Fife-based coarse fishing boss seeks volunteers

That is the view of Gus Brindle, chairman of the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling (SFCA).

Highs have included winning gold in the Celtic Cup, the re-emergence of Strathclyde Loch as a match venue and the continuing success of the Let’s Fish! Scotland’s Canals program.

Dunfermline-based Brindle, in his annual report, also detailed frustrations and disappointments and appealed for volunteers to help protect and promote the sport.

One of the biggest challenges facing the SFCA and other the governing bodies is attracting volunteers and Dunfermline-based Brindle stressed: “This continues to be the single biggest constraint on our ability to achieve our targets.

“The only answer is for more people to step forward, even if it is just to support delivery or lead the work on an issue that they are passionate about, rather than taking up a formal appointment.

“Executive committee members have continued to step up and take on additional roles where required but, in the long-term, this isn’t sustainable and detracts from their core outputs.”

He particularly wants an honorary treasurer and a marketing and media officer. Brindle added: “If we cannot fill our appointments we cannot deliver, and ultimately, we cannot survive as a governing body.”

Estimates suggest that there are around 400,000 recreational anglers in Scotland and tens of thousands more who visit the country each year.

If all of these anglers could be persuaded to join Angling Scotland Bridle believes the organisation would have the number to force debates in the Scottish Parliament with potential to make real change.

Among the success in the last two years have taster sessions held at The Kelpies, the Falkirk Wheel and at The Claypits in Glasgow, giving almost 500 young people the chance to try fishing.

The funding for this has now finished but Brindle said: “We are determined to find a way for this work to continue in 2025 and beyond.”

On the back of this project, the organisation has been working with the Safer Communities Youth Action Project to establish a youth fishing club and this is something the SFCA are looking to replicate across the Central Belt so, in 2025, they are keen to identify likely community youth organisations and potential funding sources to make this a reality.

Overall, the organisation has 1,242 members, including 408 juniors, but adult and concessionary membership is significantly down on 2023.

Junior membership has remained steady, a positive sign, said the chairman who noted that 2024 had proved to be the busiest club and open match calendar that he can remember.

More opportunities will be given this year for individuals to take part in matches and Strathclyde Park will again host the Scottish National Championship plus a series of float only matches from May to August.

Competitions will be on the car park stretch near the water sports centre and these junior matches will be by any method whip, waggler, feeder/leger and pole. Pole lengths will be limited to ten metres.

Loan tackle and coaching support for youngsters will be provided.

A major disappointment for Brindle was that Scotland failed to field a team in the Sensas Challenge on the Gloucester Canal last March, one of the biggest matches in the UK calendar and a great way for Brindle to assess anglers who are keen to step up to world or European level. The hope is that Scotland can field a team in 2025.

A major plus in 2024 was Scotland’s gold medal win in the Celtic Cup on Strathclyde Loch when the lake fished better than anyone could have hoped.

Finally, Scotland also plan to field teams in the Walterland Masters, Szeged, Hungary: date to be confirmed and either the European Championships, Slnava Reservoir, Piesyany, Slovakia: 23-29 June or the world championship, Modrac Lake, Lukavac, Bosnia: 1-7 September; Celtic Cup, River Weaver, Northwich: 9-12 October.