Match fishing.Why?

[arbocop]

I used to fish club matches when I was a teenager. The attractions for me were:

 

* I got to fish places I would not normally get to fish

* The challenge of competition

* The buzz of winning

* The camaraderie of the club

* The opportunity to be measured against others and to improve my own fishing as a result

 

There is a huge satisfaction in winning a club match when you're a junior

 

It doesn't really appeal to me now, and I haven't fished a match for over 20 years, but I can certainly see why people enjoy it.

 

 

I second all of the above, exactly my experiences. My match fishing days probably ended around a similar time. I haven't owned a keep net since.

Edited October 12, 2010 by arbocop

[Renrag39]

Excitement, taking part, different venues, being part of a bigger thing, competition...most important trying to learn a few new tricks off the other anglers...every little thing I learn gets me closer to being PERFECT...

 

Wait a minute I have just remembered I am already perfect so I am just trying to improve on perfection...

So I've heard, some say you used to be arrogant but I can see you've gotten over that episode well...

 

Never fished a 'proper' match but have been present at a few by accident and had a few school matches when I was younger. Never really got into it myself, doesn't float my boat but got some good tips from the regulars.

 

On a side note, the next episode of 'See it, Catch it, Kill it, Eat it (the adventures of Watatoad and Renrag)' see's the intrepid mis-matched duo hunt Daily Mail readers and other fear mongerers. *Warning* Contains scenes of graphic violence and Watatoad looming like a loomy thing out of the bushes dressed as a Cormorant.

 

Renrag

[Anderoo]

I've only ever fished one match, as a junior. I hated the whole experience! I did very badly and all I wanted to do was move swims, but of course I couldn't. It just wasn't for me, I get no pleasure from sitting in one spot eeking out every last little fish trying to beat the guy next to me. I'm just not competitive enough for match fishing, I like my challenge to be against the fish, not other anglers. Also, the thought of making money from fishing doesn't sit very well with me.

 

However, I can certainly see why other people like it, and although I don't get that 'buzz' from it I understand why others do.

 

The match scene has changed beyond recognition in my short lifetime though, with hundreds of pounds of small stillwater carp now replacing a few pounds of hard-won river roach. Again, not my thing.

[Steve Walker]

The match scene has changed beyond recognition in my short lifetime though, with hundreds of pounds of small stillwater carp now replacing a few pounds of hard-won river roach. Again, not my thing.

 

Yes, that's a good point - as Budgie alluded to, one important driver in the history of match fishing is that it made rubbish fishing interesting. Scratching around for 12oz of bits from a Northern canal would be my example. I once came third in a junior open match on a recovering canal with one roach weighing less than an ounce - only three people caught anything at all! That, I think, was perhaps taking it too far

[Fours]

I've only ever fished one match, as a junior. I hated the whole experience! I did very badly and all I wanted to do was move swims, but of course I couldn't. It just wasn't for me, I get no pleasure from sitting in one spot eeking out every last little fish trying to beat the guy next to me. I'm just not competitive enough for match fishing, I like my challenge to be against the fish, not other anglers. Also, the thought of making money from fishing doesn't sit very well with me.

 

However, I can certainly see why other people like it, and although I don't get that 'buzz' from it I understand why others do.

 

The match scene has changed beyond recognition in my short lifetime though, with hundreds of pounds of small stillwater carp now replacing a few pounds of hard-won river roach. Again, not my thing.

I share similar sentiments.

I suppose I was always going to stir up a hornets nest a little with this one.

I do respect the views of others, and if you get pleasure from this arm of the sport, then good for you.

I just wanted an insight into what that 'buzz' was.

Personally I would rather spend a day on the bank waiting for a 6lb Tench, for example, than catch the equivalent weight in 'tiddlers' to win my section.

We all tick to a different rhythm, mine just out of kilter with that side of the sport's 'metronome'.

Incidently, how many matchmen actually go against the grain and fish for the biggies to make the weight?

[Steve Walker]

Incidently, how many matchmen actually go against the grain and fish for the biggies to make the weight?

 

All of the ones who are any good - if they calculate that they can win that way!

 

A quote from the late Ivan Marks, a childhood hero of mine and a man to whom I probably owe more fish than anyone else:

 

"I will never turn my nose up at a 5lb chub or a huge bream or two, because they're weight-builders. A 5lb chub is better than two at 21/2lb but only if you can get it out faster"

 

Common practice for them to hedge their bets - classic canal tactic is to fish the inside shelf for tiddlers with squats, pinkies, bloodworm or breadpunch, while quietly feeding a far bank swim with casters for bonus fish.

[JV44]

Quote Fours I suppose I was always going to stir up a hornets nest a little with this one yep only bettered by starting a thread on Otters or maybe Livebaiting .

 

Incidently, how many matchmen actually go against the grain and fish for the biggies to make the weight ?

Depends on the venue i suppose the bit of the Kennett where we keep our Narrow Boat gets match fished virtually every Sunday and the guys drawing pegs next to the boats all ways fish big baits for the Chub as tight to/underneath the boats as they can get as a couple of lunking great Chub can easily win the section whereas the guys fishing above this bit are all fishing for bits .

Never match fished myself but i can see the appeal of it and i love to watch the mind games going on ie the guy who all ways uses the landing net even for small stuff to make out to the others in his section/around him that he is catching a better stamp of fish than he actually is Steve.

[Fours]

Quote Fours I suppose I was always going to stir up a hornets nest a little with this one yep only bettered by starting a thread on Otters or maybe Livebaiting .

 

Incidently, how many matchmen actually go against the grain and fish for the biggies to make the weight ?

Depends on the venue i suppose the bit of the Kennett where we keep our Narrow Boat gets match fished virtually every Sunday and the guys drawing pegs next to the boats all ways fish big baits for the Chub as tight to/underneath the boats as they can get as a couple of lunking great Chub can easily win the section whereas the guys fishing above this bit are all fishing for bits .

Never match fished myself but i can see the appeal of it and i love to watch the mind games going on ie the guy who all ways uses the landing net even for small stuff to make out to the others in his section/around him that he is catching a better stamp of fish than he actually is Steve.

On the subject of Otters and livebaiting......(ha ha).