Annoying tasks.

terry m · Aug 17, 2014

Of course we all enjoy being sat by a river/canal/pit/lake trying to tempt our quarry, be that a double figure tench or a net-full of bleak. But to get to that point of actually angling, there is much preparation, perhaps beforehand, perhaps on the bank to set up your kit.

Most of that prep is simply a part of angling, but what task or tasks do you really not enjoy, what necessary parts of angling truly grind your gears?

For me there are two.
1. Threading line through rings, especially on rods with small eyes and what seems like dozens of rings. Fingers like bananas are a real handicap here.
2. When the line snags around the top ring and trying to flick it off does not work, so you have to ship the rod back in what may be a really tight swim to unhook the line.

How about you?

barryjh · Aug 17, 2014

I can't stand steaming anything, so much so that I now only use supple braid hooklinks. Don't know if that counts as I have managed to get out of it.

Something unavoidable that I really hate is getting my gear from my garage, through three gates out to my car. I absolutely hate putting stuff down, picking it up, putting it down.... then to get around the problem I try to carry far too many things at once... and drop it all

binka · Aug 17, 2014

I find making traces prior to pike or zander fishing a bit of a grinder, spin traces for some reason just turn me to stone with boredom

Peter Jacobs · Aug 17, 2014

My pet hate is relining spools!

I have quite a few and it is a very long and boring job at best.

It is more the unwinding bit I dislike rather than reeling on the new line as it takes ages . . . . . . . .

Otherwise I don't really have any fishing-related tasks that I dislike . . . . .

greenie62 · Aug 17, 2014

As TerryM says:

Threading line through rings, especially on rods with small eyes and what seems like dozens of rings. Fingers like bananas are a real handicap here.

That as well as tying on hooks, or anything else that requires fine eyesight together with hand-eye coordination - partly because of the realisation that its not going to get any better as years march on!

Some problems you can 'throw money at' - like buying 'hooks to nylon' - but many you can't!

chub_on_the_block · Aug 17, 2014

The tackling up is a definite pain - can see why some go with rods already set up.

But the whole pallava of getting bait, groundbait, checking spools and supplies the night before, packing car, getting up early and filling flask, making sandwiches etc. It is sometimes easier to just opt for the lay-in and a bit of gardening later in the day instead (only kidding)

Some of those 3.45am starts in summer can actually hurt though - getting up at that time is seriously hard work sometimes.

sam vimes · Aug 18, 2014

Whilst I love the bit inbetween, I detest the whole rigmarole of getting prepared, setting up and packing up for overnight/multiple night fishing. Probably why I increasingly find myself wandering about with one rod, a landing net and a single bag. Just started with the rigmarole as my nephew has decided he wants to go overnight during his school holidays and tomorrow night is his only chance of doing it.

David Dalton · Aug 18, 2014

terry m said:
1. Threading line through rings, especially on rods with small eyes and what seems like dozens of rings. Fingers like bananas are a real handicap here.

You may find this idea, which originally appeared on Archie Braddock's website, useful:

"One really good time and trouble saving tip is to tie a darning needle to your reel line before setting off. The 20' rods have a lot of rings but my way you just fit the reel on the rod, zip the needle up through the rings, and then through the three float rubbers. Now cut off the needle, tie on the olivette link at the micro ring, tie on the hook link at the swivel, slip the float through the rubbers - and it's go. Brilliant, yes?"

robtherake · Aug 18, 2014

Having to wear glasses for the fiddly stuff. Constantly swapping between glasses and sunglasses. The glasses hang on a neck cord, but it holds them at just the right angle to collect groundbait and casting/feeding splatters.

I'm seriously considering plumping for laser eye surgery at some point.

nicepix · Aug 18, 2014

Definitely setting up. I have most rods already with reels and line through. Some have end tackle too and are held together with rod bands ready to drop into a holdall. But the three piece rods and the travel rods have to be set up

Similarly, when moving swims a two piece rod is a doddle to fold up and carry whilst the five piece travel rod isn't so easy.

I also don't like tying hook rigs especially those with hairs.

law · Aug 18, 2014

Peter Jacobs said:
It is more the unwinding bit I dislike rather than reeling on the new line as it takes ages . . . . . . . .
. .

Put a pencil in a drill chuck, tie line round it and hold trigger. Initially its slow, but once the line builds up, job done. Takes a couple of minutes tops.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 18, 2014

law said:
Put a pencil in a drill chuck, tie line round it and hold trigger. Initially its slow, but once the line builds up, job done. Takes a couple of minutes tops.

Sounds like a good idea, I'll give that a try . . . thanks.

Derek Gibson · Aug 18, 2014

In recent times the most annoying tasks seem to be, ''Where did I put that'',or ''what pocket does this go in''. In short, most things fishing related.

I think the kicker is best summed up by an occurance only the other day. I'd gone to the tackle cupboard to check on something or other, when I noticed several of the rods had small white labels attached to the cork butt's. On closer inspection it revealed the inscription, ''hold this end''. She's a considerate old dear Mrs Gibson.

aebitim · Aug 18, 2014

Setting up and prep still fills me with schoolboy excitement and sometimes its a couple of days anticipation as well, the other end of the trip is the killer for me, I always seem to want another hour or just as the golden moments arive knobend and his mate clump along the bank stop for a rest right on my margin swim and after asking if I done a firrty tell me all about their day until they have completely ruined mine and killed the swim This makes packing up and sorting the mess out when I get home my least favourite task.

cal_sutt · Aug 18, 2014

terry m said:
For me there are two.
1. Threading line through rings, especially on rods with small eyes and what seems like dozens of rings. Fingers like bananas are a real handicap here.
2. When the line snags around the top ring and trying to flick it off does not work, so you have to ship the rod back in what may be a really tight swim to unhook the line.

Both you and I are the same here, Terry. They're both especially awkward when I fish the River Idle or Chesterfield Canal as there isn't much more than a couple of feet of space behind you in 9/10 swims.

My other "gear-grinder" is hooks... I just can't tie a good knot a majority of the time! I try to go for the half-blood knot but it always seems to manage to, literally, just come untied?! Maybe I'm doing it wrong but the tedious tying and re-tying of knots really gets on my nerves.

bennygesserit · Aug 18, 2014

Has to be moving swims , on the complex I fished yesterday you can catch carp in the margins on the morning on one pool go on another and catch very good roach and crucians through the day then late afternoon , when most have gone home , get on the main carp pool and catch numerous 10lb plus carp.

I only moved twice yesterday as I stayed catching the crucians for a while the secret is being organised and having something you can dump all the bits into , I am tempted to get one of those fly fisher type waistcoats but of course I am far too young to own one of those

hyperdrive · Aug 18, 2014

robtherake said:
Having to wear glasses for the fiddly stuff. Constantly swapping between glasses and sunglasses. The glasses hang on a neck cord, but it holds them at just the right angle to collect groundbait and casting/feeding splatters.

I'm seriously considering plumping for laser eye surgery at some point.

That's exactly the one for me, except for the eye surgery bit.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 18, 2014

Derek Gibson said:
when I noticed several of the rods had small white labels attached to the cork butt's. On closer inspection it revealed the inscription, ''hold this end''. She's a considerate old dear Mrs Gibson.

. . . . . now, I could do with one just like that Derek

john step · Aug 18, 2014

Sorting loose hooks.
I have tried various types of container for the various sizes/styles etc but the little sods always seem to want to fraternise with the size in the next compartment. I tried those magnetic ones widely advertised but found them useless.
For my latest attempt at order I have some boxes advertised as fly boxes that centrally open and have spring loaded mini compartments with clear windows.
I disembowled the useless magnetic boxes and superglued the magnetic bits into the fly boxes.
Limited success but they work to a degree.

HELP WHAT DO YOU USE ???

sam vimes · Aug 18, 2014

john step said:
HELP WHAT DO YOU USE ???

Never had a problem with the Stonfo version of the magnetic hook boxes for smaller hooks, just don't put too many hooks in each compartment. However, in many instances I simply leave hooks in the packet they came in.

If I were to decant into boxes, especially bigger hooks, I'd use the small Greys Klip-Lok base boxes.
I doubt I'd buy them at full price, but I have plenty from buying Greys terminal tackle bits, which are supplied in them, and having a few of the full tackle boxes that are, depending on the type, supplied with them.

http://www.chapmansangling.co.uk/greys-prodigy-kliplok-base-boxes~7007.html

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