Some nostalgia for you

[Tigger]

That catch of Roach was incredible, sure had the conditions just right, mild spell in Winter, but he was on the money with the tactics and no coincence it was a very good angler that caught I think the best ever haul of specimen roach. PLUS this was part of a series of course (Passion) and to have that catch on film was brilliant, mind you the series was three years in the making. So come on I think he deseves some credit, even from you

 

No TM, credit to Bob for his great catch of roach, I really enjoyed watching it...over and over again . Thing is he couldn't have caught them if they weren't there and he did nothing any different from most experienced anglers would have done, so he's no better an angler than thousands of others....he just has access to waters with that stamp of fish present. It gets on my peck's when everyone fawns round someone due to the fact that they've had a good catch as though they do things other anglers can't. As I said, he cast into an obviously good swim with a bog standard feeder rig and was lucky enough to have a shoal of special roach present in feeding mode.

Too many people make to much of angling as though it's rocket science when it's probably one of the most simple and easy pastimes to master after a bit of experience. Ok you need some watercraft but you also need some luck and also waters containg the fish you want to catch.

 

TM,you can't say that was the best ever haul of specimine roach ever caught, who knows how many other anglers have betterd that catch...there may well be much better catches of even larger fish. Not everyone blabbs off about their catches and prefer to keep it to themselves. I've actually witnessed an old chap (many years ago) have a much better bag of roach than Bobs !

Edited December 12, 2010 by Tigger

[Tigger]

Hi again I did say I 'think' it was the best...but that's not the real point, Bob James actually caught more or less to order, sure it was fortunate that the Roach wanted to feed and were tightly shoaled far bank. But for me and others too that catch was inspirational.

That 'old' chap you witnessed catching those Roach must have left an impression on you too I guess. Catching large Roach is certainly not easy, especially these days when big roach seem to be a rarity.

Can't think of a prettier sight in fishing as a beautiful big Roach

 

Yeah, it was good watching the old geezer catching them, the pond/old quarry is now filled in Although I do know of another quite large water in my area where a friend of mine also witnessed a chap catching lots of very large roach again many moons ago. Both the two anglers where fishing caster over hemp and getting the roach on the drop. Funny enough that water really is virtually unfished and I bet it's still got large fish of most species swiming in it's depths.

For some reason roach,rudd and dace have never really got me excited to be honest. I have had a three pound plus rudd and many dace over a pound but not through skill, merley because I was in the right spot at the right time and have some knowlage of the waters. I think those species don't excite me as they just don't pull back hard enough and I prefer a species that puts a decent bend in my carbon. Don't get me wrong though TM, it is nice to get the larger one's .

[Anderoo]

The truth is, some people can do things that other anglers can't. In the case of Bob's great roach catch, he must have done everything right that day. Sure you can only catch what's in front of you, but at the same time you can only scare what's in front of you, or choose the wrong spot so they're not in front of you, or feed badly so they either don't feed or fill up and move on, or use inappropriate tackle/rig/bait so you either don't get bites, or can't hook fish.

 

You could put any one of us on that river on that day, and perhaps one or two of you may have chosen the right spot and fished really well, but I bet almost all of us would not have had that catch of roach. Credit where it's due I think, and I'm not saying that because he happens to be a 'name'.

 

Fishing isn't complicated, but neither is it a foregone conclusion...

[Tigger]

The truth is, some people can do things that other anglers can't. In the case of Bob's great roach catch, he must have done everything right that day. Sure you can only catch what's in front of you, but at the same time you can only scare what's in front of you, or choose the wrong spot so they're not in front of you, or feed badly so they either don't feed or fill up and move on, or use inappropriate tackle/rig/bait so you either don't get bites, or can't hook fish.

 

You could put any one of us on that river on that day, and perhaps one or two of you may have chosen the right spot and fished really well, but I bet almost all of us would not have had that catch of roach. Credit where it's due I think, and I'm not saying that because he happens to be a 'name'.

 

Fishing isn't complicated, but neither is it a foregone conclusion...

 

 

 

I disagree, once any person has aquired some watercraft, some fishing experience and has got to know how fish feed, hold up at different times of year and in different conditions etc etc and know how to use different rigs/styles of fishing then fishing is easy and in my opinion a vast ammount is down to sheer luck !

Obviously fishing a large water like wingham for those elusive bream... catching them is going to be difficult if only due to their scarecity in such a large pool. Thing is Andrew anyone throwing out a bait is just as likely to catch one as the next man.

 

Ok he chose the swim, thing is the swim screemed out to be fished and then he used the simplist of feeder set ups. What do you think that Bob James did that was special to catch those roach Andrew ?

Edited December 12, 2010 by Tigger

[Anderoo]

I disagree, once any person has aquired some watercraft, some fishing experience and has got to know how fish feed, hold up at different times of year and in different conditions etc etc and know how to use different rigs/styles of fishing then fishing is easy and in my opinion a vast ammount is down to sheer luck !

Obviously fishing a large water like wingham for those elusive bream... catching them is going to be difficult if only due to their scarecity in such a large pool. Thing is Andrew anyone throwing out a bait is just as likely to catch one as the next man.

 

Ok he chose the swim, thing is the swim screemed out to be fished and then he used the simplist of feeder set ups. What do you think that Bob James did that was special to catch those roach Andrew ?

 

No argument there Tigger - anyone can catch one! In the case of Wingham bream, how is it that most of us who fish for them are scratching around for one fish a year, yet one particular individual has had 13 in 4 seasons? Luck?

 

What did Bob James do that was special? Nothing at all. But he did everything right.

 

Edit - another good example is when I was chubbing on the Thames recently. There was me and another bloke I'd never seen here before, both fishing for the chub, using almost identical rigs, baits and tactics (roving about, quivertipping bread). I blanked and he had 5. Luck might have thrown one his way, but 5? No, he just fished better than me that day. Some people are better at it than others.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Anderoo

[Tigger]

No argument there Tigger - anyone can catch one! In the case of Wingham bream, how is it that most of us who fish for them are scratching around for one fish a year, yet one particular individual has had 13 in 4 seasons? Luck?

 

What did Bob James do that was special? Nothing at all. But he did everything right.

 

Edit - another good example is when I was chubbing on the Thames recently. There was me and another bloke I'd never seen here before, both fishing for the chub, using almost identical rigs, baits and tactics (roving about, quivertipping bread). I blanked and he had 5. Luck might have thrown one his way, but 5? No, he just fished better than me that day. Some people are better at it than others.

 

 

Actually, I've just read the pages of passion where they catch those roach. They where there for at least a week and where told about the fish. Apparrantly it was well known of the shoals of large roach in that stretch. It was Hugh miles who found the shoal while trotting catching them up to 2lb 10 ounces before going to get Bob and Chris. Hugh put Bob onto the fish then set up the cameras so Bob did newt really except cast to Hughs swim.

 

I'd say it's pretty obvious the person who's had 13 bream from wingham knows the water better than most and has time on their hands.

 

Your session chubbing on the Thames just proves that there's an awfull lot of luck involved in fishing. I'm curious how you think the bloke fished better than you ?

 

Like anything you'll be better at it if you like doing it and try to help to push your luck.

[Rusty]

Edit - another good example is when I was chubbing on the Thames recently. There was me and another bloke I'd never seen here before, both fishing for the chub, using almost identical rigs, baits and tactics (roving about, quivertipping bread). I blanked and he had 5. Luck might have thrown one his way, but 5? No, he just fished better than me that day. Some people are better at it than others.

 

Or he may have moved into the swim just as the fish did?

[Dick Dastardly]

That 'old' chap you witnessed catching those Roach must have left an impression on you too I guess.

 

 

I can relate to that! One that sticks in my mind was watching an angler catch a dozen 1lb+ roach on float fished cheese during the "Great maggot Crisis" of 76! from an old Midlands still water haunt of mine.

 

I don't really care about the "skill/Luck" question all I know is that seeing those Roach caught on PFA was IMO the best bit of angling TV Ive ever watched.Purely because the roach looked so perfect.

 

It was mentioned earlier about the relationship between big Roach and Chub.I think history shows quite clearly that when chub start to dominate big roach disappear. Look at the Wensum as a prime example.I'm really worried that Ive left my "roach campaign" on my local river to late as the chub there have certainly boomed. But there is no pleasing me is there only a week or two ago I was moaning that I didn't have any local Chub fishing!

[Steve Burke]

I'd say it's pretty obvious the person who's had 13 bream from wingham knows the water better than most and has time on their hands.

 

It's neither in fact. It's just that Alex is a brilliant angler. Indeed I'd class him as the best all-round angler I've ever met, and I've met and fished with a few of the stars. He was top rod on the Carp Lake at Wingham when he fished it, and has taken apart waters all over the country. His list of specimens of so many species is simply awesome, but he keeps himself very much to himself and doesn't report his catches. Despite this he's always free with his advice to other syndicate members. I've known Alex for almost 25 years and the only species I can beat him at is perch. If I ever need any advice he's the first person I turn to.

[Tigger]

It's neither in fact. It's just that Alex is a brilliant angler. Indeed I'd class him as the best all-round angler I've ever met, and I've met and fished with a few of the stars. He was top rod on the Carp Lake at Wingham when he fished it, and has taken apart waters all over the country. His list of specimens of so many species is simply awesome, but he keeps himself very much to himself and doesn't report his catches. Despite this he's always free with his advice to other syndicate members. I've known Alex for almost 25 years and the only species I can beat him at is perch. If I ever need any advice he's the first person I turn to.

 

 

So how often does he actually fish wingham Steve, and over how many years.