What makes an angler a good angler?

Jeff Woodhouse · Sep 26, 2010

Is it a list of specimens from a range of different species?

Is it catching the biggest of a single species?

Is it the knowledge gained from fishing different waters for different species?

Is it the knowledge of the ecology and environment, how the water works, what's in it, what feeds it?

Or is it simply luck that on whatever water, a certain angler will always have a decent catch although never anything really outstanding?

Or is it just someone who fishes for fun and enjoys every minute he spends by the waterside?

What do you think?

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Sep 26, 2010

Jeff Woody said:
Is it a list of specimens from a range of different species?

Is it catching the biggest of a single species?

Is it the knowledge gained from fishing different waters for different species?

Is it the knowledge of the ecology and environment, how the water works, what's in it, what feeds it?

Or is it simply luck that on whatever water, a certain angler will always have a decent catch although never anything really outstanding?

Or is it just someone who fishes for fun and enjoys every minute he spends by the waterside?

What do you think?

Water craft - bein able to fish a water for the first time and "read" where the fish are most likely to be and be feeding

stuartpengs · Sep 26, 2010

A great deal depends on your final definition of a good angler and that is always going to be open to conjecture. If you put all the anglers in the world end to end they wouldn't reach a conclusion

So a definitive answer to your question there is none...but that should have been obvious anyway.

As for my wholly uninformed opinion I enjoy catching a few fish and can be rather good at it as can many other anglers. I am also fortunate enough to enjoy my pastime in beautiful surroundings which I hugely enjoy. thats good enough for me!

dezza · Sep 26, 2010

What defines a Good Angler?

A little of each of the points made by Woody, but overall it is the willingness of that angler to put something back into the sport that has kept him enthralled over all the years he has fished.

There are many ways an angler can put something back. He or she might get on the committee of a club, write articles which entertain and instruct others, join the AT, work for the furtherence of angling.

There are many things one can do.

John Spilsbury · Sep 27, 2010

It doesn't matter how good he is at catching fish. He doesn't have to join committees and "do something" for angling. A good angler to me is one who enjoys the environment, disturbing no-one, and who leaves nothing to reduce the enjoyment of the next angler to fish nearby.

Paul Morley · Sep 27, 2010

I'm mainly with John, but versatility has to be the key.....

Harvey · Sep 27, 2010

..........

Matthew Nightingale (ACA) · Sep 27, 2010

Consideration:

of fish welfare;
of other anglers;
of other people using the water;
of his Club's welfare;
of the future of the sport.

Mark Wintle · Sep 27, 2010

Harvey said:
Agree. The ability to find the fish is the most important factor. If you're able to find them, catching them is not that much of a problem. It can always be sorted out by trial and error.

Catching them can very skill dependent. I know of many situations where even if the fish are located they cannot be caught due to insufficient skill on the part of the angler. I match fished for decades and the difference in skill levels was enormous even within match anglers never mind other anglers. In match fishing the location part is less important in that you can only catch what you find in front of you which can increase your skills considerably given that conditions may be unfavourable. Lots of anglers think they're good at catching fish but make things very easy for themselves in terms of swim choice and would find out the truth given the competitive element or a more accurate comparison.

Being a good angler is hard to define but ought to include some considerable level of skill and knowledge. Helping others, understanding ecology etc. all add to the skills.

Harvey · Sep 27, 2010

..........

jimmy crackedcorn · Sep 27, 2010

I think marks dead right. I can go to water and think "thats where they are" but in alot of cases I simply dont have the skill to put the bait where it needs to be and now seldom bother, thus saving time dragging my float out of a tree (again !). Skill is vastly important - I remember trying out my mates new pole, he was, as ever catching loads and I didnt catch half as many when I tried - yet he fished the same spot as me with my gear and caught a few more than I did. Then theres the skill, and I believe it is a skill albeit not a huge one, of selecting the right end tackle/ bait for the job and making sure it is presented the very best it can.

Jeff Woodhouse · Sep 27, 2010

Alan Roe said:
A great deal depends on your final definition of a good angler and that is always going to be open to conjecture.

Just picked your comment, Alan, to make a clarification - it's not my definition (unless you were using "your" as a generalisation) - but the poster's own definition.

Just thinking of past anglers like Walker for example. A "good" angler because he thought deeply about what he wanted to get out of it, not just the catch itself, whatever he was catching and having caught enjoyed every minute of teh experience.

It's just that I was reminded of this a short while ago by someone (an acquaintance let's say) who went off carp fishing. Having a disappointing weekend as he'd "only caught two low-doubles" and describing it as being a failure. I just though it can't be right, because he also said how others had blanked and when I pointed out that he had at least caught he said that was because he was a "good" angler.

But was he? Had he set his sights too high and would anything short of a new PB have pleased him? He obviously hadn't enjoyed his experience nor the environment in which he fished so could he really call himself a "good" angler?

Not saying he doesn't have any skill at all, just that he doesn't know how to apply it to his enjoyment factor. Same can be said of matchmen maybe who don't "bag-up" on a commercial, catching and possibly winning a river match with just a few pounds of roach and dace. If they say they didn't enjoy it or derive any pleasure from their experience at all, can they still call themselves a "good" angler?

I suppose that's what I'm asking, what are the parameters that define a good angler? (Doesn't have to be a GREAT or famous angler, like Matt Hayes or John Wilson).

chubby48 · Sep 27, 2010

good angler

it takes years of learning u never stop learning at fishing u either are luck or u are not

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Sep 27, 2010

It's not one thing that makes agood angler, it's everything to do with angling, catching fish.

I know uy's that can fish stillwaters very very well, give them a river, and you would think they hadn't fished before.

It's about water craft, tackle setup, swim selection, bait, end tackle, name it and put it altogether.

Also remember that Hayes, Wilson, Walker etc etc, get to and got to, fish waters that Joe Public wouldn't, and spent many many hours to make an half hour program.

Wilson was on the Avon all week for two Barbel upto around 6lb, they didn't tell you that in the program, nor the time he was on the Ouse for 8 days before getting a fish. Still bloody good Anglers, no matter what some may think.

A good angler IS someone who can put everything together ay the same time, and at the right time, and even then they don't do that all the time. They have their blanks, just like everyone else

Jeff Woodhouse · Sep 27, 2010

Ray Daywalker Clarke said:
A good angler IS someone who can put everything together ay the same time, and at the right time, and even then they don't do that all the time. They have their blanks, just like everyone else

Not a bad summary Ray, but could I add at the end - "and still enjoy it."

Rickrod · Sep 27, 2010

A good angler would be one that can catch bigger fish than mr spiders

chavender · Sep 28, 2010

a good angler ,is any angler who knows enough not too do any harm to the fish they might catch .everything else is incidental

quickcedo · Sep 28, 2010

Personally I would say that if you KNOW you don't know it all, your well on your way.
Having the abillity to learn also helps!

geoffmaynard · Sep 28, 2010

chavender said:
a good angler ,is any angler who knows enough not too do any harm to the fish they might catch .everything else is incidental

But then you get those variations between what different people call 'harm'. (playing a fish too hard/soft, using a barbed/barbless hook etc)

I think Ray is closest so far to nailing it down.

Tee-Cee · Sep 28, 2010

Well said Ray-about sums it up for me(plus Jeff's bit!)

I went today from daybreak.....worked out last night(whilst watching TV!) what I wanted to try and then spent time organising the bait etc and checking the tackle and what I would use that I might be successful....gave myself every chance of catching and it worked...
I love the preparation as much as the fishing...that lovely feeling of expectation.....thinking about every aspect.....

.....but also knowing it might not work tomorrow and starting from scratch again.....................

What makes an angler a good angler?

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