Do any Matchmen fish the waggler

bennygesserit · Jun 22, 2013

I have watched a couple of matches and It seems to be all pole or feeder, especially feeder to the island i have never seen anyone fishing conventional waggler. Of course pellet waggler is the other method that you now see more and more.

Presumably the presentation is inferior on waggler and thats the reaon its losing out ?

shortpaul · Jun 22, 2013

All I see at my local waters is poles. Bloody poles everywhere. 'Course, s'alright if you can afford silly money for a 14 metre plus pole, but if not, you're just going to lose, because the pole outfishes everything. I no longer take part, the only time I won was because I caught the only 20 in the lake...

Poles mean short fights, bully tactics (not a bad thing, really) and very easy, tangle free operation as well as accurate feeding via a cup. Problems include having tons of sections behind you on the roller. They get angry when someone accidentally bashes it, as if they've forgotten the pole has reached the car park...

On some waters, it's impossible to fish the pole effectively and typically you'll see a lot of waggler and feeder fishing.

chefster · Jun 22, 2013

bennygesserit said:
I have watched a couple of matches and It seems to be all pole or feeder, especially feeder to the island i have never seen anyone fishing conventional waggler. Of course pellet waggler is the other method that you now see more and more.

Presumably the presentation is inferior on waggler and thats the reaon its losing out ?

More so in winter when the water is clear,and you dont want to be waving poles around over wary fish,also for searching out more water in front of you....other reasons could be a wall or very high bank behind you,that made it impossible to ship,but for sentimental reasons-No

peter crabtree · Jun 22, 2013

Matches on the Lower Thames are often won on the waggler. The roach and dace are generally beyond pole length out and can be caught up in the water.
Pole and feeder do seem to dominate stillwater matches although pellet wagg is again brilliant for longer chucks. I also think ordinary waggler is probably the hardest method to master and many can't be bothered to learn it.

captainbarnacles · Jun 22, 2013

I think its the hard work with waggler fishing , not much hard to master but ruddy hard work cast , feed , draw back into feed , and so on every chuck out, even feeding while playing a fish , i think if your not knackered after a days waggler fishing then your not doing it right lol.

chefster · Jun 22, 2013

chubberbob said:
I think its the hard work with waggler fishing , not much hard to master but ruddy hard work cast , feed , draw back into feed , and so on every chuck out, even feeding while playing a fish , i think if your not knackered after a days waggler fishing then your not doing it right lol.

Its harder work fishing the pellet wag and much harder fishing the baggin wag,the difference is,they catch in more situations in modern match fishing than a standard waggler set-up...Most match anglers know how to fish the waggler properly as they were bought up with it,its just not called into use that often,,,Chef

bennygesserit · Jun 22, 2013

shortpaul said:
All I see at my local waters is poles. Bloody poles everywhere. 'Course, s'alright if you can afford silly money for a 14 metre plus pole, but if not, you're just going to lose, because the pole outfishes everything. I no longer take part, the only time I won was because I caught the only 20 in the lake...

Poles mean short fights, bully tactics (not a bad thing, really) and very easy, tangle free operation as well as accurate feeding via a cup. Problems include having tons of sections behind you on the roller. They get angry when someone accidentally bashes it, as if they've forgotten the pole has reached the car park...

On some waters, it's impossible to fish the pole effectively and typically you'll see a lot of waggler and feeder fishing.

Ha ha that made me laugh about the poles reaching the car parks you do see some beauties when there is a match on.

I have an 11m pole and the island on my local commercial is 14m away just cannot do it with a waggler.

---------- Post added at 21:08 ---------- Previous post was at 21:05 ----------

peter crabtree said:
Matches on the Lower Thames are often won on the waggler. The roach and dace are generally beyond pole length out and can be caught up in the water.
Pole and feeder do seem to dominate stillwater matches although pellet wagg is again brilliant for longer chucks. I also think ordinary waggler is probably the hardest method to master and many can't be bothered to learn it.

Its a good point about rivers Peter , I finished watching the rest of Mainstream with Matt Hayes and there was a really lovely bit where he fished a stick float on a day ticket water , reminded me of being a kid.

chefster · Jun 22, 2013

bennygesserit said:
Ha ha that made me laugh about the poles reaching the car parks you do see some beauties when there is a match on.

I have an 11m pole and the island on my local commercial is 14m away just cannot do it with a waggler.

Why cant you do it with a waggler?,if not long line it on the pole.....

bennygesserit · Jun 22, 2013

chefster said:
Its harder work fishing the pellet wag and much harder fishing the baggin wag,the difference is,they catch in more situations in modern match fishing than a standard waggler set-up...Most match anglers know how to fish the waggler properly as they were bought up with it,its just not called into use that often,,,Chef

Chubber , Chef

I have tried the pellet wag 3 times , twice I gave up after about half an hour - no sign of fish the other it worked within a out 15 minutes though it was naturally a place where I had seen carp before.

But you are both right its actually very hard to do well not only technically but also physically , thats what usually makes me give up , I eventually think "hang on I came here to relax".

In fact are there circumstances where the pellet waggler doesn't work aswell as say the method.

---------- Post added at 21:18 ---------- Previous post was at 21:14 ----------

chefster said:
bennygesserit said:

Ha ha that made me laugh about the poles reaching the car parks you do see some beauties when there is a match on.

I have an 11m pole and the island on my local commercial is 14m away just cannot do it with a waggler.

Why cant you do it with a waggler?,if not long line it on the pole.....

Click to expand...

My pole was about 150 so at 11m its a bit of a bendy wendy , I assume long line means use a 2m pole rig and fish it like a kind of giant whip.

You are right though , its shallow enough so that I could clip up and get quite close to the island without my hook hitting the bank.

chefster · Jun 22, 2013

bennygesserit said:
Chubber , Chef

I have tried the pellet wag 3 times , twice I gave up after about half an hour - no sign of fish the other it worked within a out 15 minutes though it was naturally a place where I had seen carp before.

But you are both right its actually very hard to do well not only technically but also physically , thats what usually makes me give up , I eventually think "hang on I came here to relax".

In fact are there circumstances where the pellet waggler doesn't work aswell as say the method.

Its no good giving up after half an hour when you,re trying to get the fish to compete up in the water-it can take 5 mins or 1 hour or longer,theres no set time .If you just go to relax then just chuck out anything and sit with you,re feet up...even if you fish the method it can be just as much hard work,when the fish get on it...Chef

bennygesserit · Jun 22, 2013

I want to relax and catch loads of fish

I fished last Sunday at about 12m waggler by some lily pads after roach , feeding casters over the top with a catty , that was a lot of fun but I am going to Furnace Mill next week with my lads that will be chuck the method anywhere and wait for the carp , I hope , while listening to the birds and chatting to my lads.

chub_on_the_block · Jun 22, 2013

I have not fished even a club match for years, but when i did in the 80s there were few poles and on venues like the upper Thames waggler or feeder were invariably the method to use. I still like to think that the waggler under far bank at about 20m would be the best method in such places - surely better than a long pole?. Maybe its a case of modern match venues just being rammed with carp at close range?

chefster · Jun 23, 2013

chub_on_the_block said:
I have not fished even a club match for years, but when i did in the 80s there were few poles and on venues like the upper Thames waggler or feeder were invariably the method to use. I still like to think that the waggler under far bank at about 20m would be the best method in such places - surely better than a long pole?. Maybe its a case of modern match venues just being rammed with carp at close range?

It probably is still best in those situations,like you say ,if you go around most lakes though,its all close quarters pole work,when you think about it,with modern poles ,its possible to fish at lengths of 17.5,19,or even 21 metres,providing you got a reasonabely level bank behind you,and a reasonable amount of strength to hold it,its not much fun though

Tee-Cee · Jun 23, 2013

I agree with those who talk of waggler fishing almost as an art form. It never was a 'chuck it and chance it' method and does take time and patience to learn all its vagaries.
Anyone who has watched top matchmen, and I'm talking of those in the Ivan Marks class of yesteryear, cast and feather a waggler (after spending time getting the setup just so in the first place) could only agree it takes years of fishing them in various conditions to master it to any degree.

I can only suggest watching quality matchmen in action to get my drift.......worth hours of doing it wrong and making a hash of it ( or throwing the rod to one side and picking up the pole!!)

I thought I was reasonable at waggler fishing 'til I watched match chappies whipping out 30/40lbs of roach in a couple of hours...........yes, it is a work of art to behold...

brummiephil · Jun 23, 2013

chefster said:
Its harder work fishing the pellet wag and much harder fishing the baggin wag,

what's the difference btw pellet wag and baggin wag chef?

captainbarnacles · Jun 23, 2013

Bagging waggler float has a feeder cage attached so you mould the feed round the base of the float , after casting the feed breaks down and slowly falls underneath the float to where you bait is hanging, a pellet waggler is just a pellet float conventional waggler style and you feed your pellets around the float with a catty.

chefster · Jun 23, 2013

brummiephil said:
what's the difference btw pellet wag and baggin wag chef?

Chubbers pretty much explained it....the thing is it weighs about 5-6oz when loaded so you need a heavy duty barbel rod or similar,a big pit reel or large carp reel ,10 lb main line,and you,re chucking 50-75 yds,every 60 secs-1 1/2 mins,so its a lot of hard work, playing 5-15 lb carp back that far every cast really is knackering as well-its definately not for lazy anglers!!

Do any Matchmen fish the waggler

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