European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 15, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Fisherman sifts through his Supply of maggots to remove the dead ones. I in wifi Tony Blythe fishes with Rod in one hand net in the other. He uses two different rigged rods so he can switch if he has had Luck with one. Fishing has a different look by Meridith Winder . Bureau when they started loading their gear on trolleys and Wheeling it out to the Lake i knew i was in trouble. That s when i got my first taste of fishing in England. The tackle boxes looked huge and cumbersome and doubled As seats. They were accompanied by two or three Long tubes containing rods. And if that was t enough to make you scratch your head the Choice of bait was the popular pick was fresh wiggling maggots. Quot this is probably completely different from what you Are used to in the states Quot said Tony Blythe a member of the Morala Angling society out of London he had just made the understatement of the year. What happened to just grabbing a couple of rods and reels a Nice sized tackle Box with your favorite lures and the obligatory Worms and minnows after that it was just a matter of loading a cooler with beverages and sandwiches making sure you had your fishing License and heading out to your favorite fishing Hole. Thai s not the Way it works in England. Besides getting used to different gear americans interested in fishing in Britain also must learn where they can fish and what Type of License is required. The first step for new anglers is acquiring a Rod License according to the proprietor of a bait and tackle shop. The country s system of Rivers lakes and reservoirs is divided into regions each controlled by a particular water authority. Prices vary depending on whose water authority a person is fishing in. For instance under Anglian water which includes Raf Lakenheath and Mildenhall the Cost is 7.50 pounds about $12.75 for adults. Under thames water which covers the area around London the Cost is 10 pounds. Once you be obtained that License the next step is deciding where to fish. Be sure to find out if your chose site is a Quot free Quot fishing area or weather a dub owns fishing rights. If a club owns the rights you la have to pay a user s fee. Quot even if it s a free fishing area find out if it s on private land Quot said Jeff Binns another member of Locrata. Quot you might have to negotiate with the landowner before you can get to the fishing spot. You Don t want to get charged with  information Oil Rod licenses and user fees can be obtained from most bait and tackle shops. No fees or licenses Are required for deep sea fishing. After sorting out the various fees and finding a place to fish most fishermen want to know what kinds of fish Are available. Quot we have very few predator Type fish in England Quot. Binns said. Quot most of our fish Are coarse fish such As Roach Carp Tench and  Chub Grayling and Rudd Are normally found in Rivers. Carp Roach and Tench Are usually found in lakes. Some predator fish such As Northern Pike Zander Salmon and Trout Are also available. Fishermen in Britain follow a catch and release policy for most fish. Many britons fish mostly for sport and frequently Don t eat their catch. Quot the coarse fish Aren t eaten so they Are thrown Back into the water Quot Binns said. Quot however Salmon and Trout Are eaten so they Are usually  when fishing for these two species people usually have to go to a fish farm or hatchery. There s also an additional fee for each fish caught and the Cost can run quite High. Salmon and Trout can also be caught in the wild either in Scotland or in the Lake District in Northwest England. It does t Cost much Money to fish there but the trip by car from the London area can take seven to eight hours. The other fish not released is Zander. Some britons treat this fish a member of the Walleye family with Little respect a even though it is Good eating. Zanders Are fierce competitors and tend to grow quickly but they have a voracious appetite and eat a lot of other fish so British Fisherman catch them and then throw them on the shores to rot to keep them away from the other fish. The confusion for american fishermen does t end with getting a License selecting a site and deciding what to fish for. Selecting gear and learning the proper techniques can also be extremely puzzling and frustrating. T it s not that americans can t use their own fishing equipment and methods. But they definitely should t expect the same results. The bait is the easy part. Maggots and Worms Are quite popular As is luncheon meat. Few anglers use lures since Only predator fish Are attracted to their rods come in All sizes with different types of action. However most rods average 10 feet in length. The reels Don t matter much unless it s a Fly fishing area. If you decide to go to a local bait and tackle shop to buy floats Don t be surprised if you can t find the typical red and White Ball shaped float. Floats Here can resemble everything from a Pencil to an elongated Teardrop. Each is designed for a specific purpose. The Well equipped Fisherman should also carry both barbed and bar bless Hooks. Most areas where there s a catch and release policy also stipulate that Only bar bless Hooks can be used. That reduces the chances of the fish be injured. It also requires a Little More skill to land them. The last items most fishermen Here carry ate Quot wellies Quot rubber Boot waders and something to keep them dry in Case it Rains. Despite All the rules fishing is extremely popular in England and can be quite rewarding. Angling clubs Are located throughout the country including near most american bases. Base Rod and Cun clubs and outdoor recreation offices also offer fishing trips. 10 stripes Magazine August 15, 1991