Do Todays Anglers Have It To Easy ?

[chesters1]

i feel sorry for them ,when i was young i could blame very second hand old tackle for not catching,nowadays anglers bristling with the latest super dooper gadgets and tackle and millions of words in books and the web giving advice .....catching nothing only brings the blame on themselves

[ginger]

I think that my generation - 50+, started fishing in the hope of catching the big one and that is still my motivation as well as 'being there and enjoying it'. Today's newer anglers EXPECT to catch big fish all the time and are led by the nose through the writing in the angling press and by the advertising copy. I have almost sole access to a lake that is stuffed with fish that are ridiculously easy to catch, mostly rudd to well over a pound but also with carp, tench and perch, it is almost within walking distance but I fish it rarely, much preferring the more difficult and unpredictable club lakes for which I have a season ticket. This winter I have been trying waters new, Well Creek, River Wissey and the Great Ouse all near Downham Market. I have enjoyed a few blanks during the past few months but the pleasure and enjoyment when I do catch is beyond words. I spent last Sunday having my nuts frozen off at the club lake really not expecting to catch much, if anything, due to the cold. In the end I managed around a dozen fish, three small roach that would not have made 4 ounces between them and 9 even smaller perch. That day probably gave me as much satisfaction as I would have got catching 20lbs of fish on an easy water, but having said that I was still hoping for the big one to come along before I packed up. As someone has previously said, all power to the commercials, it leaves much more room for those who enjoy 'proper fishing' on more traditional waters!

[gozzer]

i feel sorry for them ,when i was young i could blame very second hand old tackle for not catching,nowadays anglers bristling with the latest super dooper gadgets and tackle and millions of words in books and the web giving advice .....catching nothing only brings the blame on themselves

 

 

They can still blame: the weather, too hot too cold ; the water, too high, low, coloured, clear; the fishery not stocked right; the fish, too finicky, too many predetors; the bait; the bloke in the next peg; the moon; the government; the EA, anything but themselves, and some do.

[lilypad]

Most also "burn out" and leave the sport early due to not achieving their aspirations.Ive met hundreds.

 

So true! But it does put a lot of barely used tackle on the second hand market.

There's a lot to be said for the old adage: BLANKING'S IMPORTANT. It's what the "wannabees" can't seem to accept.

[Dick Dastardly]

Once again I think you are spot on Lilypad.I never caught much as a kid and thats what spurred me on.Even now if there is a species of fish,a method or a water I cant crack I become obsessed till I do! If its easy then I soon lose interest.

 

A couple of anecdotes to support what I say-

 

Most of you on here know Andrew Burgess is my younger brother.He is five years younger than me.When I first took him fishing I was around 15 and he 10.By that age I was quite competent at catching most fish from my local waters.When andrew first accompanied me I chose the swim,set the gear up,cast out etc etc.He obviousley got the same amount of bites as I would have,after all I was doing it all and as long as he didnt cock up the strike or loose it winding in he was in! He came a few times with me but wasnt that keen,certainly no where near as keen as he is now! the reason was I had made it all to easy.When I joined the Army and moved away from home the next year he didnt have any one to go with. A year or so later he tried going by himself,without me to show him he struggled at first.But by persevering he slowly learned how to catch and moved on to new waters learning all the time.He is now a good angler who has a life times love of the sport.Struggling was good for him.

 

How many of you sucsessfull/experienced anglers have been absolutely gutted that your kids have never followed in your foot steps? youve taken them out theyve caught plenty of fish but other than being with Dad just dont click? Loads I bet! And once again because they dont have to struggle cause we make it to easy!The best way Ive found is to take them to a water where they can get a "bite a chuck".....but blunt the hook point so they miss/loose 90% of their bites!! Honest try it.The bites keep them from getting bored but loosing the fish/missing them keeps them keen.Also bring em home before they want to.That bit of struggling/hardship will certainly help.

 

One last story.A friend of mine (a well respected Pike and carp angler) always brought his little lad down to my syndicate water at the weekend.He didnt fish but loved the camping with Dad (he was about 5) and just riding around on his trike! Stu couldnt even go out of the house with a rod and the lad would be performing! as he got a bit older dad would take him fishing proper,by the time he was 16 he had 25lb+pike under his belt (all from the big trout res's dad had acsess to) and even a near 40 carp from Holland.Going with dad he had by 16 a specimen list many would be proud of.Without disrespect to the lad all caught due to dad and his mates...........by 18 he had stopped fishing and still doesnt go anymore.Too much to soon and none of the important struggling.

 

"I love carp and carp fishing more than anyone else" (thanks for that by the way Medway!) is what we hear a lot of every where we go but how many of them will still be saying this in 5+ years time?

[peter mccue]

I think it's sad, but a large proportion of young anglers today do have it too easy. As other posters have said, they come into the sport & within a couple of years (if they fish the right waters) they have PBs that would have elevated anglers to superstar status 35yrs ago. This doesn't encourage long term involvement in the sport in my opinion.

 

Problem is, they have achieved it with very little real skill matched with lots of time passed in the main by social gatherings. It always seems to me that they have been deprived of the true depth of satisfaction & pleasure that is to be found in fishing. When I think of the natural ponds of yesteryear in my area (nearly all commercials now) I shudder. Gone are the clear weedy waters rich in wildlife that had a naturally balanced population of fish that had to be fished for with skill & delicacy, due to the fact they were living a natural life. Now we have bare overstocked pools with readymade specimens.

 

They deserve our sympathy though, they've been led there by an irresponsible media & a commercial push for instant gratification. Unfortunately fishing today has become a victim of our shallow profit driven society with its need to create celebrities out of ordinary people.

 

I have met so many anglers who only have a few years experience, who can't understand how I could enjoy a Gudgeon bashing session, or even a Minnow bashing session when I have caught Carp & Pike to over 20lb & Catfish to over 30lb. I don't think I've met an angler with more than 15yrs experience who hasn't understood completely.

 

I know I'm a fisherman for life, but what about the young 'uns'?

[david t]

The E.A has recently said it wants to it wants to get more into angling in a press release, i think im remembering right, well generally the E.A wants more anglers for whatever reasons. So bearing in mind the problem with new anglers ducking out after only having been a dozen times, due to high expectations or the fact that commercials are monotonous in my opinion, and hold no real attraction over the long term. Maybe the E.A ought to think about creating more silver fish only lakes, that really do have more long term attraction and less monotony about them. so it gives more of a buzz, the new anglers would have to use tackle different to bolt rigs and boilies in order to do well, and hence may learn how to tackle some different situations. The new angler could go out on his 15th outing and aim to catch his first tench, or could aim for a bag of roach, a bag of bream, or try and get a chub from that shoal of big stillwater chub he has seen moving round.

 

I dont know if this has much to do with the topic, well i suppose it does, in that it might get new anglers better grounding. when i say create more lakes, maybe converting carp lakes to naturally balanced lakes over time. lets face it, commercial pasty carp are a plague that still persists even though many hate them.

dave.

[Anderoo]

The E.A has recently said it wants to it wants to get more into angling in a press release, i think im remembering right, well generally the E.A wants more anglers for whatever reasons. So bearing in mind the problem with new anglers ducking out after only having been a dozen times, due to high expectations or the fact that commercials are monotonous in my opinion, and hold no real attraction over the long term. Maybe the E.A ought to think about creating more silver fish only lakes, that really do have more long term attraction and less monotony about them.

 

Yes, the EA said it wanted to attract people into fishing by stocking more fish into rivers. Does it feel like we're going round in a circle here? I think the point is that if people are to truely enjoy fishing, it shouldn't be easy to catch a fish. Especially when you're learning. When people suggest taking youngsters/beginners to carp pools or other easy waters to get them interested, I reckon you're starting them off down the wrong road. Obviously you shouldn't take a beginner to a very difficult water, but I reckon for the first dozen or so (short) trips you should expect half a dozen small fish per session. Fishing a float, of course!