Secretive Sullen and Selfish

I have experienced the same sort of treatment that you have Bill.

I was brought up under the wings of Tag Barnes, **** Walker, Peter Stone and others of their ilk. The last thing you could ever say about anglers like these were that they Secretive, Sullen and Selfish.

The strange paradox is that **** Walker was the inspiration behind the modern carp scene.

I am going print out a **** Walker letter which is typical of the many thousands he wrote to other anglers.

Look out for it.

And by the way, I don't think any of our carp lads like Cakey, Big Rik, Frothey or even The Monk are sullen, secretive or selfish.

Ron you should come and fish where I fish -there's a chap there more than willing to give free advice. Where to fish, what to use for bait,where you should buy your bait from, what method will and won't work, how to feed, what float to use, how deep the swim is. He's more than happy to tell you all this and more and he know's what he's talking about because he's always caught 100 fish from here yesterday - even had 100lb of carp on maggots only last week- so he'll tell you every time as he stands next to you. He only moves on to give this much sought after advice to the next person when you either follow some of his wisdom or you catch a large fish from some part of the swim he's just said never produces.
So get in touch Ron or anyone who wants to improve your fishing knowledge and I'll put you in a swim next to this bloke and can listen and learn.

Just wish I could say the words that would encourage you, perhaps kickstart would be a better word Bill but your sort of problem can only be solved by yourself. I sometimes feel I am starting to lose some enthusiasm but I'm 69 years old so its probably inevitable, I have only been once this year on the river and not at all since the close season, but there again I have other reasons for not going. Maybe a few early morning expeditions or even try using a bait that is considered old fashioned in the carp world, this to give you a feeling of doing something different even though its been tried before.

I do tend to agree with you about some groups of anglers though, they try to deaf you out as though you can't possible know what they know, best leave them in their ignorance is the solution to that don't you think?

that guy you are on about Paul sure gets around a bit, Ive met him on nearly every water ive been to !

I spoke to one guy the weekend before last, on a pit that i am soon to fish. I was queitly walking around, chatting to anglers, asking them the usual 'new bloke to the water' type questions, when i get to this one bloke. He was just sitting there in his bivvy dressed in some (orange???) camo gear, a full suit i might add.

I asked him if he had anything out,

NO,

Oh, has anything been coming out recently?

bream,

riiight, any size?

6lb.


It was the tone he used with his one-word answers that got me the most! I couldn't be bothered talking to him anymore and just walked off, didnt even wish him good luck or say goodbye!

Beecy I think there must probably be some club rule that states that "At least one gentleman of above pension age shall patrol the waters at all times and bore the Sh!t out of anyone not know to the club committee"

I can understand your point of view Bill. The world of the 'instant carper' as you describe can be a fairly narrow-minded one. For those people who havent enjoyed such a 'traditional' introduction and progression into their sport as yourself, attention to silly details and latest trends (e.g cant catch unless wearing this season's realtree mid-kent oak woodland camo print version 2.0) are everything. Yes there are cliques, and yes there is no doubt the Secretative, Sullen and Selfish. But there is a lot more to fishing... What is that famous quote? something like "an important part of fishing is not about how to catch fish, but how to enjoy"? I would imagine that you are able to enjoy a much broader, and deeper angling experience than most of these modern carp anglers, without having to become a recluse, or form your own secret clan.

I was helping out at a kids carp 'fish-in' a couple of years ago. Most of the kids had been brought up on bivvies and boilies, but I always take a few 'noddy rods' (match and feeder rods to you and me) with me. On the second fishless day, I got a tip rod out and fished corn with a groundbait feeder to pass some time. After a couple of hours, I was regularly catching bream around 3-4lb. The 2 carp lads on the next peg came over for a look, and I asked if they wanted a go. Out of boredom they agreed, and after I showed them how to set up a swimfeeder and mix some groundbait, I left them to it. After an hour and a few fish each, they ended up packing up their carp rods and fishing for bream. They caught all afternoon/evening, and were so tired they didnt bother to set the carp rods back up. Next morning they said they had the best night's sleep they could remember! I wonder why...

my advice? fish to enjoy, not to perform. if that means joining a new club, fishing a new water, or going back to your roots, so be it.

I haven't read Bills thread yet,
but from my own experience at this moment in time, I have a great relationship with the local carp lads.
They will help me with anything I ask of them.
But things today are a lot different than they were about ten years ago. Them days and attitudes have long gone and good riddance to them.
But as they say, mud sticks, and unfortunately it has stuck by the people who throw it, and keep on throwing it.
This is no reflection on what Bill says, just my own expierience.

Here, Here MJ.

Instant carp angler, just add water.

when I used to write for the carp comics, I can remember visiting one water where no body would talk to me for fear that I might write about the lake they where fishing, even though used to call lakes by psuedonms, I`ve never believed in naming waters unless they are the busy day ticket circuit type waters, so as to respect those who have been fishing these lakes,
they blanked me, the funny thing was the lake only held fish upto about mid doubles anyway, it made me laff, in fact I could here the tops of bait containers snapping closed as I walked round the bank haha

but from my own experience at this moment in time, I have a great relationship with the local carp lads


Baz do they have pictures of you on their bivvy walls?

I am so well liked they are clamouring for me to autograph their licences for them, along with a few choice words.

In my experience the sullen, secretive and selfish brigade rarely have much to offer in the way of advice or experience anyway.

My local fishery has 7 lakes includes two very challenging pits that contain a few very big carp but also proliferate with decent pike, tench and roach (one is 27 acres, one about 8).

The other lakes(with the exception of the match pool)are so small you could spit across them.

I rarely meet another angler on the larger lakes but lads in bivvies are prepared to besiege the smaller waters for days at a time. They are no bigger than the junior pool at your local baths.

With three rods each, a fish would only have to twitch a fin to trigger one of their alarms.

Let them get on with it. More proper water for us real (as opposed to realtree) fishermen!

Bill, just ignore these idiots, most of them couldn't stalk a gudgeon in a glass.

Do you do mail order Baz?

I'm your biggest fan! ;-)

I've got to know some of the carpers in a syndicate I belong to. They're quite the opposite, really chatty and friendly.

The demeanour your talking about Ron just dosen't exist in Carp Fishing, it is now sadley evident in all types of angling, barbel, predator, match, you even get "SSS" (secretive, sullen and selfish)allrounders.

Ignore them and they slowly go away, as secretly they crave attention. And as Chris B points out the majority of anglers are thoroughly nice people so luckily you don't have to ignore many.

I think most are Chris, unfortunately its the usual story of some giving most a bad name.

Most of the carpers I meet are friendly and helpful, sometimes even reeling in and coming round for a chat, and occasionally offer a beer.

Unfortunately, I too have witnessed the idiotic instants that Bill refers to. But for me these are the boys who fish the commercials around here and I would'nt want to mix with them anyway.

I've met pratts like that too, but not only carping. I used to match fish in my younger years, it wasn't until I whooped their asses in a very big match they started to talk to me. It was too late then, I had them sussed and didn't want to talk to them anyway.
We also met several barbellers last year on the Throop who spoke to us as if we were morons. One guy (Mr Mustachio (huge tash) as we referred to him after) told us of all of his captures and his beach casting skills. He mentioned the capture of a large barbel (13lb I think) my mate Neil asked "where did you catch it?", not wanting to know which peg of course, he replied "on the Stour!" what a knob head!
Mr Mustachio blanked all week, whilst watching us catching regularly.

Their not worth knowing or speaking to Bill, enjoy your own fishing, they will be watching you and it's sweet when you whoop ass!

you still get them, but i think carpings far more open than it ever has been.....people are only too quick to tell you which bait, rig etc they're on (if you believe them )