They do exist

Many years ago I happened to spend a day fishing with this particular bass angler.

I spent the day on his boat, took aboard my tackle, including my selection of lures and motored off into the depths of Morganstond Dam.

He knew the water far more than me so I was happy to let him take the lead.

He had three rods made up with three lures on the end. And each lure was covered up with a dear little plastic bag so you couldn't see what he was using! He was quite successful in bass tournaments.

I few years ago I happened to be in the company of a fly fisherman who again was quite successful in matches. One day he and I sat by the reservoir talking tactics. His fishing bag was open and there were a couple of fly boxes in view, one half open. I opened the box and perused the flies.

He became EXTREMELY agressive.

As I myself, had my two fly boxes fully open on the bank for all to see I thought nothing of it. But this guy was extremely angry that I had looked in his fly box.

I wonder why?

Perhaps because he was primarily a competition angler.

I have fished with some of the finest anglers in the world in my time. I don't want to mention all the names here but I think you can guess them. Never has one of them been worried if you examine the contents of their fly/lure box. In fact they often go to the troubel of giving you a fly, or even a lure if you are struggling.

These are great anglers.

But this pratt was not prepared to give any of his expertise away.

Winning competitions was the most important thing in his life you see.

He should have packed up fishing and played darts instead. Angling is all about sharing. **** Walker, the greatest angler of our time, taught me that.

That's why I think it might be a very good idea to ban all fly fishing competitions. The concept of fly fishing matches is totally against the true philosopy of what the sport is all about.

all very well talking about the ultra secretive anglers, what about the other brand of angler , the ''designer label'' angler. We all know them , ones that have to have matching designer labelled clothing , with their matching rods and accesories and luggage etc.
There are the ones who have the''realtree'' style clothing to match the current growing season , these are the ones who will be sitting on the empty bank of the lake , pretending they are a tree or bush, using the latest brand of bait, which is kept their matching camoflaged bait bowls.
But then maybe - we havent seen them , and they are like the yeti - just a figement of a vivid imagination ??

Make no mistake about it, they are out there allright. Quite often I have heard the distinctive moaning of the Spangler Yeti on a dark night. On further investigation when one of these shy creatures are approached,they will quite often show you what bait they are useing, but don't ask what flavour it is, because they only say "I can't tell you mate it's a secret". It's all an act to get themselves noticed.

Years ago --when carp fishing was in its infancy--(before the days of boilies)or when boilies and floater cake were just starting to be used was a prime time of ultra secrecy--if you walked around a lake you could see the lids going on bait boxes and buckets being hurriedly hidden under umbrellas----

On some waters some carp anglers even had "Piss off...I've caught nothing" painted on the backs of their chairs

Ed,

People like that are sad.

Bloody sad!!

And anyone who perports to have secret baits, methods, flies and lures should not be involved in angling at all.

It would benefit our sport considerably if such assoles get out of angling; and do something stupid like play football instead.

Ron,
Have you ever watched match anglers during practice or even in a friendly match? they are worse than any one. I have even known of people going into a bait shop and asking what bait does so and so use. Personally I think it's funny,especially when you begin to realise some of the stunts they pull.

Ron,your talking out of your backside again,you have never had a "hot" bait and kept it to yourself?be it maggot,bread ect.it`s part of the game and it alway`s will be,it`s called the edge,and it NEVER last`s long!

I'm not talking out of my backside at all Les. I've never had a "hot bait" in my life to my knowledge.

There isn't any such thing.

I agree with RON, but, to add to it, i also think that a lot of the secrecy in carp fishing is down to "rule breaking" too, a lot of waters ban the use of Hemp and particles for exhample... but some anglers cant resist... and secondly, secrecy over end tackle..... i woner if they are breaking that barbless rule, i wonder if the lead is fixed, i wonder if they are useing braid?...
The number of "rule breaking" rigs i have spotted on my club waters is unbelievable!

That's very true Nick.

All the fish I've ever caught have been taken on ordinary baits. Sure I have made up some "designer" baits for barbel, but they have been made from Nutrabaits ingredients that anyone can buy such as Hi-Nu-Val together with German Sausage flavours.

The two most successful barbel baits I have ever used is good old Plumrose Bacon grill and Archie Braddock Flavoured Maggots.

And I've caught more 2 lb roach on bread flake than any other bait.

Most fly anglers will be quite happy to show you what they are catching on.Even more so if it is one of their own creations.I once came across a pair of idiots on a local small water who happened to be on a shedfull of freshly stocked fish.Which they monopolised way past the accepted limit,its a catch and release water)They really thought they were clever telling each other in whispers what fly they were using.Next time I saw these two pricks was a month or two later bivvied up on a local carp lake scowling at all passers by and hidding their Richworth boillies away.Its the angler not the type of angling.Being secretive to protect your own fishing is acceptable in most circumstances but being rude or deliberately misleading some one isnt.

My club has a stillwater that is popular with the small number of carp anglers within the membership. Their big moan atthe moment is they say they are catching the same fish all the time(dont they all)and that the club should stock the water with some good quality fish. Last summer I put a notice at the water asking the carp anglers to give me details of the numbers and weight of the fish they were catching to enable the club to come to a sensible stocking policy. As I live on the approach road to the water no one has to go out of their way, if only to drop a note through my letter box. How many fish have been reported so far? A great big zero!

they've not caught any then john so how can they be complaining they always catch the same fish.

Much as I rate his flavourings I don't think I'll be following your lead Ron and flavouring maggots with Archie Braddock himself !!

ron
was on maggots when they were a hot bait before anyone else knew about them.

All this reminds me of a day a few years ago when I was having a lunchtime stroll on the R Warfe behind the Devonshire Arms Hotel. Dressed as I was for the conference and without any tackle in hand I watch a local angler come to the river and proceed to fish. As I watched his bag carrier informed me that the angler was a famous local expert who wrote articles on fishing. After a little while my curiosity got the better of me and I had the timerity to ask what kind of fly he was using. This caused both of them to burst into fits of laughter and ridicule me for asking. It seems I may as well have asked for a million pounds. I took great pleasure in inviting the remaining 10 conference attendees to come and join me on the banks edge right were our expert was fishing!