Single-minded or catch the lot?

[chavender]

i try to be single minded ,but not so good at being dedicated as i was ,i did spend a period of 5 years just targetting chub ,being ever so carefull too avoid nuisance fish often using more unusual baits and tactic's and even deliberlatly not fishing known swims where there was a chance of catching perch or whatever and not catching .

 

these days though im not really bothered ,i do try too stay focused on the intended species ,but have to go with the flow if its obvious the fish i want .arn't having it .and take what i'm given

[Vagabond]

Single-mindedness or bone-headedness?

 

Having recently spent six blank days trolling for ferox with a north wind blowing, and a few squalls of rain, sleet, hail and snow thrown in, I wonder.

 

Ferox are difficult enough at the best of times, and a sudden chilly spell after a warm March didn't help. However, the trip had been booked a long way ahead, so it was all about doing the best we could.

 

Mostly I target something, but there is something of an opportunist in me also, so I might change plan if something interesting crops up.

[John S]

I'm definitely in the 'catch anything' camp unless I'm doing a bit of fluff-chucking. For me, the joy is being out there fishing, even the days that I blank are good.

 

Okay, if the float rod isn't bringing much in, I'll set up a carp rod too, but even then I don't care what takes the bait. As I said just a couple of days ago on another thread, my PB tench came when I was carp fishing, I sure as hell wasn't going to discount that when it happened

[3DoorsDown]

Thinking about my own fishing over the years and particularly a work enforced break from coarse fishing, I'm not so sure it isn't a question of time on the bank and confidence.

 

for the last 2 years, I've been "fluff chucking", so now I have the opportunity to get back in the groove, I find myself nervous about using techniques I had refined for targeting specific species. Right now, I'm going to be happy to "catch the lot" or anything at all, then I'm sure it will all come flooding back.

 

So, if you had less time or experience, would you be so "single minded" ?

 

Nic

[John Weddup]

Thinking about my own fishing over the years and particularly a work enforced break from coarse fishing, I'm not so sure it isn't a question of time on the bank and confidence.

 

for the last 2 years, I've been "fluff chucking", so now I have the opportunity to get back in the groove, I find myself nervous about using techniques I had refined for targeting specific species. Right now, I'm going to be happy to "catch the lot" or anything at all, then I'm sure it will all come flooding back.

 

So, if you had less time or experience, would you be so "single minded" ?

 

Nic

 

 

No mate I think you are right.

 

The more time you have fishing the more you target species.

 

When any fishing time is valuable you are pleased to catch anything.

 

Maybe we should all remember our past and enjoy every hour fishing whatever we catch. I have to say that is what I really do every weekend.

 

John

[Phone]

3D,

 

To add to what John said, in my case eventually quality fish and quality of venue became more important than overall size alone. Often, I now know and re-define "specimen" based on a venue. That's one reason you see so many with strong opinions on how to protect fisheries and the environment.

 

Eventually, I think if you stay with it long enough - for 99% of the anglers it is self-defined fun they are after.

Few remain competative forever.

 

Phone

[Steve Burke]

Like many before me I find that fishing for a single species catches me far more specimens than fishing for whatever comes along.

 

I'm not a conventional specimen hunter though as I prefer to catch difficult fish as these are more of a challenge. These fish tend to be the specimens, but it's not always so. For me outwitting my chosen species is half the fun as it makes the fishing more difficult and therefore more interesting.

 

As a result I tend to be single-minded, although I don't go as far as some and not count or even weigh species caught accidentally.

 

I too am an opportunist though. For instance if I'm lure fishing for pike and I catch a big perch I'll change my lure etc and switch to stripies, at least in that swim.

 

I also deliberately break some trips into going after different species. For instance I normally fish 48 hour sessions in the summer at Wingham. The bream are largely nocturnal there, so I'm after them during the night. In daylight I switch to the big loner tench plus, in the right swim, perch on the final morning, especially early in the season. It's only on the last morning though as I'm often fishing worm and maggot then which ups the catch rate, but scares the very spooky bream.

[gazlar86]

I like to catch anything that swims unless I have set myself a target before I go. I am just happy to catch anything 90% of the time though.

[Sportsman]

I just enjoy fishing and tend not to analyse my motives too deeply.

What I fish for tends to be dictated by what venues are available to me.

[Kappa]

Am I alone or are other similarly afflicted?

 

Mostly alone

 

I think I tend to fish for certain "bands" of fish. E.g. when I bream fish I know I will catch tench and that is OK. I will also sometime fish lobs for perch / chub to give myself a good chance of catching something good. The same I have caught some good roach whilst trying to catch some tricky still water perch on light gear whilst they aren't what I am going for they are a welcome blank saver and are 'fair game' on light gear.

 

As someone mentioned as I have a little less time on the banks these days I often want to catch something rather than go all out for a particular species.

 

That said there are exceptions to the rule. For example catching roach and rudd on 2lb+ TC rods just isn't right in my mind. So whilst I'd dearly love to catch / see a 2lb roach in the flesh I would be very upset if I caught such a good fish on inappropriate tackle or as a fluke. I feel a similar way about tench and bream on 3lb+ TC rods big reels etc etc to some extent!

 

Rich

 

Rich