Keeping a sense of proportion.

[The Monk]

Yes mate, the NSHG have a lot to answer for, lol

 

[noknot]

At the moment I'm fishing a very hard "southern pit". A small handful of carp (and some very big tench and bream) in a very large acreage. The Head Bailiff asked me today why I didn't fish an easier lake if I wanted to catch carp. He doesn't understand that sometimes it's the sheer unadulterated challenge of the task at hand and the weight of the capture, if you manage one, is relatively unimportant. Any fish is a good fish.

The point with this is that you're fishing for "wild" fish that are largely unknown, rarely caught and have to be seriously worked for.
Not everyone's cup of tea, but you certainly learn a lot by doing it.

Very nicely said Simon! And there lyes the true ethos of Carp angling!

 

[Tee-Cee]

I'll second that!

Still a few purists left thank goodness.........................

 

[Bob Hornegold]

By far the best way to measure fish is by the enjoyment it gives give you, least thats my opinion these days, so easy to get caught up in the riggers of youth chasing big fish up and down ther country or overseas, but I think we change with age, I certainly have, its nice to get to a point in angling were you no longer have to prove anything, either to otghers or yourself and can simply enjoy the sport in its simplest mode and re-lable yourself as a pleasure angler. Just an opinion of course and each to his or her own.

------

18 months ago I had a Heart Attack whilst at Fishers Green, I ended in Barts and underwent a Triple Bypass.

I have always targeted Venues or Special Fish and have been lucky to fish with some Great Anglers.

I like to odd trip to places like Marsh Farm for the Crucians, but fishing Commercials or Club Waters for Bit's really does nothing for me.

The thing is I thought when I was fit enough to go fishing again I would be happy to just go for a dabble, I wasn't, I was bored stiff.

I soon found a bit of River that gave me a challenge and in the end I caught my desired target fish.

If I had stayed catching Silvers on commericials, I would have given up the sport.

Okay I'm not going to be chasing up the M1 to Billing or some of the other waters I fished in the 70tys, but I have plenty of good waters close be to keep me occupied.

Everyone to their own

It's just my opinion !!

Bob

 

[Philip]

I know were your coming from Bob.

No offense to monk as this comment is not aimed at him but it does get up my nose sometimes when certain anglers talk like they have “moved on” and no longer need to chase a target or a weight. I think the thing that annoys me is the fact these people like to give the impression they have somehow “evolved” to a higher level, they see things with a new wisdom and how fishing is so much more than catching and how the rest of the world will grow to understand the error of their ways etc etc etc.

I did think about this allot and nowadays I honestly think like this :-

I see those people, lets call them the “preachers”, as the ones actually being stuck on a plateau. What they will never ever understand is that there are other very experienced anglers out there who have fished for targets for many years but the idea of simply now fishing for pleasure or whatever comes along would bore the tears out of them. So rather than bore themselves to death and finally give up the sport they decide to set themselves new targets and challenges. This could be many things…the single minded pursuit of an extra large fish with bolt rigs or buzzers or trying to catch a known fish from a well known venue or amassing as many 30 pound Carp as they can in a season fishing with a bivvy round the clock and so on.

The fact is the preachers will never ever understand this because to them they cannot get their heads round the fact that that some anglers DO enjoy fishing for targets and weights and that this is one of the attractions of the sport to them. For me it’s those experienced anglers who have made the decision to continue to chase targets that have in fact evolved to a new level and it’s the preachers who are stuck in a rut refusing to see that angling is allot more than just “the gentle sport” and being at one with nature.

Maybe one day they will see the error of their ways…:wh

 

[cg74]

Philip, an excellent post, in my humble opinion.

 

[sam vimes]

refusing to see that angling is allot more than just “the gentle sport” and being at one with nature.

I soon get bored stupid being at one with nature. Add to that that I suspect that most people do pretty much anything to not really be at one with nature anyway. I'm not seeing hordes of brollyless or bivvyless anglers gently whiling away the hours sitting or lying directly on the bank.

I may not set ambitious targets but even on a pleasure session I'll have them. Catch a fish, catch a bigger fish, catch more than my fishing buddy or more than the guy nearest to me. They are still targets, even if they are modest ones.

If I didn't have targets every time I went fishing then I'd be better served doing away with all that expensive tackle, bait and licences and just go and sit by a river or lake.

 

[dannytaylor]

Setting targets keeps things fresh and improves your skills as an allround angler. Its not just about fish size but learning to use new tackle and methods, of fishing are just as important to me. By approaching fishing this way it never becomes dull or boring.

However i can see the otherside to this discussion, sometimes just taking yourself away to a small pond or stream for a couple of hours with a float rod and catching whatever can be bliss and help to keep things in proportion. I often find after these "distractions" then iam ready to get back at whatever challenge or target i have sett myself :w

 

[Tee-Cee]

Well said Danny Taylor....just about covers it I think!!