"The Circus"

We have all heard of that group of specimen chasers many of us call "The Circus". For those who haven't, they are anglers who appear to be closely connected to a grapevine that "bush telegraphs" news of the capture of very big fish. They also scour the angling press for pictures of big fish in an attempt to find out exactly where they are caught.

I have been told that some of these people will closely analyse such background features, trees, buldings and even rock formations to find the exact swim.

The circus also will go to extraordinary lengths to get on what are known as the "circuit" or going waters for very big fish. A typical example is Bluebell Lakes for "Benson" and Cromwell Weir on the Trent for big barbel. Some of them camp on certain swims prior to the 16th of June.

Some years ago I had an experience of what the circus can do. I made a very large catch of chub from the tiny River Leam in Warwickshire. I didn't bother to report the catch as that little river cannot tolerate large numbers of anglers. I was by myself at the time, yet apparentlty I was seen, and the following weekend the whole angling population of Coventry seemed to be on the water.

Many of you might have had similar experiences.

I've never been a circuitwater angler myself, preferring to get the best I can out of waters that are fairly local.

But let me give you a typical scenario. A few years ago a very big pike was caught in a fenland drain. This fish was reported to the angling press but the water was not named. I learned that the following day the very spot on that drain was invaded with a few top pike angling "names".

It does appear that some sort of circus does exist. Are they good for angling?

I don't think so.

What do you think?

I am not sure it is bad for angling Ron, and in some ways I view it as part of the cycle in that you often see people starting with a float rod and nowt else and then migrating towards speciliast (or targeted) fishing, from which spawns the people who want the biggest only. Its a bit like collecting rare stamps.

My concern would be the fish and the fishery, and I guess then its down to the controlling bodies to manage the situation.

So I am not sure they are bad, its just not for me really. I like to think I am the only person who has ever caught the fish I land! Silly I know, but if I know a lake has one big fish and its been caught loads of times then it just doesn't float my boat....

If that's how they want to fish Ron, good luck to them. It's not my idea of fishing - I prefer to find my own places to fish, I'm not above asking for advice for example I emailed you and asked if you knew if a stretch of the Rother near to me held any fish as I'd been walking the banks and never seen any.

But Ron you must admit it takes skill and dedication to search the internet, work out swims from pictures and camp out for days in these swim. Not for me like I said but each to their own.

As to if it good for angling - well that depend on how you view angling - is it damaging the skill base of angling if you don't need to learn water craft to find your fish? Is the skill of fishing diminishing if an angler sits behind 3 or 4 rods on bite alarms?

I'm not sure I'm the one to answer these questions - there are far better and more experienced anglers around than me to debate these subject.

Tally Ho

I do fish so called circuit waters as i like to catch big fish and only have limited time to go, what with having a full-time job.
I also love fishing rivers like the Thames or relatively unknown lakes where you can get away from other anglers and do your own thing. I also go off mahseer fishing in India on stretches of river where you don't even know if there are any there.
One thing i would say about circuit waters is that you still have to catch the fish, getting on the right water obviously helps but it is no guarantee.
Some anglers enjoy chasing large fish, others like quiet waters, but i don't think you can say one is better than the other as long as you're ahppy with what you're doing.

Steve(DB),did you have visitors after those big perch were caught on the K&A?/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

Yes ron, I remember that week well, our normally quiet drain ( not where the 40 was caught) was invaded by black 4x4s and more camo than an army training exercise. They only fished near the parking places though. I believe a couple of "big name" anglers were given the location by someone at AT. Scarily a guy in scotland was followed for 2 days after he caught well

That is more or less the same story that I heard Dave.

Yesterday I discovered a fabulous day ticket stretch ofdrain with some very big pike in it.

We know that because we saw em. Over the next few weeks I am determined to get a couple, and when I do my gob will be sealed, although I might publish a picture of the fish laid on the ground next to my rod.

I had one of them follow my spinner bait for a short distance.

Blanked then Ron. ;o)

LOL!!

It’s all very well saying they are neither, bad nor good, that is, until the circus comes to town on YOUR water, a water you may have been fishing for years, watching the fish in it grow and thrive to a size they would be interested in.

The likelihood is that not too many on this website know or fish the type of water(s) that would attract the time banditry of the Circus.

Then why do time bandits fish the Trent?

If I had my way I'd have all the time bandits cleared off the Trent. Anyone with a tax disc issued below Leicester would be banned. I've seen vehicles parked by the Trent with London tax discs on them.

For God's sake you Londoners, stay below the Watford Gap - please!

/forum/smilies/angry_smiley.gif

It is all down to personal opinion and what you want to get out of your own fishing.
Personally i can't see the point of sitting on the same waters year after year catching the same fish, but if that is what someone wants to do then good luck to them.
Can see why people would get upset though if a crowd suddenly descended onto their water - one of the reasons i like syndicate or limited-membership club waters as usually you can't get a ticket very easily and don't get this problem.
Most of my waters have publicity bans which tends to sort out those who want to catch big fishfor the right reasons from the others that are only doing it to get their name in the angling papers.

Gary what are the right reasons for catching big fish?And what is wrong with publishing a picture in the press and getting there name known ,isnt that what all the big names have done over the years .

Fortunately my local river is too far way for most to bother with/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Except for Phil S, Stef H and Keith A, toname but three /forum/smilies/sad_smiley.gifplus a few otherlesser known names.

I don't mind really, they all fish a very small section where there is more chance of catching a pair of 'whoppers' (just for Monk) when the University rowers are out than there is big fish.

Being 'an old fart'Ijust let it all wash over me /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Gav,
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with catching a big fish and putting in the paper - if people didn't I'd be out of a job!
But i have met a few that seemed more driven by trying to be famous than the actual catching of the fish themselves.
You're right that this is what all the big names have done, but many that I've met on the bank such as Terry Hearn, Ian Welch and Martin Bowler to name a few, have a real passion for fishing and you can tell they love the sport, rather than just loving being in the limelight.

I bet weve all done it...........................

i.e. if youve 3 or 4 lakes or rivers to fish ,you will go to the one that you hear is fishing its nuts off !

It's nothing new either, from what i can make out this is what specimen groups used to do - the members would share info amongst themselves.
If you want to catch an 8 lb chub or a 3 lb roach you are fairly limited on where you can go to do it.

Exactly Cakey. It's just that the so called circus are willing to stick in more effort,time and miles than most.Fair play to them. We are a broad church.

"If you want to catch an 8 lb chub or a 3 lb roach you are fairly limited on where you can go to do it"

Its a bit of self fulfilling prophecy that though Gary.If the top anglers are at the so-called circuit waters then they are not searching out new venues which might turn up new fish.

I'd really love the circus to come on some of your waters. You would soon be singing a diferent song then okay.