Instant gratification

[preston96]

This may not appeal to some, i hope it doesn't offend the carp anglers whom i totally respect and look upon as friends.......

Gary Knowles article in CF is the most thought provoking article to appear in any angling publication in at least the last 30yrs.

I have said it before and i will say it again, carp fishing is a wonderful part of our sport, but doe's any true angler want it to walk over all other aspects of our sport?

If you have a passion for all angling and what that means then read Gary's article in Mays CF........it touched a nerve in me that doesn't happen often.

I class Gary as pal.....i hope he does the same, BUT, trust me.this is above the "oldpals" thing.

Do we want a fishing world totally dominated by carp?......or a life long fishing experience where carp are just part of the whole scene?

Gary (aka Barney on here! /forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif).....puts it into word far better than i can.........its well worth reading.

 

[Neil Maidment]

Totally agree Paul.

Gary's writing is excellent as is a lot within CF (except the ramblings towards the back pages!).

Gary has the skill to express his anglingviews in a very thought provoking and interesting way. He's obviously a good angler, able to apply his skills to all sorts of variations of our sport, not that many such anglers around nowadays.

 

[Paul H]

I read it on Friday evening and totally agree with Gary's thoughts.

I want to able to fish places where I can target tench, bream or roach and other species. I like carp too but why ruin established mixed fisheries with them?

I don't understand why someone would want to limit themselves to one type of fish at the expense of others.

Doesn't the Environment Agency have any policy on keeping some of our natural waters free from species like carp that have tendancy to take over?

 

[Fin the Fish]

If they dont they really should do!

 

[Frothey]

i partly blame the "mixed species" anglers - if there was enough of them prepared to pay a tenner+ per day to fish for them, lake owners wouldn't have to fill their lakes with pellet munching carp to make a living..... and if enough paying customers moaned to the owner about the carp they would be turned to fertiliser in double quick time!

luckily there's still a few lakes down here where you can fish for bream/roach/rudd without too much of a risk of carp getting in the way..... it's just the tench that are lacking.

i think just as many carp anglers bemoan the state of some waters, it's just some are lucky enough to fish "proper" waters where the fishing is like what it used to be, back in the old days..... boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts, lol!

 

[alan whittington]

The article mentions some waters being stitched up by carpanglers lines and baiting,i have had some experiencewith carbellers doing similar its a sad tale that is unlikely to change,as the selfish attitude ofsome will always ruin it for others,i mean to say what sort of angler would turn up in a swim next to a roach angler and feed half a gallon of hemp plus other baits without a bit of guilt in fact some of them even smirk,b.....ds,this comes from an angler who rarely fishes for roach now but doesnt want to ruin anyone elses day or have someone ruin mine/forum/smilies/angry_smiley.gif.

 

[preston96]

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Frothey wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

i partly blame the "mixed species" anglers - if there was enough of them prepared to pay a tenner+ per day to fish for them, lake owners wouldn't have to fill their lakes with pellet munching carp to make a living..... and if enough paying customers moaned to the owner about the carp they would be turned to fertiliser in double quick time!

luckily there's still a few lakes down here where you can fish for bream/roach/rudd without too much of a risk of carp getting in the way..... it's just the tench that are lacking.

i think just as many carp anglers bemoan the state of some waters, it's just some are lucky enough to fish "proper" waters where the fishing is like what it used to be, back in the old days..... boys in the park, jumpers for goalposts, lol!</blockquote>


As you are a carpangler whom i respect, i'm glad you take my post in the way i intend it Froths.......eg,it is not aimed at carp or carpanglers,just at the wanton waste of good fishing for other species.

My first introduction to true big carp was on a large water that held a variety of fish,those carp would show themselves to anyone who took the trouble to look for them and tho few were catchable and would be a true prize.

I think you make a good point about "mixed species"anglers having to be prepared to pay..........i would for good fishing.

The other part of Gary's article,eg,the removal of specimen fish from their natural envoiroment to a small "holding pond" is something that doesn't apealto me though.

 

[Chris Season32]

Anglers have been targeting big carp for eons, its not carp angling which creates a carp dominated hobby, its the commercial wheels of the sport (and its profit potential) which have driven us to this level of debate. The same could also be said of match angling, though its impact on mixed species angling is less noticable (and I would argue, has increased fish diversity, albeit in some cases at the expense of specimen sizes).

Allowing commerce to lead our hobby by the nose seems an unavoidable, but I strongly feel its unqualified to shape the entry of new anglers into the sport. This profit-oriented grooming via media I feel is their biggest sin to date. Commecial fisheries will always respond to demand, its not solely their fault its carp dominated.

Ok, deep breath.. If we had a mandatory national fishing qualification which new anglers had to take before being allowed to fish alone, it should offer the opportunity for new anglers to gain experience in catching ALL species of fish and put them in a neutral zone, a better position to explore all avenues, and make their own decisions on direction based on their own experience, less-so the media surrounding it.

Love it or hate it, I really believe its a step we will have to take soon if diversity is to be maintained.

Please do not be offended by anything I've written, its only my opinion. Rant over, thanks for reading.

Chris.

 

[preston96]

Chris........i for one do not look on your post as rant, i personally find it very well thought out and thought provoking.

 

[Dave Slater]

Very interesting. Personally I think fishing has been heading in a bad direction for some years now, which is probably what Gary was thinking. Eventually there will be no diversity and all anglers will be like robots.

 

[alan whittington]

I agree Dave fishing does seem to be going in the wrong direction and in doing so takes newcomers along with the tide,its just a shame i feel that the angling media choose to give methods and baits national coverage when many newanglers havnt earnt their stripes by going through the apprentiship of learning the basics which gives them the grounding to actually want to improve and learn,as we all continue to do,right through our fishing lives,i hope i never lose my interest in all things new in our sport,that said these media articles are giving people a shortcut to success which is wonderful in theory,just a little strange that a beginner should buy a buzzer before a float,its the techno-phobe in the human phsyche i suppose.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

I read Gary's article as well and as usual it is a well thought out point of view. Personally I don't mind the 'odd carp' in a fishery, and I mean odd carp, most good fisheries had one or two in anyway, but they were rarely targetted or caught. BUT. Like Gary and others on here I object very strongly to established mixed fisheries being stocked with carp for the sole purpose of making money and in doing so ruin a once good fishery.

Todays anglers are themselves largely at fault because there is a modern tendency for fishing to be judged by size, no longer are anglers content to catch 3oz roach and small perch they are only satisfied with hard pulling carp and large catches. The simple answer is for anglers to vote with their feet by not using these once mixed fisheries but anglers can never be trusted to stand up for themselves I'm afraid.

 

[Lee Swords]

I think that Mr Barney has hit the nail on the head !

In fact I was going to do this thread myself!

 

[Nigel Connor(ACA ,SAA)]

I'd echo the comments on Gary's article.He has done 2 or 3 touching on his angling "philosophy" and they have been spot on.

 

[Glosfisher]

I shall have to go and get this month's CF but it sounds as if the article pretty much accords with my way of thinking. I'm fed up to the back teeth with the carbellers' "fish at any cost" mentality. I did not renew my Amalgamation membership three years ago after becoming heartily sickened by the amount of rubbish left at pegs, the complete ignorance of fishing etiquette and general unpleasantness I encountered from a sizable minority of anglers at Lacock and Tockenham.

All I can say is that if the only way they can measure their prowess in life is by the size of the fish they catch then they must have some serious issues!

 

[Paul H]

Some of the most enjoyable days' fishing I've had are using a light rod with a small float or block-end feeder to catch whatever comes along.

I think part of that is you can never be quite sure what you're going to get next, and as they say - variety is the spice of life.

 

[preston96]

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Paul Howarth wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

Some of the most enjoyable days' fishing I've had are using a light rod with a small float or block-end feeder to catch whatever comes along.

I think part of that is you can never be quite sure what you're going to get next, and as they say - variety is the spice of life. </blockquote>


you know what Paul.....what you discribe is the true essence of angling, it is also the way to secure our kids involvement in the true meaning of fishing..........my lad enjoys all fishing, but the wonder of what is coming next in a mixed bag is what really makes his day.

We are our own worst enemy sometimes........

 

[alan whittington]

Im gonna write this and duck Paul,for ive been told on this forum that i should fish the heiviest tackle possible(even if it means i dont enjoy using it????),but who can beat trotting on rivers like the Trent,Severn,Thames or Wye on 3lb line and connecting with a beast,pure magic(and not a little skill to land em),i want pleasure not brownie points from the angling press/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif.

 

[preston96]

<blockquote class=quoteheader>alan whittington wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>Im gonna write this and duck Paul,for ive been told on this forum that i should fish the heiviest tackle possible(even if it means i dont enjoy using it????),but who can beat trotting on rivers like the Trent,Severn,Thames or Wye on 3lb line and connecting with a beast,pure magic(and not a little skill to land em),i want pleasure not brownie points from the angling press/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif.</blockquote>
Different debate Alan?......no need to duck, but i like to land my beasts, i can assure you that 3lb line would not have done it/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

 

[Chris Season32]

I agree totally. Using gear fine enough to fool a fish reliably usually equates to having to use acquired playing skill to get the fish into the net, that essential element is diluted in much of today’s catch-at-all-cost techniques. And there's another element to be considered too; the breaking strength of a leader corresponds to the maximum amount of pressure that can be exerted on the small area of hook-hold in a fish’s mouth. Catching lipless fish turns my stomach, and there's no excuse for it.

I really feel sorry for many new anglers. The amount of self imposed and peer/media pressure to be successful from the off alienates them from both experienced anglers, and self discovery at the same time.

I must say Its nice to find a forum where these views can be expressed and debated without being mobbed-out. A real breath of fresh air /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Chris.