The "How"

Many years ago I recieved a letter from **** Walker where he expressed his belief that what was most important in angling was not the size of the fish or the catch, but how the fish was caught. Quite simply he explained that he would rather catch a fish with a method that demanded great skill rather than little. That's why he loved fly fishing and roach fishing I suppose. You really have to get your act together should you wish to catch trout (and other fish) on the fly or to have success with big roach, especially in rivers. Big roach just will not stand for crude presentation and poor watercraft. Neith will a crafty old brown trout.

My best fish on the fly was an 8lb Grilse taken on an 8.5 foot split cane dry fly rod, a 3 weight line, 2 lb tippet and a size 18 Greenwells Glory from the river Don.
My biggest fish on the fly was a 19lb Pike.
But my most memerable fish was when I stalked a wee 7lb comman carp of the top using a Sharpes split cane carp rod, centre pin reel and a hook with a little bit of bread flake. Not a big fish, but is was caught in a Locch in the for north of Scotland!!
That fish ment more to me than any other I have caught...because of the *how*!!

I think both Ron and Rob are spot on re this question of "how." I remember a friend of mine catching a 3lb chub on the Hampshire Avon by casting a piece of floating crust carefully into weirpool current and allowing it to sweep round on the far side - about 50 yards away to under a big willow tree where he had seen a rise - a lovely bit of specific stalking.