Calling all Specimen Hunters

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 21, 2004

Many big fish anglers are happy to get the best out of their local waters. Although they might not ever make the pages of the weeklies, they are quite happy catching good fish for the waters they fish. 5 pound chub, 1 pound roach, 5 lb tench etc.

They are satisfied catching such fish knowing they have achieved very good levels of skills and watercraft to have done so.

Or are you one of those who will bite your nails to the quick to get on the going waters or the going swim. Will follow the circus as it were, keeping your ear to the ground for any rumours of a big fish. And then you will chase that fish no matter what the cost.

And then sit on it until it takes your bait.

Or are you the genuine pioneering type who will forget the going waters and try to find new waters or swims of your own. And then keep quiet about them when you succeed.

What type are you?

Rod MacAskill · Sep 21, 2004

A combination of all really. I have spent thousands of hours on rivers,Fen drains and stillwaters in search of big fish which I have had hunches about. On many occasions I have failed but success is all the more sweet when you put the net under a 7lb chub or a 25lb pike which you believe to have been never/rarely caught. However I do break this up from time to time by then fishing well known waters such as Sywell or Esthwaite which are known to contain big fish. I don't think I would have the patience to chase a fish whatever the cost, as for me variety of water is the spice of my fishing life

Tim Ridge · Sep 21, 2004

I get bored very quickly, thinking it is only a matter of time Ron. I honestly think it is the case that some waters (and particular Species) require very little in the way of practical application. Sywell used to be like this. Head off up to the fence ends and sooner or later you would catch a 9lb plus tench. I never once fished these swims infact I didn't really fish Sywell much because I wanted to feel that I deserved the fish I caught. To be perfectly honest I feel a bit like this about My 15 from the trent. I sat there in a known swim using a going bait and whilst there was some degree of application, the barbel more or less did the rest. On the other hand you can sit on an absolute shedload of chub/roach and not put more than perhaps one or two average sized fish on the bank if you don't apply some sort of logic. There's a lot more to these species than location to my mind. Each specific situation is relevant. Basically if I have to apply myself I like it. If I don't then I soon get bored, regardless of the size of the fish.

jason fisher · Sep 22, 2004

i'm the sort that doesn't really chase other peoples fish, i do use the grapevine in a way though, if i hear of a report of a decent fish, nothing monstrous, i'll investigate what else is there. my best tench came from a water that had produced fish to 7lb, i had a couple of doubles.
my best pike came from a water that had only produced smaller fish.
caught a 33lb carp from a water whose owner didn't really have much of an idea what was in it.
i found my best roach in a water that i started off carp fishing.

Baz · Sep 22, 2004

I know the location of a pike in the region of 30lb. But I won't fish for it.
I had a go once and she shown me her tail.
now and again I will go and have a look to see if she is still there.
My enjoyment comes mainly from chubing on new swims. They are mainly in the three to four pound mark. A couple of times this season, a bigger chub than usual turns up, that is all the exitement I need, especialy if I have caught it some what different to the norm.

Phil Hackett 2 · Sep 22, 2004

Ron I?ve earmarked some nice roach on the Ribble to have a go at in the next few weeks when the barbel go quieter. They?re having caster somewhere between Settle and Preston on the float.
Now that?s what I call pioneering mate!

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 22, 2004

Good for you Phil.

Graham Whatmore · Sep 22, 2004

Never ever been a specimen hunter nor will I ever be one, its not in my makeup. My only aspiration for more years than I care to remember was to catch a 2lb roach, I did eventually so now I'm at peace with my fishing and happy to catch whatever comes.

Love it, absolutely love it.

Baz · Sep 22, 2004

Good for you on the 2lb roach Graham. I spent many years after one, but only managed one and a half pounds. That was from a canal so I am happy with it. The 2 pounder would have had to come off the same canal aswell, for my own satisfaction. I have had my now favourite species chub, over the magical 5lb so yes I am also very satisfied.

John Jones · Sep 22, 2004

Nope, never a specimen hunter, more a pleasure hunter. And when I fish thats exactly what I get no matter what I catch.

Two years ago after 50 years of fishing, I had my first ever barbel 'double', my first ever 3lb perch, and my first ever 10lb bream, all within weeks of each other and each one caught on the float.

Of course I got great pleasure from those catches but I've had equal pleasure from winkling out small fish on hard waters or when conditions are all against you.

Just to add a touch of hypocricy, despite what I have said, I would have loved my best ever roach of 1lb 15oz to have weighed another ounce!

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 22, 2004

A thirty pound pike Baz. Don't let on where it is or Neville will be down there like a shot.

Rather tell me and I'll be down there like a shot!!

Baz · Sep 22, 2004

She is a very clever pike Ron.
It wasn't the one Matt Heyes was after.
Incidentally, all the bigest pike I know of, have all been in shallow water in winter.

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 22, 2004

That's a good philosophy Graham.

Remember these wise words:

"Happy is the angler that fishes to please himself rather than trying to impress others."

RSW

sash · Sep 22, 2004

If it's late Febuary/March it's because they do migrate to shallow spawning areas Baz. You'll often find a big female attended to by a number of small males and indeed it has been known for one of the prospective mates to become dinner!

Definately not of the sit it out on known waters type Ron though I will investigate rumours of big fish. Under no circumstances would I specifically target a known fish that's been brought to my attention by someone else catching it. And I'm definately of the keep it quiet clan.

Wolfman Woody · Sep 22, 2004

It's not in my nature to go chasing monsters or joining in a circus. I left all that behind years ago when I realised that not only was I crap, I had bad luck following me everywhere. The curse of Cain, where will it all end.

I'll tell you where. I would like to catch a nice big fat sea bass before i turn my toes up. "Easy" you say, but wait. I chased them all along the North Wales coast years ago and got so desperate I made a pact with the Almighty.

So if there is a supreme being here was my deal - once I have caught a bass He can have me. Since then I've avoided them like the plague, just in case.

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 22, 2004

From my point of view, if someone showed me proof positive of a huge fish, I would have a go for it. That's the hunter in me.

If I caught it would I tell anyone?

Difficult to say. Perhaps I might and then put everyone on the wrong track as regards the fishes location.

Just to watch the antics of the Circus.

Peter Jacobs · Sep 22, 2004

Circus Follower? - No!
Named Fish Hunter? - Not any more!
Keep it Quiet? - Absolutely, unless it is to one of a very few trusted anglers.

Jeff, let me know the next time you are out fishing as I have this scuba diving mate who could . . . . . . .

sash · Sep 22, 2004

Ron,

Three different scenarios there:

1) You've been made aware of a big fish or the potential of a big fish

2) You've been made aware of a big fish by someone else catching it

3) Historically, the venue held (or holds) good fish (or a good fish) that haven't been caught for a while

I'd definately follow up 1 and 3. Scenario 2 is not for me.

For example I was lucky enough to catch my 1st 30lb pike last season. I knew that a pike had been caught from the venue 15 months earlier at 25lbish and that it hadn't been seen since. I also knew that it was probably the only pike over 20lb in a reasonable sized gravel pit. I was lucky to catch it 1st time out at 32lb.

I questioned myself afterwards. Did that fall into bracket 1, 2 or 3? My answer was 1 and 3. If that fish had come out at 30+ the week before I decided to fish for it I would have said it fell into category 2. It's a fine line isn't it.

Any views?

sash · Sep 22, 2004

Peter,

"Keep it Quiet? - Absolutely, unless it is to one of a very few trusted anglers"

Absolutely. I've seen too much fishing ruined by glory hunters and the subsequent magazine articles.

Ron Troversial Clay · Sep 22, 2004

OK, let's imagine a scenario then.

I catch a 19 1/2 lb barbel on peg 14 at Laneham on Trent with a Dynamite Halibut boilie and publish the fish stating as accurately as possible what took place.

What would happen during the next few days at Peg 14, Laneham-on-Trent?

Calling all Specimen Hunters

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