Fishing as Therapy - Revisited!!

I posted the original thread almost a year ago, Boxing Day 06 to be precise, so I thought I'd look back at the last year for me... I've linked to the original post below.

Its been a mixed year, from the point of view of my illness, mostly below the norm. A hard year for finding motivation for anything, my duvet and dressing gown and been good friends. Keeping me hidden from the outside world, like some imaginary force field. I narrowly avoided a "manic" episode this summer, I knew I was on the way "up". Heading towards irrationality and stupid ideas and decisions, thankfully I avoided that, I believe in no small part helped by my fishing.

As for the fishing, I got a new carp pb, now up to 5.5lb, ok all you bivvy boys, nothing to shout about but made me more than happy, small victories somehow seem huge to me. Caught on Teadrop Lake in Milton Keynes, I was a happy bunny for days, better than any medication!!

I've caught more tench, not neccisarily by design, just chucked paste wrapped boiles out and took whatever came along, but again the feeling of satisfaction was immense, they are beautiful, a joy to catch, even better to hold then release, great!!!

Thanks to Mr Perkins, I had a go at spinning on the GU Canal near me, something I really enjoyed, good for a stroll and ha 2 lovely pike up to about 6lb if I recall correctly. Its another string to my bow, another variation on the fishing addiction. I'm going to persevere and hopefully top those fish over the course of this winter.

I don't set myself targets, except that I want to fish much much more, if I go out and say I'm gonna catch a huge carp and don't, that can set me on a downer and I don't want to go there again if I can help it... Had enough of that!!

Fishing the float holds a special interest to me, so I'm making a point of honing my skills, trying to improve in small ways to make me a better angler and make the whole experience more rewarding, its not the size of the fish, its what you get out of the experience, what you can from beiing by the water, mentally and emotionally. I intend to be the best angler I can be, I'm willing to take my time, learn and move on slowly but very surely.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, a Happy and Prosperous New Year, may your nets be full and your belly's fuller!!! ;-p

Regards

Andyhttp://www.fishingmagic.com/forum/forummessages.asp?URN=4&UTN=24566&last=1 & SP = & V = 1

Nice one Andy, and don't forget mate, you'll catch feck all sat in the house! Get on here as often as you can mate, it'll inspire you to get out when you can't be arsed!

Andy's link to last years post!

Thanks for that link Eddie...

If you want to do your own links mate just highlight a word like then click on the little chain icon (4th from the end just to the right of the smilies icon).

In the box that pops up paste in your url to the bit that says Link URL(thats all of this http://www.fishingmagic.com/forum/forummessages.asp?UR.....etc etc etcstuff) click insert and then exit the little box!

Been on here ages and never knew that!! Cheers

Best wishes Andy,that's the way mate.Keep your pecker up.

Best wishes to you, and yours, for this festive period.

Thanks Fred... my brain is mashed... my pecker is fine!!

Same to you and yours!!!

Hope 2008 is an upbeat year for you

Good on ya Andy, you've got it sorted mate.

Keep at it, the more you do it the more you will learn and enjoy it.

.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Andy, you've doen well, friend. I hope 2008 is even better for you and i can say, your attidtude to fishing is spot on.

Go out with a blank slate (imaginary or course). Enjoy the day out and when you catch a fish put an imaginary chalk mark on the slate. At the end of the day if the slate is marked, you've had a worthwhile experience.

Good luck to you and we hope to hear much more as time goes on.

Thanks Woody...

I think my slate is marked just going fishing, the motivation thing is still very much an issue for me mentally, not just fishing but in life in general. Leaving the house for whichever reason is an effort as sad as it sounds....

So making the 200 yards to the canal is a mark on my slate!!

Canals..........without doubt THE most under rated and under used fisheries we have!

The GU here in milton keynes is great, very accesible, lots of varied sport...

And hardly an angler on the bank I bet mate!

yeah its empty most of the time... especially this time of the year...

mind you even during the summer its not very busy.... i think most people tend to use the numerous lakes and the rivers Great Ouse and Ouzel

I've fished the Ouzel mate, a 3lb chub under every bush!

i never have... Keep meaning to hop on my bike and cycle to the Willen Lake stretch and give it a bash.... Will get around to it sooner or later!!

Think there are Barbel in there to...

The stretch I fished was in the country park bit where there are benches etc.

get out there andy, pretty soon the fishing will consume your every last thought and all you'll be p~~~~doff about will be that one that got away!

best wishes for 08 mate

"The stretch I fished was in the country park bit where there are benches etc."

That's Milton Keynes for you Eddie, benches. They put fences around them as well to keep all the cows (unless concrete), sheep and all the wild animals out. Can't have them muckying up a country park, heaven forbid.