A Brief History
By Allison Beaumont
I’d like to share this recently received forum message with you:
Of course I had to giggle … not just because I am a girl, but also because the poor chap seemed incredulous that a female of the species would not only be a vocal member of a dedicated angling forum, but what’s more, this particular female had been actively into coarse fishing for the last 20 something years (I’d tell you exactly how many, but I am a girl after all
But am I really a lone female in a pursuit totally dominated by men?
Although I like the odds, in the words of Kylie Minogue: I should be so lucky…
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Wonder if they made that in Realtree?
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DIRTY HABITS
Even before Izaak Walton penned The Compleat Angler, Dame Juliana Berners, a Benedictine Prioress, is credited with writing: A treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle, and it was further included in her Boke of St Albains: a short tome on huntin’, shootin’ and fishin’, 15th Century style.
When Georgina Ballantine caught the still standing British Rod-Caught Record Salmon of 64lb in 1922, there were barely a handful of women known in angling, and really then only on a local basis. Of course the late Queen Mother was another famous game angler as is newsreader Fiona Armstrong, TV presenter Jenny Hanley and not forgetting Anne Voss-Bark M.B.E, author of West Country Fly Fishing and former Chairman of the NRA.
But ALL of the women I have mentioned are game anglers – there isn’t one known lady specimen or carp angler or sea angler there.
Naturally the late Queen Mother did have access to a few good beats, but is it true to say then that game fishing is solely the preserve of the rich and famous in the UK?
I asked Lesley Crawford, well-known author and wild trout fishing guide (http://www.wildtroutfisher.co.uk) what she thought:
“Ladies like Fiona Armstrong or Jenny Hanley are known first in their own media orientated professions, that they like to fish is secondary to their respective careers. As it’s slightly unusual for a woman to enjoy fishing, publicists will make this known as a `talking point' in print and visual media. There are numerous highly skilled game fishing women out there, it’s just common practice for the popular media to latch on to a well known face first when discussing women in angling rather than go for an `unknown' lady angler.
When generally discussing ladies in game fishing there is a division between salmon and trout fishing. It is true that in the late 1800`s through to the 1940`s salmon angling in Scotland was the preserve of the landed gentry, predominantly men but some ladies did fish as well. However Scottish salmon fishing has been slowly evolving and though money can still talk it is much more democratic than it used to be. If ladies wish to fish they are usually made welcome, especially by river gillies as women tend to listen more to what is said and are more willing to follow advice.
Trout fishing has always been a far less moneyed sport in Scotland. Unlike salmon where money can buy you the best time on the best beat on the river, trout cannot be bought. Kings (and Queens!) and commoners fish for wild brown trout and the wonderful challenge they provide. There has always been women fishing for trout in this country, they may be the minority but they just get on with it unsung and unseen.
For me the appeal of trout fishing is just the same as it is for a man, escape, relaxation, a challenge, the solitude, the fun of it all. If I’m a woman in mans world it doesn’t bother me, I’m just a person who knows a fair bit about Scotland’s wild trout. Clients come fishing with me to share in this knowledge and enjoy the whole experience of fishing in a beautiful rugged land.”I’ll certainly drink to that.
LOVE BITES
For myself, I was bitten by the fishing bug on my very first fishing trip even though I blanked … I was amazed to have found this place where time stood still. The hurly burly of working in London was light years away and it was literally a breath of fresh air to be sitting quietly, gathering my thoughts, admiring nature, for what seemed the first time in my life. It took a while for me to switch to ‘Hunter’ mode, and maybe that’s down to genetic conditioning … but for me, catching fish has always come second to actually fishing for them.
I’ve never had a notion of being an outsider in a man’s world either. In fact all the guys I have ever met through fishing have seen me as an angler, not as a woman specifically, because fishing is a great leveler. Whether royalty or lorry driver, male or female … we are no different, our pursuit of the sport is the same. We may come for the scenery, the tranquility, the hunt, the quarry … but we all have the same ideal: to be able to enjoy ourselves doing what we love…
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Virginia Rushmer with a beautiful carp
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For example, coarse angler and writer Virginia Rushmer fell into angling quite by accident, having been husband Bill’s non-fishing companion and ‘catch’ photographer for many years.
Rather than stay inside with a good book one boiling summer’s day in York, she decided she would rather be outside, having a “bash at fishing”. So heading off for Peg 13 with rod and reel in hand, and “wondering whether the maggots went on pointy end or the blunt end”, she little knew that she would be totally smitten with the sport within a few, short hours.
Much to Bill’s amazement – although not to Virginia’s of course – it wasn’t long before the ratchet on her reel was buzzing and she was into a very nice fish. It seems at this point Bill wanted to assist by taking over the rod, but Virginia wasn’t having any of it, and after a long fight on very light tackle, she landed her first carp of 7 1/2lbs!
Since that day Virginia hasn’t looked back and is indeed often asked by men how to catch fish or bait up a hook properly, and is keen to point out that she never uses optonic type alarms or fixed spool reels, preferring instead her trusty float and centerpin, and she sees her success over her male counterparts in quite simple terms:
“The thing that makes me different, is that I arrive determined to catch fish, not to socialise. I visualise what is happening beneath the water and ask myself what am I going to catch?”
Bill and Virginia enjoy a very friendly competitive spirit when fishing together, although at the end of the day Virginia is very philosophical about their angling:
“As long as one of us catches, then I consider it a good day’s fishing”
OUT IN FRONT
But if you still think that women in angling are the exception rather than the rule, you’d be wrong, because somewhere over the years, we’ve been infiltrating your domain, boys.
From the latest market research Dr Bruno Broughton estimates that the number of women who actively participate in all branches of UK angling today is approximately 300,000, and I can only see this number increasing as British and world successes roll in for our lady champions.
Sandra Scotthorne, the woman behind Halkon-Hunt fishing clothing line, currently twice World National Federation of Anglers Individual Champion is also an integral member of the recently crowned NFA Ladies Team World Championship winners … again for the second time. Next year they go for an unprecedented hat-trick … not just in women’s matchfishing, but also in angling, full stop!
The National Federation of Sea Anglers International Ladies Shore team have won silver on no less than three occasions since 1996, and have been entering a team every year since 1992, and the England Ladies Fly fishing Team won Gold this year at the Home International Fly fishing Championship at Bewl Water.
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Sam Perkins, carp princess
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There is even more to look forward to in the shape of up and coming young anglers such as 13 year-old Sam Perkins, princess of the commercial carp fishery match circuit, usually found hauling and beating the lads under the tutelage of top commercial bagger Andy 'The Fin' Findlay, and even beating him too on occasion! It’s fair to say that without matchman Dad Mark about, this so easily might not have happened because barely any of Sam’s schoolmates share her enthusiasm or love for the sport.
Sam herself has ambitions to go all the way to the senior level and with tackle sponsors behind her, there is no reason why she can’t compete in the full England squad with the men according to Team England coach Mark Downes.
All this achieved despite the lack of female role models, the lack of suitably ‘female’ facilities, the lack of gender specific information, the early female role conditioning, the increasing urbanization of our countryside, the increasing pressure from the anti’s, the increasing lack of personal safety ... the list goes on and on, but do you know where I gleaned this negative shopping list? From a site in the US. The US where so many more publications, clubs and associations are devoted entirely to women anglers. Frankly the women in British angling today should be seen as pioneers … no less.
The Governments Environment Agencies Division for Recreation notes in its news archives for this year plenty of opportunities for the young and the disabled … both very worthy minorities … but I failed to see ANYTHING offered for women. They seem to forget that women have the children, and they are perfectly capable of passing their skills and interests onto the next generations thank you very much!!!
Although the Joint Angling Governing Bodies (JAGB) are developing a policy for Women in Angling with each discipline having their own plan, it is still very much in its teething stages with a seminar being held early next year to look for team leaders and volunteers, according to David Kent, Vice President of the National Fishing Association. This however individualises the different groups, in my opinion, rather than giving them a joint voice. For example the NFA’s will probably be drawn from match women alone, and will therefore address mostly their needs. What about the specimen anglers and the carp anglers?
Sport England, formerly the English Sports Council, does recognise angling in all it’s manifestations as the largest participation sport in the country with a special policy all of it’s own due to it’s sometimes contentious nature, but reading about their Active Communities Development Fund, designed to educate and stimulate interest in recognised sports across four priority groups including women, I saw with dismay that angling was – of course – conspicuous by it’s absence.
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Ruth Lockwood at Yateley Angling Centre
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BRINGING UP THE REAR
Nevertheless getting back to what we DO have, then let us not forget the women behind the scenes: From Ruth at Yateley Angling Centre (hub of the universe to many carp anglers around the country), to Jane James, wife of Bob James well known angler and Director of the Angling Conservation Association, to the recently departed and sadly missed Mary Paisley who, as I’m sure Tim the owner and editor will agree, was the real backbone of Carpworld magazine, one of the longest running, full colour, glossy fishing magazines in the country.
But talking of backbones, the very real number of women affected by the sport is in the millions. They are known collectively as ‘Angling Widows’ … yes, those long suffering women who pray that: If ONLY their other half will go fishing for the weekend, and preferably take their belligerent offspring with them.
You see, although I am an angler too, I can quite see the widows perspective.
Many of the men over here claim to go fishing to get away from ‘her indoors’ but, however insecure this may make them feel, never forget that she may just let you if it means seeing the back of you for an entire weekend!
As a last word, there was a great thread on the angling forum I belong to last year about catching more fish … well, ANY fish … if the girls came too. There is a pun in there somewhere (cough, cough) … because if you think it’s all down to Female Pheromones, you may well be right. The obviously highly intelligent writer Edmund Waller noted as much in the 17th Century:
See how she makes the trembling angle shake
Touched by those hands that would make all men quake.
See how numerous fishes of the brook
(for now the armour of their scales nothing against her charms prevails)
Willingly hang themselves upon her hook.
See how they crowd and thronging wait
greedy to catch the proffered bait;
In her more bright and smoother hands
Content rather to die, than live in their own watery element…
Best wishes and tight lines
Allison Beaumont
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