First Match

[ljstronge]

Hi Folks

 

I am entering my first match this Saturday with a local angling club on a canal.

 

I started fishing again after many years break (10!) last Saturday!! - So I know I'm going to be the least experienced guy there and I'll stick to what I know.

 

My question is this, having never been in a match before, whats the general idea of match fishing, is it just "catch as many fish as you can, and the biggest weight wins"?

 

As I'm a new boy, I was wondering if (in general) if the anglers won't mind me having a walk and speaking to them and asking questions about how they are fishing and what techniques they use etc. I havn't met any of the members before and by the sounds of it they are mostly old gents (no dis respect to the more "mature" angler out there) I am 24 and need to learn somehow.

 

I can only really float fish and with my cheapo set up I've got, I'm not entirely sure of my kits capabilities yet. I'm off to buy a keepnet tommorow as I Presume I will need it, and some other bits and bobs.

 

It's a learning curve and should be fun, I just don't want to be the guy who knows nothing and makes a fall of myself in front of everyone!!

 

Any tips, hints or advice will be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance

Toby

[stuchef]

hi mate i know where your coming from im only 25 and it wasnt that long ago i was fishing my first match.

 

the aim of the match is to be catching and yes get the most weight weather that be 1 10lb carp or 100 roach = to 1b.

 

matches generally if your catching your doin well if you can catch steaderly all the way through the match your be doin well.

 

depending on the boys your fishing with depends weather you can chat to them during the match or not they can be very finiky with things like that with the people who take it really seriously why not get chattin to a couple of the lads before the match starts im sure if you explain your situation they will be more then happy to help you and then chat to all the boys during the weigh in at the end and ask them how they were catchin.

 

ref your gear if your just going to be using a rod and line i think you will be very lucky to be pulling out any huge weights to be contending with winning the match most if not all will be using a pole and very fine tackle for this time of year so if you are gointo be going to the tackle shop to buy yoiurself some bits maybe if money isnt to short invest in a cheap pole you dont need any really big pole for a canal and ask the tackle shop if they will elasticate it and maybe give you a quick show of how to be rigging yourself up.

 

to start the match i would start with a small amount of groundbait balls only 3 the size of tangerines pick a groundbait which has not got alot of big particals of feed in it, spay a small amount of hemp over that and then half a dozen pinkies and castors fish with prob no bigger then a 1.5lb hooklength and maybe size 20 hook to start with single or double pinkie and keep a constat flow of pinkies and castors going in just half a dozen at a time hopefully that will attract the fish to ypour swimm and just keep them interested enough to be fighting for the food do this all just down the center of the track for your first match i wouldnt focus to much on starting diffrent swimms stick to the one swimm and carry on with that unless it gets really bad and your not getting the bite come in on your inside line with a smaller hook and single pinkie or even head of a worm and go for the smaller roach.

 

thats about as much as i can say on here without being there and showing you maybe someother more experianced anglers will have better advice or more in depth

 

where bouts are you fishing im off on fri and the weekend and if you were local enough i pop along and maybe help you out a little i will be in the aylesbury area?????

 

tight lines

stu

[ljstronge]

hi mate i know where your coming from im only 25 and it wasnt that long ago i was fishing my first match.

 

the aim of the match is to be catching and yes get the most weight weather that be 1 10lb carp or 100 roach = to 1b.

 

matches generally if your catching your doin well if you can catch steaderly all the way through the match your be doin well.

 

depending on the boys your fishing with depends weather you can chat to them during the match or not they can be very finiky with things like that with the people who take it really seriously why not get chattin to a couple of the lads before the match starts im sure if you explain your situation they will be more then happy to help you and then chat to all the boys during the weigh in at the end and ask them how they were catchin.

 

ref your gear if your just going to be using a rod and line i think you will be very lucky to be pulling out any huge weights to be contending with winning the match most if not all will be using a pole and very fine tackle for this time of year so if you are gointo be going to the tackle shop to buy yoiurself some bits maybe if money isnt to short invest in a cheap pole you dont need any really big pole for a canal and ask the tackle shop if they will elasticate it and maybe give you a quick show of how to be rigging yourself up.

 

to start the match i would start with a small amount of groundbait balls only 3 the size of tangerines pick a groundbait which has not got alot of big particals of feed in it, spay a small amount of hemp over that and then half a dozen pinkies and castors fish with prob no bigger then a 1.5lb hooklength and maybe size 20 hook to start with single or double pinkie and keep a constat flow of pinkies and castors going in just half a dozen at a time hopefully that will attract the fish to ypour swimm and just keep them interested enough to be fighting for the food do this all just down the center of the track for your first match i wouldnt focus to much on starting diffrent swimms stick to the one swimm and carry on with that unless it gets really bad and your not getting the bite come in on your inside line with a smaller hook and single pinkie or even head of a worm and go for the smaller roach.

 

thats about as much as i can say on here without being there and showing you maybe someother more experianced anglers will have better advice or more in depth

 

where bouts are you fishing im off on fri and the weekend and if you were local enough i pop along and maybe help you out a little i will be in the aylesbury area?????

 

tight lines

stu

 

Hi mate

 

I am in Nottingham which is a bit of a mission from you I believe. I'm looking forward to the match and I will be taking your advice on board, I'm not too fussed how I get on tbh, the experience will be a laugh anyway.

 

Cheers

Toby

[Guest Rabbit]

Hi mate

 

I am in Nottingham which is a bit of a mission from you I believe. I'm looking forward to the match and I will be taking your advice on board, I'm not too fussed how I get on tbh, the experience will be a laugh anyway.

 

Cheers

Toby

 

Enjoy the experience and have a 'laugh'. But please remember that fish welfare is very important too. Seems a bit odd to me that you are already entering your first match with so little experience. Asking fellow anglers is always a good idea, but in a match situation I am not so sure what sort of reaction you will get.

Call me cynical but are you for real??

[Yogi]

Hi Ljstrong

 

I've not fished a match for ages either, bad news coming from a guy that used to organise them. Book water's, peg out, buy trophy's and get them engraved, weigh in and present prizes, book food in a local pub etc etc.

 

As its your first match just go and enjoy the experience and get the feel for them, they can be good fun. As for walking the bank and chatting to other anglers, not really a wise thing to do first time around, they won't even know you. Time wasted walking the bank on a match is time wasted catching fish. Not many anglers will want to chat during a match as you'll be interupting their concentration. Most will just ignor you anyway. I used to take a small pair of bino's with me to check on other anglers rigs and bait etc. Draw your peg, get there and set up and stay there. Any chatting that needs to be done will be done after the match not during.

 

Yogi

[stuchef]

good luck m8 let us know how you get on

 

1 bit of last advice dont try to get all serious and clicky like some of theses people do

 

like the others say enjoy urself

 

tight lines

stu

[ljstronge]

Enjoy the experience and have a 'laugh'. But please remember that fish welfare is very important too. Seems a bit odd to me that you are already entering your first match with so little experience. Asking fellow anglers is always a good idea, but in a match situation I am not so sure what sort of reaction you will get.

Call me cynical but are you for real??

 

By me saying "Have a laugh" is basically me saying I'll enjoy myself and the experience. I Don't mean doing a stand up routine on the bank!!

 

Of course I will remember about fish welfare, I wouldnt do any thing to upset anybody.

 

With regards to talking to the anglers involved, I'll save that for before and after - glad I have heard your opinons on that - as I can understand what route to take now.

 

Thanks folks

 

Toby

[Scotty T]

Enjoy the experience and have a 'laugh'. But please remember that fish welfare is very important too. Seems a bit odd to me that you are already entering your first match with so little experience. Asking fellow anglers is always a good idea, but in a match situation I am not so sure what sort of reaction you will get.

Call me cynical but are you for real??

 

Give the guy a break Rabbit, wouldn't of thought you'd need that much experiance to whip out a few 4" silvers.

[ljstronge]

Give the guy a break Rabbit, wouldn't of thought you'd need that much experiance to whip out a few 4" silvers.

 

basically,I'll be catching shed loads (with luck) of roach and perch, I just want to catch fish - and enjoy and see what the experience is like of being in a match!

[dogstick]

Watch how the people catching are feeding the swim and follow suit.Learn how to use your catty while propping your rod on your knee with your elbow.3,2,then 1 maggot every 10 seconds with the occasional catty full to get them feeding and keep them there.You should never be sitting waiting,feeding very little and constantly will keep you busy.