Your favourite fish

[tiddlertamer]

I thought I'd find out what species of fish is the favourite of Anglers Net aficionados.

I 've no doubt this question has been asked before but times change and people's ideas change...

It's also a question that has been asked by the Angling Times but they've, as far as I'm aware, never asked why.

My favourite fish is the chub.

In 'A Dream of Jewelled Fishes' by John Aston he describes it as a 'fish-shaped fish'. Which neatly sums it up.

He says: "They are big enough to need a landing net and fight hard enough to make playing them a skill rather than a game. They are shaped like a kid's drawing of a fish; they are solid, deep and with a sort of non-commissioned officer stability."

It basically grows big enough to put a real bend in your rod.

I've caught big barbel – amazing but they are much rarer and there is something in the way that they are put on such a pedestal by anglers which I can’t tune into.

Carp are of course the choice of commercial pools. I much prefer rivers so don’t target carp. I’ve only caught one but the 9lb common put up an incredible fight. But I can’t join the frenzy of support for carp fishing.

I dream of catching a 2lb roach. But it won’t fight like a large chub.

Perch look amazing. Plucky fighters too. But I rarely target them.

Pike just scare me! Not the fight. But the unhooking... One day someone will teach me the essentials and piking will become part of my repertoire. Zander too.

Big bream have been the subject of an incredible 747 posts on this board recently but, although a big bream may fight hard, that’s not the norm...

Rudd and Tench are Stillwater fish predominantly so aren’t my number one target.

I actually like Gudgeon but they are too small.

So my favourite fish is the chub. The way it dives for bankside cover when hooked. Its sheer boisterousness. Bring on the new river season...

Edited June 6, 2009 by tiddlertamer

[Guest tigger]

Have to say Cod in bread crumb with chips and gravy.

[Vagabond]

Have to say Cod in bread crumb with chips and gravy.

 

Better still in beer batter with chips, salt and balsamic vinegar.

[Anderoo]

I would also have to say chub. To me, they embody all that's good in angling. Wild fish, often hard to tempt, living in beautiful, tangled rivers and streams (none too big or too small for chub!). In summer you can stalk them and try to get close enough to freeline a lump of flake, crust or lobworm and watch them take. In winter (proper chub time!) it's all about quietly walking your chosen stretch, baiting up likely spots and quivertipping something lovely and traditional like bread or cheesepaste in each one. They fight pretty hard, are attractive, and a big one is quite a sight.

 

A very close second is tench, but they lose a few points through no fault of their own because of the carpy way I am currently fishing for them. A very close third is perch, the best looking fish of them all.

 

Joint fourth is everything else

[Steve Walker]

Tench for me - they're beautiful fish, they fight hard, grow to a fair average size and are neither too easy nor too hard to catch.

[kleinboet]

For me - It HAS to be be the Perch! From little pests to 3 or 4lb specimens, the stripey has a place in all waters, whether fishing with maggot, worm or live bait - these denizens of the water are always there!! Whether specimen hunting or bagging up in a match, the Perch is always there to avoid disappointments. the lirttle ones can be a pest in summer - but in the winter.......The BIG Perch comes into its own!!

[richjones]

Difficult one..

 

I'd love to say Grayling. The Grayling is a fish that I target 80% of the time when fishing rivers, due to their abundance in my area. They are hard fighting, good looking, and a 2lb specimen is a breathtaking sight.

 

However, despite all of this I feel that it cannot be my favourite, partly because it is not a true coarse fish, and I am using coarse angling methods, and partly because (and this may seem a strange reason) grayling seem almost TOO abundant in my local river, almost a nuisance fish at times when trying to tempt a nice dace or roach.

 

So for these reasons I will also choose the good old Chevin.

 

Stalking them on a small river is the pinnacle of coarse angling for me, and the points Anderoo mentioned made up my mind 100% on this.

[Ducktape Corkfeet]

Roach or Perch - any time, any place, anywhere. Both stunning to look at, and can be fished for with a variety of methods, but both readily on my favourite method, the waggler.

[M5R310]

My personal favourite has got to be the first Fish I ever caught... and probably the first fish that most people caught - The Perch !!

[mjbarnes12]

Crucian carp..... beautiful fish, fun once hooked, frustrating and challenging to hook and finally every time I catch one it seems as if they are pulling a grumpy victor meldrew face as if to say "ohhh I cannot beliiiiiiieeeeeeeeve it, T have been caught, mutter mutter mummgle grumble"