Do Your Own Thing

How many of todays instant Carp anglers would know how to make their own bait? Not many is my guess.

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong in buying a bag of ready mades or freezer baits. I am sure we all do it. But how many of the newer lads coming into Carping know of the pleasures of formulating and making their own? They are only kidding themselves when they say I have a secret bait which is taking the water apart. How can it be a secret bait when they have bought it from a shop?

Do they realise the pleasure would be tenfold if they cought on their own concoction rather than somebody elses? I think not. They have never served the apprenticeship or fiddled and tinkered with something until it is to their own satisfaction. Instead they copy what everybody else is doing, without a clue as to why they are doing it. If it isn’t on the shop shelves, then it doesn’t exist is their take on angling. And it goes a lot further than bait making.

I’ll give you an example:

One person I know of who has been Carping for a fair few years, was back leading on a lake what I go to. I asked him why he was back leading. His answer was, I don’t know but he always does it over there, and he always catches.

How many of them actually take the time to watch the water while they are fishing? again, not many of them. They are either bivvied up with the door closed, having their own private little party, or out on the bank if the weather is warm and socialising with their mates. Anything but watch the bluddie water. Or dare I say it, have a tinker with a rig or two, or even get that thought process into gear.

I even know of anglers who fashion themselves on some of the top name anglers. They themselves are pretty good anglers. But why the need to clone themselves into somebody that already exists? Does anybody take the trouble to be a fishing individual with their own DNA nowadays?

I think that once the generation of anglers in the 50'ish onwards age bracket have gone, then it's good night Vienna.

Plenty of fishing around Vienna Baz, although I found it difficult to prise myself away from the cakeshops.....until I saw the prices.

Very valid points - we need to encourage the likes of young Bunion (Christian) and the new lad, Shaun Crawford (think I'll give him the nickname "Shortbread") - who are really keen to learn and try new ideas for a variety of species - they're the sort of future angling needs!

I totally agree, i love having a mix with different ingredients for baits, i think its the generation of non thinkers, they cant seem to think for themselves in most areas of life.

wabbit

Another example of instant anglers who want it on a plate:

I was lying on my bedchair at 6.am on Sunday morning. I had been up since 5.am. watching the water, listening for any fish boshing about, and getting some thoughts together. All of a sudden, a voice from behind my bivvie said; I hope I'm not disturbing you am I? How far out do you cast on here? Are there any clear spots, or is it weeded up?

For christ sake, too right you are disturbing me at six in the morning you ignorant BA....D!, go and find your own clear spot like I had to, or would you like me to come and do it for you? Just my thoughts at the time but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Always thought you were the helpful sort /forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif

There were two of them. I did help them in the end, I even gave them my left over bait. I think I was frightened of getting my pretty face bashed in if I didn't.

Good job it wasn't the "Dane Gang" - violent b******s - especially when they've got low water!

Why do folk want instant success?They are missing out on the great fun of getting it right through your own efforts!

(p.s. what are the best pegs on the Trent and Mersey , any suggestions on baits and feeding patterns, convenient pubs offering decent food (that rules out the Salt Barge),

and do WAA still provide teams of porters to take my gear to the prebaited swim?)

No but we provide teams of porters to take your gear away from the swim. (-;

hi Baz but don`t you think thats just the modern way of life , instant thrills no time to think or learn the basics .my fishing background was shore angling i got into carp about 1990 it has taken me until this year to catch a 20lber ,i was thrilled it took a lot of time effort and not least money to achive but how many of todays anglers are prepared to work for there triumphs.

I had my first ever 20lb carp -from my local canal - that required an extensive amount of work, time & effort. I know that the majority of todays anglers form the 'microwave' generation expect instant success (i.e. overstocked commercials) but there are still a few of us young'uns who prefer to do things properly and actually enjoy the challenge.

Hi Peter/Nathan.

This is just the point, I'm not expecting anybody to invent some super new bit of tackle or bait. It's just the simple basics that people don't want to, and can't be bothered to do nowadays. In fact, i don't think these people even realise that there are basic things that they need to do for themselves.

It's the same with schools.

Why have teachers with lots of knowledge and experience to pass on?

Remove the teachers from the schools and leave the kids to work it all out for themselves.

Good god, the kids want instant education on a plate these days. Well it's about time they started to use their own brains and leave those with lots of knowledge and experience to get get on with their own lives.

I guess we all have to start somewhere - it just depends on whether these people are catching because if they are i doubt they'll change what they're doing.

If they're not catching then they might try to think about what they could do to improve their catch rate. Either that or they'll just go to commercials where anyone can catch a fish without too much thought.

I know from my own experiences that I've always thought about what i could do differently to try & catch more/better fish but maybe that's because i started out with 3 other more experienced anglers & there was always an element of competition.

The most important thing about fishing isn't actually catching, it's appreciating which is something you cant really teach. You need to learn that for yourself.

Spot on Nathan mate.

We all help other anglers out with advice at times. But it is this "something " that they need to teach themselves which they just can't grasp.

What happened last Sunday morning with these two anglers, is bordering on something else as well.

Ettiquette.

They were blathering their questions from behind my bivvy, they couldn't even wait until they were stood in front of me before they started making their selfish demands. To begin with a simple good morning mate would have gone down a tad better, not much, but it would have helped.

Sorry Baz, it was rude of me. Good Morning!

Now..... <blockquote class=quoteheader>PoshPaul (ACA) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

(p.s. what are the best pegs on the Trent and Mersey , any suggestions on baits and feeding patterns, convenient pubs offering decent food (that rules out the Salt Barge),

and do WAA still provide teams of porters to take my gear to the prebaited swim?) </blockquote>
/forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Oddly enough, the Salt Barge will be getting some attention in the comeing weeks. Apparantly there are a few moochers about on there. The Wides are pretty quiet though.

Good morning Baz, how is it, caught owt?

I tend to agree with you mate, although not carpy my experience was barbly.

I've had a few emails fromanglers asking about barbs on the Avon, I don't mind helping at all. But I helped one saucy bu**er and didn't even get a reply or thankyou!

I remembered the Salt barge from years ago - a group of us had hired a narrow boat for a week from a company at Anderton. First week of the boating season and they seemed to have a lot of trouble getting the boat going. It blew up just by the Salt Barge! Then it was a very basic pub - no food only crisps - but great beer. We got wazzed as a mechanic spent hours not repairing it. Transferred to another company at Mow Cop the next day - and got Hoseasons to refund over 50% of the holiday costs /forum/smilies/smile_smiley.gif

Year before last the eldest lad said he'd take us out for a meal - walked down the canal and decided to stop at the Salt Barge - now refurbished and poshish. I have never eaten such cr*p in any pub in my life/forum/smilies/sick_smiley.gif ---we would have had a better meal from most hot dog stands owned by Sam and Ella. We complained, every other punter in the place complained - all we were offered was nowt. I won't pay up front for a meal in a pub now unless it's a pub I or my host recommends.

So if you can see your way to closing the pub down as well as dealing with the moochers - you'll be doing society a favour (unless it has changed hands and has improved beyond belief)

Somethings going on around there mate.

Your right Steve, this thread should include all types of fishing.