Luck in angling

[Dick Dastardly]

Can you get this "luck" stuff in Real Tree?

[watatoad]

Dictionary definition of LUCK

–noun

1. the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities: With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.

 

REPLY:

On example in dictionary - the person making the statement has - a:low morale; - b:is self delusional; - c:a tendency towards hypochondria; - d:lacks the ability to take responsibility for themselves and their own actions - 'its not my fault.' - e:they believe themselves to be a natural victim.

 

2. good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance: He had no luck finding work.

REPLY:

On example in dictionary - the person making the statement - a:there are no suitable vacancies for their particular qualifications and experience in the area they are searching - b:not looking properly; - c:having the wrong qualifications and or experience for the position they are looking for; - d:has totally unrealistic view and or opinion of what job they are qualified and or experienced to do; - e:the type of job they are looking for does not exist in their area (e.g. there are not many rocket pilots wanted in Manchester; - f:is self delusional.

 

3. a combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person: She's had nothing but bad luck all year.

REPLY:

On example in dictionary - the person making the statement has - a:low morale; - b:is self delusional; - c:a tendency towards hypochondria; - d:lacks the ability to take responsibility for themselves and their own actions - 'its not my fault.' - e:they believe themselves to be a natural victim.

 

 

 

Can you get this "luck" stuff in Real Tree?

 

Sorry Budgie never seen it about...maybe you can patent it...hehehe

[chevin]

I fished with a group of very successful anglers for a number of years and many anglers considered us to be lucky. From time to time I would take out friends who where not so successful and some would call me lucky when I caught some good fish when they caught little or nothing. Others would ask me what I was doing and why I always seemed to catch fish. Those who considered my success to be luck never really progressed with their fishing. Those who asked questions frequently became more successful. Successful fishing is not a matter of rocket science, simply a matter of observation and attention to detail most of the time.

[Anderoo]

I think match fishermen are no better than anyone else (who does actually try to catch fish), it's just that they're there week in week out putting in the effort and really trying to catch, as you say making adjustments etc so making the most of situations that many wouldn't bother doing.

 

But Tigger, isn't that what you've been arguing against? Isn't this what 'fishing better' is? Where does the luck come in?

 

Chevin's post is excellent, and says pretty much the same thing.

[Tigger]

But Tigger, isn't that what you've been arguing against? Isn't this what 'fishing better' is? Where does the luck come in?

 

 

No, this is not what I'm arguing about and if you actually bothered to read my posts properly then you would have noticed that. What I am saying is no matter how good an angler is there will always be an element of luck and sometimes an awful lot of it. This you have agreed with on this thread numerous times so I'm not sure why you keep arguing?

 

 

I do agree that luck can be (and often is) a big factor in fishing .....

 

I'm not saying luck doesn't exist....

 

Andrew your not the only one who's contradicted themselves in this thread so I am not picking on you.

 

After over 40yrs of angling I would consider myself to be experienced and have been told I am a successful angler by many other excellent anglers but I am not so much up my own backside to beleive that luck does not have an element in my success.

[Andy Macfarlane]

I fail to see what luck has to do with the supernatural or God. I don't believe in either but I'm pretty damn sure I've been both lucky and unlucky.

 

It's really quite simple. Anything good or bad that happens to you, that wasn't achieved by your own actions (as you saw it at the time) could be perceived as luck.

 

"I fell down the stairs"

 

"Oh, bad luck!"

 

Yes, you could explain that away by saying luck had nothing to do with it and it was simply a case that I wasn't watching where I was going or the carpet was in a state of disrepair and the accident was an inevitability. That's not the point.

 

The fact that it wasn't preconceived makes it bad luck because that's how we speak. Not everything in the English language should be done away with or explained away by logic or science.

 

To do so makes you a boring arse or a pedantic git.

[poledark]

Luck is just a word we use to describe an event. There is an alternative. "s##t happens"

 

Den

Edited December 15, 2010 by poledark

[Anderoo]

Andy, in that scenario we say 'bad luck' because the person is feeling a bit sorry for themselves, and it's just too rude to say, 'you idiot, that could have been so easily avoided'

 

(A bit of a joke, for the easily offended!)

 

I'm not trying to argue with you or anyone else Tigger, and I have read your posts. I'm finding it a really good topic, the best for ages. I don't think I've contradicted myself, but maybe I have. As you say, I do think luck exists, but in your example of the match angler, I would say he is a better angler than the others because he has learned more about the venue and is working hard to find the winning method.

 

I would also say that you are a very successful angler, and I bet after 40 years you don't rely on luck very much!

 

As for a definition of luck in angling, I would say it's catching a notable fish without meaning to.

[Dales]

I have been reading this thread with interest and after seeing what others have said am ready to through in my penny worths. I tend to agree with Tigger.

 

Maybe more so in specimen circles then say match fishing. The variable elements all the stuff that you can not control does play a part. You can be the greatest angler on the planet and do everything right and maximise your chance of success but there will always be an element of chance, luck call it what you will that you can not control and that exists if you are an experienced angler of a total novice.

 

You can choose the right method, right venue, right swim, right spot in perfect weather conditions and at the best time of year. Getting all this right would be down to good angling and if it pays off and you catch some of your chosen species then thats down to good work. However if you catch the biggest fish or even a record is there not an element of luck or chance. You may be able to mess around in the margins pulling baits away from fish you do not want to catch, but at distance you can not control whether a standard sized fish or the biggest picks your bait up.

 

So for me the luck part is just the bits in fishing you can not control.

[Anderoo]

Again Dales, I would say that if it happened once or very occasionally, you may have been lucky. If it happens consistently, it isn't luck. No-one is lucky all the time. You are actually a very good example of this, with your fantastic tench catches this year. If you honestly believe they were all down to luck, I think you're being way too modest!

 

In your example, yes I agree that catching a big individual fish can be seen as lucky, but if you fish well regularly you are likely to pick one up sooner or later, as long as they're in the water.

 

I don't think anyone is saying that luck doesn't exist at all. I think it's a bit sad though that if you've earned a decent result you should dismiss it as luck. If I ever manage that big Thames chub I don't think it's fair to say I'd be arrogant or up my own arse to think it was the result of more than just 'my lucky day'.

 

It's a British trait I suppose, dismissing achievements as though they're nothing