The Alternative Angler ? Thinking Anglers

Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

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Nice to see a picture of the thinking angler's floats (did you sneak in and take a pic?).

I still think that using a float can, in the right circumstances, be the most efficient way to catch fish, and enjoyable too.
 
Kevin Perkins

Kevin Perkins

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Thanks Mark, the float pics were supplied by Graham,they may well belong to a 'thinking angler', 'cos they certainly ain't mine...!
 
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J K

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Good read again Kevin.

How right you are about Clattercote, I've put my name down. It'll give us also rans the chance to mix with the great and the good without feeling complete idiots if we get things wrong. Or more importantly wasting their time asking stupid questionsand expecting them to help us at a Fish-in where all they want to do is fish.
 
The Monk

The Monk

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yes another good read kevin, apart from touch ledgering, and possibly quiver tipping, the float is probably one of the most senitive methods of indication we have, its a very suscessful method for stalking margin carp of course and a very pleasurable way of catching them, yet you see very few using it, its really is horses for courses ther are time when 4 rods to the horizon while you nod in the bivvy will be the acceptable mode of carp fishing, but other times a boile under a float will be far more successful, do we still fish for carp, or trap them/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif
 
L

Lord Paul

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Kevin

My favourite method of fishing float rod and reel - the pole may give better presentation but can't match the fight on a reel - but what doI know
 
W

Wolfman Woody

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The bit about the "thinking" angler.

The fact that you set off not only just to catch a fish, but decide how you're going to do it that's a little different and extracts as much fun as possible whether with float, feeder/leger, or touch leger, or even with a fly rod for carp, shows that you are thinking. That's my approach now because setting out to catch a monster just hasn't worked in the past and with the above, even if I don't catch at least I've enjoyed trying.

.

I promise I will ring Ron too.
 
Neil Maidment

Neil Maidment

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I'm doing my best to catch a barbel on the float but they've not yet obliged, well not for the last 25 years anyway(maybe they are exclusively tuned into static pellets "nailed" to the river bed??). Whatever, I'll keep trying.

How many, apart from Messrs Wintle & Marsden, can name all those floats in the pic?

/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif

Another excellent piece of doodling Kevin.
 
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Paul (Brummie) Williams

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Most sensitive method of catching?............how many have tried a 2oz feeder and 2inch hooklink???

coat, gone!
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

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Name the floats? I can tell you when I made most of them - bar the original Billy Lane Trent Trotter of course. A couple of floats there date back to 1971!
 
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Peter Jacobs (ACA, SAA, CA)

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"Coming as they do with the added advantage that they can wake you up, which of course, a float is useless at doing."

Note to myself: Next 'invention' an electronic float/bite alarm linked by Wi-fi to a sounder box in the sleeping anglers Fox-hotel.
(In camo' colours, of course)


"Note to self, maybe shouldn't have put Americans and thinking together and expected a meaningful result!"

Doh! No sh!t Einstein - the only dafter thing than that is marrying one, oh, wait a minute, I did, didn't last mind.
[insert daft smiling face]
 
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Wolfman Woody

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" the only dafter thing than that is marrying one,"

There is one dafter thing than that, Peter.

IT'S NOT LEARNING YOUR LESSON AFTER THE FIRST!

.

.

Sorry, forgot the /forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif
 
K

Kevin Perkins

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<blockquote class=quoteheader>Peter Jacobs (ACA, SAA, CA) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>"Coming as they do with the added advantage that they can wake you up, which of course, a float is useless at doing." Note to myself: Next 'invention' an electronic float/bite alarm linked by Wi-fi to a sounder box in the sleeping anglers Fox-hotel. (In camo' colours, of course)</blockquote>

See Peter, at least the article got you thinking....!
 
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Steve Lockett

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"Coming as they do with the added advantage that they can wake you up, which of course, a float is useless at doing."

Surely you never sleep while fishing?

How does that fit in with the laws of fishing that state you must be able to be in immediate control of your tackle at all times?

Just put my tin helmet on...

Might change my FM name to floatangler unless there is one already.
 
G

Gary Knowles

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Its easy to forget the pure enjoyment you can get from float fishing, regardless of whether its more effective than an alternative method or not.

I personally ensure I have one or two trips float fishing for tench each year...I'm sure I could catch more in a different manner but I do for the enjoyment of it all...
 
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Bob "chubber"Lancaster (ACA)

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i loved the article, thanks kevin great read. I have around i suppose 450 floats dating from the early 50s to present day , and i suppose i,ll keep on buying them too.Cant think of a better way to fish realy.Although i do sometimes use a quiver or even more a swing tip when possible. But only when i cant float for fish.I just love em. You can watch all the little knocks and bobs, the quick slide aways,the slow pulls. The anticipation you get from a float is second to none.When trotting a float in running water your in control all the way. Holding back running through lifting and falling the bait. God its got to be better than falling asleep in a chair waiting for that annoying buzzer.Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

tight lines.
 
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Merv Harrison

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Excellent Kevin, but to go away from easy option angling, you are quite right, or should that be 'write',

"Even in this high-speed age of technology, one of the most basic means of communication is still available. It wouldn't really be too much trouble for a few of us to write to the old bugger. Just a note that expects no reply would surely be more than welcome."

that's a salutary lesson for all of us.
 
Kevin Perkins

Kevin Perkins

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Merv

I had hoped someone would offer to act as a collecting point for letters to Ron, but in the absence of that , perhaps one of our members would be kind enough topm me his current address,and Iwill write to the old bugger (won't be a Valentines card though!)
 
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Gary Knowles

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(won't be a Valentines card though!)

i just had a horrific mental picture...../forum/smilies/sick_smiley.gif
 
Steve Handley

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I don't think you can beat catching a fish on the float. Even for barbel I still prefer to trot a chubber float in thosewarmer months on the Trent if the conditions are right. Feeding nearly every cast to educate the fish to intercept a moving bait. Very rare to see anyoneelse fishing for barbel onthe Trent these days with a float, but there are days when it will outfish a bottom bait.

A few years ago, I used to belong to a fishery that was mainly a carp syndicate. During the summer and autumn the carp would always follow the breeze and I would follow the breeze too, knowing these carp would be in the margins. Great stuff seeing those carp drift into your swim and over your bait, then the sudden explosion of the float shooting under and the fish powering away. Whilst the carpers in their bivvies slept quietly away!

Even in winter when trotting for roach on one of my local rivers, feeding little and often, patiently waiting for those fish to come on the feed. I know I'm more likely to catch one of those 'clonking' roach on the quiver, but I'll always fish the float for the pure enjoyment of it.

It's not always about what you catch, but how you catch it.
 
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