Any continent, any species?

binka · Feb 14, 2016

My regular fishing partner visits Thailand several times a year and always cones back with stories and accompanying pictures of giant arapaima, Siamese carp, Mekong catfish and all manner of exotic things that I’ve never heard of before and I can see that it really is his thing.

But…

I can’t get excited about it.

As boring as it may sound by comparison I would be just as happy dibbing away on a local stillwater or running a stick down a river for a few roach and chub but am I the odd one out?

If anything would tempt me it would be Himalayan mahseer but I would still miss my current fishing too much.

If you had the chance to fish for any species on any continent for the rest of your life would you be happy with your current lot or, alternatively, what would it be for you?

terry m · Feb 14, 2016

Tiger Fish in Africa or Red Tail Cats from the Amazon.

But, like you Binka the 'normal' fishing in this country gives me great contentment and satisfaction.

swizzle · Feb 14, 2016

There is no way in hell I would sacrifice the fishing I have in this country for any other species anywhere on earth. It is for me, much more about the variety on my doorstep. I'm 30 minutes away from the stour/Avon to the west and the same with the test and Itchen to the east. I also have some first rate still waters around me as well. So no.

I bumped in to Chris Hollie on one of the club still waters in the summer, whilst chatting to me, he mentioned a trip out to Thailand he had been on recently and the size of the Siamese carp. But I couldn't get excited about it as these fisheries are really just stepped up commercials.

If I had to choose thought it would be a toss up between Canada and Sturgeon or like you, India for Mahseer.

tigger · Feb 14, 2016

If I were to catch a foreign species i'd want to catch it from it's place of origin and not in a commercial lake in Thailand...plus there's far too many other things i'd be more interested in in Thailand....forget the bloody fishin'

.

Same as you Steve i'm happy with my fishing in the uk but if I could have a fishing holiday or three i'd like to go to Mexico to fish in the mangroves and surrounding sea for some of those powerfull saltwater fish.

flightliner · Feb 14, 2016

What you describe of a water stocked with fish from other continents has no appeal whatsoever, it's so construed as to be meaningless. Fun for some maybe but count me out.
Fishing heaven for me comes in many forms and locations , a held back float fished overdepth on a slow meandering lowland river for roach right thro to pike attacking a lure or a float running down a river that dissapears -- true angling bliss.

thecrow · Feb 14, 2016

Not for me I am afraid, if I had to choose somewhere abroad to fish it would be Alaska in the remote lakes that abound, species would be unimportant to me it would be the solitude that would draw me to it.

tigger · Feb 14, 2016

thecrow said:
Not for me I am afraid, if I had to choose somewhere abroad to fish it would be Alaska in the remote lakes that abound, species would be unimportant to me it would be the solitude that would draw me to it.

So long as you've got a 44 magnum in your holster you should be fine...can't take too many chances with those bears sneakin' up on ya!
Check out "Life below zero" at 10 pm tonight on freeview, channel 42, I think.

binka · Feb 14, 2016

tigger said:
So long as you've got a 44 magnum in your holster you should be fine...can't take too many chances with those bears sneakin' up on ya!
Check out "Life below zero" at 10 pm tonight on freeview, channel 42, I think.

Don't worry Ian, he'll likely be wearing a bib 'n brace that I gave him which is enough to repel anything

I'm sure I left a quid in one of the pockets

john step · Feb 14, 2016

Binka get well soon.
As for "the rest of your life" ...no way.
Fishing in the UK is satisfying but the two I would go for if I was a lottery winner would be Baltic Sea pike and the pike and game fish of the Canadian wilderness area.

The Thaiwan commercials can go where the monkeys put their nuts.

barbelboi · Feb 14, 2016

terry m said:
Tiger Fish in Africa or Red Tail Cats from the Amazon.

But, like you Binka the 'normal' fishing in this country gives me great contentment and satisfaction.

Yes, 'normal' fishing in this country is what I want but a couple of fortnightly sessions for Tiger Fish in the upper Gambia river during the early 80's was an experience I'll never forget...

sam vimes · Feb 14, 2016

There's nowhere on the planet that I'd wish to relocate permanently. I'm not particularly interested in holiday fishing unless it's totally removed from the type of fishing available locally. I don't want to go carping in France (or anywhere else), I don't really want to go grayling fishing in Canada or Scandinavia. Doing such things can spoil your local fishing, making it seem a little mundane. I know that much less exotic trips to the Trent made me lose my mojo for the local barbel fishing. I'd not wish to repeat that experience when it comes to other species.

However, Sturgeon fishing in Canada, or some of these daft Thai angling resorts, do hold some appeal. One thing is for sure, it wouldn't spoil my local angling one little bit. Far too far removed from reality for that to happen.

binka · Feb 14, 2016

barbelboi said:
Yes, 'normal' fishing in this country is what I want but a couple of fortnightly sessions for Tiger Fish in the upper Gambia river during the early 80's was an experience I'll never forget...

Going back to your "Roots" there Jerry?

Spent my 18th birthday between Gambia and Senegal around the same time albeit very much the lower river.

I wouldn't recommend the Julbrew

uke:

chub_on_the_block · Feb 14, 2016

Im only interested in coarse fishing in UK. When i fished the Shannon in Eire it didnt even feel quite right, but at least was familiar. I halfheartedly borrowed a spinning rod for Perch in Sweden once....a beautiful lake but i was just visiting the area and strangely not interested in fishing it.

All the Arapaima etc in Thailand etc just leave me cold - i really dont understand what John Wilson sees in it all. I would rather be fishing the Wensum any day, even if theres no barbel left in it.

tigger · Feb 14, 2016

binka said:
Don't worry Ian, he'll likely be wearing a bib 'n brace that I gave him which is enough to repel anything

I'm sure I left a quid in one of the pockets

LOL, bears might like the smell, one might hold him down and pump his jacksy

, he might like it though

mg: .

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Feb 14, 2016

I have fished in a number of other countries, had some great times. This has been done whilst on Holiday, arranged trips.

But to put it in simple terms, there is no place like home. I just don't get the same Buzz as i do when fishing here.

Philip · Feb 15, 2016

I am pretty much the same as everyone else…Local “normal” species for me too. I can’t get too excited about Asian giants & the like. I remember John Wilson catching these huge catfish on the float but I could not help but think I would much rather see you on the Wensum after Roach ! I would do it for a bit of fun on a natural water but it would not be anything like my fishing back home.

The funny thing is I relocated from the UK some years back and I do have access to some slightly more unusual species now but the “serious” fishing is still for the UK species. Targets change a little (and not always up as people often think) but there is something about fishing for Roach, Chub, Barbel and the like that gets into your blood & I doubt I will ever tire of.

In terms of other fishing…one thing I have always fancied trying s fishing the Bahama flats for Bone fish on light tackle. I remember an article called “Bahama Bones” in an old Angler mail annual I think and I have never really forgotten it. Its on my list of to do’s. Hook one of them on a Stepped up float rod and a pin…can you imagine ?

thecrow · Feb 15, 2016

binka said:
I'm sure I left a quid in one of the pockets

If you did the missus will have found it and put it into her change jar

Peter Jacobs · Feb 15, 2016

binka said:
If you had the chance to fish for any species on any continent for the rest of your life would you be happy with your current lot or, alternatively, what would it be for you?

I have lived and worked in many different Countries and fished in all of them, that said, I am very happy with the fishing I have here on my doorstep.

If I had to change then I would be truly happy fishing for the Harr (Grayling) back in Norway . . . . .

Alan Tyler · Feb 15, 2016

I read somewhere that there are some resorts high in the Russian bit of the Altai mountains where there are no mosquitoes... whatever fishing they have there will suffice for me, assuming that the reason there are no mozzies is not the same as why there are none in the Sahara.

sumtime · Feb 15, 2016

I'm quite contented fishing the UK and the Med.

Any continent, any species?

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