Obsessions

wanderer · Oct 15, 2015

I put this in the general angling area just to see what your personal objectives are, that lifelong urge to beat or replicate your heroes or local superstars. Whether its match angling or some specialisation, lets hear because the motivation and physchology of our breed fascinates us all. My personal ambition is to catch a Billing Aquadrome 40 pound carp, not because I am exclusively a carp angler but because for the last 50 or so years it has never happened and one of my heroes is Ray Clay who caught a 42 pounder back in the sixties. I am sure the big guys are still present, but rather than fish the known lakes , I keep targeting the Marina lake that is open to the river. A long prebaiting campaign resulted in the rod being pulled off the rest a few minutes after setting up, sadly fish lost, nothing since but I dream on. What are your dreams, or obsessions, do you have a goal, an impossible thought, let us all know.

Keith M · Oct 15, 2015

I don't really have any obsessional goals other than to keep enjoying my fishing as long as possible before age eventually takes its toll LOL.

However catching a double figure Tench or an 18lb plus Barbel or a 3lb Roach would be my obsessional Goal if I had one; all of which have been caught by others in the waters I fish, so would not strictly be an impossible dream LOL.

If I had an impossible dream it would be to go back in time and spend a week fishing with Isaac Walton on his beloved river Lea using the tackle we use today LOL.

Keith

barbelboi · Oct 15, 2015

wanderer said:
I put this in the general angling area just to see what your personal objectives are, that lifelong urge to beat or replicate your heroes or local superstars. Whether its match angling or some specialisation, lets hear because the motivation and physchology of our breed fascinates us all. My personal ambition is to catch a Billing Aquadrome 40 pound carp, not because I am exclusively a carp angler but because for the last 50 or so years it has never happened and one of my heroes is Ray Clay who caught a 42 pounder back in the sixties. I am sure the big guys are still present, but rather than fish the known lakes , I keep targeting the Marina lake that is open to the river. A long prebaiting campaign resulted in the rod being pulled off the rest a few minutes after setting up, sadly fish lost, nothing since but I dream on. What are your dreams, or obsessions, do you have a goal, an impossible thought, let us all know.

I was there when Ray caught his big fish, I fished Billing for most of the 60's and he and his family were pretty regular 'contestants'................obviously he was somewhat older than me

iannate · Oct 15, 2015

Not sure that I have a particular obsession except maybe catching some of the decent roach in a stretch of river where I keep getting the pike interested instead.

Keith's list of fish sounds good for me.

wanderer · Oct 15, 2015

barbelboi said:
I was there when Ray caught his big fish, I fished Billing for most of the 60's and he and his family were pretty regular 'contestants'................obviously he was somewhat older than me

Wow, you will know how the old place has changed over the years then, do you remember the rowing boats on the Willow, or the old Jungle lake, right out in the wilds, somewhat modified and about where Kingfisher is now, so different.

binka · Oct 15, 2015

Ask me fifteen years ago and it would without doubt have been something related to match fishing, something realistic though like turning the clock back to the 80's and being a prominent team member of the Barnsley Blacks

Nowadays it's a 5lb perch, it used to be 4lb when I was only catching two's but now it's moved up owing to better results and needing to keep enough distance between the weights for it to remain possible but just a bit edgy.

theartist · Oct 15, 2015

I'm obsessed with fishing new rivers, even tiny brooks far afield even if I know there's better fishing to be had on my doorstep.

wanderer · Oct 16, 2015

theartist said:
I'm obsessed with fishing new rivers, even tiny brooks far afield even if I know there's better fishing to be had on my doorstep.

I owned a caravan at Cogenhoe mill on the Nene for 14 years and as the site incorporated a small marina, the club was a regular haunt of me and the boat boys, they travelled the rivers and canals of England and Wales on a regular basis, and still give me the best info on fish and waters that you could ever wish for.

---------- Post added at 00:05 ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 23:56 ----------

barbelboi said:
I was there when Ray caught his big fish, I fished Billing for most of the 60's and he and his family were pretty regular 'contestants'................obviously he was somewhat older than me

I am interested whether we have met, I am pushing 60 with a very secretive specimen history, you knew Ray, I would be interested to know if you were aware of a carp record never reported from Northamptonshire during the 1950s, I am not going to start a Martin Gay style debate, but I know this is genuine and where from, you may too, please advise.

no-one in particular · Oct 16, 2015

I don't set out with any real target but, would love a really big roach anytime, second choice Rudd. That would do it for me, I would be Mr Smug Happy for a longtime. Chased all fish but nothings quite as beautiful or mesmerizing as a big Roach or Rudd. Carp just lack the grace, charm or manners of these two fish, especially the manners; on a blind date you would escape through the toilets!

wanderer · Oct 16, 2015

markg said:
I don't set out with any real target but, would love a really big roach anytime, second choice Rudd. That would do it for me, I would be Mr Smug Happy for a longtime. Chased all fish but nothings quite as beautiful or mesmerizing as a big Roach or Rudd. Carp just lack the grace, charm or manners of these two fish, especially the manners; on a blind date you would escape through the toilets!

Couldn't agree with you more, seen big Rudd chucked back by Tench anglers in disgust, horrified , fantastic fish, to me the best looking of all fish along with big crucians and perch, long live true angling.

barbelboi · Oct 16, 2015

wanderer said:
I owned a caravan at Cogenhoe mill on the Nene for 14 years and as the site incorporated a small marina, the club was a regular haunt of me and the boat boys, they travelled the rivers and canals of England and Wales on a regular basis, and still give me the best info on fish and waters that you could ever wish for.

---------- Post added at 00:05 ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 23:56 ----------

I am interested whether we have met, I am pushing 60 with a very secretive specimen history, you knew Ray, I would be interested to know if you were aware of a carp record never reported from Northamptonshire during the 1950s, I am not going to start a Martin Gay style debate, but I know this is genuine and where from, you may too, please advise.

I'll send you a PM later........

no-one in particular · Oct 16, 2015

wanderer said:
Couldn't agree with you more, seen big Rudd chucked back by Tench anglers in disgust, horrified , fantastic fish, to me the best looking of all fish along with big crucians and perch, long live true angling.

Thanks Wanderer, only pulling the leg about the carp, I like them now and again.

What you say does illustrate very well when a obsession goes go a bit over the top though. A specimen fish is to be admired and very nice to catch even when it is not your target fish. I have never quite understood that one. Maybe if using heavy carp tackle its a bit depressing lugging in a 2lb roach but, if using tench tackle for example, a big Rudd would be very acceptable and very admirable. Theres still all the joy of the float disappearing, the jangle of the rod and playing a good fish, why not just enjoy that,. I do often target a certain species but always welcome almost any fish. In fact yesterday I blanked, I was after a Chub mainly but would have welcomed a couple of roach just to liven up my day a bit.
I suppose its easy to get a bit blase, maybe they have seen too many big fish, been at it too long and lose appreciation of it all a bit. I have never got to that stage so I am still a novice in that sense. I think I could get tired of it if I ever felt like that. every fish did not mean much unless it exceeded some personal best or some target. I have a few targets in my mind but its never an obsession, just a nice pat on my back if I did.
But each to their own.

wanderer · Oct 16, 2015

Mark, its an obsession with a water, not a species, I am just as happy catching Rudd, Roach and Bream, the incentive is to do what no one has done for fifty years, its a bit like the Roach and Chub records, its there to be achieved, I have caught bigger English Carp than Billing is capable of producing, but the hunting instinct in me says , you have to do this, it is difficult to understand the motivation, I cant explain it, obsession, that's all I am saying, the impossible dream, lovely. I could go up the road and pay my thousand pound a season, ten miles from home and achieve a sixty, I want a big wild fish from a historic venue, just around the corner, Redmire I have to get in the que.

tom_moran · Oct 16, 2015

For me I have no obsession with a particular fish or weight, I just love going fishing! River, Lake, canal, sea it doesn't matter really. I like the act of fishing and I like learning and going somewhere and targetting a specific species but even if I don't catch it I'm still happy catching anything. Blanking, well I'm not a big fan of blanking ?

john gotti · Oct 16, 2015

Tracking down and catching big eels is more than a obsession for me...but not been able to fish the waters I want to..and having limited time to fish for them..makes my obsession feel like a curse sometimes..they really are the most amazing and elusive fish to try and catch..

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

wanderer · Oct 16, 2015

tom_moran said:
For me I have no obsession with a particular fish or weight, I just love going fishing! River, Lake, canal, sea it doesn't matter really. I like the act of fishing and I like learning and going somewhere and targetting a specific species but even if I don't catch it I'm still happy catching anything. Blanking, well I'm not a big fan of blanking ?

Blanks are all part of our learning curve, we all have them, novice and expert alike, why, a water can switch off, for no apparent reason for months on end, no matter what you do sometimes, it is impossible, relax, enjoy the good days, they will come, if you blank and others are catching or you know the fish are feeding, examine your approach but otherwise , just relax, it will happen.

theartist · Oct 16, 2015

wanderer said:
I owned a caravan at Cogenhoe mill on the Nene for 14 years and as the site incorporated a small marina, the club was a regular haunt of me and the boat boys, they travelled the rivers and canals of England and Wales on a regular basis, and still give me the best info on fish and waters that you could ever wish for.

Small world - My uncle used to own a caravan on the very same site and the rods were taken when we visited once many moons ago. Think he gave it up after it flooded a few years back.

steve2 · Oct 16, 2015

My obsession was with the River Roding, my PB's for Roach, Chub, Perch, Dace all came from this small stream. Even had a 7lb Barbel many years ago. Apart from Salmon can't think of a fish I haven't caught from here over the years.

tom_moran · Oct 16, 2015

wanderer said:
Blanks are all part of our learning curve, we all have them, novice and expert alike, why, a water can switch off, for no apparent reason for months on end, no matter what you do sometimes, it is impossible, relax, enjoy the good days, they will come, if you blank and others are catching or you know the fish are feeding, examine your approach but otherwise , just relax, it will happen.

Ah yeah dont mind the blanks on a hard water or in hard conditions it's when I know there's fish and others are catching but no matter what I do I can't even succeed at tiddler bashing. It's good though gives me a challenge for next time

peterjg · Oct 17, 2015

I grew up fishing mainly for roach.

In 1975 I caught my first carp, then I had to catch a 20, then the obsession grew I just had to catch a 30 and did that many times, then I had to catch a 40, did that 3 times, then I wanted a 50 but luckily by then I saw sense and have virtually stopped carp fishing.

However; over the last 10 years I have reverted to trying to catch big roach - much, much harder than big carp - a wonderful obsession!

PS. I have never fished abroad.

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