lodge to prepare early breakfast for some of our anglers as the Sunday match draw started at 8am. The breakfast served at the lodge is the best in Wales, so a massive thank you goes out to Matt who also runs the Welsh Carp forum.

I met a guy called Terry Theobald who has been an angler all his life and has just written a book entitled: ‘Well and Truly Hooked’. Terry donated one of his books which was auctioned off at the festival to raise funds for the organization. I offer a big thank you to Terry as he also agreed to join the list of Patrons for Reels on Wheels.

The Festival was a great success. It has brought anglers together from many walks of life, able bodied and less able/disabled and has united them with one thing in common…and that is angling.

When I see people like Dave Gawthorn, just to mention one, standing next to an angler giving them help and advice and when I see people with disabilities you can’t see, helping others, it makes everything I do so very worthwhile.

The list of Patrons is growing and I am always on the lookout for new people to add to the list. I know how busy people are but all I ask from a patron is that when possible they mention Reels on Wheels and shout about what we do and why, and where possible give up one day a year to attend an event that’s convenient for them to attend.

Martin Cronin (left) is the Fishery manager and patron to Reels on Wheels

Because the list of supporters is growing I won’t mention them here but if you would like to see who gives tackle, bait etc for prizes you can find them on our website under supporters.

Like many anglers, I enjoy taking part in matches, but because of access issues at many fisheries, it is almost impossible for those in wheelchairs who can’t transfer. I am lucky in as much as I can still get out of my chair and manage very short distances on crutches or with the aid of my fishing buddy.

This article may be frowned upon by people who follow the Political Correctness rules, and the rules laid down by the Government, to the letter. I hate PC and I have found that it has caused me personally, more problems than before it all started. In the current climate, many people are frightened to speak to you as they fear they may say something to offend you, which is, I am sure, not at all what PC was designed to do.

I went to a match a few weeks ago and took my place in the queue to draw my peg and was then told by the organiser that because I was in a chair I would draw first. “Why?” I asked… “Because the rules are changing,” I was told. I know for a fact that some match anglers are already feeling that this is wrong and I agree with them.

I have since thought about this and have concluded that by doing this, I was getting special treatment and to me, it felt like the able bodied anglers were being discriminated against. Ridiculous, isn’t it? I may be a wheelchair user and classed as disabled, but when I go fishing, I am an angler and as such, will go up against anybody in a match. So where will it all end?

My organisation, Reels on Wheels, is about “Bringing Anglers Together” and if too many new rules are put into place, that will never happen and we will be divided once again and go back to where we started.

I know there is a need for PC but where will it all end?

Disclaimer: The views stated here about political correctness are my views and may or may not be shared by others.

I have over the last few weeks been chatting to a Local fishing club, The Gipping Valley Angling Club, I first found them by searching for news articles to put on the Reels On Wheels news site, after first making contact with Steve and Mark who run the club I was invited to their Junior and Ladies presentation night.

This event was attended by over 80 people which was a pleasant surprise and the amount of up and coming anglers in all the junior age groups was tremendous some of these juniors are fishing at national level and winning. It was really nice to see a club that has a circle of membership, these youngsters had joined and been coached and were now helping and coaching the new younger members a sign of a really healthy club.

A week after their open night I went along with Mark (himself a level two coach) to visit some of the clubs waters. It was freezing cold with a good wind blowing so neither of us fancied actually fishing but both the fisheries that I visited are designed to allow disabled anglers to fish either some or all of the lakes depending on the lie of the land.

The two lakes at Barking are both day ticket waters one being a mixed lake with Roach, Rudd, Crucians and bream among the species in the first lake with the other lake mainly holding carp from a few ounces to four or five pound.

Both these lakes have been designed with less able anglers in mind the banks are flat grass re-enforced with a heavy mesh giving a good solid surface to walk or roll on and every swim has a six inch kick board at the front, the swims aren’t perfect by some standards but they are more than usable by everyone.

On site there is also a fully accessible toilet with double doors to allow chair access.

On their other lakes (non day ticket) they have also made as many adaptations as the lay of the land allows including slopes down to all swims, platforms where possible and a concrete path all round the lakes.

The club has a thriving match scene for everyone including junior leagues, ladies matches and open events. All in all a great club who are doing their best to make our wonderful sport as all inclusive as it should be. On a personal note I’d like to thank both Steve and Mark for the welcome I got at their presentation night and Mark for taking the time out to show me round the fisheries.