Does Size Really Matter

steph mckenzie · Jun 21, 2011

Before you all think, blimey shouldn't this be in "Bait box", please read on.

When it comes down to popularity in the Fishing stakes,, is it all about Size or is it about the Species.

Before anyone thinks that this is a Pop at any one style of fishing then let me re-assusre you all that it isn't (well not in my eyes).

I was looking at River Fishing and fishing for Chub in particular, now it is one fish i could fish for all year round and happily so. What got me to this question was, why is Barbel Fishing so popular and not Chub fishing ?

Is Chub fishing easier than Barbel fishing, is it because Barbel Fight Harder, is it because Barbel grow to a Bigger size ?

The same with Carp fishing, is it because they fight Harder than Tench or Bream, is it because they're easier to catch, is it purely and simply because of the tremendous sizes they can and do grow to ?

Why are Chub, Tench and Bream referred to as Nuisance Fish, is it just because someone has had to get off their bum to wind in something they weren't fishing for ?

I would and could quite happily fish for all the above species and more, How many specialist anglers have caught their own PB Chub, Tench or Bream etc etc whilst fishing specifically for Barbel or carp. It's not like they wouldn't count it because they weren't fishing for them.

So does size really matter when it comes down to attracting newcomers to our sport of fishing ?

dannytaylor · Jun 21, 2011

they are nusciance fish when you have prepared a perfect trap for your target species and along comes another fish and snaffles it. Fortunatly i dont mind what comes along to the party :w

For newcomers to the sport, size will always matter. Its the natural hunting instinct to want more/better sized "prey". I think its only when an angler has fished for a number of years and has caught fish to a good size that he begins to mellow/relax about fish size. Some always buzz off fishing for targets/specimen fish, each to thier own and long may it continue :w

Frank Elson · Jun 21, 2011

I no longer carry anything for weighing fish or photographing fish.
Fishing, to me, is about me competing with the fish.
I do prefer a bend in my rod but I have no desire to know what my pb is, or to show it off to other anglers..

Bob Hornegold · Jun 21, 2011

steph mckenzie said:
Before you all think, blimey shouldn't this be in "Bait box", please read on.

When it comes down to popularity in the Fishing stakes,, is it all about Size or is it about the Species.

Before anyone thinks that this is a Pop at any one style of fishing then let me re-assusre you all that it isn't (well not in my eyes).

I was looking at River Fishing and fishing for Chub in particular, now it is one fish i could fish for all year round and happily so. What got me to this question was, why is Barbel Fishing so popular and not Chub fishing ?

Is Chub fishing easier than Barbel fishing, is it because Barbel Fight Harder, is it because Barbel grow to a Bigger size ?

The same with Carp fishing, is it because they fight Harder than Tench or Bream, is it because they're easier to catch, is it purely and simply because of the tremendous sizes they can and do grow to ?

Why are Chub, Tench and Bream referred to as Nuisance Fish, is it just because someone has had to get off their bum to wind in something they weren't fishing for ?

I would and could quite happily fish for all the above species and more, How many specialist anglers have caught their own PB Chub, Tench or Bream etc etc whilst fishing specifically for Barbel or carp. It's not like they wouldn't count it because they weren't fishing for them.

So does size really matter when it comes down to attracting newcomers to our sport of fishing ?

----------
steph

Well I suspose it depends on what type of angler you are and how you would describe yourself ?

If your a Match angler, then catching the greatest number, in the shortest possible time for the the biggest weight is the aim of the game.

If your an out and out Single species angler, then catching that Species by design would be your aim.

And anything else would be considered a nusciance fish.

Pleasure angler arn't worried, they seem happy with whatever comes along.

I class myself as a Specimen Angler, someone who targets many different species and of course it's nice to catch a Big fish of the species you are targetting at the time.

But in my experience, catching any decent size Specimen is normally regarded as a pleasure.

And yes a few of my P.B.s were caught whilst targetting other species.

My 35lb 9osz River Carp P.B. was caught whilst Chub Fishing, on chub tackle, but I'm still counting it !!

Bob:w

steph mckenzie · Jun 21, 2011

Bob,

Would you rather catch a big 60lb monstrosity of a Common Carp with a head like a football that's been gnawed on by a Pitbull, or a beautiful looking mid 30lb Common Carp with perfect fins and a mouth that you could kiss ?

I wouldn't mind catching either if i was honest, but if i had to chose, well i would go for the Better looking fish of the 2.

But the 60lb Common could mean that i have just broke and even smashed my own PB of 39lb ( this isn't my PB it is fictituos), so would i give that up ? honestly, i am not sure.

Would catching the 60lb Common mean that everything below that weight was just a nuisance in my pursuit for bigger and better, i'm not sure about that either.

I guess what i am saying, does size over take what we fish for the higher it becomes ?

sam vimes · Jun 21, 2011

I fish in a variety of styles for a variety of fish but tend to spend most of my time fishing for barbel. I'll never turn my nose up at the inevitable bream and chub that often come along. Likewise, I'm happy to see a tench or bream when fishing for carp. I don't consider many fish to be a nuisance, perhaps bleak, minnows and, once upon a long ago, bootlace eels.
While I'd be over the moon to break PBs on a regular basis I'm not disappointed when I don't (bloody good job really!

), provided I catch something I'm generally quite content. If they happen to err on the side of bigger or in good numbers then so much the better.

If my expectation was to catch absolutely nothing but have a nice day out by some water, I'd ditch all the expensive fishing gear, bait and licences.

Bob Hornegold · Jun 21, 2011

steph mckenzie said:
Bob,

Would you rather catch a big 60lb monstrosity of a Common Carp with a head like a football that's been gnawed on by a Pitbull, or a beautiful looking mid 30lb Common Carp with perfect fins and a mouth that you could kiss ?

I wouldn't mind catching either if i was honest, but if i had to chose, well i would go for the Better looking fish of the 2.

But the 60lb Common could mean that i have just broke and even smashed my own PB of 39lb ( this isn't my PB it is fictituos), so would i give that up ? honestly, i am not sure.

Would catching the 60lb Common mean that everything below that weight was just a nuisance in my pursuit for bigger and better, i'm not sure about that either.

I guess what i am saying, does size over take what we fish for the higher it becomes ?

----

steph

No, as I said in my post; most speciemen anglers are happy catching any fish of the desired species, if a lake held a 60lb Common, be it ugly or not, it would just be a target.

I think you are doing a bit of Internet Angling and missing the point completely ?

Well actually I don't know what your point is ?

Some anglers targetted Two Tone for years, they sent a lot of time and money after that fish, most anglers on the lake never caught that fish, but throughly enjoyed the pursuit of it, the were a few other fish in the lake as well.

If one of those was caught it was celebrated, because it took a great deal of effoprt to catch anything from Collingbrooke.

Most right minded carp anglers don't want to catch carp that have been put into a water from dubious stocking.

Most of us want to catch genuine British bred and grown Carp, unfortunately this is not true of all anglers, but then again in my opinion they are not proper Anglers !!

Bob

steph mckenzie · Jun 21, 2011

Bob,

It truly doesn't matter what my own personal pint is, i am just asking the Question. What is important is everyone elses personal point on the topic, this is what helps make it a debate / discussion and offers different mind sets and points of views on how they view there own fishing. This in turn can help others to think about their own personal views on the subject and might either make them type somehting and contribute to the discussion / debate or just look at perhaps looking at things from a different point of view.

It really is that simple, i know it can and sometimes does sound as though i am having a go at certain types of angling, but really i'm not, i'm just questioning my own views on Angling and seeking a response.

It also gets people talking and introduces people to people they haven't had a discussion with prior to this, the same as we are doing now and others.

Blame him who said, that the Fourms were quiet

Neil Maidment · Jun 21, 2011

Different things to different people.

Over the last 2 or 3 years I've concentrated on fly/trout fishing and get a huge amount of satisfaction from several different variations.

I really enjoy stalking very big trout from crystal clear waters. Whilst I have had over 50 double figure trout, the best bit for me is the act of finding, stalking and then trying to catch the damn things (but I'm still looking for that first 20lber!). It is not uncommon for me to just wander round the fisheries for hours on end and not even cast a fly. I've had many very enjoyable blanks.

I get a different type of joy and satisfaction from targeting tiny wild trout on a couple of local streams, they average less than 12ozs, but are an equal challenge to their stocked, pellet fed cousins.

On the coarse front, I love winter chub fishing. I know I would stand a better chance of a really big chub if I stuck it out on a feeder/lead. But I prefer to trot a float and have had some marvelous "nets" of very decent chub topped by quite a few sixes. I've had bigger chub on the feeder/lead and whilst very pleasing, I get more pleasure and a sense of good fishing when trotting the float.

Size isn't everything, but each to their own.

dezza · Jun 21, 2011

Bob Hornegold said:
Most of us want to catch genuine British bred and grown Carp, unfortunately this is not true of all anglers, but then again in my opinion they are not proper Anglers !!

And that does not include Clarissa, or any of the Redmire brood at the time which were born and bred in Holland!

noknot · Jun 22, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
And that does not include Clarissa, or any of the Redmire brood at the time which were born and bred in Holland!

Not sure if they were bred in Holland Ron? Yes thats were the strain was from, but the Redmire stock were only 5-8" at the time, so it could be said they were UK grown Carp?

dezza · Jun 22, 2011

I draw your attention to page 97 of Kevin Clifford's book: "A History of Carp Fishing".

Don Leney states:

"Each late autumn I used to go over to Holland to inspect the summer's crop, and buy the best grown, usually 4 to 5 inch".

This was at the Nederlandsche Heidemaatschappij in Arnhem.

As far as I have neen able to ascertain, the small carp stocked by Leney into Redmire in 1934 were born and bred in Holland. They of course grew to such phenomenal sizes in Redmire Pool in England.

And certainly "Leney's Strain" came from a Dutch fish farm.

noknot · Jun 22, 2011

Thank's Ron.....

Bob Hornegold · Jun 22, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
And that does not include Clarissa, or any of the Redmire brood at the time which were born and bred in Holland!

--------

Ron

As you well know, I was refering to now days, where very Large Continetal Carp can be stocked legally into Hole in the Ground Fisheries.

And God forbid the trade in Large Carp being smuggled into this country, without the health checks and paper work.

Those of us who have been fishing for Carp for over 50 years know all about Leney Carp and where they were sourced !!

Bob

dezza · Jun 22, 2011

Yes, I know Bob but a hell of a lot of carp anglers think that Clarissa and the Leney strain carp are British.

No carp is British, all carp were imported, one way or another.

---------- Post added at 05:09 ---------- Previous post was at 05:05 ----------

And all keen carp anglers who are worth their salt must keep Kevin Clifford's "A History of Carp Fishing" on their bookshelves.

Kevin has put almost a life's work into the history of this species in this country.

A new edition is now available.

barbelboi · Jun 22, 2011

Ron The Hat Clay said:
Yes, I know Bob but a hell of a lot of carp anglers think that Clarissa and the Leney strain carp are British.

No carp is British, all carp were imported, one way or another.

---------- Post added at 05:09 ---------- Previous post was at 05:05 ----------

And all keen carp anglers who are worth their salt must keep Kevin Clifford's "A History of Carp Fishing" on their bookshelves.

Kevin has put almost a life's work into the history of this species in this country.

A new edition is now available.

[FONT=&quot]A brilliant book, especially the chapter ‘Nothing New Under The Sun’:wh[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Ron, do you know if the new addition a completely new book or an update of 1992 original?[/FONT]

dezza · Jun 22, 2011

The book was on display at the Barbel Society day recently and from what I can see the book is more than an update.

noknot · Jun 22, 2011

"A brilliant book, especially the chapter ‘Nothing New Under The Sun’:wh

Ron, do you know if the new addition a completely new book or an update of 1992 original?

BB did you not watch the video that you posted???

mg:

barbelboi · Jun 22, 2011

noknot said:
"A brilliant book, especially the chapter ‘Nothing New Under The Sun’:wh

Ron, do you know if the new addition a completely new book or an update of 1992 original?

BB did you not watch the video that you posted???mg:

Ha ha Found the video by chance before the reply - yes Kevin did provide the answer

noknot · Jun 22, 2011

barbelboi said:
Ha ha Found the video by chance before the reply - yes Kevin did provide the answer

Well done BB!:w

Does Size Really Matter

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