The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

If you use artificial lures to catch any predator this is the forum for you
User avatar
Graham Benyon
Barbel
Barbel
Posts: 3819
Joined: Thu Sep 22 2011 05:00

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by Graham Benyon »

One highlight of the PAAS and PAC membership is the opportunity to fish Mentieth. When the LAS had a fish in on Chew the membership rocketed! So it seems a lot of people are in it for access to these opportunities. Looking back through my old Pikelines the PAC used to run several events, what happened? They even had their own pike waters! The LAS I think do try their best to encourage a mixture of fish ins but they to seem to suffer from Regional divides just like the PAC are struggling with at the moment.
The PAC fish in at Esthwaite used to be well attended. Now it has been dropped. Is that because it is in the North I wonder. The PAC now run the Lancaster Canal. Would these anglers be members if they didn`t have this access?
Pac regions are dwindling which is a shame and the LAS Chapters which organise local fishing events are now limited to two or three regions out of a possible six or seven. I was at the LAS event on Saturday and one chap pointed out something which I hadn`t noticed but in the back of my mind I am sure I was well aware of. Look around the room he said, Can you see anyone under 25? There lies the answer I fear. We are not carp anglers!
Lukemilnes
Perch
Perch
Posts: 863
Joined: Sun Aug 16 2020 07:40

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by Lukemilnes »

Graham Benyon wrote: ↑Thu May 26 2022 22:54 -
One highlight of the PAAS and PAC membership is the opportunity to fish Mentieth. When the LAS had a fish in on Chew the membership rocketed! So it seems a lot of people are in it for access to these opportunities. Looking back through my old Pikelines the PAC used to run several events, what happened? They even had their own pike waters! The LAS I think do try their best to encourage a mixture of fish ins but they to seem to suffer from Regional divides just like the PAC are struggling with at the moment.
The PAC fish in at Esthwaite used to be well attended. Now it has been dropped. Is that because it is in the North I wonder. The PAC now run the Lancaster Canal. Would these anglers be members if they didn`t have this access?
Pac regions are dwindling which is a shame and the LAS Chapters which organise local fishing events are now limited to two or three regions out of a possible six or seven. I was at the LAS event on Saturday and one chap pointed out something which I hadn`t noticed but in the back of my mind I am sure I was well aware of. Look around the room he said, Can you see anyone under 25? There lies the answer I fear. We are not carp anglers!
Esty is now sponsored by savage gear mate so there's the possible answer to that πŸ˜… though i don't honestly know.

I also mentioned needing more northern water events, there's no doubt there are some suitable fisheries in the north west, yorkshire, scotland and with waters getting ever busier it could attract people back
Lures, tackle and shiny things

www.eplures.com
User avatar
John Milford
Ferox Trout
Ferox Trout
Posts: 10972
Joined: Sun Aug 28 2011 05:00
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by John Milford »

If it's any consolation, I remember the same conversations as above thirty years ago.

However, despite the worries then (as now) the PAC and the LAS are both still going strong and conventions are still being held.

The reason the PAC and the LAS, despite their superficial similarities, make odd bedfellows is simply that one is all about one fish and the other is all about one method.

However, lure fishing is just a part of piking and pike are just a part of lure fishing. The common ground they share is therefore not as great as some might think.
"He's some sort of lure savant. Or just has an unhealthy addiction to old lures. We are not quite sure . . . . . "
User avatar
Monts
Ferox Trout
Ferox Trout
Posts: 11186
Joined: Tue Nov 17 2015 18:52
Location: Yat Rock

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by Monts »

Lukemilnes wrote: ↑Thu May 26 2022 22:52 -
davelumb wrote: ↑Thu May 26 2022 17:36 -
It's been mooted many times in the past to hold a combined conference/convention but always been rejected by both sides. The main reason, I think, being that the lure anglers wouldn't be interested in the bait fishing talks, and the pike anglers wouldn't be interested in (say) a perch drop-shotting talk. This could impact on attendance all round. I stopped attending the LAS shows when they became more focused on catching bait fish other species than pike. The interest wasn't there for big lures and the rods to fish them among the ultralight brigade.

Maybe it's time to abandon these events altogether? Or hold them less frequently?
I get the catching bait thing, there was a lot of lighter style predator fishing, the new 12.5" protos got some funny looks 🀣 but it seems mad that with lure angling being so poular, it didnt get more numbers? A lot of people have said they simply didn't know about it or anyone who was going to be there.

I've suggested a possible artisan section maybe. There's a lot of lure makers who dont necessarily sell, or aren't set up to sell at a show who could surely exhibit. Another area of interest that doesn't cost anything for people visiting.

What was interesting was i only saw one child, Abbie. All day! Might be wrong there but there weren't many if more than just her. There's lots of young lure anglers so what can be done to help this, comes back to other stalls/activities, more than just talks and trade.

Be a shame to loose such shows, if they worked in the past they can work again surely?

After the lure fair four years ago it was also noted that a lack of young people were in attendance.The question was asked how to appeal to young anglers? In short you can't, they would rather be fishing. The same as me, I fish twice a week and can't see me ever going to another conference they are f*****g boring.

Crooky suggested in his official capacity that the LAS is seen as a group of old men. He wanted younger people, talent pathways to open up to help aspiring young lure anglers get into the lure competition scene. I'm not sure how that went?

If I was 18 again the LAS would hold very little if anything for me. Young people have Instagram they do not need forums or anything like that. I love my lure fishing as I do my fly fishing, it's best done on your own terms away from the lemmings.
If you wanna go fishing go fishing.- John Gierach
peteren
Barbel
Barbel
Posts: 2576
Joined: Thu Sep 01 2011 05:00
Location: In a Kentish dyke

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by peteren »

Monts wrote: ↑Fri May 27 2022 06:45 -
Lukemilnes wrote: ↑Thu May 26 2022 22:52 -
davelumb wrote: ↑Thu May 26 2022 17:36 -
It's been mooted many times in the past to hold a combined conference/convention but always been rejected by both sides. The main reason, I think, being that the lure anglers wouldn't be interested in the bait fishing talks, and the pike anglers wouldn't be interested in (say) a perch drop-shotting talk. This could impact on attendance all round. I stopped attending the LAS shows when they became more focused on catching bait fish other species than pike. The interest wasn't there for big lures and the rods to fish them among the ultralight brigade.

Maybe it's time to abandon these events altogether? Or hold them less frequently?
I get the catching bait thing, there was a lot of lighter style predator fishing, the new 12.5" protos got some funny looks 🀣 but it seems mad that with lure angling being so poular, it didnt get more numbers? A lot of people have said they simply didn't know about it or anyone who was going to be there.

I've suggested a possible artisan section maybe. There's a lot of lure makers who dont necessarily sell, or aren't set up to sell at a show who could surely exhibit. Another area of interest that doesn't cost anything for people visiting.

What was interesting was i only saw one child, Abbie. All day! Might be wrong there but there weren't many if more than just her. There's lots of young lure anglers so what can be done to help this, comes back to other stalls/activities, more than just talks and trade.

Be a shame to loose such shows, if they worked in the past they can work again surely?

After the lure fair four years ago it was also noted that a lack of young people were in attendance.The question was asked how to appeal to young anglers? In short you can't, they would rather be fishing. The same as me, I fish twice a week and can't see me ever going to another conference they are f*****g boring.

Crooky suggested in his official capacity that the LAS is seen as a group of old men. He wanted younger people, talent pathways to open up to help aspiring young lure anglers get into the lure competition scene. I'm not sure how that went?

If I was 18 again the LAS would hold very little if anything for me. Young people have Instagram they do not need forums or anything like that. I love my lure fishing as I do my fly fishing, it's best done on your own terms away from the lemmings.
Good points, (sadly).

I cringed at Crooky's 'talent pathways to open up to help aspiring young lure anglers get into the lure competition scene.'

- but suppose I'm one of those old men!
Peter Newman
User avatar
davelumb
Forum Sponsor
Forum Sponsor
Posts: 42345
Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Location: On some faraway beach
Contact:

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by davelumb »

I don't think it's strictly an age thing, more that what people of younger age groups want to do with their time.

I went to the first PAC show in 1982 (?), I was 23. A lot of people there were of a similar age. Young and daft, up drinking and larking about until late the night before the show. It was something new and the only place you could gets 'hands on' with pike gear that local shops didn't stock.I remember queues to pay for gear on Trevor Moss's stand at Loughborough.
Nowadays most tackle shops stock a range of branded pike gear, not to mention on-line shopping with videos of products. That side of the shows isn't the draw it used to be.
muncherpike
Jack Pike
Jack Pike
Posts: 316
Joined: Sun Apr 26 2020 14:06

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by muncherpike »

Dave is right in his comment regarding interests of lure anglers and those of bait anglers, I have fished for pike for over 50 years, mainly lures but also deadbaiting so I enjoy both methods, but most of my friends who fish for pike are really only interested in their style of fishing, I think without more widespread advertising these lure anglers get togethers will always have a low attendance and another thing I have noticed is that a lot of lure anglers I have spoken to on the bank are only casual anglers and not that interested in attending shows!
Sean Roberts
Roach
Roach
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Feb 06 2018 22:46

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by Sean Roberts »

I spent the day there trying my best to support all the stalls and spoke to alot of people, the only two youngsters there were the young girl who I presume is Abbie and my mate Robs boy, Jude. Now at the end of the day when the raffle was taking place Rob and I were discussing the average age of people who attended and I say it was around the 50 to 55 age range, I could be wrong. But something needs to be done to change this or fishing will eventually die out, not saying I've got the answers but I'll try and come up with one. Sean (56)
User avatar
John Milford
Ferox Trout
Ferox Trout
Posts: 10972
Joined: Sun Aug 28 2011 05:00
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by John Milford »

After a decades long 'boom' period, has UK lure fishing finally reached saturation point I wonder? :shrug:

Compared to many other countries, we don't actually have that many truly predatory species to go for.

Lure fishing has also always struggled to compete with the space required for static methods, particularly carp fishing.

When there were relatively few of us doing it, it was possible to fit in and around other anglers without huge difficulty, but these days?

While I don't decry those that do it, resorting lure fishing for roach and rudd, or LRF tactics for saltwater micro-species pushes the sport way beyond my own interest, as does competive lure fishing.

Much of it today seems a far cry from what inspired me many years ago . . .
"He's some sort of lure savant. Or just has an unhealthy addiction to old lures. We are not quite sure . . . . . "
User avatar
davelumb
Forum Sponsor
Forum Sponsor
Posts: 42345
Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Location: On some faraway beach
Contact:

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by davelumb »

John Milford wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:23 -
After a decades long 'boom' period, has UK lure fishing finally reached saturation point I wonder? :shrug:

Compared to many other countries, we don't actually have that many truly predatory species to go for.

Lure fishing has also always struggled to compete with the space required for static methods, particularly carp fishing.

When there were relatively few of us doing it, it was possible to fit in and around other anglers without huge difficulty, but these days?

While I don't decry those that do it, resorting lure fishing for roach and rudd, or LRF tactics for saltwater micro-species pushes the sport way beyond my own interest, as does competive lure fishing.

Much of it today seems a far cry from what inspired me many years ago . . .
Same here, John. Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine hold next to no interest for me these days. Even though I wanted to encourage cross pollination between anglers for various species and enjoyed reading the early bass articles in particular.

I think there was also an element of the 'pioneer spirit' and the joy of being a bit of an outsider for lure anglers of our generation and earlier.

Nowadays access to lures and lure info is everywhere. It's got like carp fishing! Probably because it's easily marketable.
User avatar
DaveGreenwood
Zander
Zander
Posts: 5608
Joined: Sun Aug 28 2011 05:00
Location: On Top

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by DaveGreenwood »

Anglers are not being replaced by younger people in the same proportion as they pass on and fishing isn't seen as being cool, a mates lad put some pics of himself catching fish on social media and his friends took the p**s out of him and his lad now no longer fishes, sure some kids wont fall for it if they have the right up bringing but you get my drift.
User avatar
John Milford
Ferox Trout
Ferox Trout
Posts: 10972
Joined: Sun Aug 28 2011 05:00
Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by John Milford »

davelumb wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:33 -

Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine holds next to no interest for me these days.
I've just written the 'Rotary Letter' for the summer edition - and Chris Leibbrandt will be writing the following one.

Probably the final nails in it's coffin then . . . . :clown:
"He's some sort of lure savant. Or just has an unhealthy addiction to old lures. We are not quite sure . . . . . "
User avatar
davelumb
Forum Sponsor
Forum Sponsor
Posts: 42345
Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Location: On some faraway beach
Contact:

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by davelumb »

John Milford wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:57 -
davelumb wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:33 -

Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine holds next to no interest for me these days.
I've just written the 'Rotary Letter' for the summer edition - and Chris Leibbrandt will be writing the following one.

Probably the final nails in it's coffin then . . . . :clown:
I think I've only read the rotary letter once. :laughs:
peteren
Barbel
Barbel
Posts: 2576
Joined: Thu Sep 01 2011 05:00
Location: In a Kentish dyke

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by peteren »

davelumb wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:33 -
John Milford wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:23 -
After a decades long 'boom' period, has UK lure fishing finally reached saturation point I wonder? :shrug:

Compared to many other countries, we don't actually have that many truly predatory species to go for.

Lure fishing has also always struggled to compete with the space required for static methods, particularly carp fishing.

When there were relatively few of us doing it, it was possible to fit in and around other anglers without huge difficulty, but these days?

While I don't decry those that do it, resorting lure fishing for roach and rudd, or LRF tactics for saltwater micro-species pushes the sport way beyond my own interest, as does competive lure fishing.

Much of it today seems a far cry from what inspired me many years ago . . .
Same here, John. Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine hold next to no interest for me these days. Even though I wanted to encourage cross pollination between anglers for various species and enjoyed reading the early bass articles in particular.

I think there was also an element of the 'pioneer spirit' and the joy of being a bit of an outsider for lure anglers of our generation and earlier.

Nowadays access to lures and lure info is everywhere. It's got like carp fishing! Probably because it's easily marketable.
Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine hold next to no interest for me these days.
I've wondered about lack of input from both Dave and John into LAS forum compared to here.
The LAS forum and society were great to be part of 2009 - 2015 when I got back into luring. Sad it's gone "off the boil" .
I used to enjoy relatable, "ordinary joe" articles in the LAS mag, but many contributions now seem to have overt or covert commercial drive - ' like my fb/ subscribe to my utube' etc. - but must be hard to get good independent content.
Peter Newman
User avatar
davelumb
Forum Sponsor
Forum Sponsor
Posts: 42345
Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Location: On some faraway beach
Contact:

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by davelumb »

peteren wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01 2022 09:30 -
davelumb wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:33 -
John Milford wrote: ↑Mon May 30 2022 10:23 -
After a decades long 'boom' period, has UK lure fishing finally reached saturation point I wonder? :shrug:

Compared to many other countries, we don't actually have that many truly predatory species to go for.

Lure fishing has also always struggled to compete with the space required for static methods, particularly carp fishing.

When there were relatively few of us doing it, it was possible to fit in and around other anglers without huge difficulty, but these days?

While I don't decry those that do it, resorting lure fishing for roach and rudd, or LRF tactics for saltwater micro-species pushes the sport way beyond my own interest, as does competive lure fishing.

Much of it today seems a far cry from what inspired me many years ago . . .
Same here, John. Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine hold next to no interest for me these days. Even though I wanted to encourage cross pollination between anglers for various species and enjoyed reading the early bass articles in particular.

I think there was also an element of the 'pioneer spirit' and the joy of being a bit of an outsider for lure anglers of our generation and earlier.

Nowadays access to lures and lure info is everywhere. It's got like carp fishing! Probably because it's easily marketable.
Despite being a founder of the LAS it's magazine hold next to no interest for me these days.
I've wondered about lack of input from both Dave and John into LAS forum compared to here.
The LAS forum and society were great to be part of 2009 - 2015 when I got back into luring. Sad it's gone "off the boil" .
I used to enjoy relatable, "ordinary joe" articles in the LAS mag, but many contributions now seem to have overt or covert commercial drive - ' like my fb/ subscribe to my utube' etc. - but must be hard to get good independent content.
Many years back the LAS forum moved platforms and for some reason I couldn't get back on. I didn't bother chasing it up as I was doing less lure fishing by then in any case.
User avatar
Steve Moore
Barbel
Barbel
Posts: 2779
Joined: Sun Sep 04 2011 05:00

Re: The Lure Anglers Society Lure Fair

Post by Steve Moore »

I gave up on the Las years ago. It started to get a bit stale.
Not like the olds days when Del Bennet and co ran it. We had some fantastic fish-ins back then.
I did rejoin for a couple of years when a committee member rang me and told me if I rejoined there were holding some fish-ins at chew.
So I took out a joint membership, So me and the misses could fish it. 🀣🀣
Post Reply