Which is more pleasurable – float fishing or ledgering?

[watatoad]

This is an interesting area of fishing, and I confuse yself when I try to make sense of how I feel about it.

 

I love fishing for carp, and used to spend all my summers stalking round the edges of local gravel pit and small, interesting lakes nicking out a fish here and there on freelined crust or float-fished corn or meat. It was impossibly exciting, and most of the skill was getting close enough to a wary fish to present a bait. When it was taken - all hell broke loose! I can't do this any more as I don't know any lakes that contain carp that aren't packed 24/7. My style of carping needs a lot of space and a lot of peace.

 

Sitting behind 3 rods on alarms fishing for carp does nothing for me at all. I've tried it and hated it.

 

However - and this is where I get confused - I love fishing the same way for big tench or bream. Everything is the same (bivvy, bedchair, cooking stuff, 3 rods, alarms, pellets, mini boilies, etc...) except the species of fish.

 

Why is that? Is it just a case of snobbery, like someone who won't listen to anything just because it's in the charts?

 

It just occurred to me that the reason I love my winter chubbing so much is because it's virtually identical to my old summer carping, except for the temperature

 

PS big carp can be caught on the float. The reason most aren't is (1) no-one does it, and (2) on lakes packed with carpers lobbing big leads about, stalking a big fish from the margins is virtually impossible. However, have a look at the Catching the Impossible episode where Martin Bowler catches a 40lber on the float and pin...from a quiet lake.

 

Spot on...would not surprise me if the next time the carp record is broken it is by an angler using rod, float and centrepin.

 

 

maybe I an my should give it a go :bigemo_harabe_net-163: lets hear it for ol' Toady :wallbash:

[Babelfish]

Float fishing on a river for Barbel and Chub is the ultimate!

[tiddlertamer]

This is an interesting area of fishing, and I confuse yself when I try to make sense of how I feel about it.

 

I love fishing for carp, and used to spend all my summers stalking round the edges of local gravel pit and small, interesting lakes nicking out a fish here and there on freelined crust or float-fished corn or meat. It was impossibly exciting, and most of the skill was getting close enough to a wary fish to present a bait. When it was taken - all hell broke loose! I can't do this any more as I don't know any lakes that contain carp that aren't packed 24/7. My style of carping needs a lot of space and a lot of peace.

 

Sitting behind 3 rods on alarms fishing for carp does nothing for me at all. I've tried it and hated it.

 

However - and this is where I get confused - I love fishing the same way for big tench or bream. Everything is the same (bivvy, bedchair, cooking stuff, 3 rods, alarms, pellets, mini boilies, etc...) except the species of fish.

 

Why is that? Is it just a case of snobbery, like someone who won't listen to anything just because it's in the charts?

 

It just occurred to me that the reason I love my winter chubbing so much is because it's virtually identical to my old summer carping, except for the temperature

 

PS big carp can be caught on the float. The reason most aren't is (1) no-one does it, and (2) on lakes packed with carpers lobbing big leads about, stalking a big fish from the margins is virtually impossible. However, have a look at the Catching the Impossible episode where Martin Bowler catches a 40lber on the float and pin...from a quiet lake.

 

An interesting answer which aroused my curiosity.

 

I can understand the attractions of stalking carp and I guess it is sad that on so many lakes now, this is difficult to undertake any more, partly because of the popularity of angling in 2010. Especially carp angling.

 

I can also understand how stalking carp can also feel similar to winter chubbing and putting a bait like ledgered cheesepaste or lob worms into a likely spot.

My own preference is for trotting a float through a swim though next winter I intend to make up a devilish cheesepaste concoction and try this technique too. And on rivers, whether ledgering or trotting, both techniques involve a lot of activity which appeals to me.

 

The thought of setting up base in a bivvy with three rods and electronic bite alarms doesn’t appeal, partly because it doesn’t involve so much activity as river fishing once you’ve set up. Then again, whilst I have only ever caught one carp, it fought like absolute stink. The 9lb common which gobbled my lobworm (under a float) intended for perch on the Grand Union canal, put up an incredible fight.

 

So whilst I avoid targeting carp it’s partly because I prefer to float fish rivers and because I like the active style of fishing.

 

And yet you enjoy sitting behind three rods and a bite alarm but only if its tench and bream. Surely the fight put up by carp must have some appeal? Or are they simply beyond the pale because carp fishing has become the most popular and most catered for style of fishing?