Your favourite fish

[Worms]

I think I'll go down similar lines as Richjones here, a fight between chub and grayling. Chub grow bigger, I catch more of them and they are the staple of my coarse fishing life, but............to hit into a 2lb grayling on light tackle on a small river and the years fall away, the fish, incandescent and fighting like a jewelled demon, shaking terrier-like and, suddenly, plunging away to the depths of the pool 'pin burning against your thumb just thrills me to the bone. The fight is never over until the fish is finally dragged over the rim of the net, teeth gritted. Will it? Won't it, make yet another dash for freedom?

 

Yes, the grayling.

 

 

phew, made my forearm ache just typing that!

[Wordbender]

A fit, feisty carp of between 30 and 40 pounds, preferably off the top on a sunny day, in clear, deep water, using a 2-pound TC rod, 10lb line and a size 10 hook.

 

Heart-stopping, arm-aching, head-spinning stuff that I'll remember all my life.

[tiddlertamer]

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

 

Very droll.

With apologies to Elton for taking traffic away from this site, maybe the following website might appeal.

http://www.deliaonline.com/

Or perhaps I should share my memories of my favourite ever dish – a rather wonderful curry with a species that’s big in Africa – Tiger fish.

 

But back to angling.

The grayling is a beautiful fish. That amazing dorsal fin and glittering colours. It fights well and lives in the beautiful surroundings of chalk streams. But perhaps it doesn’t have the potential to grow big enough to ever become my favourite fish.

Dace fight hard for their size, but even more so than grayling, simply can’t grow big enough.

I’ve never caught a large eel. An anguila anguila of around 10lb came out of a UK lake recently. I bet it must have put up a hell of a fight. Some people struggle with eels though and so I can’t put them as my favourite fish.

The only salmon I ever caught was a parr. I know this is probably the wrong forum being a coarse fishing forum but has anyone here caught a large salmon? What was the fight like?

I have caught a large barbel. What an amazing and memorable fight. And afterwards I waded out up to my waist to cradle the barbel in the current before releasing her. She’d put everything into the fight. But there was something almost precious about her! Not like the chub. Which is so robust.

So the chub remains my favourite fish. It’s common in many of the rivers I fish and it hangs out in shoals (or with its mates in the gang...)

And it falls to many fishing tactics including my favourite tactic of long trotting.

And whilst it may not fight as long and hard as other species, its bursts for cover have all the capacity to destroy an angler’s day.

And one day I might actually catch a big 6/7lb chub. Maybe...

Edited June 7, 2009 by tiddlertamer

[tincatinca]

For as long as I can remember, my favourite species has been the Tench. Aside from trotting I can think of no better form of fishing than a red topped float tight up against some lily pads at dawn in a secluded estate lake watching for the first tell tale sign of bubbles which starts the nerves tingling with anticipation. I also think that pound for pound a male Tench irrespective of size takes some beating for its fighting qualities. Following close behind is trotting for Roach on small rivers which I have always enjoyed throughout my fishing life.

[BoldBear]

My Favourite coarse fish is the Barbel ever since I caught my first 5lb'er back in the mid 70s on the Kennet at Thatcham. I still remember it as though it was yesterday; 5lb 8oz of pure muscle. We caught plenty more of around 7lb, 8lb & 9lb on subsequent visits but it was the first one that hooked me.

I don't have much time for the modern two rod, heavy leads and alarms approach though, It's the smaller stream light link leger or rolling or twitched meat using one rod for me using my finger to feel for bites etc.

 

A very close second is the Tench, I'ts hard to beat an early summers morning float fishing tight against lillies or close to an overgrown island at 4:30am before most other anglers have even thought about getting out of their warm beds. even the 3lb'ers give a good account of themselves on tackle designed for catching them.

 

My third favourite is the lovely elusive big roach on light tackle trotting on an 'out of the way' gravel stream next to reed beds and streamy runs later in the season or in the depths of winter.

Edited June 9, 2009 by BoldBear

[Neil G]

Pike for me....especially when using lures/fly as that can be explosive fishing and is the antithesis of match & carp fishing

 

Think barbel could be a close second though, after catching a few of these I think I could get seriously addicted to fishing for them this year

Edited June 9, 2009 by Neil G

[Peter M]

Chub for me for all the reasons given plus they are summer and winter fish and the only time you can't catch them is during the close season. Tench are stunning though and they have a great turn of speed on light tackle. chub first and Tench second and a big perch third (and i still need to target them come this autum and winter)

[Shanghai Lilly]

The Houdini fish AKA Crucian carp!

 

In 30 years of angling Ive never come across a less predictable fish. There handsome escape artists that conjure up a whole host of fond memories for me, I cut my angling teeth catching stunted crucians from Epping Forest bomb holes. I'm still perusing and trying to understand them today, only I've upped the ante and its giant Swedish high back crucians these days, feral goldfish with big attitudes.

 

There ability to change shape in waters with high predation, they gain a high back.

There ability to produce there own antifreeze (alcohol) over the winter, nice touch!

They live just about anywhere, shallow ponds to brackish water

Great sport on light gear

Very unpredictable, they move the bar the whole time

There ability to eat without moving

Terribly photogenic

A worthy adversary

 

But then again no tench is a bad tench, so it’s a close call; they make a great double act! Houdini’s emerald clad assistant.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Shanghai Lilly

[banu]

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