Has float fishing becoming a dying art?

[Steve Walker]

If you had a history of big money / prestige competitions on waters where winning tactic will be a big bag of small fish, your guys would probably have developed similar tactics. I think that what is probably driving the decline of traditional float fishing in the UK is the decline of (most forms) of match fishing in favour of competitions on small waters heavily stocked with little carp. That and a tendency for newcomers to jump straight into specimen style carp fishing without serving any kind of apprenticeship in the traditional methods.

[Dave H]

It's all about giving the fish a fighting chance over there.

 

[Phone]

Dave,

 

You're right on one account. They float. Those guys are the least successful hunters save maybe a BB gun. That's why he's on U-tube. I did cringe when he threw the broken arrow into the water. For years I have championed finding a use for these fish for generally they just put them in a public bin.. (You're not going to beat them). At the largest tournament I am familiar with (Shreveport LA) they at least put them in 55 gal. drums and take them to a pet food factory. I like to think I had something to do with that. (baby steps)

 

Phone

It has quite a "shock" factor in the UK - doesn't it?

[Dave H]

Not a shock at all because it is in the main acceptable to hunt or to run or to work and win at all costs and by whatever means is legally or even illegally ( Lance Armstrong springs to mind) costs. There is no such thing as second place...
I have lived in this society and it’s bred into you but it has huge gains because it works in a positive way more times than a negative way but when it is a negative way it really is a negative way. I think America is full of extremes but i still believe in the American dream for sure.
So it’s not seen as cruelty to those guys it’s not fishing either it’s hunting. The kill gives them more pleasure than the catch itself. The same applies in falconry. Over there it’s legal to catch a jackass break its back legs and toss it out so it scurries around and makes an easy kill for the hawk but over here if you did that you would be locked away for a few months or maybe more.
It’s described as Bow Fishing. I think Bow hunting is more correct. 
P S ...Don’t for one moment think that the British if allowed to would not stick a bolt into a carp. But it would not be accepted if you get my point

[kirisute]

I read a lot of the US hunting mags and its certainly something I would love to try my hand at; you all know already I have a hunting compound set up etc etc;

even I find it hard to see how some species are treated in the US; hunting animals for a "trophy" doesn't stick well with me..catch and release for a trophy I find acceptable.

bow fishing for carp and other species I find acceptable as long as the species are being used for food afterwards.

interestingly enough I was sat fishing last week and the local "vermin" controller wandered round the lake rattling off shots at the pigeons roosting.....he offended me on two levels...firstly his buddy and him were shooting with .17 rifles; over peoples heads whilst fishing and towards the village! and second; when I questioned their use of the pigeons; they simply replied: "we just leave 'em"

now of course there is very little left of a pigeon when its been smacked with a .17 bullet...but even so...that's a terrible waste of some fine eating!

my thoughts are the same with carp in the US....theres a lot of damn fine eating going to waste!!

 

anyway back to float fishing: Phone; one of my buddies in the Pen Rod gang had me send him over a selection of wagglers for him to fish with..he said he loved them so much that all his friends got jealous of the way he started to fish (and catch) with them! LOL

 

but your right; I watch a lot of US vids for pen rods and they use an awful amount of "bobbers" (we call them bubble floats) when I am sure a better presentation could be had with some better floats...but its always seemed to me that float fishing over there isn't the "norm" at all.

Edited July 15, 2013 by kirisute

[Phone]

Dave,

 

HA ha, you said "jackass" - did you mean "jackrabbit".

 

Kiri,

 

Most fish with an arrow in them are tainted. They taste like the water from which they come. Native Americans spear carp in clear clean water. They even use "whiteman's testing kit" before harvest.

 

This is not one of my "favorite" subjects. But it is the segment of "carping" that has progressed the most in terms of civility.

 

Phone

[kirisute]

tainted in what way Phone?

most carp taste "muddy" even over here. think the guy who breeds them down south actually "flushes" them in clean water to ensure a better taste. to me most trout I have eaten taste of the bottom of the river!

are they tainted with pollution? or just taste like mud??

[gozzer]

A Polish friend says that they buy the carp alive, and keep it in a bath full of fresh water for a few days, before killing and eating it.

 

As to the bow fishing, it doesn't shock me at all. It's just another way of trying to control invasive vermin.

 

Oh and Kiri, the pigeons would produce some great maggots, you might even get some gozzers if you're lucky.

 

John.

[Vagabond]

The very fact they are called "bobbers" should tell an experienced float fisherman all he needs to know.

 

Bobbers are insensitive and usually sit too high in the water. Even if weighted correctly, their shape creates too much resistance.

 

If a discerning fish takes the bait, the bobber bobs, and the fish lets go.

 

The upside for the American market is that most of their fish are not discerning - catfish, bass and sunfish are greedy beggars and rarely let go of the bait, however much resistance, hence bobbers will do the job for such fish.

 

Thus there is no real incentive to use slim sensitive floats.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Vagabond

[Phone]

kiri,

 

Both, they taste like the water that they come from, especially those with a hole through the middle of them. And second, over here never eat a wild carp over about 7 - 10 lbs. The heavy metals are cumulative - in both the fish and in the consumer. Larger carp, thus older, are not fit for (human) food. We, (I) eat only the filet wasting about 2/3 of the fish. It is excellent when it is clean and you're not eating the boney parts. When "cleaning" carp it makes a world of difference (to me) if the skin does not tough the meat before cooking (deep fried in peanut oil and a beer batter).

 

gozzer, same here. Not just carp however. Most bottom dwelling fishes can be "improved" this way (i.e. buffalo and sturgeon). In fact, it even helps if you change the bath water once.

 

Phone