John bailey guiding?

[Grandma]

Anyone looked at the photo of the pike on the lake section? Has it been doctored? The pike looks about 50lbs?!?!?

 

Rather large pike

 

The river and sidestreams look lovely.

 

 

I believe it was a 30+.

[Spindle]

http://www.fishinggiftvouchers.co.uk/vouchers/bobjames.htm

 

"The double whammy: the best river with the best fisherman"

"See Bob in action & share the secrets of his success"

"A day of your own with a man they call ‘Mr Fishing’

 

 

Mind you, I've heard him called other things to!

[david t]

I suppose its the name that warrants the money, but either way i wouldnt be interested in paying it, even if i did have the money, I agree with budgie, if the newcomer to angling thinks (falsely) that you have to pay this much for some tuition, then its a great shame, and a loss of a potential purveyor of future angling. Angling doesnt have to be expensive, its only expensive because businessman can make money out of the anglers who think that you must invest in the best to be a good angler, when its really the actual experience and whats in your head that gets fish on the bank.

 

Rabbit, I am interested in the stretch you mention, by the way, I only mentioned john bailey, not because of barbel, but because I had heard he knew about the wye. im after anything really, grayling, chub, dace or barbel, but im happy with the first two. The only thing that limits me is distance, I cant really drive for hours on end to get somewhere, you see, it takes a long time to wind your way over the welsh hills in the car compared to the motorway!

 

cheers dave.

[Colin Brett]

I suppose its the name that warrants the money, but either way i wouldnt be interested in paying it, even if i did have the money, I agree with budgie, if the newcomer to angling thinks (falsely) that you have to pay this much for some tuition, then its a great shame, and a loss of a potential purveyor of future angling. Angling doesnt have to be expensive, its only expensive because businessman can make money out of the anglers who think that you must invest in the best to be a good angler, when its really the actual experience and whats in your head that gets fish on the bank.

 

Rabbit, I am interested in the stretch you mention, by the way, I only mentioned john bailey, not because of barbel, but because I had heard he knew about the wye. im after anything really, grayling, chub, dace or barbel, but im happy with the first two. The only thing that limits me is distance, I cant really drive for hours on end to get somewhere, you see, it takes a long time to wind your way over the welsh hills in the car compared to the motorway!

 

cheers dave.

"Allegedly" He knows about a section of the Wye?? I could well be wrong?

 

I've met him a few times in the dim and distant past. Seems a nice bloke, but has made some contentious statements. He used to feature on the pisces website [anti angling] because of the statements he has made.

Don't think I'd want to be paying that sort of money to either of them.

It's a bit like expensive rods etc. somebody who has the money will buy them because they are expensive.

 

Colin

Edited November 10, 2006 by Colin Brett

[david t]

I havent heard back from an email i sent to Bob James over 24 hours ago, and to be honest, im not expecting to, as i said i couldnt actually afford his guiding, but just asked nicely for a little advice.

 

I find it hard to gauge how much anglers in the public eye actually fish, and how they actually are as people, as I suppose they are making their money from their publicity, and due to that, they may be different away from the publicity or when they arent writing in a magazine.

 

I dont think the greatest anglers are John wilson, bob nudd or even dick walker, I bet there are, and have been amazing anglers, who either shun the limelight and public appearances, or dont say much about their talents, and keep outside of the anglers mail specimen hunters circle or maybe they werent as competive, so they never made it as top flight matchmen. And to be honest (my phrase of the day it seems!) I would expect that angling being much a sport of those who are good at taking in observations and working on them, and being quiet and natural would be best suited to quiet, listeners and watchers, as opposed to those who find it natural to broadcast their feelings or opinions, and are good talkers.

[Spindle]

I havent heard back from an email i sent to Bob James over 24 hours ago, and to be honest, im not expecting to, as i said i couldnt actually afford his guiding, but just asked nicely for a little advice.

 

I find it hard to gauge how much anglers in the public eye actually fish, and how they actually are as people, as I suppose they are making their money from their publicity, and due to that, they may be different away from the publicity or when they arent writing in a magazine.

 

I dont think the greatest anglers are John wilson, bob nudd or even dick walker, I bet there are, and have been amazing anglers, who either shun the limelight and public appearances, or dont say much about their talents, and keep outside of the anglers mail specimen hunters circle or maybe they werent as competive, so they never made it as top flight matchmen. And to be honest (my phrase of the day it seems!) I would expect that angling being much a sport of those who are good at taking in observations and working on them, and being quiet and natural would be best suited to quiet, listeners and watchers, as opposed to those who find it natural to broadcast their feelings or opinions, and are good talkers.

 

 

I sort of agree but it's difficult to define what would make a better angler than those you've named above. Take Bob Nudd... 4 times world champion??? That's something pretty special, and there aren't many anglers who could do that, in the limelight or otherwise...

[david t]

Yes I know what you mean, but I still think that there have probably been some hidden talents, which have gone unrecognised, over the years, partly because fishing is often not the most socialble of pastimes.

 

Im not saying there are reems of people of that standard, just a few that really were born to fish.

 

er, this topic has gone quite astray from what it was, not that im bothered, quite good i suppose

[bingo]

I've read stuff on forums that Bob James is a good guy when guiding. Funny, loads of stories etc. I think these trips make good presents for people (if they can afford them!). I don't see the problem really. No one's forcing anyone into anything. James and Bailey aren't making stupid statements on their websites or anything like that. They're basically there if people want to use them.

 

Bailey seems almost guilty for catching fish. I don't agree with everything he has said but I think he makes a lot of valid points. I've got his "Complete Guide to Fishing" and I really like his emphasis on care, conservation and watercraft.

 

---------------

 

As for that pike... I can well believe it was a 30. Stunning fish. Looks as though it came from river too rather than the lake.

[Dick Dastardly]

All though undoubtedly James and Bailley are acomplished anglers I feel you are really paying the money for their "celebrity" rather than their guiding abilities such as knowledge of the water and ability to pass on their knowledge (not that they havnt got either).

 

It is a strange thing though isnt it? You dont see athletes paying big money to well known runners to go jogging with them or golfers paying to have a round with their club champion. Other sports seem to spend their money paying for good instruction/coaching.

 

We live in a world where some (it seems) would rather be able to say "Oh yes,Ive fished for Barbel on the Wye with John Bailly you know!" rather than "Look at this picture of a 10lb barbel I caught from the Wye with a guy called Rabbit!"

 

Its a kinda of "buying a mate" thing isnt it? quite sad really!

 

But Ive never been fishing with either of them so perhaps its not fair to pass coment? I just cant think of many people whose company I would find that riveting that would compell me to spend that much dough!

 

My only similar experience to this was myself and a friend paid for a casting lesson from Neil McKellow.I was impressed by his demonstrations where he cast over 100m with both just a butt section and a tripod! YES a tripod but I found his attitude/personality grating and learned bugger all from him.He just couldnt put over what he knew. A local guy (cant remember his name moved abroad now) gave me a couple of hours for £20 and I improved my casting imensely.....he was also much better company! all though he could actually cast no where near as far as Neil!

[david t]

I've read stuff on forums that Bob James is a good guy when guiding. Funny, loads of stories etc. I think these trips make good presents for people (if they can afford them!). I don't see the problem really. No one's forcing anyone into anything. James and Bailey aren't making stupid statements on their websites or anything like that. They're basically there if people want to use them.

 

Bailey seems almost guilty for catching fish. I don't agree with everything he has said but I think he makes a lot of valid points. I've got his "Complete Guide to Fishing" and I really like his emphasis on care, conservation and watercraft.

 

---------------

 

As for that pike... I can well believe it was a 30. Stunning fish. Looks as though it came from river too rather than the lake.

 

Ive no personal reason to suggest either of the two isnt a good guy, in fact i think john bailey is a good author to boot, from what i have read of baileys books, i noticed once or twice he talks about feeling awful or similar when he has had a strenous fight with a big fish, and he wishes he hadnt caught it for that way the fish wouldnt have been put through the ordeal. I do think that kind of thing is slightly dangerous to say in open text, but it is his opinion, and he is entitled to it.

 

I would imagine they live in a very different world to us, being anglers in the public eye, me personally, I would prefer to stay out of the public eye, even if it does mean im a little poorer!