Those little skills.

[Derek Gibson]

Most of us will have seen at some point during our time by the water certain individuals who seem to exhibit that little extra. Sometimes that could be the ability to accurately place a float unerringly with pin point precision or, trot a float downstream with little or no deviation, that may seem magical. The reality is those are the little skills referred to in the title. In the case of the example of trotting a float the ability to mend line with little more than a flick of the rod tip can be crucial to the path of the float.

This will be done automatically by the experienced angler in order to overcome wind, or current deviation. An example of one tiny skill that can mean so much. As with accurate casting, line control is also a factor, feathering the spool, and the slight flick of the rod tip before the bait and shots have settled can help overcome a miscast.

Much more could be said on the subject, but I'll leave that to the reader.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

feathering the spool, and the slight flick of the rod tip before the bait and shots have settled can help overcome a miscast.

Indeed, that little wrist flick that results in the rod tip prescribing a letter "C" which straightens out the line and gives you instant control over the trot, and better bait presentation . . . . .

 

[mikench]

Alas I do not and am unlikely to possess such little skills ! All too often those sublime little flicks of the rod get me in trouble

 

[theartist]

There's something about mending the line after you have torpedoed the perfect cast under that overhanging bush, you got that slight upstream wind from behind you, the line falling in slow motion in the breeze in turn slowing the float to the perfect pace where the swim goes from boils to glides. Like a brush stroke from a renaissance artist on a work of art.

Of course there's days when mother nature is throwing everything at you with a fierce downstream wind that makes is impossible for us average anglers to avoid foliage that is almost alive, reaching out to catch that inevitable poor cast. That's when it's more Jackson Pollock.

 

[rayner]

Do you know Derek I never thought of them as skills.
I just thought of them as part of fishing. We all get better with experience, so that said when someone stands out as being more proficient at a certain method I considered them as an experienced angler.
You may have a point and thinking about it, it is a skill.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

One of those little "skills" that I use, and yet rarely see in others (except Neil M) is when playing a fish into the net to continue to feed . . . .

It is one of those little "tricks" that helps to identify "old match anglers" from the "others"

 

[Chefster]

One of those little "skills" that I use, and yet rarely see in others (except Neil M) is when playing a fish into the net to continue to feed . . . .

It is one of those little "tricks" that helps to identify "old match anglers" from the "others"

If im feeding by hand,fishing shallow,i feed,when i hook a fish,feed whilst playing it,feed when unhooking it,and feed just before i ship back out.....If im feeding via a kinder pot,i tap some pellets in,but leave some in the pot ,position my rig,when i hook fish,tap rest of pellets in,then ship fish back...all little tricks which take practice,also someone needs to show you in the first place usually,all part of the learning curve

 

[mikench]

My multi tasking skills do not extend that far as yet! I am far too preoccupied with landing the fish!

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Derek

Strange how you take things for granted, skills learnt as a youngster become second nature.

I have some exceedingly well skilled friends, one in the senior England team who can cast to the same spot 99 times out of a 100, another who can Wallis cast to the far side of the Lea or Itchen with ease.

Another friend is an exceptional distance caster, placing his baits in the same area at over 100 yds every time !!

The thing they all have in common; they practiced their disciplines over and over again as youngsters until it became second nature.

That old adage:- The more I practice the Luckier I get comes to mind.

Bob

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Using a catapult so the bait lands where you intend is a skill that not all anglers have

 

[flightliner]

Well, one that beats most must go to the one handed carp angler I saw today. About as big a drawback as one could imagine yet this chap tackled up, pre baited with a spomb then cast his lines with unering accuracy, it was more than humbling, the guy was terrific and hats off to him.
If there was a gold medal for such things he would be in with a big chance of winning!.