Keeping it simple...

After the best part of two years angling (I came to the hobby late - Very late!) I have amassed so much stuff that I had lost the plot somewhat. Last time out I had so many choices of how to fish I spent more time setting up than I did fishing. Yesterday I went back to basics and spent the day fishing the waggler using one rod. I also spent most of the day fishing as I had next to nothing to set up. For those who are interested, the whole story an be found HERE. It was a real eye-opener. I caught all sorts of fish including a nice 6lb+ ghostie in the margin at the end of the day.



I am definitely going to do that again. stripped down to the basics with no alternatives to offer is great fun and I was fishing all day instead of swapping gear from one discipline to another.

Ralph :thumbs:

fishplate42 said:

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I am definitely going to do that again. stripped down to the basics with no alternatives to offer is great fun and I was fishing all day instead of swapping gear from one discipline to another.

Ralph :thumbs:

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Its a bit like going away on hols with the minimun of gear smuggled into the case. It makes you think hard and adapt what you have available. Surprising what you can catch.

I do that most of the time now Fishplate, keep it simple, a few floats, some bread and sweetcorn, maybe a few different baits, one rod and reel depending where i am fishing and what I expect to catch. I think a lot of it is fear, fear your going to break something, not be ready for some opportunity. Neither happens very much in my experience and it sure is nicer carrying less stuff about.

I was fishing again yesterday at the same lake I encountered my large carp. An older guy on the next peg set up his pole and started to fish. I know nothing about pole fishing and had never really observed the method at close quarters. Anyway he caught something which broke his yellow elastic from the pole and shot off with it and his float and line. He estimated it was a big fish!

I got talking to him and he said he only used corn as a bait and had given up on everything else about 8 years before . He had no additives , no ground bait just corn. He was a lovely chap to talk to and said he caught more fish now than he ever caught before. He admitted he wanted carp, tench and barbel.

Whilst I caught small roach and perch he caught 7 or 8 commons over several hours the largest of which we weighed in at 12lb 6oz. He fired out some corn at regular intervals but that was it. He too when using a rod went light with just rod reel, a small tackle box and loads of corn.

We can always learn something new. I like chatting to someone like him who enjoyed passing down his experiences and skills to a novice like me.

I have that much tackle now that I want to take just in case that I am thinking of a bigger car! Now that is mad and I will resist. I like my chair and would have to take this but one rod and reel should be enough.

---------- Post added at 01:03 ---------- Previous post was at 00:56 ----------

A very good blog Ralph as usual!

mikench said:

I have that much tackle now that I want to take just in case that I am thinking of a bigger car! Now that is mad and I will resist. I like my chair and would have to take this but one rod and reel should be enough.

---------- Post added at 01:03 ---------- Previous post was at 00:56 ----------

A very good blog Ralph as usual!

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Don't bother with the bigger car, just buy a van ...Only kidding!

I have a van and although it has it's advantages it can also mean there is virtually no limit to the amount of gear you can take with you. I was getting to the stage that I was taking most of my gear with me, just in case, and only using a fraction of it.

It is handy for match fishing as I can take rods fully made up (up to 13ft), if I want to.I can also take my box with the fittings attached and when it comes to packing up, it can all be loaded assembled (wet or dry) and sorted out when I get home. I always wash my gear when I get home anyway so there is no point in packing it away dirty.

For my future pleasure fishing days, I will be taking minimal gear in future whether that be rod and line or pole.

I am pleased you like my blog, thank you for saying so, it is very much appreciated. The blog has become fairly popular, considering it is not two years old yet. It was started as a record of my fishing experiences from day one, when I first took up fishing back in September 2014, I was 58 years old and had never held a rod (or a live fish for that matter) in my life. I wish I had taken it up years ago.

Ralph

So do I Ralph, so do I! I am still a bit wary when handling a larger fish but I suppose practice makes perfect.

I will draw the limit at a van although I can see its advantages. The car comes first and then the fishing at the moment. I can use my wife's 4x4 most trips; it is just occasionally she becomes precious about it and won't swap!

I enjoy your blog and may attempt one myself when I get more time

mikench said:

So do I Ralph, so do I! I am still a bit wary when handling a larger fish but I suppose practice makes perfect.

I will draw the limit at a van although I can see its advantages. The car comes first and then the fishing at the moment. I can use my wife's 4x4 most trips; it is just occasionally she becomes precious about it and won't swap!

I enjoy your blog and may attempt one myself when I get more time

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I have had a van if one sort or another (mainly transits) for the past 40 years, would not be without it! My other half drives a Volvo estate so if I do fancy the car, I can get most of what I need in there but I have to remember the stink bags - not a problem in the van as it has a full bulkhead separating the load space from the cab.

That is okay so long as she is not going flower arranging with her mates or doing the shopping, the Transit is a bit big for that, except when she is doing the big shows and I become the 'roadie'.

I am please you enjoy my blog

Ralph.

The Berlingo and Renault/Citroen equivalent are vaguely cute but vans are not for me!

mikench said:

The Berlingo and Renault/Citroen equivalent are vaguely cute but vans are not for me!

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Each to their own, I can understand that. I have probably done far more miles driving a van than a car, it is just second nature. I will take the van in preference to the car if I am not collecting others and even then if it is only one or two it is still the van. The only problem these days is the introduction of height limits on car parks and venues, intended to keep 'travellers' out.

Ralph.