Is there much difference ?

Bob Hornegold · Aug 7, 2015

Between Top Match Anglers, Carp Fishermen, Specimen Hunters and Good Pleasure Anglers ?

I personally do not think so, I have a mate who has represented England at every level, he use to come home from school and cast into a bucket at different distances.

He would have 20 cast at different distances, if he missed the bucket once he would start again and he became a brilliant all round Match fisherman.

I also have a friend who is arguably one of the best ever Carp Fishermen to grace the banks of England lakes and rivers, not for him the laying in a bivvy, he would be searching the water for signs of fish with binoculars .

If he saw something move on the other side of a 110 acre lake, he packed up and was round the other side before the rest of had even none he was gone.

The same thing applies to Pleasure Anglers who continually catch almost every time they go fishing, it's not luck, it's down to learning from an early age different styles of angling, water craft and knowing their target species.

The same applies to Specimen Hunters who maybe a little more single minded in their search of specimen fish, but has learnt his trade along the way.

So what is the common denominator ?

Determination, Watercraft, Angling skills or is it simply a god given gift to catch fish ?

Bob

Derek Gibson · Aug 7, 2015

The common denominator

Determination, Watercraft, Angling skill, and let's not forget Passion. Often developed over a long time at the waterside. This apply's to all disciplines.

sam vimes · Aug 7, 2015

I believe that there are differences, but only in techniques used and skill sets.

Once upon a long ago, I'd expect the majority of angler to have a reasonably firm grasp of many different venues and tactics, catching a variety of fish. However, in recent years I've become increasingly aware of carpers that went straight into modern carping and matchmen that have never fished anything other than a commercial. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing particularly wrong with that and they can be outstanding in their chosen field. I do find it a little sad to find a good carper that's never, or rarely, fished a float, or a good matchman that's never fished running water.

In a similar vein, I find it quite strange how exalted and rare good stick float anglers have become over the years. The numbers fishing rivers have undoubtedly reduced over the years, but the number of those that remain that can trot, with reasonable competence, seems very low.

peter crabtree · Aug 7, 2015

sam vimes;1348401 or a good matchman that's never fished running water..[/QUOTE said:
You're having a bubble Sam...

sam vimes · Aug 7, 2015

As an afterthought that I had been pondering to post as a new topic. I really believe that, regardless of the discipline, the thing that elevates merely competent anglers to something greater, is often little more than good bait application. It isn't always about quantity, but that can be a factor. I've seen reasonably good anglers have poor days because they've fed too much, fed too little or simply dumped a load of bait in when trickling the same quantity in would have given greater results.

I've seen evidence of the above when carping, barbeling, fishing rivers, stillwaters and commercials.

Bob Hornegold · Aug 7, 2015

sam vimes said:
I believe that there are differences, but only in techniques used and skill sets.

Once upon a long ago, I'd expect the majority of angler to have a reasonably firm grasp of many different venues and tactics, catching a variety of fish. However, in recent years I've become increasingly aware of carpers that went straight into modern carping and matchmen that have never fished anything other than a commercial. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing particularly wrong with that and they can be outstanding in their chosen field. I do find it a little sad to find a good carper that's never, or rarely, fished a float, or a good matchman that's never fished running water.

In a similar vein, I find it quite strange how exalted and rare good stick float anglers have become over the years. The numbers fishing rivers have undoubtedly reduced over the years, but the number of those that remain that can trot, with reasonable competence, seems very low.

Sam,

That's true, but there are many top Carpers who are truly excellent all round anglers, one in particular that I occasionally fish with in the winter when the Carp fishing is hard going.

He earns his living from Carp fishing and I'm sure if there was money in other forms of fishing he could easily earn a decent living from it.

His P.B. list is enviable and he does push the need to learn other skills before going into Carp fishing, but that is about as much as he can do.

The money is in Carp fish as we all know !!

Bob

sam vimes · Aug 7, 2015

peter crabtree said:
You're having a bubble Sam...

Not entirely certain of the lingo, but I'll presume you mean laugh. No, I'm not. I'm aware of a few younger anglers on local commercials that have never fished rivers. I'd not want to take them on on their chosen few commercials though, as they are excellent. Whether that constitutes them being genuinely good anglers is another matter.

john step · Aug 7, 2015

We have all met that angler who could catch in a bucket.
Apart from watercraft, enthusiasm and determination they seem to have a 6th sense. Or maybe its just a finely honed degree of these three?

MRWELL · Aug 7, 2015

One more thing could be added to the already longish but true list and that is ''weather craft'' i have lost count how many times i have seen very good anglers fishing but not taking the weather into account.
We all know or at least should know that the slightest of change in the weather can and does have a massive bearing on how the fish feed/act but i wonder just how many bother to learn this,water craft and weather craft go hand in hand in my book yet we hear only water craft being learnt or taught,to me if you learn both you increase your catch rate but at the end of the day we all have our strong points to go with many weak ones.

Stan.

Peter Jacobs · Aug 8, 2015

Derek Gibson said:
The common denominator

Determination, Watercraft, Angling skill, and let's not forget Passion. Often developed over a long time at the waterside. This apply's to all disciplines.

That says it all for me too . . . . . . .

Alan Tyler · Aug 8, 2015

MRWELL, weathercraft is a definite gap in my armoury; any chance of a feature/article/thread?

greenie62 · Aug 8, 2015

Welcome back Mr Tyler,
Glad your ban is over!

That'll teach you to go on holiday somewhere with no Broadband coverage or fishing!

mg:

rubio · Aug 8, 2015

I have always been a general angler and wouldn't now given back my youth swap struggling to catch anything at all, but I don't think as a 15 year old now I would want to be away from a commie where I was sure of catching. Thankfully after many years of adopting different styles and tactics I'm capable of incompetence in most aspects.
Always enjoy it tho.

kenpm · Aug 8, 2015

Derek Gibson said:
The common denominator

Determination, Watercraft, Angling skill, and let's not forget Passion. Often developed over a long time at the waterside. This apply's to all disciplines.

This is very true but remember that match anglers compete against other anglers as well as the fish often at the worst period of the day for catching and have no choice on the pegs they fish unless its a roving match.

Specimen hunters need to have dedication to travel the country targeting bigger fish at suitable venues often for days or weeks on end.

Pleasure anglers have the best options to go when they want to and where they want.

Many traditional methods have all but disappeared due to the rise of commercial fisheries as fishing styles have changed and commercial matches have often become "fish processing races" but as long as you derive enjoyment from whichever path you choose does it really matter ?

Bob Hornegold · Aug 8, 2015

kenpm said:
This is very true but remember that match anglers compete against other anglers as well as the fish often at the worst period of the day for catching and have no choice on the pegs they fish unless its a roving match.

Specimen hunters need to have dedication to travel the country targeting bigger fish at suitable venues often for days or weeks on end.

Pleasure anglers have the best options to go when they want to and where they want.

Many traditional methods have all but disappeared due to the rise of commercial fisheries as fishing styles have changed and commercial matches have often become "fish processing races" but as long as you derive enjoyment from whichever path you choose does it really matter ?

----

I have always presumed that whatever discipline of angling you follow, you must enjoy it ?

Yes sometimes the elements get you down or the behaviour of some other anglers, but you must enjoy it to go fishing at all.

There seems to be a misguided opinion that some anglers don't enjoy it, those could be the opinions off those who have never tried all disciplines of angling.

Each to their own, these day's I'm strictly a pleasure angler and still enjoy every trip I go fishing.

Bob

kenpm · Aug 8, 2015

Many anglers give up fishing for short or long periods for many reasons,one of the reasons is they cease to enjoy the fishing that is available to them and in some cases I know up to 15 years without wetting a line until something lights the fire again.

It is anglings capacity for infinite variation that is part of the magic and when it becomes travel to same venue,set up same tackle,catch same fish,go home and repeat that can tarnish the magic as some anglers can only access limited waters,how many commercials are on bus routes for example.

wes79 · Aug 8, 2015

Not sure what the difference is but as a general rule I only know of a small handful of local anglers that can probably catch on any water, to be fair its very hard to put a finger on it, they just have some intrinsically deep knowledge of what to do and how to apply it, these folk have advised me to try to avoid becoming a one trick pony and/keep a realistic achievable goal to aim for.....or not to peak to soon (like say catching a 15lb Barbel first "session" could ruin your Barbel "career".....) as the distance between the crumbs on the trail would simply be to far apart.

I'm enjoying chasing my first 5lb (actual weighed not estimated) Chub from local waters, having heard of 6lb being the heaviest from certain local Rivers it gives me something to aim at since catching a 4lb 13oz last season.

Originally Posted by Bob Hornegold View Post
but you must enjoy it to go fishing at all.

That is pretty much "the" fishing Maxim right there!

Enjoy what you do and it will lead you to doing things well.

stu_the_blank · Aug 9, 2015

Bob Hornegold said:
but you must enjoy it to go fishing at all.

That is my definition of a succesful Angler. Enjoy it!

Some are better than others either through hard graft and learning, or from a natural ability (sometimes referred to as 6th sense). Put the two together and you have the possibility of being exceptional!

I think that it was Gary Player who once said, 'the more I practice, the luckier I get'.

Stu

trotter2 · Aug 9, 2015

Its all about dedication, If you choose to fish one particular way all the time you should get better at it. To the point you can win a match if you get a decent draw.
But what is becoming very rare is a versatile anglers who can fish anywhere any style and win consistently.
That is something special.

jonidul · Aug 14, 2015

As associate afterthought that I had been thoughtful to post as a replacement topic. i actually believe that, no matter the discipline, the factor that elevates simply competent anglers to one thing larger, is commonly very little over sensible bait application. it is not perpetually regarding amount, however which will be an element. I've seen moderately sensible anglers have poor days as a result of they've fed an excessive amount of, fed insufficient or just drop a load of bait in once trickling constant amount in would have given larger res

Is there much difference ?

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