Angling Stalemate

[BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester]

I think that where things are possibly going wrong is when a person starts his match fishing career. Or rather when he finishes it. That is usually in his mid teens when he comes out of the intermiediates. From there he is straight into Carp Fishing because as far as he is concerned nothing else exists.

There is nothing wrong in match fishing. In fact it is a very good discipline to learn. With the usual 10.a.m. start of the weekly match, the angler hasn't even touched on the true meaning of a Tench fishers dawn and all that goes with it. The chances of him knowing of people like C.Yates or what he was about are very slim.

Fishing to these lads is a pre packaged comodity with a heck of a lot missing in between. They never got the chance to learn fishing from scratch.
Where as the older generation can relate directly with the likes of Yates because we have been there ourselves. And this is the vital piece of knowledge that is missing in todays angling scene.

 

[Mark Hodson]

This whole subject is a particular favourite of mine.

Although I see more and more anglers giving up ambition based angling and seeking out the more contemplative and spiritual aspects of our sport you have to remember that modern day angling like modern day life is based around commercial and egotistical gain, just look at the articles (adverts) in the weeklies and you see that most have more to do with sponsors and selling products rather than providing insight or inspiration. This will never change and is a necessary aspect of the sport for it to survive and prosper.

However more and more are feeling disatisfied with the more selfish aspects of goal driven angling and feel unfulfilled with what it has to offer. I feel you will see over the next decade an ever increasing band of "new age" anglers who will offer a new branch of angling thinking for those who wish to drop out of the angling rat race and seek out the facets of angling that sooth the soul and lessen the pain of living in the 21st century.

Whatever branch of angling you persue the only thing that matters is that you enjoy it, if you don't it becomes pointless as you lose everthing that you started fishing for to gain in the first place.

We are all "pleasure anglers", most just don't realise it.

 

[BAZ (Angel of the North) aka Fester]

I agree with what you are saying Mark. The only problem being if boredome doesn't drive them away first. To be follwed shortly by tackle shops and clubs through lack of support.
I feel that angling is on a very fine line at the moment. When it snaps, we could fall either side of it.

 

[marcus ballam]

i agree mark too.

although i like to set myself up to catch a particular species, i dont really see myself as a "specialist" as i am happy with whatever takes my bait.

i am very happy with my personal bests but i don't go out of my way to beat them.

 

[Ric Elwin]

Great post Mark, I think along similar lines.

My own solution to this 'angling lethergy' was to cancel my subscription to Angling Times, which I've read weekly since 1975. I've tired of listening to so called 'celebrities' within angling. Use this rod, that pellet, buy this season card, wear this clothing.

What rubbish. I met a well know celebrity angler who very enthusiastically described the perfect knot for joining 2 lines of differing strengths together. He forgot to tell me about the essential ingredient though: super glue.

Good job I tested it.

This bloke knew everything about everything, even though he didn't.

In it's place is a subscription to Trout and Salmon magazine. I'm not totally comfortable with it as a read, there are many assumptions in it that only apply to those with some wealth, the middle classes if you like.

That apart, it's thought provoking, the majority of writers are talking from the soul, rather than some thinly veiled commercial need, or ego.

I'm now enjoying my fishing again, even if the Trout I'm catching weight the same in ounces, as the Barbel I caught last year weighed in pounds.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Trout & Salmon is a nice magazine which on the trout side tends to deal with wild river fish in quite affordable places. And don't forget, salmon angling is going to become more affordable for many in the future.

A like the articles on wild fishing by Jon Beer very much.

The Teith in Scotland has just produced a 41 lb springer by the way.

 

[ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)]

"The Teith in Scotland has just produced a 41 lb springer by the way."


Spaniel ??

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Salmo salar mate!

 

[Mark Wintle]

I think salmon fishing is totally irrelevent for the vast majority of coarse anglers in this country. It's either unavailable except for the few, unavailable and going to stay that way eg the Thames, or not the sort of fishing that most actually enjoy. The recent high temperatures demonstrate how vulnerable salmon populations are; salmon fishing is currently suspended on the Hants Avon due to river temps of 24 C.

I will agree with Ric on the standard of writing by the likes of Jon Beer though.

Perhaps we need a campaign for "Real Coarse Fishing" - how about one rod, no bivvies, bolt rigs, long stay sessions, ...

It seems to me that in terms of enjoyment that floatfishing takes a lot of beating especially in the right surroundings. Personally I find both flyfishing and spinning tedious but that's just me.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

If I wrote a thousand words on this topic I could not agree more with the 2 Marks, (H and W)

That said, just - ONE ROD, Mark?

Geeze, whats a tackle tart to do now?

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Fly fishing tedious???

Come off it Mark, it's some of the most exciting angling anyone can do.

A famous American writer once stated that it's the most fun a man can have standing up. And here in the North, salmon are now running the rivers by the tens of thousands.

 

[Mark Hodson]

I think you cannot judge other peoples fishing or angling prefrences, angling is an art and like all art it means different things to different people, that's what gives it its timeless never ending quality. Individual tastes change with age, as can be evidenced with all the varying twists and turns our angling histories proudly display.

The important thing is the experience and what you take from it, angling is like a countryside drive, the journey is far more important than the final destination.

(as long as its a real ale pub for a pint and a ploughmans).

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Mark H.

If you are ever down Salisbury way let me know and I'll take you down to some of the 'historic' stretches of the Avon to fish.

And afterwards, a decent pint and a ploughman's in a local hostelry.

Open offer.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Ron,

I said I find it tedious, not that IT is tedious - totally different meaning. I enjoy reading about it just don't want to do it. And I suspect an awful lot of other anglers feel the same. The most exiting fishing for me? Hard to define, possibly sight fishing or using floating baits for carp, but I don't always go for the excitement.

As Mark H says, our angling preferences change during our lives, mine change by the hour.

But you won't convince me that thousands of commercial pole anglers, or carpers are suddenly going to switch to fly fishing or salmon angling. There could be a drift back to more traditional float methods though I don't see how at present.

Perhaps you can tell me how many people are salmon fishing the Trent nowadays?

Peter, sub clause 2 says you can take more than one rod.

 

[David Craine]

In the course of my work I have just visited a man, who "does not see why he should work" when others will pay his way in life, when I entered his flat he had a whole bunch of "Reeltree" Camo tackle by the door, which he proceeded to moan about, apparently a friend had "got him into fishing " he had spent a lot of his hard "not" earned cash on a whole load of gear, never having fished before, he had obtained the usual "How to Catch Carp by the ton in one easy lesson " Mags, spent a lot on day tickets to big carp waters, caught nowt, and he blamed the Mags and everything else for his lack of success...apart from the fact that he obviously had the impression that you can" buy" experience,he also had a general downer on the good anglers he had seen land good fish.
I mentioned that he should maybe be a bit less ambitious, and as he had the gear try some commercials to get a few fish under his belt.He did not know what a Commercial fishery was........
I casually asked him which clubs he was a member of, or if he had an EA licence, you may have guessed the answer.. "Whats one of them "
It appears to me that as Baz says, Angling is balancing on a thin line these days, I doubt that the above person will be seen on the banks very much in future.
Any comments... not that I am being judgemental.

 

[darkuser80]

Just from a personal point of view, I do fish with ancient tackle and I do not
have a moth-eaten Norfolk jacket!! but I?m on the look out for one...
But as Ron has stated and I agree with his comments "variety".

I?ve fished for forty years plus with ancient tackle, and have tried all methods and have yet to find any fishing tedious. I?ve also been fortunate to fish with some like minded folk.

As Fred Taylor once said, (well I think he said it) whilst fishing in extremely cold weather... "I?ll be glad when I?ve had enough of this"
I echo his comments.

 

[Neil Maidment]

I agree with Mark W. Some very good anglers find some forms of the sport tedious but it doesn't make them any less of an angler.

I have not fly fished for quite a while but really enjoyed it as I found it about the most active form of fishing yet. But I get just the same amount of fun and satisfaction out of watching and waiting for a quivertip to move.

I now own a pole (since Jan 06) and I'm really enjoying the experience of learning that particular means of catching fish. That for me is currently the most exciting form of fishing. Next week/month/year I could be camped out after my first catfish (never caught one but would love to).

The gear I use is reasonably modern but I guess it's the brain and thought patterns that are ancient!

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I asked Mark:
"Geeze, whats a tackle tart to do now?"

to which he replied:
"sub clause 2 says you can take more than one rod"




Mark, thank you, I'll let JEFF know then ;-)

 

[Mark Hodson]

Peter

If I'm ever down your way I'd love to spend some time visiting the Avon, and the local pubs as well. Thanks for the offer.