I've read this thread twice, in case I misread something. Here's what I see. The thread was started as a proposal that a surfcaster thinks that distance casting and boat fishing should be scrapped from the NZACA and the nationals because its not a pure, or skilled form of fishing, unlike surfcasting.

I, myself am an avid and very passionate surfcaster. I'm not an extreme distance caster, but I have seen it in action and done it myself. I've gained an appreciation of the skill involved, because quite honestly, there very definitely is. Learning to use various casting techniques and accuracy is not a simple task, and I'd challenge anyone who has not tried it to have a go.

There has also been mention that boat fishing contains little or no skill. Once again, I beg to differ. I live in the Bay of Islands, and can assure you not every boat fisherman who rips out to sea gains anything near a bag limit. Just like shore fishing, there are many skills to learn, such as where and how to approach reefs, the best way to drift, understanding tide and currents, where fish are most likely to hold up.

The NZACA are a body that support these skills as a representation of what our sport can hold. Chad's idea to seperate these into individual sections and recognise them all as feats in their own individual fields, as well as incorporating a rock fishing section to cater to a new breed of shore fishermen is far from removing the sport from what someone sees as its poor roots. People have been fishing from boats world wide since they were able to hack one out of a tree.

Like I said before, I'm passionate about surfcasting. To me its a pure form of fishing, and I enjoy the challenges it brings me. However, that doesn't in any way mean that any other recognised form of fishing is any less challenging for those that choose to practice it.

Distance casting is yet another form of skill that is measured as part of a national competition. Some will be great at it, others not so great. Just as some people are great at boat fishing, and some are great at surfcasting, and yet again some are great at the skills required to be successful at rock fishing. To attempt to compare them in any way is a naive point of view in my opinion. To disregard any one of them as unimportant and impure is a fairly ignorant view. Each has its own skill and merit, and I for one support Chad's proposal whole heartedly. How the NZACA view and alter it is up to the Executive Committee to decide. They, after all are elected affiliated members to represent all within the organisation. If you're not prepared to join the NZACA and provide feedback to them I'd suggest you're far from qualified to shoot them down.