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Memorable angling moment?


Rusty

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Most recent one has to be that Thames trout on the fly.

 

Catching my first carp on floating bread on holiday in Devon as a boy.

 

Finding our secret bit of disused canal with my friends when we were kids - there was a fast flowing filled in lock where you could see shoals of unusually big gudgeon in about two feet of water, and another swim further up where there was a shoal of "big" roach. Not for want of trying we never caught any of the roach - well, Chris claimed he caught a half pounder (which was big for us), but we always suspected that he found it on its last legs and scooped it up with his landing net :)

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Memorable ? Well, I have put a few on here over the years.

 

Watching Norma bring a 900 lb Atlantic Blue Marlin to the boat was one - as was the lobster and champagne supper we had afterwards to celebrate.

 

Others include

 

My first fish, a millers thumb, caught by hand.

 

My first "big" fish, on home-made rod and reel. a 2 lb Crucian

 

At age 11, being denounced from the pulpit as a latter-day "Nimrod" by the local hedge-priest.

 

Our pirogue sinking on the crocodile-infested Mahajilo River, Madagascar, and my thinking as we went down "Keep your head" and adding (as I remembered that micro-organisms were a bigger threat than crocs) "...and above water" ... then, bizarrely "..is that a classical syllepsis ?"

 

Catching my first tarpon on fly.

 

Hooking a 400 lb white sturgeon on the Fraser River. Fish made for the Pacific and after a mile I heard my guide (a huge chap who had played open-side wing forward for British Columbia) say " I don't know what to do, I just don't know what to do" and my reply "Follow it, its all we can do - I promise to cut the line if we reach the Bar" (We did get the fish to boat eventually)

 

On occasions far too numerous to mention, just "being there"

 

....and I hope there are still a few memorable moments to come.

Edited by Vagabond
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RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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This is one I posted nearly ten years ago, but it's still fresh in my memory.

 

My wife and I were going to visit her sister in SW Scotland. There was a small river I'd seen and always fancied fishing. My brother-in -law managed to book a days fishing and got some info' on the water for me.
I was told worming for the trout was best ,but it needed some "extra" in. For three weeks before my visit I gathered worms and prayed for rain. Come the day, the hottest and dryest spring bank for years!.............. I always think I'm better on the bank than not, so off I went, just, rod, landing net, a few bits of tackle, refreshments and of course my bucket of well insulated worms. After a mile or so dropping into various glides, holes,and fast shallow runs, not only had I not had a bite but not seen any fishy movement. I came to a sort of double hedge with a style, so I thought I'd make use of the shade and have a rest. I put a couple of BB on and dropped the worm in the edge, reached for my flask, and was smacked on the back of my head by the rod butt, I grabbed the rod only to see a brownie 1lb+ leap out and shed the hook! Cursing my stupidity I put the rod on the bank and poured a drink. I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye, it was a big hare, it slowly came until it was only 15-20 feet away and stayed maybe a minute, looking into my shady den, it knew I was there, but must have realised I was no threat. It slowly wandered off, no hurry until it disappeared in some bushes. I moved on upstream trying without luck, until I came to a bend with a small island. I crossed the shallow glide on my bank onto the island and came face to face with a fox, we both stopped , looking at each other for what seemed ages, until he just turned and slowly trotted off. I next saw him on the far bank having a drink. When I saw my in-laws later they commiserated with me on my "blank", but having wild creatures accept me, and not to run, was a pleasure in it'self, and made a day to remember.

 

John.

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Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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Fishing in Cuba with my best mate Richard a few years back. I cant remember what we caught it didn't matter; but what a joy to think two lads who grew up fishing a pit slack in Newcastle would end up there.

Tony

 

After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you are probably dead.

 

 

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Most if not all of my memorable fishing has been abroad, they just seem to stick in my mind more. Some are because they are impressive fish, some because they are unusual fish or just because of the wildlife I get to see or the stunning locations or just because I had a good laugh, met someone interesting or more often then not I done something real stupid.

 

Catching your first fish is always memorable and like so many other youngsters mine was a Perch caught on a fishing trip with my uncle in Ireland. I remember being as proud as punch that I had caught it and my uncle had not and neither had any other angler we met that day. I was the bees kness, top rod and all that. For many years I would "bag up" on holiday emptying deep holes of Perch and adding Trout and Pike to my catches while those I went fishing with would blank or catch the odd fish every few trips. It was not until many years later that I found out that in Ireland they are not interested in "coarse" fishing as everyone is Salmon mad. For a kid, It was an odd thing to find out that people went fishing and tried to avoid catching fish! It still brings a smile to my face when I think about how good I thought I was.

 

My first Tarpon was memorable as it was a fish I had always wanted to fish for since I was a kid and never really thought I ever would. I caught it in Mexico in some mangroves in a main channel we had decided to fish early morning before any boat traffic got moving before heading off the beaten track, it was the first Tarpon i had ever hooked and it stayed on. It took about 20 minutes to land and sunrise had started. It was made even more memorable as 2 or 3 boats who where heading out through the channel had stoped and where watching.I did not even notice them until I finally got the fish to the boat and the guide chined it out to a round of applause and whoops from those on board. I was both a little embarrssed by the audience and exalted by catching a fish I had dreamed about as a kid. Like the Perch i caught as a kid, i thought what a great angler I must be. Those Tarpon fight hard and are awesome but I dont see what all the fuss is about them throwing the hook as mine stayed on. One hook up and one fish landed, a 100% hook up to boated rate. Oh how I was to learn differently after loosing plenty since then.

 

Also walking in to a lake while attached to a Sorubim was rather amusing, to this day I still don't know why I did it. I never sliped, fell or triped i just walked in to it. Maybe some where in my mind subconscious I thought the edge would be shallow and I would be wading but no straight down and over my head.

 

Having an angry Sawai Catfish attached to my forearm by its pectoral spine was certainly memorable as was peeling it off my arm and the comedy spray fo blood when playing a fish a few hours later when the plaster and bandage burst off. Should I ever end up boozing late in to the night with Robert Shaw i got that beat............

 

It always feels like an adventure fishing abroad, whether I catch or blank something always seems to happen from the engine runing out of petrol to a snake falling out of a tree next to me or loosing your catch to a bigger fish. There is always something that makes that trip stick in my memory.

Stephen

 

Species Caught 2014

Zander, Pike, Bream, Roach, Tench, Perch, Rudd, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Eel, Grayling, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout

Species Caught 2013

Pike, Zander, Bream, Roach, Eel, Tench, Rudd, Perch, Common Carp, Koi Carp, Brown Goldfish, Grayling, Brown Trout, Chub, Roosterfish, Dorado, Black Grouper, Barracuda, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon, Red Snapper

Species Caught 2012
Zander, Pike, Perch, Chub, Ruff, Gudgeon, Dace, Minnow, Wels Catfish, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Roach, Bream, Eel, Rudd, Tench, Arapaima, Mekong Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Marbled Tiger Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Thai Redtail Catfish, Batrachian Walking Catfish, Siamese Carp, Rohu, Julliens Golden Prize Carp, Giant Gourami, Java Barb, Red Tailed Tin Foil Barb, Nile Tilapia, Black Pacu, Red Bellied Pacu, Alligator Gar
Species Caught 2011
Zander, Tench, Bream, Chub, Barbel, Roach, Rudd, Grayling, Brown Trout, Salmon Parr, Minnow, Pike, Eel, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Koi Carp, Crucian Carp, F1 Carp, Blue Orfe, Ide, Goldfish, Brown Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, Golden Tench, Golden Rudd, Perch, Gudgeon, Ruff, Bleak, Dace, Sergeant Major, French Grunt, Yellow Tail Snapper, Tom Tate Grunt, Clown Wrasse, Slippery Dick Wrasse, Doctor Fish, Graysby, Dusky Squirrel Fish, Longspine Squirrel Fish, Stripped Croaker, Leather Jack, Emerald Parrot Fish, Red Tail Parrot Fish, White Grunt, Bone Fish
Species Caught 2010
Zander, Pike, Perch, Eel, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Mirror Carp, Common Carp, Crucian Carp, Siamese Carp, Asian Redtail Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Rohu, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Pacu, Long Tom, Moon Wrasse, Sergeant Major, Green Damsel, Tomtate Grunt, Sea Chub, Yellowtail Surgeon, Black Damsel, Blue Dot Grouper, Checkered Sea Perch, Java Rabbitfish, One Spot Snapper, Snubnose Rudderfish
Species Caught 2009
Barramundi, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Wallago Leeri Catfish, Wallago Attu Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Mrigul, Siamese Carp, Java Barb, Tarpon, Wahoo, Barracuda, Skipjack Tuna, Bonito, Yellow Eye Rockfish, Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Black Fin Snapper, Dog Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Marble Grouper, Black Fin Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Mutton Snapper, Redhind Grouper, Saddle Grouper, Schoolmaster, Coral Trout, Bar Jack, Pike, Zander, Perch, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Common Carp, Golden Tench, Wels Catfish
Species Caught 2008
Dorado, Wahoo, Barracuda, Bonito, Black Fin Tuna, Long Tom, Sergeant Major, Red Snapper, Black Damsel, Queen Trigga Fish, Red Grouper, Redhind Grouper, Rainbow Wrasse, Grey Trigger Fish, Ehrenbergs Snapper, Malabar Grouper, Lunar Fusiler, Two Tone Wrasse, Starry Dragonet, Convict Surgeonfish, Moonbeam Dwarf Angelfish,Bridled Monocle Bream, Redlined Triggerfish, Cero Mackeral, Rainbow Runner
Species Caught 2007
Arapaima, Alligator Gar, Mekong Catfish, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Pacu, Siamese Carp, Barracuda, Black Fin Tuna, Queen Trigger Fish, Red Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Honeycomb Grouper, Red Grouper, Schoolmaster, Cubera Snapper, Black Grouper, Albacore, Ballyhoo, Coney, Yellowfin Goatfish, Lattice Spinecheek

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I enjoyed reading those, thank you. I get asked about my fishing trips regularly by people at work but they’re not anglers so it’s always difficult to convey some of the experiences our hobby can provide.

 

My own moment occurred at the weedrack APFA swim. I’d been lucky enough to fish there a couple of times previously but on this occasion we had access to the fishery earlier than usual. I set off on the long walk just before first light and when I got there this was the sight that greeted me;

 

DSCN0242.jpg

 

When the sun came up properly the moment had gone and the rack has since been replaced by a modern (safer) bridge so I can’t ever experience that again. I’ll always be grateful for those five minutes though.

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It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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I enjoyed reading those, thank you. I get asked about my fishing trips regularly by people at work but they’re not anglers so it’s always difficult to convey some of the experiences our hobby can provide.

 

My own moment occurred at the weedrack APFA swim. I’d been lucky enough to fish there a couple of times previously but on this occasion we had access to the fishery earlier than usual. I set off on the long walk just before first light and when I got there this was the sight that greeted me;

 

DSCN0242.jpg

 

When the sun came up properly the moment had gone and the rack has since been replaced by a modern (safer) bridge so I can’t ever experience that again. I’ll always be grateful for those five minutes though.

 

 

Love it !

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Rusty, I thought it was going to be one of those curries we hear about!

 

Mine must be the first time I saw a bright red float go under (a small roach), or maybe the first time I saw a rod bend double like I'd seen in the books as my brother caught a tench.

john clarke

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