Who is best?

  • Thread starter Ron Troversial Clay
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Whilst fishing the Idle recently with Matt Brown and Michael Townsend, one of the subjects that came up was about the angling abilities of Southern versus Northern Anglers.

After watching both Matt and Michael in action, I would certainly say that the Northern angler has it by far.

And even old **** Walker used to say the same.

Northern anglers, on average, possess far more skills and overall angling ability than those in the south. That's why when we do travel south where the fish are generally bigger, we thrash the hell out of the southerners. I have seen this happen on more occasions than I can count.

Most southern anglers use rather crude tackle and techniques. And I am making exceptions like the Andy Nellists of this world.

What do you say?
 
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jp

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I'd say you need a better bait to catch this Southerner.
 
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The Monk

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In general terms this is of course true, because of climatic variables/variations and trends, plus geomorphological mechanical considerations relating to rock types, peat build ups and ultimately PH levels learning toward acidity and water quality/low biodiversity invertibrate levels, add into the equation stocking policies of the 30s and 40s, the fish by nature are generally less prolithic, small and live in poorer quality water catchments, many canals on former polluted and industrial wastelands, barren mill lodges, moorland reservoirs, polluted river systems etc therefore the angler has to be far more astute to catch his quarry, hence anglers of high standards and thinking qualities, resourceful, knowledable, excellent watercraft. Compare this to the rich southern gravel pits, rivers which didnt feel the full weight of industrialisation, excellent stocking policies, and warmer climatic conditions, hench the fish have a far better growth rate, are generally more prolithic and untimately incredibly easy to catch. Therefore Southern anglers dont have to be the brightest of people on the planet to be able to catch large southern fish
 
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Phil Hackett 2

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Well Ron, you against Andy the dog. Andy has it so far on our Excreta pile ;0)
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Take match angling for instance. I am no match angler, but the best overall have come from the North. I will mention The Barnsley Blacks with Scotthorne et al, and what of the Lancashire guys - The Ashursts, Billy Lane of Coventry and Ivan Marks from Leicester.

The has been very few from south of the Thames.

**** Walker once stated that Tag Barnes of Sheffield was one of the finest all-round angers he had ever seen in his life.
 
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paul williams 2

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Coventry, Leicester, Stoke, Brum, Wolves, Dudley.... The Midlands, home of the best anglers in the country.....na, the WORLD!
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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Hey Brummie,

Anything north of Watford and west of Basingstoke is either North or West. The rest is south.
 
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paul williams 2

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I did slip up....a yam yam NEVER admits a Brummie is good at anything!......i'll get sent to Coventry for that!
 
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Matt Brown

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I reckon we've got loads of good match anglers round here (Yorkshire)because the match scene is bigger.

In Yorkshire as a kid, everyone eiethr fished or had a family member who did.

Then I moved to Basingstoke and no-one fished. It just wasn't a popular working man's sport. (I must admit Basingstoke was a bit weird though!)

For 2 years I fished the Reading & DAA waters there were hardly any anglers around, even at weekends. I have to say, most of the few I did see couldn't catch a cold. But that was 1990'ish.

Last year I went down to the Kennet (in November) and on a frosty morning there was Barbel angler after Barbel angler. They all had the right kit, so I get the impression that things have changed.

I bet us Northerners would struggle on rivers like the Great Ouse, or any small clear river with loads of weed and where the fish are easily spooked.
 
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Ron Troversial Clay

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No you wouldn't Matt.

When you fish these small streams all you have to remember is that each fish has a gun and if it sees you it will shoot you.

Keep that in mind and you will catch lots from clear rivers.
 
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Wolfman Woody

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You didn't see us Matt because we led the revoluton in Real Tree camo gear and those of us who don't have camo use nature's own.

Well, there we are fishing away, dozens of us all quiet and still and along comes these noisy northerners "Stad art?" So naturally now, we make like a tree and don't answer back.

We are so quiet even to the extent of not catching anything in case it gives our position away.
 
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Baz

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There have been times in the past when there has been some championship match or other held on a canal in the north.
The first time I watched one such competition, I couldn?t believe what I was seeing.
The lads from down south were piling the bait in as though there was no tomorrow. While the northern teams were feeding sparsely but steadily. Needless to say the northern lads won the day.
In fairness, it was very obvious the southerners had probably never seen a canal, and were more used to river fishing.
 
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Matt Brown

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The biggest shock I found when I moved and fished down South was that you could catch fish using the methods described in the textbooks. A mate and I called it Mr Crabtree fishing.

You wouldn't get a bite using a size 14 hook or Chubber around the Doncaster area in the 80's. The fish were so pressured up here we had to fish superfine style - fine wire 24 hooks to 10oz Double Strength. We fished for bites.

Of course for the first year I fished the Kennet I lost loads of fish before realizing I could get away with Shark fishing tackle.

Now I can get away with heavy tackle up here because the rivers are devoid of anglers!
 
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Michael Townsend 3

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One thing that sticks in my mind about southern anglers is that most of them try to catch 20lb carp rather than specimen roach or rudd. This is the case on the waters i have fished, they dont seem to want to play with depth and shot settings, most seem to want to put 3 rods out and getb their heads down after a few cans. That suits me fine though i find this slightly puzzling
 
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swordsy

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mr.monkey do you mean "Az-thyaddout?" "stad art?" sounds nottingham to me like "adda-gorralobbyon"(are you fishing with lobworm)not to be confused with "aztha-gottawurmon"(northern var)often to be followsed by "yerslybastadyernowtnermooah!"if one is catching more than is deemed his fair share.
 
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Andy "the Dog" Nellist

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Ron, I assume by Watford you mean the Watford Gap on the M1 at Northampton not Watford the town which is 20 miles south of Tring !
 
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Malcolm Bason

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"most seem to want to put 3 rods out and getb their heads down after a few cans. That suits me fine though i find this slightly puzzling"

So, thats confined to Southern anglers is it, Michael?
 
GrahamM

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I know Ron's only casting around for a bite (and he usually gets one!) but just to bring some of the season's goodwill into the thread I'll offer this:

To anyone who has fished the length and breadth of the country with anglers from all points of the compass, the one thing that stands out above all else is that anglers are anglers, we're all the same, generally speaking.

I've fished with some crap anglers from the south and the north, and some excellent anglers from both regions.

A good angler can visit anywhere on Earth and fish for any species that swims and he'll still be a good angler. Any changes in environmental conditions, terrestrial or aquatic, he'll adapt to in no time at all.

A good angler will always be a good angler, no matter where he comes from or where he fishes, or what he fishes for.
<HR>
Anyway, sod the goodwill now, let's get back to region bashing, it's much more fun. Carry on Ron.
 
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jp

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"let's get back to region bashing, it's much more fun."

Some of us find it incredibly boring and exceedingly childish, it also becomes rather repetitive after a while.
 
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