I like robust arguments, whether it's in the pub where the subject's football or on this forum and it's about fishing. But I have noticed of late that some of my remarks have caused offence. I won't apologise - if you're easily offended you shouyldn't be on a forum in the first place. Go find a good counsellor and then a lawyer and sue me for the distress I've caused.
Right, that's off my chest, now down to business...
Most of the things I've said that have caused offence have been because I can't help having a joke at some aspects of modern angling. No, I'm not a Golden Scale Club member, I just don't like some of the modern trends.
For example, I find modern match fishing rather silly. Complicated seating systems that would put an oil rig platform to shame, ridiculously expensive poles and deliberately setting out to catch immature fish ("Team orders, guv"). It's probably fishing, Jim, but not as I know it.
Commercial fisheries are a pet hate, but a sign of the modern times. If you haven't got the skill, you want the rewards anyway mentality. The bag-up merchants who fish these places because they can't catch proper wild fish are only deluding themselves. Pathetic. Sorry, but that's what it is.
Targetting known big fish is harmless but equally sad. Even if you catch Basil, Benson or Bert, you're only achieving what you know could happen anyway. Where's the mystery, the magic?
You see, that's what's missing. fewer anglers go out into unchartered territory, in the hope of catching some huge fish that nobody else has ever caught before.
To my mind, the purest form of angling is the small child who fishes in the hope of a record-breaker... who really doesn't know what's goiing to bite. That is magic.
The rest is modern, money-orientated posturing - a flimsy excuse for what this sport used to be.
You may not like what I'm saying, but I can assure you it's said with total conviction. If I've p**sed you off, then that's great - cos you are obviously one of those this is aimed at. May you one day get to appreciate something better.

i fished match carp puddles for years and thought it was great but now im fishing a resivor with perch up to 5lb, tench up to 6lb roach and rudd up to 2lb and crucain carp up 2 a 1lb and im enjoying it alot more than them puddles in fact i aint been to a puddle for bout 3 months now and im even getting up at 3.30 in the morning to go fishing at the crack of dawn somthing i would nt have dreamed of doing in the carp puddles

Hi There,
Ive been fishing now for 40 years and in that time i have never fished a match or fished at a so called managed commercial water,my personnal bests are over that time Roach 2lb 10oz,Tench 7lb 4oz,carp 8lb 6oz,Barbel 3lb 2oz(the only one ever)Pike 22lb 3oz,Dace 1lb 1oz,chub 3lb 7oz and Perch 2lb 12oz.
I still use equipment purchased in the 1970,s and sit on my efgeco green tackle box.
As my earnings are very limited i can fish all day with bait costing £2.90 which includes maggots,sweet corn,luncheon meat and bread crumb ground bait.
I love my style of fishing,but would accept that each fisherman has the right to choose the approach to our wonderfull sport that excites them the most and at the end of the day that is what it is all about people enjoying themselves either alone or together with friends.
Regards.

[ 20. July 2004, 07:11 AM: Message edited by: medwaygreen ]

fenboy, have a look in next weeks angling times mate, there will be a fish in there mate that shows there is still a bit of magic about, and it will shock most people.


sorry but i cant say any more as i am sworn to secrecy, but believe me it is something, very, very special.

I fish how I prefer to fish, and would hope others feel free to do the same.

One man's 'magic' is another man's 'too intense', just as a despised carp puddle can be an oasis, providing detachment from stress for a few precious hours.

Provided the rules of a civilised society are followed, no-one has the right to define what another should find pleasurable, in angling or anything else.

Save the condemnation for worthy targets. Look after each other, the fish, and your sport. Life's too short to criticise fellow anglers for daring to enjoy what they do.

Forgive the clumsy sage-speak, but after a ludicrously stressful week, the things that really matter tend to contrast sharply against what previously seemed important.

Count your blessings, enjoy your fishing - and do so on your own terms.

Terry

Here's a thought: suppose an angling mate of yours were to call you to suggest a fishing trip. What sort of suggestions wouldn't you be keen to take up? What wouldn't get you excited?. I'd suggest that the more you'd say no to, the more blinkered and specialized your angling (and the more you've probably lost the 'magic')
I'd probably turn down an offer to go wreck-fishing (because I'm not good in boats), and I'd also probably need a lot of persuading to go night fishing for catfish. Pier fishing or jetty fishing, when there's crowds of people walking past, wouldn't grab me but if the venue was near-deserted it would.

I totally agree fenboy. Mind you one of the reasons I don't fish carp puddles is I'm not sure how to catch the fish out of them.

It's the same with shooting. In my view nothing beats a good rough shoot. However where's the enjoyment in lining up to shoot at 100's of semi tame hand reared pheasants driven over you. Some of these estates will put down 5000 of these birds twice a year!

Take it all in your stride I say, I have done just about every type of English fresshwater and quite a lot of sea angling.
Successfully mastering all the different styles and methods is a pleasure in itself.

Pole fishing is not just about catching as many tiny fish as possible, carp fishing is not just about catching Basil or Bertie, Ressy trout fishing is not just about catching stock rainbows,beach fishing is not just about casting as far as possible.
Yes, sometimes it is all those things but at the end of the day they are only a part of fishing.

Fenboy, I don't suppose you would be seen dead doing some of the things I have done in order to catch fish, that's your loss mate.

I have had some cracking days on the carp puddles ( I did not question why I was there, I just got down to catching the fish)
I have had some (actually quite a lot) of sessions in winter on a vast bleak ressy after elusive roach.
I have crept along the banks of tiny streams (and I do mean tiny) after tiny (5 inches) trout, and in other tiny streams after 2lb chub.
The Kennet at Upper Benyons, early season, midweek, is pure heaven (and there are a lot of fish there)

I could go on and on counting my memories and reliving the pleasure or dissapointment of it all, but ..hey, what am I doing answering your post? I just go fishing, if there are fish in the water I will try to catch them...even in a Back garden pond (god forgive me )That surely must be the ultimate sin

Fenboy, stop getting so wound up about it all, go and catch a few fish by whatever method you deem to be politically correct.

Enjoy,I do!
Den

"If you are easily offended then you shouldn't be on a forum in the first place".

For heavens sakes Fenboy, where in the rules does it say that?

People fish for various reasons, just as they come onto the forums. Its a place to discuss, to make friends that you might never meet, to mix with other anglers. It is not a place to come to be purposely offended.

I thought that your comment re conservation on Newts recent Tourny thread was embarrassingly offensive in the style in which it was delivered, even though I did have some sympathy! Newt is a friend, a good friend. I thought you insulted his country and its angling culture. That was out of order.

Express an opinion by all means. Have a wind up by all means. But that 'conservation' gybe was cheap. Make the point by all means, but that was a purile comment in its delivery.

Right, now onto your opening thread! In essence I am with you all the way. Angling is obviously as precious to you as it is to me.

Fish stocks are damaged by modern match practices, especially the targetting of grossly immature fish. The big match rivers have recovered from their match heydays and people are praising that fact. But as the rivers have recovered river match angling has declined. Coincidence? I think not.

As for the other matters that you mention, agreed, they are eroding what we both hold dear, and I resent that.

But beyond that I also agree 100% with Den and Terry. I don't like some of what I see going on around me, but who am I to tell other folk that what they do, provided its legal and acceptable to the majority, is something that they shouldn't do?

Its not what you say, its how you say it that counts! Intentionally offending people is not acceptable. Disagreeing and a few wind-ups is the spice of life, and long may you continue!

Okay, okay, so I do sometimes cause offence, but its not intentional! And anyway, some carpers take the bait faster than a starved stocky!

Fenboy, you are simply trying to rattle people's cages to get a reaction. As long as you are are aware of the responsibility you have to other anglers and the environment, it doesn't matter how or where you fish. There are many ways to fish - don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em.