The Good Old Days

[glennk]

Its seems these days that if you talk of a decent days fishing that you are soon shot down by those who think you should have caught some bigger fish. We often hear reference to the good old days when 20 pound shore cod were in abundance and double figure bass came around more often than a London cab

 

However I recently got talking to a local (to me) angler who had fished in excess of 30 years. A good angler with lots of fish in the bag over the years but I was amazed to learn hed never had a double figure fish in all his years of angling. How could it be the case that hed fished through the days of plenty and not put anything over 10 pounds on the shore.

 

This got me thinking. In the days of plenty did everyone catch lots of great big fish or was it just like now with 10% of the anglers catching 90% of the fish ?

[Elton]

I used to fish with my adopted dad most weekends over the winter as a kid. He was a good angler and caught plenty of fish. I don't recall ever seeing any huge fish.

 

Things don't seem any different now. I know for a fact that some reasonable cod are coming off the beaches here. You have to be out there to be catching them.

 

I do sometimes wonder if some of the people bemoaning our sport are older and less keen to fish as 'hard' as they did when they were youngsters. A 20-year, old 30 years ago, would probably have sat out all night in all weathers to catch fish. Now aged 50, that same angler might not be so keen and may well be inclined to fish easier tides and weather conditions.

 

Obviously, there are exceptions and this is just a possible scenario, but most people I know who put the hours in seem to do okay. I just wish I was one of them

[Snatcher]

I do sometimes wonder if some of the people bemoaning our sport are older and less keen to fish as 'hard' as they did when they were youngsters. A 20-year, old 30 years ago, would probably have sat out all night in all weathers to catch fish. Now aged 50, that same angler might not be so keen and may well be inclined to fish easier tides and weather conditions.

 

Obviously, there are exceptions and this is just a possible scenario, but most people I know who put the hours in seem to do okay. I just wish I was one of them

 

Elton you have got me sussed mate!!!! Although not the bemoaning bit.I live within sight of the sea yet the thought of winter cod fishing does not have the same attraction as it did in my youth

 

At 58 years young I much prefer summer sea angling and channel all of my fishing energies into that.Going back to the 60s and the north-east coast here I would say that the shore and boat fishing was better then. Mind you I do keep checking the local reports so if the cod do return in any large numbers you may well see me doing an all-nighter on Whitley Bay beach

Edited December 16, 2008 by Snatcher

[Norm B]

I used to fish with my adopted dad most weekends over the winter as a kid. He was a good angler and caught plenty of fish. I don't recall ever seeing any huge fish.

 

Things don't seem any different now. I know for a fact that some reasonable cod are coming off the beaches here. You have to be out there to be catching them.

 

I do sometimes wonder if some of the people bemoaning our sport are older and less keen to fish as 'hard' as they did when they were youngsters. A 20-year, old 30 years ago, would probably have sat out all night in all weathers to catch fish. Now aged 50, that same angler might not be so keen and may well be inclined to fish easier tides and weather conditions.

 

Obviously, there are exceptions and this is just a possible scenario, but most people I know who put the hours in seem to do okay. I just wish I was one of them

20 to 30 years ago I caught plenty of double figure cod from boat and shore in and around the Solent.

There are less cod now and we tend to catch smaller ones too, something we didn't get 20 or 30 years ago. But we now get loads of big smoothhounds in the summer, we didn't get them 20 to 30 years ago, or perhaps we didn't fish for them, I don't know.

[barry luxton]

20 to 30 years ago I caught plenty of double figure cod from boat and shore in and around the Solent.

There are less cod now and we tend to catch smaller ones too, something we didn't get 20 or 30 years ago. But we now get loads of big smoothhounds in the summer, we didn't get them 20 to 30 years ago, or perhaps we didn't fish for them, I don't know.

 

I was speaking to your mate Mike who lives down Dartmouth last night Norm, he was reminiscing on the excellant turbot fishing that used to be had on the skerries. Any idea of the decline, global warming perhaps. He recons that he used to get quite put out when a pox@y brill was caught.

[Andrew Boyd]

My grand parents lived in Caister on Sea in Norfolk, during the 30's through to 50's my grandfather thought a beach session was poor if he caught less than 6 Cod ( not Codling ). I have seen pictures of him with Cod over 20lbs plus several low doubles off the same tide! . . yes off the beach !!

 

I'd even withstand the teeth of a Nor'Easter if the fishing was still like that

[Norm B]

I was speaking to your mate Mike who lives down Dartmouth last night Norm, he was reminiscing on the excellant turbot fishing that used to be had on the skerries. Any idea of the decline, global warming perhaps. He recons that he used to get quite put out when a pox@y brill was caught.

I'm sure that the decline of the turbot is overfishing and habitat damage caused by trawling but I couldn't prove it if I was asked to.

[five bellies]

If this recent flush of decent cod fishing we have enjoyed for the last three years keeps up the halcyon days could well return,

The worst fishing I experianced was the 90s I nearly hung up my sea tackle all together to concentrate on trout fishing, also Ray,Bass & smoothhound fishing is good.

 

all in all Not bad.

[Andrew Boyd]

Five Bellies I has an email from a fellow Medway Mullet group member who advised that the Cod fishing on the Kent coast was better than it had been for years. Methinks it time I visited Deal pier for the first time in years !

[five bellies]

Five Bellies I has an email from a fellow Medway Mullet group member who advised that the Cod fishing on the Kent coast was better than it had been for years. Methinks it time I visited Deal pier for the first time in years !

 

 

I always found Deal pier a bit Clicky, Ive been toying with giving the Checkers ago In the early spring!