Specialist Anglers

njb51 · Sep 30, 2005

At what point in your fishing lifetime, can you call yourself a specialist angler?

Must you only fish for one specie?

Do you consider yourself to be a specialist angler now?

What is a specialist angler?

Blunderer · Sep 30, 2005

A specialist angler is someone who targets one species.
I was a specialist angler from a very early age. In fact, when I was eight we used to target sticklebacks with half a worm.

It is a meaningless phrase.

Matt Brown · Sep 30, 2005

If you start targeting the bigger fish of any species and the expense of just trying to catch what comes along then that makes you a specialist angler.

I used to fish for bites - as a matchman would. It kept me busy and I enjoyed it, but there's only so many bags of Roach, Perch, Gudgeon and so on before it can become a little tediuos.

I would have swicthed much sooner had I had access to bigger fish locally.

Beecy · Sep 30, 2005

I'm at the exact same stage you describe Matt, I do 99% of my fishing "match style" but recently I've found myself craving the bigger fish.

I hav'nt decided which side of the fence to fall on yet though, I want big fish but also want to be busy - some people are never satisfied are they.

njb51 · Sep 30, 2005

But i've heard the term used to describe people who target more than one species
how does that work?

Matt Brown · Sep 30, 2005

Johnny, I target different species. Sometimes I have spells on particlar fish - for instance I'm Perch mad at the moment.

This afternoon I'll be having a couple of hours trying to locate some big Perch but tomorrow I'm off down to the Trent. I shall be fishing for Perch in the daylight and will switch to Barbel after dark. the tactics and tackle used will be completely different.

I still consider that to be specialist angling. People can call it something else if they choose. That's up to them.

Beecy, just do what you enjoy. I still have the odd session where I fish for whatever. Last week I fished with an old school mate and we just trotted maggots. We caught Barbel, Chub, Roach, Perch, Bleak, Bream and Gudgeon between us and it was enjoyable.

I don't fish this was often but it's nice to do it now and again.

GrahamM · Sep 30, 2005

'Specialist Angler' is the modern term for 'Specimen Hunter' and has nothing to do with targeting a single species or a number of species. It just means that you specialise in catching the biggest fish in a particular water. That could be 4lb chub in one river or 8-pounders in another, 10lb carp in one stillwater or 40s in another, and so on.

The SAA (Specialist Anglers Alliance) was at one time NASA (National Association of Specialist Anglers, which in turn started life as the NASG (The National Association of Specimen Groups).

Phil Hackett PCPL with Pride · Sep 30, 2005

Bang on Graham!
I?d also add that specialist anglers tend to fish waters that they know or they think contain bigger than average fish of whatever species takes their fancy.

njb51 · Sep 30, 2005

Isn't everyone after the biggest fish they can catch from a particular specie in a particular lake or pond or river though?

I know people go for pleasure, but ultimately they are after the biggest fish of whatever they are going for aren't they?

Or would you say a specialist angler spends a considerably longer amount of time going after that one big fish?

njb51 · Sep 30, 2005

Do you reckon the media have made the 'specialist angler' something to strive for in fishing? Something to aim for and as a result, clouded the minds of youngsters coming into the sport?

Richard Baker 4 · Sep 30, 2005

I encourage people fishing for bigger fish. I've always thought it odd that matchman deliberately target large bags of imature silver fish which even with todays keepnets etc don't benefit from being handled. Good luck to the spepialist angler. He leaves the imature fish alone and on the whole seems to respectand take care of his catch. I'd welcome specialsit angers on any water over match anglers.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay · Sep 30, 2005

The true specimen hunter will try to get the best out of the waters that are available to him

We generally are not interested in catching tiddlers.

Some of the best specimen hunters in my life have been people who's lists of big fish are quite modest by the standards of today. They are modest because in many circumstances these people do not have the were-with-all to travel to the going waters.

Some of the best roach anglers I have ever met for example have never caught a roach of over 1 1/2 lbs in their lives. Yet some of the worst roach anglers have several 3 pounders to their name.

Matt Brown · Sep 30, 2005

Richard, I don't see what's wrong with fishing match style for smaller fish. They're not always immature. Many only grow to a small size because of their environment, available food and competition from other fish.

Jonny, some people fish for bites because it can be less boring. If the float is going under more often, then there's usually more to do.

Many people just don't care what they catch. They enjoy being away from work, or the family and just being outdoors.

Each to their own.

NottmDon · Sep 30, 2005

100% agree with your sentiments Matt well said!

Grahams description is about spot on too. Best thing about these forums is every now and again I get a little pearl of wisdom from one of you lot. It keeps my feet on the ground and makes me realise that we never know it all. I for one am glad I dont lol!

john ledger · Sep 30, 2005

Why anyone would want to call themselves a specialist angler is beyond me,do they actually think they are special people,certainly some think so

njb51 · Sep 30, 2005

How can these people be specialist? Surley if they were specialist, they could go out and catch just the targeted species, avoiding the ones they weren't targetting.

If a 'specialist' was after barbel from a river, and ends up catching nothing but bream, but big bream, has he failed at being a barbel specialist? or has he now become a bream specialist?

john ledger · Sep 30, 2005

Jonny
I know some great anglers some match and some so called specialist both good at what they do but my own preferance is to be in the company of the good match angler.
Some specialist anglers have more hang ups than a butchers freezer"am i doing this right " or "should i be in the next swim".The matchman has to fish the chosen venue in the chosen swim at the chosen time but never having the choice of the weather.
Within 1 mile of my house lives Alan Scothorne Andy Oldam Dennis Pinkoss John Bromilow Joe Murray all brilliant anglers who if turning to specialist would still be brilliant anglers,could you say the same about the specialist.
Go out and enjoy your fishing and do your own thing,be a happy splodger.

Ric Elwin · Sep 30, 2005

My view is that it is in the word. 'Specialist'. So, you specialise.

That could be the biggest of a certain species.

Equally, it could be to catch one species at a size the individual finds interesting; in a water that might hold many species.

From a personal point of view I can specialise in winter, and feel pretty good about catching a 1lb Roach. If I hooked and landed a 15lb Carp or 5lb tench during the session I'd get some pleasure from that, but not as much as catching the Roach.

It's about deciding what you're going to do, rather than relying on 'chance' with a bait/ method that is non-specific as regards species.

That's my view anyway.

Bob Hornegold · Oct 1, 2005

Surely its just a word ?

Specialist--Specimen Angler

In my opinion it refer's to the type of angler who set's out to catch Specimen size fish by design.

Its as simple as that, regardless of the species or the venue.

Of course there are far more skilled Match and Pleasure anglers than the average Specialist angler.

I dont see it as being Elitist to have these aims, it's just a different discipline.

Lots of my friends are Match/Pleasure and thought I was barking Mad to do 100days/nights for 7 runs.

But I had it in my mind to catch a certain fish, (failing miserably)and time was the main requirement.

That is what makes me Happy, as I would imagine 5hrs Matches or a days pleasure fishing does for my friends ?

Bob

Ron 'The Hat' Clay · Oct 1, 2005

I hate the term: "Specialist Angler"

If you examine what the word means, it could be applied to any type of fishing.

A Match angler specialises in match fishing.

A fly fisher specialises in fly fishing.

The old word was "Specimen Hunter", again a term I have never liked. **** Walker, the doyen of so called "Specimen Hunting" also hated the term.

But I suppose we are stuck with it.

However it would be idle to deny that big fish do not interest the vast majority of anglers. I have fished a long time, over 55 years and I don't know of any angler I have ever fished with who wasn't bitterly dissapointed when a big fish broke away.

John, you cannot compare the approach of a specimen hunter with that of a match angler. They are two totally different diciplines.

The specimen hunter is constantly on the look out for the right swim. That's the whole idea. Location is the first principle behind catching big fish.

There are five basic steps to big fish catching.

1: Find the fish.
2: Don't scare them.
3: Fish at the right time.
4: Use the right method.
5: Use the right bait.

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