Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Internet Advancements Mean That The Maggot Drowning Issues I Had As A Boy Wouldn't Apply These Days

By Jon Izzard


When I was a teenager, buying fresh fishing tackle wasn't easy. I grew up in a Surrey village, and the high street did not contain a shop specialising in fishing supplies. There was a minor department store which had a tiny sports section which had a cupboard containing a small selection of floats, ledgers and the occasional rod and reel, but that was about it. There was nowhere to buy live bait from, and my mum drew a very firm line at attempting to grow my own maggots and my dad wasn't happy about the garden being dug up in a hunt for worms.

In fact, if ever I wanted to purchase replacement tackle to go angling with, I had to journey into Guildford which was a 30 minute bus ride each way (and dear to a youngster on limited pocket money who was not permitted a paper round) go to the specialist sports shop on the high street. Now, there was the windfall that you could get a few pints of maggots while there to take angling when I got home, and there was the chance of recouping some of the cost by a few handfuls to chums at the lakes who all suffered the same issue. But of course, even with an early start, it would be extremely improbable that it would be possible to get down to the lakes much before the early afternoon, which meant that angling would be restricted and you very often just ended up bunging the precious bait into the water as you packed away. The consequences of them dying and reeking out the downstairs would have been severe.

It would have been great growing up where I live these days. Here, there are a number of good outlets for fishing tackle close by, certainly only a short bike ride, there are loads of canals and lakes to go to and for an special day out, the River Severn is near enough to get to in a pretty quick time with the bonus that if you end up at the right place you can be angling and observe the steam trains on the Severn Valley Railway puffing up and down the line between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster.

But even if I was back in Cranleigh, the internet would mean that I could buy any fishing tackle I desired and have it delivered, and I have discovered a website that will deliver all kinds of live-bait including maggots in what I would expect would be very strong packaging. I cannot imagine the Royal Mail being too chuffed at packs of maggots splitting and spilling all over the insides of mailbags and people's post! So feeling good about one's fishing tackle before going out for a day's fishing would be easy and anybody would feel like a proper fisher under those circumstances.

This is all excellent. I feel pleased that when I do begin angling again in the next few weeks, I will be able to purchase everything I need with little hardship from a local retailer which was not an option I had as a youngster, but if I was at that age again, it's excellent to know that if I wanted, I could now use all the fishing tackle I couldn't have then. Anything that makes access to the things you like more straightforward has to be a good thing.

20110111




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