Periscopic fish..

[peter crabtree]

Over the years I have noticed a recurrent phenomenon.
Whenever my concentration wanes and I look away and back my float has gone or is just cocking again. Or my tip is just straightening out after a 3ft twitch...
Are we being watched?

 

[tiinker]

Over the years I have noticed a recurrent phenomenon.
Whenever my concentration wanes and I look away and back my float has gone or is just cocking again. Or my tip is just straightening out after a 3ft twitch...
Are we being watched?

I have told my children who have fished since they could hold a cane that the fish have invisible periscopes and that they watch us and as soon as we are distracted they grab the bait. The thing is the longer I fish the more I think it might be true. I have even found myself half looking away on a bad day just to tempt them.

 

[nicepix]

It doesn't always happen though. The other day while swing tipping for roach I never saw a bite and so tried the age old trick of looking away and then quickly looking back to see whether the tip would be settling back after a bite. That would have given me confidence that the fish were feeding. Sadly, nothing had disturbed the indicator and even the fail-safe cup in one hand and flask in the other didn't produce a bite

 

[tiinker]

I gave up rolling my own at about 14 because I missed so many bites I even became a Condor man at one stage to help combat missed bites and it kept your finger and thumb warm in the winter.

 

[geoff66]

yes remember rolling a cigarette or pouring a cuppa and float was gone by time you put down cup or ciggy float was back up.

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

Pouring a cuppa, having a pee or reading a text - all good ways to miss the one bite all session

 

[The Sogster]

It's just the same as turning round to shoo off an errant dog/ dog walker/ angler (delete as appropriate).

Also why is it the moment when you turn round to politely ask the individual sky lining you to vacate their lofty vantage point. They immediately start waving their arms, pointing and shouting "You've missed a bite"

 

[john step]

It's just the same as turning round to shoo off an errant dog/ dog walker/ angler (delete as appropriate).

Also why is it the moment when you turn round to politely ask the individual sky lining you to vacate their lofty vantage point. They immediately start waving their arms, pointing and shouting "You've missed a bite"

You are right about the skyliner types. I used to fish the Verulam section of the Lea. It was like a shallow miniature Hant Avon. You would creep down below the skyline and get chub, roach and the newly stocked barbel UNTIL the bailiff who had checked you only yesterday stomped his way up the very edge of the bank.
"Caught anything". " I did until now" was my often reply, but he was not swayed.

 

[tiinker]

You are right about the skyliner types. I used to fish the Verulam section of the Lea. It was like a shallow miniature Hant Avon. You would creep down below the skyline and get chub, roach and the newly stocked barbel UNTIL the bailiff who had checked you only yesterday stomped his way up the very edge of the bank.
"Caught anything". " I did until now" was my often reply, but he was not swayed.

Does he fish return the compliment.

 

[john step]

Does he fish return the compliment.

No he didn't fish. I now live Up't North where there is much more room. Most days I am unlucky to see more than one other angler on a choice of club lakes.

 

[The Runner]

You are right about the skyliner types. I used to fish the Verulam section of the Lea. It was like a shallow miniature Hant Avon. You would creep down below the skyline and get chub, roach and the newly stocked barbel UNTIL the bailiff who had checked you only yesterday stomped his way up the very edge of the bank.
"Caught anything". " I did until now" was my often reply, but he was not swayed.

Need a T_Shirt like an old mate of mine had printed up specially for fishing small rivers.
The back read "No. And I won't with you standing there"

 

[tiinker]

The best reason for night fishing is that just maybe they have not developed night vision just yet . As long as you do not let them know you are there you may be on a winner.

 

[Merv Harrison]

**** Walker in one of his 'Tongue in Cheek' articles put it down to the fish 'sensing' through the line, (being creatures of the wild), whether you were tense or relaxed.......ie: If you were tensed up waiting for a bite, the fish sensed that, likewise, when you had a drink, smoke, sandwich; looked away, etc, the fish sensed that you were relaxed and they could take your bait without risk.

 

[tiinker]

**** Walker in one of his 'Tongue in Cheek' articles put it down to the fish 'sensing' through the line, (being creatures of the wild), whether you were tense or relaxed.......ie: If you were tensed up waiting for a bite, the fish sensed that, likewise, when you had a drink, smoke, sandwich; looked away, etc, the fish sensed that you were relaxed and they could take your bait without risk.

There may be more to the tense thing than we think. I have seen people on boats fish their hearts out when all are catching and they remain fishless you hear the skippers say relax your trying to hard. We were fishing for turbot off Alderney just five of us drifting with launce four of us all had two or three fish each my brother was fishless he wanted a turbot so bad it was untrue. I took his rod and gave it to my son on the next drift and gave my brother his rod he still did not catch but my son did on my brothers rod. Never try to hard it will work against you every time.