Stalking fish

[Anderoo]

I just had a look on the AT site at their videos (pretty good actually) and it's prompted this question. To me, if you're stalking a fish (say, a chub or a carp) you're trying to catch one individual fish, which you're targetting by a combination of sight and following bubbles/tail patterns/etc. Surely moving around a lake or stretch of river baiting up likely swims and fishing them in rotation is just fishing in a mobile way? Doesn't there have to be visual contact with a fish (or part of a fish) to make it 'stalking'?

[chelmerpaul]

I agree. I would define "Stalking" as actually creeping up to the fish so you have visual contact, and then targeting an individual or small group specifically. Moving around to various pre-baited swims, I would just call fishing! Maybe it just sounds sexier for marketing purposes?

[gozzer]

I just had a look on the AT site at their videos (pretty good actually) and it's prompted this question. To me, if you're stalking a fish (say, a chub or a carp) you're trying to catch one individual fish, which you're targetting by a combination of sight and following bubbles/tail patterns/etc. Surely moving around a lake or stretch of river baiting up likely swims and fishing them in rotation is just fishing in a mobile way? Doesn't there have to be visual contact with a fish (or part of a fish) to make it 'stalking'?

 

Not seen the AT site, but to me 'stalking' is finding, then fishing for individual or groups of fish.

This can mean, casting to a fish that I can see, or (more often) have seen, but had to move to avoid spooking, or to a position where a cast is possible, and thus fishing 'blind'.

It's finding the fish, as opposed to, bringing the fish to you.

 

John.

[Steve Walker]

I'd say it's only stalking if you can see your quarry before you put a bait to him. So fishing floaters and waiting for a carp to appear and slurp isn't, but spotting a carp by the fringes of a lily bed and stealthily putting a floater to him is. I don't think it's absolutely idiomatic that you've picked an individual fish, you might be targeting a shoal or a couple of fish in a shoal. Or either of those two lovely barbel and none of those sodding chub...

[Anderoo]

I once saw a truely terrible video by Des Taylor called 'Stalking Carp', where he goes to a lake full of tiny carp, sits in one swim all day and catches tiddler after tiddler on the beachcaster rig (lobbed right out into the middle on a heavy rod)

 

It's worth a look if you get the chance - a great example of what stalking isn't!

[chelmerpaul]

I think you misread the title, Anderoo. Wasn't it called Des Taylor (S) talking b***ocks!

[Anderoo]

I think you misread the title, Anderoo. Wasn't it called Des Taylor (S) talking b***ocks!

 

 

It was ace, he'd creep round the lake, hide behind some bushes and speak in hushed tones, before launching a 3oz lead and pike float out and sticking the rod on a massive tripod

 

John Wilson, now there's a man who can stalk a fish!

[Guest tigger]

When I was growing up people called stalking Donkey Dangling along with throwing a handful of maggots in, dropping yours in at the same time and watching a fish take it before striking. People used to call it cheating and laugh at you saying you couldn't catch the fish in the proper manner.

I've always enjoyed it myself and as a youth I would often go sneaking along the rivers in Cumbria looking for Trout. They where really Wild and you had to trott quite a way to get a chance of landing one "exciting stuff".

Edited March 29, 2007 by tigger