Anglers Net Fish Ins

[Dick Dastardly]

Well In a bit disappointed on the Fish In front so far this year as no one seems to have taken the bull by the horns!

 

First a quick reminder about how they came about ,Years and years ago it was discussed that an Anglers Net Club should be started and we would look into acquiring a water.Trouble was of course that as our massive membership would be so far spread (worldwide in fact) that it just wouldn't be practical as where would we locate such a water! It was decided that it would be far more practical if members were to organise "Fish Ins" at various places in the country where all/any members could attend.We've actually not been very strict on this last bit and quite a few none AN members have attended! But more the merrier! And several of these have subsequently signed up to the site as a result.

 

In the early days I used to run a few Pike Teach Ins and Fish Ins (Before my health went tits up I used to do a series of teach ins every winter for various clubs around the country to promote good pike fishing practices and handling so it was simple enough to add a couple of extra ones in.) Ive put that in just to let you know I'm not just a "talker" but have done "my bit" over the years!

 

 

Since then we have had quite a few different get togethers organised by different people.not only has the quality of fishing normally been very good but I feel pretty safe in saying all that have attended have allways thought them worth while. Ive allways enjoyed them as not only is it a great way to learn,catch a new species or simply fish somewhere different its a great crack!

 

Some examples of Fish Ins we've had-

 

Wingham- A regular yearly event now thanks to Steve Burke's generosity and a chance for people to fish a really top quality syndicate water and catch some great fish in beautiful surroundings whilst being totally pampered! oh and for FREE!

 

 

River Test,Timsbury- This used to be a winter regular as well (sometimes more than one trip a year) A great chance to fish arguably the countries most exclusive chalk stream and certainly the place to guarantee Grayling "virgins" their first of the species!

 

 

River Itchen-Lower Itchen Fishery- Another great chalk stream venue that we get exclusive access to their course syndicate stretch on by bookin as Anglers Net.Grayling again including some real big ones (3lb+) for a lot of us in the past but also some great chub and roach.Possibly my favourite "one day away" trip of my fishing year.

 

 

 

 

Lodge Pool-A private club water in the Midlands.This water could be described I suppose as the "father" of all carp match waters.By no means a "commercial" but certainly along with near by Arrow Valley Lake (which was stocked from the pool incidentally) the first of the carp match venues a lot of commercials are based on. Great place to try all these new fangled "match carp" methods such as method feeder and floating candle but on a real lake!

 

Les Weber's "Angling Projects" Wraysbury water-The home to several winter pike teach/fish ins.Not the worlds greatest big pike venue but certainly the best for a teach in! Not only does Les let us fish the lake but also have full run of the bank side club house with all of its sleeping,cooking,washing facilities! A great weekend and for FREE once again! A lot of ANer's have learned their pike skills there and several caught their first Pike! Yet again on a water that you as an individual just wouldn't get to fish.

 

 

As well as the more general fish ins,the teach ins or the species orientated ones we've had some pretty specific/specialist ones as well.

 

 

Good example was the "AN Wobblethon"! This came about due to a thread on here discussing the deadly pike tactic of wobbling dead baits.For this we all piled up to the Drains and wobbled away! As usual those who hadn't done it were shown.loaned tackle by those who were experienced fish were caught and things were learned shared and as allways a good laugh was had.

 

The Zander teach in (despite lousy conditions preventing a single Zed being banked!) was another example.Lots came who had never caught a Zed as there were either none in the waters local to them or they didnt know how.You can never allow for conditions when you have to plan and book so far ahead but it goes to prove that these days/sessions are still worth while as one of the more local guys (whoi hadnt caught a Zander up to then) later went on to catch a few that year following what he had been shown,

 

 

Used to be in the early days of AN (I was still working then and my time extremely tight or I was away guiding so couldn't attend) several Barbel get togethers on the St Patricks Stream a great little venue but without local knowledge a nightmare to suss out yet alone fish!

 

"Spodding and Feature finding" Master classes have proved popular.

 

 

 

Just as I mentioned when I was guiding I must also say that we tried to arrange AN Catfish fish ins with me down on both the Saonne in France and the Ebro in Spain! Neither unfortunately came about due to the problem of people getting time of at work to coincide.But worth mentioning to show that anything is possible! Several members did make it in later years by them selves though.

 

 

 

There were also several more localised "mini" get togethers as well. I'm also sure there have been quite a few run by the Sea Angling forum guys as well.

 

Here's AN's James "Hoppy" Hopkins who ran a "mini fish in" after river carp for Myself,Andrew and Newt on the Potomac River.....in Washington D.C!

 

 

So that's a quick introduction /reminder to what the Fish Ins have been about.

 

So who can organise a Fish In? Simple answer is absolutely anyone! Don't have to be an expert or have access to a special venue! If you know a local water to you where you know the score on getting tickets/permission to fish,you know how to fish it.when its fishing etc then you can do it! It allways helps if you can "theme" it on something though so a few suggestions-

 

If it regularly/gives a sensible chance of catching an unusual species/species a lot of ANr's haven't caught, If an unusual method is particularly successful there be it fly fishing for carp,using the "floating pole",even "modern" methods like fishing pellets just something that although run of the mill to you is unusual for others. A venue that's regularly producing larger than average specimens of any species.Things like that.

 

Everyone here will have access to some where,know some thing etc that others will find interesting I promise even the newest of angler.

 

So what is needed for a successful "Fish In"? Well there are several must haves and a few bonuses! Must haves-

 

You need to know how to get/arrange the permission to fish/organise and get permits for all attending.Here is where the local knowledge makes things easier for your "guests"

 

You need to be able to give good directions to the venue or a suitable meeting place (we quite often meet up at supermarkets that have restaurants for breakfast if they open early enough!)

 

You need to let "guests" know what sort of tackle/bait to bring (anything a bit specialist can be organised by yourself or some one else attending prior)

 

You need to sacrifice a bit of your own fishing time on the day of the event to play "mine host" and show people the score.

 

And that's about it for the basics! Not rocket science but it will take a bit of your time to organise and ensure it runs smoothly)

 

The pluses are if you can arrange accommodation (if its a long weekend/weekend affair) that's good even if its just okaying some where to stick a bivvy up (if not night fishing or not allowed) A list of local Travel Lodges etc (all gained easily from the Internet)

 

And anything else you feel will add to the smooth running of the event and add to the enjoyment.

 

So that's it! Now lets see people organising a few or people suggesting what they would be interested in!

 

NB: I wanted to liven this other wise dull post up with loads of pics of previous AN fish ins but sadly lost most of them when I had to wipe my hard drive recently Maybe other members have a few relevant ones they could post?

[Brian Carragher]

Nice reminder and well put together

 

Some of us on here are doing just that as described on the sea section with a get together fish-in for conger out of Whitby so it can be done

 

A good Northern venue like Wykeham Lakes (near Scarbrough)might make a good venue for a Northern pike fish-in , not volunteering just yet as theres a few things to clear first

[Chris Plumb]

You missed a few! I've done 3 AN fish-ins to Barton Court on the Kennet over the years as well as the very first Timsbury trip back on 2002 - pity this isn't the venue it once was..... Also did and even earlier one on the Kennet nr Hungerford in a ' hurricane'. Ferret (whatever happened to him?) had a very lucky escape when a tree came down across a swim he had just vacated....

 

 

C.

[Alan Stubbs]

Superb piece as ever Budgie.

Reminds me of the weekend when AN effectively were allocated an entire pit at Yately of one of Stoney's Macmillan Nurses fundraising do's.

I went there on a social with my daughter to meet up with Alan Taylor and a whole bunch of his friends, as well as some others - and caught the first fish of the weekend whilst showing a friend of Trogg's how to fish a float in the margins.

The highlight for me was being out-fished by my partner and her daughter at Lodge Pool, organised by Aandrew burgess. A brilliant day marred only by the disgruntlement of Budgie and Argyll (Gerry Castles) bitching about the absence of black pudding at breakfast - an issue subsequently resolved.

A brilliant time.

 

As for photographs, I have a few - including Trogg, Dian and Yvonne, his Mum; Alan Taylor and a whole crowd of people as well as some taken from Wingham.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Alan Stubbs

[Anderoo]

Nice one Budgie. Many people over the years have said 'why aren't there any fish-ins in my part of the country?' The answer is, because you haven't arranged one!

 

I'll see if I can add a few pics later, I've always had a great time at the various fish-ins

[Elton]

I've just had a message from The Brickworks in Cambridgeshire, saying that they would be happy to hold a fish-in. If anyone's interested, take a look:

 

http://twitter.com/#!/FishingBurwell

 

Their website is here:

http://www.the-brickworks.com/

[Dick Dastardly]

Many people over the years have said 'why aren't there any fish-ins in my part of the country?' The answer is, because you haven't arranged one!

 

 

Exactly mate!

 

Yes I forgot all about the Barton Court fish ins and there has been a few! and Barton Court is a prime example of a venue that anglers see on TV (John Wilson) and moan "I wish I could be privileged enough to fish waters like that,its all right for some!" .When a group of you get together at an event arranged by some one "in the know" you can get to fish!

[Andrew Burgess]

Never forget the one I did at Lodge Pool in Redditch, despite got let downs by a few members on here and never turn up on the day. But that life

 

Never forget the day when Alan and family turn up and it was a great joy to see Alan daughter Sarah catching a few fish on the day but I think that she outgun Alan on the day

 

 

And seeing Gerry (who sadly no longer with us) striking into a carp as he never done this sort of fishing in the commercial pool

 

 

And this fella? Never seen him so much fun on that day

 

 

Also An Anglersnet member - Keinboet carp

 

 

I would might do another fish ins but not on the same water again as no longer fish there now.

Edited June 20, 2011 by Andrew Burgess

[Kappa]

You missed a few! I've done 3 AN fish-ins to Barton Court on the Kennet over the years as well as the very first Timsbury trip back on 2002 - pity this isn't the venue it once was..... Also did and even earlier one on the Kennet nr Hungerford in a ' hurricane'. Ferret (whatever happened to him?) had a very lucky escape when a tree came down across a swim he had just vacated....

 

 

C.

 

I went to that one, it was very windy! Any chance of doing another there? It was a great water....

 

Rich

[John S]

There's been a few organised by that Fawcett chappie, of which I was fortunate enough to go to two, one at Izaac Walton Lakes in Staffordshire, and another near York off the A1079, both of which were well attended and it was good to put faces to names at last

 

Unfortunately I don't think I've got any photo's from these, but if anyone else has, I'd love to see them posted on here.