How will the economic meltdown affect trout fishing?

[Wildfisher]

I've  heard that another stocked fishery in Aberdeenshire has gone bust and  closed after the  leaseholder  failed to find a buyer for the  assets and anyone willing to  take on the lease. Seems to  be the way things are going, only the real estate has value and if you don't own that you are stuffed.

With the collapse of the UK economy, falling incomes, higher taxes the values of  savings being eroded by inflation and low rates of interest, poor exchange rates making foreign travel prohibitive for many;  for most of us there is far less spare money for luxuries these days

Wild trout fishing in Scotland  is cheap and plentiful as are camping / caravaning style highland holidays. Amidst  all the doom and gloom  might  there be an opportunity for enterprising people to cash in on the stay at home angler who has grown weary of artificial trout fishing?

[fergie]

Guides ?

[Wildfisher]

Guides ?

Good question.

[Wildfisher]

Wait until you get your next utility bills.  :lol:

Mind you my hyper-thermally-efficient new hoose will be relatively unaffected. The gas is hardly ever on and I'm still roasting.  :


Anyway, getting back on topic, if you can offer the new skint-stay at home angler something different from stockie bashing you could be onto a winner.

[Wildfisher]

But there are different levels of skint. Those who were borderline even before the meltdown were never going to be customers. However, the type who made regular foreign fishing trips and can no longer might be. That's when you really notice how screwed the UK is - when you go abroad and see how little  your £ now buys.

Back in the old days highland trout fishing  was a big deal - going foreign was not even an option  for most. The key is offering the right package at the right price. It just depends how mercenary  you are prepared to be and is you have the business mind to go for it.

[Inchlaggan]

Back in the old days highland trout fishing  was a big deal - going foreign was not even an option  for most. The key is offering the right package at the right price. It just depends how mercenary  you are prepared to be and is you have the business mind to go for it.

We have been through this before.
The numbers are fairly simple.
You are going to be working (self-employed) and thus not entitled to benefits.
You can only work seven months of the year- if you stick to trout.
It comes out to between £80-100 per day to get to the minimum wage, and even that requires that you are booked 4 days a week throughout the season.
Even then you would just be part of the larger economic picture. The infrastructure that supported the heyday of Scottish salmon and trout fishing has vanished.

[burnie]

My own position is that staycation holidays are still too expensive,you can still go abroad for less than a trip to Shetland or a week on the Norflok Broads on a boat. I used to be able to do these things, I now have less outgoings(kids married and left home), no mortgage and low utility bills and a similar income. A week in a cottage in the northwest is as expensive as a week in Minorca.
I used to go camping,but too old and arthritic now, so a B&B for a few nights with a rod in the car is about my lot.
I used to go abroad fishing,but it was a family holiday rather than a specific holiday so perhaps I'm not quite the client Fred had in mind for his business.
A lodge/log cabin off the beaten track with some wild trout fishing would appeal,but I bet the cost would be frightening.

[Inchlaggan]

A lodge/log cabin off the beaten track with some wild trout fishing would appeal,but I bet the cost would be frightening.

Current prices are around £100 per person per week, self-catering. But this on the basis of sharing a bed.

[bibio1]

I dont see any business opportunities that will yield sufficient returns for both financial investment or more preciously time.

And thats a good thing. I am glad most of the wild fishing we so has no real commercial value. If it did we'd be fucked.

There will be some who guide etc but from what i can see it more living a dream than making a living

[burnie]

So that can be my retirement plan then,guiding fishers and wildlife watchers in sunny Arbroath......................