Matt Hayes & PVA Bags

Gary Dolman · Sep 1, 2008

Read AT this week & Matt Hayes has a piece where he postulates that Bolt Rigs & PVA bags are bad for fishing in the long term, even though for Speci Fishers they are probably one of the most successful methods around. His point of view is that the method + time spent = more PB,s and that is not good for the longevity of the sport, as once they have caught a few they will drift away.

I know that most of the posters on here are long term exponents of the game, and over the years have developed an appreciation for the many facets of the sport, but I bet that most scenarios went:

Went with a family member, to catch anything was a bonus, and a gradual hard won improvement in skills & tackle, which led to realising at some stage that you were hooked. Perhaps making fishing too easy is counter productive.

As recuitment to all branches of our sport is reducing, I personally do not see how without television exposure, new anglers can be attracted to the sport. In fact without Sky Television we have been totally ignored for several years, it is ironic that Curling or Synchronised Swimming has had more exposure than fishing.

KAR · Sep 1, 2008

I remember him mentioning this in one of his DVDs and saying that if you use PVA bags then you should use a certain rig and not the bolt but the bolt is what I've always used with PVA and not had a problem. I dont see why it matters, the PVA melts and the bait is released no matter what rig you use.

Mark Hewitt · Sep 1, 2008

???????????????????????

/forum/smilies/disappointed_smiley.gif

Mark Hewitt · Sep 1, 2008

Gary,

Is this thread about:

Matt Hayes,

Bolt rigs & PVA,

How we started fishing,

Or, lack of television coverage for angling?

KAR · Sep 1, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Gary Dolman wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

As recuitment to all branches of our sport is reducing, I personally do not see how without television exposure, new anglers can be attracted to the sport. In fact without Sky Television we have been totally ignored for several years, it is ironic that Curling or Synchronised Swimming has had more exposure than fishing.</blockquote>I agree with that, this is a very big sport but because it doesn't involve running, cycling or eating 10,000 calories a day it's not seen as a sport apart from the anglers themselves. Like wrestling a 25lb Carp isn't energetic /forum/smilies/i_dont_know_smiley.gif

Noel80 · Sep 1, 2008

He may have a point. There is probably a generation of anglers now who only know carp fishing and who only know how to tie a knotless knot, rig up a semi-fixed lead and attach a PVA bag.

Whereas as before people started by catching small fish went on to catch bigger fish but now people are starting big. Will they be interested in rudd, roach and dace? Hopefully they will but who knows?

Now I'm not here to criticise carp anglers (I do a bit myself) and each to their own etc but modern carp fishing, to me, is mostly about sitting around and waiting (and sleeping!). Every now and again your reel screams off and catch a fish. This is what fishing is to some people. Again, each to their own. I know we're all different and not everyone who carp fishes does it this way.

I think Matt has had a bit of "re-awakening" recently. Having spent years chasing bigger and bigger fish he has gone back to basics and just goes for the enjoyment. Whereas before he wouldn't have fished certain venues because they don't contain big fish he's now happy to go to them. At least, that's what I read recently.

Gary Dolman · Sep 1, 2008

I come from the era pre-carp fishing, where they were uncatchable monsters, sighted occasionally, and hooked butrarely landed by a lucky few.

Now they are an object of obsession for a very large proportion of the fishing fraternity, whether it is a specimen or a match winning weight you are after. This "overnight" phenomena has taken 40 or more years to come about, but ironically not in the rest of mainland europe, where a lot of the carp originally came from.

I wonder whether this one dimensional view is a good thing for the sport in general, or whether the diversity that I have always enjoyed is a more lasting solution. Buggered if I know the answers, but I have always grown up with the belief that fishing always was the most popular participation sport, but that now seems to be in doubt. With lottery funding seemingly available to all except fishing.

KAR · Sep 1, 2008

I used to target nothing but biggun's but now I've gona back to regular fishing. Because all I targeted was big fish I rarely caught, but now I have just started doing margin fishing with the pole and haven't had a bad day since and haven't used my rod in about 2 months. Like last Friday I was just taregting little roach, rudd and maybe some little Carp but I ended up with 23 Carp about 1-2lbs including 2 koi and a Golden Tench! Although I do think alot of it's about the method and not the fish. I love fishing with a pole because I can put it anywhere I want up to 13mtrs but with a rod I can cast out far distances and have a little more control over the fish. I think that alot of the items and baits etc. that have come out for fishing is just to make money. I know alot of them do work and are a good thing to have such as PVA bags but I'm a believe in keep it simple, the more you have the more can go wrong and if it can it will. But anyway I'm going off here so I'll shut up /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif.

Specihunter · Sep 1, 2008

it's so easy to turn up to a lake or pond and fire a bag into the distance and hope for the best (been there done that) . What i have found is the pure thrill of feeder fishing for anything in rivers.

Neneman Nick · Sep 1, 2008

I read the same article...he failed to mention that his company sells a range of pva products and in the dvdfeaturing himself and kevgreen,given away with improve your coarse fishing a while ago,he was singing the praises of his companies pva friendly products!!!

Double standards???

slime monster · Sep 1, 2008

i know nothing about pva bags self hooking rigs alarms am i missing something..i do not think so ,if that is the road anglers want to go down fair enough but if it is the the only road they have travelled it is they that are missing a lot.

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA) · Sep 2, 2008

A significant proportion of anglers in this country know nothing other than bolt rigs, boilies, PVA bags, bite alarms, multi-rod set ups, bedchairs, bivvies and carp.

Like you say Slimy, they are missing a hell of a lot.

I feel sorry for them.

Lord Paul · Sep 2, 2008

True Ron sad but true

John H Member of THE C.S.G.. & The A.T. · Sep 2, 2008

A young angler in my club once told me that he would rather catch a10lb carp than a 10lb tench. Has never fished a river or evenfloat fishedon a stillwater.

Boilies, bivvies, bolt rigs and PVA bagsare all he knows. And for when he's not sleeping he has his portable DVD player to watch his favourite carpers on. Not sure whether Matt H is amongst them /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

He has all the top gear, his parents are separated and he plays one against the other, but he knows precisely nothing about any other aspect of angling.

Me? I know nothing about carp fishing, and I'm far too old to learn now. I have had a few on floating crust from the margins thoughbut that''s not proper carping, is it?

AND I have NEVER owned a bivvy.

KAR · Sep 2, 2008

John, I'm completely the opposite to that young angler, I would rather catch a 10lb Tench rather than a 10lb Carp anyday of the week. I'm sure you agree but it's up to his parents what they buy him but oes he need all the top gear? Just because you have a a brand new 16m Carp pole, 2 top of the range Shimano rods with reels and the rest, but is it going to catch you the better fish? No, some would disagree but I know the majority of us anglers would say no aswell. I've got the kit for Carp fishing but now rarely use it as I'm constantly on the pole and if I hook into a carp on that then so be it, a bonus. The way I see it is, that you make your own luck in this sport. You need to bring the fish to your swim, obviously you might see them popping up when you're looking for a spot to swim but you can't just sit there all day waiting for your bite alarm to go buzzing off or your float to bob down if you're not making it happen. I'm going off again here aren't I lol. Thats just my opinion but I know every angler has there view.

Bully · Sep 3, 2008

So what.......to most of the posts above

You know, I really think that anglers are the most self opinionated bunch I have ever come across. Not necessarily a bad thing, but, in no particular order....

Styles of fishing, PVA bags, going straight for big carp - so what? I know enough people who have started in various positions within the lifecycle of fishing and moved on into different areas. One mate 10 years ago thought fish was a carp, and the rest a nuisance. He now loves catching quality perch using "traditional" techniques. I could have never contemplated doing anything other than trotting or quiver tipping for chub and roach. Now I love bivvying up going after carp, tench and stella.....er umm

Matt Hayes promoting his own gear, or style - so what? Get off your own backsides and take the risk he did. He was still an early pioneer in terms of using TV programs and has just built on this. Funnily enough I have just watched one of his old programs from years ago, and you know what? He actually gives a good, decent explanation of what he is doing and why.........of course no other top sportsman ever puts his name to a product does he?

I still look at the pole and think "jeeeez, I could never do that", but I dont ever put down anglers who enjoy it. And I bet I will try it one day! Lets spend more time worrying about A...holes who mistreat the fish, the environment etc and not worry about how each individual wants to fish......

Ray Roberts · Sep 3, 2008

I must say that I for one agree with Bully. I f you have an enquiring mind you will progress and come to try other branches of the sport, if you have not then what is wrong with doing what you enjoy?

Frothey · Sep 3, 2008

pva bag fishing isn't proper fishing, i use a swimfeeder..... lol!

Phil Lambert · Sep 3, 2008

Like many others, I was beginning to suffer from Matt Hayes Fatigue Syndrome, but on this occasion I think the point he is making (and echoed by some of the mails above) is that using one method to the exclusion of all others is bad foran angler's progression through the various methods an all round angler needs to learn. I also think Noel80 is right and MH has done a bit of re-thinking about his fishing.

Sadly I doubt the message he is trying to get across will reach, or be appreciated by, many who know nothing about angling in general but can tell you from one day to another how many leeches are currently fastened to Two Tone.

It's not just the out-and-out carpers who are also afflicted by this mindset. Barbel angling is getting close. Remember the outbreak of national mourning which followed the demise of The Traveller? Me? I've got my own thoughts on Travellers - of any description!!

Angling is a multi facetted pastime and to stick to just one element of itmeans some are missing out on the magic - and magic it most certainly is. It's not for me. Just a couple of days ago I was talking to a couple of club mates and mentioned that the autumn was the time I started thinking about grayling. Do you know what? They had not only never caught a grayling - they had never even fished for one, yet we live just a few miles from the Itchen and there are some free fishing spots which contain good grayling to over 2lb. They could all, however, tell you the best way to hammer out 150lb plus of match carp. Sad.

Frothey - interesting point. Isn't a PVA bag just a soluble swimfeeder?

Frothey · Sep 3, 2008

depends if you're trying to pretend you are above the bivvies and buzzersbrigadeor not. same with the way everyone is going on about fishing rivers as its "real" fishing and harder than lakes. i'd rather fish a deserted natural reservoir than somewhere like a popular stretch on thesevern on a busy day.

Matt Hayes & PVA Bags

Well-known member

New member

Senior Member

Senior Member

New member

Active member

Well-known member

New member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Senior Member

Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA)

Guest

New member

John H Member of THE C.S.G.. & The A.T.

Guest

New member

Bully

Guest

Well-known member

Frothey

Guest

Member

Frothey

Guest