The "Circus"

The recent capture of a 19lb barbel has prompted many debates on all the angling sites, one phase that is being banded about a lot is "The Circus",you all know the sort of thing, "The Circus" will now decsend on the record barbel stretch, I for one won't, BUT....many a time i have heard of this stretch or that pool or pit that is doing something that i would like a bit of, and off i have gone!!!! but of course the circus is something that people (anglers) talk about and it is always someone else!.....so how do we decide who the circus are? and where do we draw the line?....and the most important question, at least in my mind, does it all matter??

It matters to the controlling body. Like circus's the horde of anglers descending on the pitch brings with it the odd example what would be better as a circus exhibit - The untidy/selfish angler. Leaving litter and sh*t all other. This brings its own problems with the main holder ( Landland) and for what many a year a club/body has been cultivating as open water is suddenly removed and then goes to a syndicate - with its restriction on guests/day tickets.

Additionally, the sudden publicity, brings unwanted guests fishing at night,( indeed are there not certain Carp anglers who brag about guesting) especially in waters which have "no night fishing rules". This generates more friction with landowners, extra work by any baliffs or members of that fishing body.

For this reason Paul - and the fact that it is like a Circus with all kinds of animals visiting, I can respect the wishes of some controlling bodies to keep the locations of caught fish quiet - like the Derwent Specimen.

Is life all about records in papers or about the pleasure of sharing such a catch with immediate friends and knowing that the peace and tranquilty and fishing in unspoilt surroundings, will be avialble next time for you, your family (sons daughters wife - if they fish) and immediate friends to enjoy.


I would therefore say Yes it does matter, and I would expect any angler would realise this. If anglers do not think about these matters, the number of waters removed from anglers and their standing within the community will fall. We as a body cannot tolerate any "circus freaks" which bring discredit to angling.

AS Graham stated Different waters will respond with differnt fish. It it more skillful and ultimately more satisfying to catch a Derwent 12b, Trent 14lb than an Ouse 18lb, knowing that these are truely specimens for their own waters. I would not be satisfied at using smae bait, fishing the same swim and catching the same record (or even larger) barbel. However, I would be plased to catch a 12lb teme from an unfished swim, or evn a 2lb grayling from the Derwent. Either would give me more pleasure.

Lastly, surely, the circus animals are just that - being lead - by normally the dedicated one-river angler displaying his talents and then just being egded out by the hoard. When will they dedicate themselves to the pursuit and challange of large fish, sought out by their knowledge of watercraft etc.,rather than others.

In my humble opinion, the whole matter can only degenerate into a circus when the angling press publicises the event! Of course I realise they have to sell papers/magazines, etc., but the publicity attached to the recent barbel records can only do harm.

We all have our different reasons for fishing, and I fully respect others opinion on this, but where will it all end? I dread to think!

Bar Barbus, I think to be honest we are talking about a different group of anglers, the guy's i am talking about are probably decent anglers who do care for the surroundings, the "circus" as i see it are a group of guys who lock on to someone else's sucsess in the capture of large fish, but the point i was trying to make was don't we all do that to some degree?
I do like to fish "new" waters and over the years i have fished many blue dots on the ordanace survey maps, but i have also been told of waters that are doing the business and fished those.
I suppose no one will ever admit to being part of the "circus", a bit like no one admits to buying mags off the top shelf, yet most of the mag owners are millionaires!!!!

I've chased fish and i'll admit it! that makes me part of the circus. I think the term dates back to the first world war, Baron Richtoften had an entire wing of Aircraft that flew with him some 80 odd aircraft and they called that a Circus - you know, like monty python..a group who follow a leader and then share the spoils after he's passed through..Old Martin Bowler must be feeling pretty smug scince he pulled off Adam's Mill.

Paul I absolutely 100% agree with your point about everyone chasing fish to some degree. I said as much in at least a couple of other threads but as you say where do you draw the line ? Where does it change from just going fishing to a place that you have heard about to the sort of obsessive quest that is happening at places like Adams mill?

Ok I have thought about this a lot and here is my stab at it, I think its pretty similar to Mikes to be fair..I would say that if a line and it is a rough line can be drawn I would say that it changes when you go from visiting a venue that you know holds big fish generally to fishing for a specific fish itself. I would define the "circus" as those targeting one particular fish or perhaps 2 or 3 in the case of Adams Mill.