If all the Carp went away what would replace them?

[arbocop]

I'm not sure they're missing out on anything, do they think they are?

 

I don't think they realise what other forms of fishing may be just as much fun. I used to match fish, the thought of it now is just pointless, but at the time I thought there was no other kind of fishing. When I wasn't match fishing I was practising for it - maximum bags of whatever. I suppose we are all fishing for maximum bags of whatever, but only against oursleves unless we are in a competition. MKind you there were no carp fisheries like there are now, just some waters had more fish than others.

 

I think what I am saying is that they have no idea if they are missing something or not, if they only do the same thing, and the only challenge is more or bigger. I fly fish, sea fish, coarse fish and have fished in qualifiers for Junior Championships. Now I mainly fly fish for trout, and fish rivers for dace, chub, grayling, perch and barbel - but other fish are not ruled out. My challenge is to catch fish, preferably wild fish which have grown up from natural stock. Sometimes a particular species, but often just s fish.

 

I often think I'm missing out on something, but that's why I keep going!

[Tigger]

Well it isn't.

 

Sometimes i like to do this (only two rods though) and i find this just as exciting as stalking for Chub or boat fishing for smoothounds if you don't like it don't do it, no one is forcing you. Mind you i think you might be missing out

 

 

Absolutly, waiting for an alarm to sound off or a bobbin to do an impression of a rocket or even just waiting for the baitrunner to start rattling is all good especially if there's a monster on the other end which until you pick up the rod you just don't know how big the fish is.

Regarding people missing out, I don't see how they can be if they're enjoying what there doing. To a lot of people trotting is the pits and they just aint interested in it even people who enjoy float fishing turn their noses up at the constant winding back and forth involved in trotting.

[poledark]

Carp won't bring about the "end of angling" What probably will harm it, is the continual ranting about how carp are spoiling fisheries. Apart from those holes which have been specificaly dug out for day ticket/match fishing (like the pond on the other topic) the introduction of carp has added an extra element to fishing. And, having fished a great number of these type of waters, from small farm ponds up to 250 acre gravel pits and reservoirs, some just for carp, many for the other monsters like Roach and pike, I can't see where this percieved problem lies.

 

Mostly in the minds of the same little group who seem to pop up whenever the word carp is mentioned. Does this sort of thing go on on other forums? or is it just that AN seems to have more than its share of doom merchants?

 

God, it is all getting very very boring.

 

Den

[Sportsman]

I fish on three different commercials and thoroughly enjoy the experience. Easy access and parking, toilets that work. Food at two of them. Bait and groundbait available.

Fish quality and diversity is excellent. Good company and a pleasurable experience.

I don't recognise the yob culture that you speak of. It's strange that those who seem most set against commercials are the ones who seem to see all of the bad ones and have all of the bad experiences.

We have the same holier than thou attitudes up here between those who fish for rainbows in a stocked lake and those who only deem it proper fishing if you walk for three miles up the side of a mountain first and then spend all day catching 3oz brownies from a wild lake that contains so little food that the 3oz. brownies are 5 years old and so hungry that they will take a cigarette end or a twist of silver paper (I know, I've done it)

In my time I have sea fished from boat and beach, trotted rivers for roach and dace, fished for mullet before it became trendy and fished for carp when they were wild, and a 5lber would keep you awake at night. I've also spent hours sitting behind a rod pod full of rods deadbaiting for pike. I also fly fish for trout on lake and river and used to flyfish for salmon before age and infirmity prevented it. I don't think I am missing anything, and I think it is presumptuous of some folk to think I am.

Now I enjoy fishing the pole or waggler (sometimes I even use a centrepin). I could catch more on a method feeder but like watching a float.

The fish are large enough to give me a decent fight but not too big so that landing them becomes more like a job. My float moves frequently enough to keep me from getting bored and I can have an enjoyable few hours without days of planning.

For me fishing is about relaxation, not challenges so live and let live.

[Rob Ward]

I fish on three different commercials and thoroughly enjoy the experience. Easy access and parking, toilets that work. Food at two of them. Bait and groundbait available.

Fish quality and diversity is excellent. Good company and a pleasurable experience.

I don't recognise the yob culture that you speak of. It's strange that those who seem most set against commercials are the ones who seem to see all of the bad ones and have all of the bad experiences.

We have the same holier than thou attitudes up here between those who fish for rainbows in a stocked lake and those who only deem it proper fishing if you walk for three miles up the side of a mountain first and then spend all day catching 3oz brownies from a wild lake that contains so little food that the 3oz. brownies are 5 years old and so hungry that they will take a cigarette end or a twist of silver paper (I know, I've done it)

In my time I have sea fished from boat and beach, trotted rivers for roach and dace, fished for mullet before it became trendy and fished for carp when they were wild, and a 5lber would keep you awake at night. I've also spent hours sitting behind a rod pod full of rods deadbaiting for pike. I also fly fish for trout on lake and river and used to flyfish for salmon before age and infirmity prevented it. I don't think I am missing anything, and I think it is presumptuous of some folk to think I am.

Now I enjoy fishing the pole or waggler (sometimes I even use a centrepin). I could catch more on a method feeder but like watching a float.

The fish are large enough to give me a decent fight but not too big so that landing them becomes more like a job. My float moves frequently enough to keep me from getting bored and I can have an enjoyable few hours without days of planning.

For me fishing is about relaxation, not challenges so live and let live.

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.

 

Not everyone can devote the time to angling so commercial fisheries have their place for some. I'm sure it's not fair to tarnish all of them with the same brush as well. Day Ticket fisheries have been around for Donkeys years and not all of them are overstocked and full of numpty's. There's pleanty of club and syndicate waters that have their share of idiots too.

[Worms]

I don't recognise the yob culture that you speak of. It's strange that those who seem most set against commercials are the ones who seem to see all of the bad ones and have all of the bad experiences.

Probably precisely why some people are set against commercials.......... If you've only seen the bad ones!

 

As most people here agree, fishing is all about choice. At the moment I'm fortunate enough to enjoy good health and I'm fit enough to traipse miles across country to fish wild waters that I care to. No doubt as age gets the better of my body I may seek out easier to access water.

 

The choice that we all make is why we fish, whether river lake pool or stream. I don't agree with restricting another angler's rights to fish the water he chooses or the fish that he wishes to catch, as long as those choices don't have a negative impact on the way I choose to fish.

 

Unfortunately, poor choice of stocking, whether it be species or density does have an impact on other waters when the siting of such stocked pools is liable to flooding. The behaviour (mainly noise and rubbish) of some anglers is starting to affect my river fishing. The stocked pool near to where I park to river fish is annoying the landowner to the extent that he has started issuing warnings to our club menbers (and the pool anglers). Hopefully he will realise that the 100 year old club with limited membership is not at fault but, will the local residents who are also getting a little annoyed with all of the rubbish and the cars and vans using the access track (public footpath) with little respect for the locals?

 

Ok, it's probably a minority of the pool anglers who are less than considerate but, it does reflect on all anglers.

 

If commercial pool anglers are keen to fish and treat waters like a fast-food restaurant fine, would somebody like to remind them though that unlike the surroundings of a fast-food restaurant it's not acceptable to leave their litter on the ground or use the car park like the pits at Silverstone!

[Anderoo]

In my time I have sea fished from boat and beach, trotted rivers for roach and dace, fished for mullet before it became trendy and fished for carp when they were wild, and a 5lber would keep you awake at night. I've also spent hours sitting behind a rod pod full of rods deadbaiting for pike. I also fly fish for trout on lake and river and used to flyfish for salmon before age and infirmity prevented it. I don't think I am missing anything, and I think it is presumptuous of some folk to think I am.

 

Then you are obviously not the kind of instant carp angler I was talking about, are you!

 

The point is that loads of people have never and will never do any of those things. I don't know why people here are taking any of this so personally. It's not an attack on the people who fish commercials or who fish for carp. It's a simple point that if a NEW angler goes straight into easy carp fishing they are missing out of a whole other world of angling. The same would be true if it was perch, or chub, or tench, or whatever. But it is carp, that's just the way it is.

 

I drive past Linear Fisheries quite often and in the winter you can see rows of frozen bivvies and people carp fishing (always youngsters) who have no chance of a fish, and they don't look like they're having much fun. If it is patronising to suggest that they might enjoy themselves more if they spent the day trotting maggots at the Windrush or quivertipping flake at the Thames, well I find that a little odd. I firmly believe that the reason they don't do either of those things is because it's not even on their radar and wouldn't know where to start. They know one style of fishing and have to do all year round, even when it's completely unsuitable, and it's costing them £25 a day to do it.

 

Ever caught am 8oz dace or 3lb chub in a lively flow on light trotting gear? When there's absolutely no chance of a carp, tell me that's not as much fun

[Sportsman]

Anti social behaviour is anti social, wherever it occurs and whoever is responsible for it. I live on the banks of one of the top salmon rivers in the country, anglers come from all over the world to fish here. Every summer the roads are full of Range Rovers with rods on rod holders, traveling from beat to beat and every year lay bys and farm gateways are blocked by Range Rovers with rods on the roof.

I can walk the banks of the river and see rubbish left by these anglers, probably as far removed from most peoples ideas of commercial fishery anglers as it is possible to get.

Don't blame the commercials for all of angling's ills.

[Worms]

Anti social behaviour is anti social, wherever it occurs and whoever is responsible for it. I live on the banks of one of the top salmon rivers in the country, anglers come from all over the world to fish here. Every summer the roads are full of Range Rovers with rods on rod holders, traveling from beat to beat and every year lay bys and farm gateways are blocked by Range Rovers with rods on the roof.

I can walk the banks of the river and see rubbish left by these anglers, probably as far removed from most peoples ideas of commercial fishery anglers as it is possible to get.

Don't blame the commercials for all of angling's ills.

There are good and bad in all walks of life.......even amongst anglers. I have fished the club water I was referring to for 40 years. Only since the opening of the stocked pool have the rubbish/noise/vehicle problems arisen.

 

As for your salmon river, why so many people? It's commercial! Advertised and promoted as the place to fish. It brings in people with money and fishing rods.

 

I'm sure it's a minority who are inconsiderate, whether fishing for salmon or pasties, bream or pike. The more who come, the more chance of getting a 'wrong 'un'.

 

Seeing rubbish and other inconsiderate behaviour on your salmon river would elicit the same response from me as from the poor behaviour from stocked pool anglers.

 

From the potential environmental damage as in non-native fish geting into natural water courses I see that in Scotland there is at least call for heavier restrictions to prevent farmed fish escapes/parasite/pollution problems that could affect teh wild salmon. Unfortunately in England, although measures for new pond stocking has been tightened up there appears to be no retrospective legislation and owners of ponds full of fish not native to the area/rivers are not under any obligation to remove them from ponds subject to flooding events.

 

It's not just the anglers, it's the bad management of the stocked waters, poor design and poor stocking choice that has the greatest ecological impact.

[Sportsman]

The point is that not all anglers fishing commercials are there because they don't know any better. They may actually enjoy the experience in a number of different ways.

They may go fishing for different reasons to you.

Regarding instant carp fishers, I don't see why you have a problem with that. If it is as tedious and unproductive as you say then they won't keep at it for long and will either try different types or styles of fishing or give up altogether and take up golf, or do what I did as a young man and discover the delights of women and alcohol

In the meantime let them sit in their frozen bivvies if that turns them on.

 

It may well be that the whole carp bubble is bursting, possibly for the reasons you mention, and many commercials are stocking more with other species to give year round appeal so the problem, if it exists, may be self limiting.

 

In the meantime go and enjoy your favoured style of fishing.