What has Gender got to do with it????

[johno r]

You go Roz, my misses is into her fishing as much as i am, we went in the boondooma yellowbelly comp this year and she took out overall largest bass for the comp I got runnerup, this comp is only jnr & snr no jender how it shood be, go the girls

[Poodroo]

I think there is nothing nicer than a woman who fishes. It's great. As for categorizing when it comes to competitions I have often wondered why they do it myself. Angling is really guaged on technique and come woman or man or child it is the one with the best technique who generally scores the prize. Roz I see your point although I don't see things ever changing. I guess I am not all that competitive when it comes to fishing, I just like to get out there and go fishing. I welcome anyone regardless of gender on my boat and encourage them to outfish me.


Poodroo

[mod5]

I was hoping not to have to moderate on this thread however I have just deleted nine posts.

Please debate the subject and stop posting insults and abuse towards each other.

[Nic]

Apologises for being OT :
I am a SERIOUS girly girl, exessively NEW to fishing & boating and I take offense to your statement above ... I have 2 aparently fugly hot pink rods & I have 2 equally fugly Okuma Pink/Silver reels, Pink Okuma & Shimano caps oh and not to mention my pink Mad Keen shirt & my newly aquired pink rain jacket (purchased from a fishing shop) ... These products actually encourage quite a few women to join in this sport.

Sorry if I offended Flippher, I didn't mean to. I don't think all pink is ugly... the Shimano, Shakespeare and Okuma pink rods look OK, but MY GOD the Abu hot pink combo just about hurts the eyes!

However, as you said, if pink helps get the girls fishing, who am I to complain? Anyway, it's not like girls are the only ones to be influenced by colour schemes; how many guys out there have bought Sol combos because they're so shiny and gold, I wonder?

[slyman]

I've never been a member of a fishing club, but having read the posts of club members I can see the reasons for categorisation. But, as I see it, given the same opportunities, a persons gender has nothing to do with their fishing ability. Fishing is about knowledge, skill and technique. If you can catch yourself a fish, then good on you, what you put into it determines how much you will get out of it. When it all comes together, you end up with a smile on your dial, just like the one on my sisters face in the pic.

[CHAPPY]

Roz,
I can see the point raised by some members that different classes of prizes means more prizes but if they re-scheduled the prizes thus
1 biggest snapper
2 biggest snapper male
3 biggest snapper female
4 biggests napper junior
This creates more prizes and a level gender playing field.

Ten pin bowling tornaments give out prizes for everyting. e.g. most consistant, highest this, lowest that. This is fdone to encourage participation.

And yes many men would not like to loose to a female but they allready have
Chappy

[Crestcutter]

Yeah i agree with Chappy, it's more a divy out the prizes thing i reckon. If the young kids go in a comp because your trying to ecourage them into the sport and they win a sticker and hat, then there wrapped.

But if they have to compete on an adult level with top gun fisho's then they dont stand a chance. My son was wrapped just to weigh in his first fish at the R2M.

I think it's just making things so that everyone has a chance if recognition.

[BtotheM]

Yer it gives everyone a chance to be recognised and an even chance amoungst the prizes. This gets more people involved and more people leaving the event happy. (eg Crestcutter said if like his son had to compete against the gun fellas and got flogged, it wouldnt exactly make him wont to go fishing / fish the event again). By getting to weight in he leaves the event happly and willing to fish.

[rob tranter]

Hi Roz,

Hows it going down there

Mate these are all very good answers to your question.

From a Social Fishing Clubs point of view.
We have 66 members
Approximately 25 Senior Male
Approximately 15 Senior Female
15 Jnr Boy's
11 Jnr Girls

Our Devisions are
Snr Men (Club Comp)
Open Men (Fish anytime)
Snr Women (Club Comp)
Open Women (Fish anytime)
Jnr Boy (Club Comp)
Jnr Girl (Club Comp)

Over the past four years it has panned out like this
Snr Mens Champ on average 250 points, Open Mens Champ ave 800 points
Snr Womens Champ ave 40 points, Open Women Champ, ave 60 points
Jnr Boy Champ ave 45 points
Jnr Girl Champ ave 10 points.
The Females of our Club do not fish as much as Males, if we did not have Male/Female devisions, they would not get a look in and as such our Fishing Club would be a Male only thing and to me that is wrong.

The Jnr Girls points have all been achieved for attendance only, not one Jnr Girl weighed in. These points work out at TWO Comp attendances at Five points each, for the year out of a possible 11 Competitions organised.
Mum and dad brought them along for the camping/social side of things. This includes my daughter, Jnr Girls Champ Two years running(10 pts each year), now 14, who does not want to come along anymore, because to her it is boring.

Even my wife only ever gets attendance points because she does not want to fish.
Here's a Thumbs up for all you Lovely Ladies for getting out and having a go

Cheers
Rob T

Coutts Crossing Fishing Club President

[dogsbody]

All well and good but if there was no best female category perhaps
there would be some that complained that there wasn't.

At the end of the day if your biggest concern is about categories in fishing life can't be to bad

If they were offering big prizes i know which category I'd like to be in. Your chances are greatly increased.

Dave.

[roz]

Good to see some healthy debate happening.

I would like to point out to perhaps a couple of replys regarding greater distribution of prizes being a reason for gender categorization. Perhaps look at adding more prizes for different fish species instead.

Rob Tranter. As far as I can tell in your response, you havn't answered any questions, just posted up your clubs prize divisions, and they are all gender based. If some of your female members don't fish as often as the males, rewarding them with extra points when they do seems odd, at the end of the day it's their choice to compete.

I have a question for you. Why can't you have an open comp? where the divisions are age based and fish species.

It is a fact that there are more male fishos than female, that shouldn't be an issue, you might find placing everyone on even par more fun for for all. Trust me I know, I've been a female all my life!!!!!

Crestcutter and BtotheM. Go back and read the opening to this thread

I don't remember suggesting for one moment juniors should have to compete with seniors.

I'm really lost for words at your last two lines crestcutter and the bushbeachboy's comment.

Having support for juniors in any sport is most important, of course it's fairer for them to be in their own age group.

I knew when I posted this thread up I would cop a some of the above, but take if from me and a few other females on this great forum.. it ain't much fun to be categorized. I'm not a big participent in comps, but found out the hard way when I entered one once, I took out the top three prizes of heaviest fish, biggest overall catch and champion angler, only to have them change me to champion lady angler....

Anyway, keep the biffo coming ooooops I mean debate!!!! It's all good. But don't get personal, it's a shame to get responses deleted.

have a good one
roz

[aus2045]

I have never actually evey known of a woman that fishes. Its would be a good thing though/

[BogusPokus]

I honestly cant see how male or female can make a difference to the sport. Look at it from the fishes point of view, lures and bait would appear the same in regards to a female or male fisher. I suppose the only thing that would make a difference would be skill and luck......neither is gender specific. My wife practically grew up holding a fishing stick and I often tell guys at work that my wife outfishes me more often than not, they thought it was hilarious untill they came fishing with us. Shelly likes the idea of female only fishing comps though in the same way she likes the idea of female only gymnasiums.

[castlemaine]

I fish with 3 women ... my wife and my two daughters. They are more competitive (including the sledging) than I am and usually outfish me as well. Talk about 'quality family time' though, it just can't get better.
I can see your point though Roz, could the Champion Catergory be an overall competition winner but still individually include all other catergories?
Cheers

[PinHead]

I enjoy taking my best mate fishing with me...and that mate is my wife. We don't fish comps even though I have many years back and there were no women sections then as no women even went in them.
I cannot see why there is separation in fishing unlike some other sports where natural attributes decree separation.
You get the best results then you should be named as the winner of the comp.