Demise of traditional angling

[Guest Rabbit]

Buzzer Bolt Rigs and Bivvies Bait Boats aaaaaggggghhhhh, not for me.

 

The carp revolution has brought many new anglers into the sport, but unfortuanately for them they have made a quantum leap into a hi-tec business, and I mean business, and have missed what true fishing means to us lucky ones who had to make do with a minimum of tackle as kids, and had the most magical of boyhood dreams that burn as strong now as it did then. I remember cycling 10 miles or more wih rod tied to the crossbar, to fish my local Bristol Avon. I made my own rods from fibre glass, and was the proud owner of one of the first Intrepid fixedspool reels. My Dad was not interested in fishing but my Uncle Doug inspired me, he match fished for the GPO and was in my eyes an

angling God.

 

And then there was the Angling Times, a must read in those days, no cynical advertising just great articles by the likes of Dick Walker, Fred J Taylor and the great Bernard Venables. The latter who inspired the Passion for Angling series in the early 90's. This series says everything about why I fish and I was lucky enough to meet last Tuesday the man that made it all possible Hugh Miles.

 

But like Elton says Angling is all things to all people, but I am grateful that the boyhood dreams are still alive in this old man.

[Errrm]

To stick up slightly for commercial carp fisheries ..... I know sorry... I'll gladly accept any criticism aimed at me :-). The non-comerical pond I fish is really good not many anglers fsh there, the only problem with it is the lack of a bailif. Kids from the local villages leave litter and treat the area with a lot of disrespect that I do appreciate the commercial fisheries which in my limited experience with them are always very clean and scenic.... some rivers ( the dove is the one I remember most ) are amazingly beautiful but I haven't got access to a stretch at the moment only the trent.

 

Let the insults commence :-)

 

Disclaimer - I don't usually fish commercials!!!

[Newt]

(with apoligies in advance to all the die-hard traditionalists)

 

I firmly believe that an angler should fish for what they enjoy catching and use the gear that makes their fishing the most fun to them with only a caveat that annoying others is a bad thing to do.

 

I started out fishing from a boat and I still much prefer it. However, while we had small outboard motors to move long distances, moving along to fish was done by paddle and either one person paddling while the other fished or if solo, sculling to a place, paddle down, cast a few times, paddle up, skull some more, etc.

 

I now use an electric, foot operated trolling motor so we can concentrate on fishing. Big improvement IMO and no way would I want to go back.

 

I started out fishing visible cover & structure along the bank because it was nearly impossible to figure out what was under the water and bank-style marker tactics don't match up with boat fishing.

 

I now use a sonar unit to find water depth, underwater structure, and indications that fish are present in a given area. This has opened up a much wider choice for where to fish and what tactics to try and makes learning a large lake worth doing. Again, no way I'd want to go back.

 

I started out using cane fly rods but with terminal tackle suited to bluegills and bass. I never really got started trying for game fish since there were none within several hundred miles of my home.

 

I now use glass or carbon rods and baitcasting reels because they suit my needs better and I do not wax nostalgic for the days of cane fly rods.

 

I do not own a bivy or rod pods or most of the other specialized gear needed for doing long session bank fishing but if I did that sort of fishing, I surely would get the equipment that added to my enjoyment.

 

The way we fish and the places we enjoy fishing may not suit anyone else on this forum but since they do suit Jan & I, we are happy with our fishing and that is the important thing.

 

The "good old days" were probably not really as good as memory makes them and if the "good old gear" was best we'd all still be using it.

[poledark]

What a load of tosh you lot are speaking..want to go back to the "good old days" ? you are welcome. Most rivers polluted and anglers struggling to catch anything worthwhile. Oh yes, there were some priveledged few who had access to good waters, but most were limited to rotten fisheries full of stunted fish,limited membership (only if you were local)

 

I was a kid in Croydon in the early 1950's and simply had no where to fish, especially on rivers, those limited stretches that were free only held gudgeon and minnows. So I was reduced to poaching the local hotel pond, or fighting off bullies and thieves at Mitcham...

 

You lot don't appreciate just what you have got today, big fish on tap, superb tackle and baits, almost "open to all" clubs.

 

Oh yes, you can fool around with your 'pins and deplore the passing of the real art of angling, but in the words of the late Harold Mcmillan, "you've never had it so good"

 

Do any of you really think that Wingham came about by accident?

 

Den

[Guest tigger]

The fact that when you hook a fish, you don't know how to play it, so it's dragged in (on tackle more suited to sea fishing), with untold damage to the mouth of the fish.(see Budgies post on the 'Braid' thread). Then when it's on the bank, you've no idea how to handle or unhook it, so more damage is done. Take a few pictures, (got to have pictures), then put it back, because you care about fish, and someone else can enjoy catching it, (no matter what state it's in, or if it survives?).

 

John.

 

The trouble is if you play a fish for more than a muinuite your accused of wearing it out. Even on this site people go on about "getting the fish in asap" using heavy braid/line etc, supposedly causing it less stress, what a load of tosh that is.

 

Also talking traditional type angling, part of that was using light tackle and using your skill to outwhit and play a fish in corectly even if it does take longer to land it, trouble is by doing this your now frowned upon!

 

Basically you can't do right for doing wrong, drag it in and you damage its mouth etc, play it a little longer and you stress it and tire it out!

Personally I prefer to play that bit longer and handle with care.

 

Also regarding photo's nobody calls Mr Yates and Mr James for keeping fish out of the water for seemingly dangerously long periods of time whilst filming the "Passion for Angling series" and they weren't to botherd about unhooking mats either!

If you use common sense a lot of things like unhooking mats etc arn't needed, obviously you don't put a fish down thrashing about on gravely or rocky ground..........(before the PC squad start their attack).

[gozzer]

With all due respect Newt, I think you've missed the point that many of us are making.

 

I have no problem with anyone fishing their own way, if they enjoy it. I don't own a bivvy, electronic bite alarms, have never used a boilie, have never intentionally used a bolt rig, and probably never will. That is my choice, others have their own ways, and that's their choice. That's how it should be.

The problem is, that through commercial enterprises, the choice in angling is becoming smaller.

We have angling associations, made up of many smaller clubs. These used to be the backbone of angling. The thousands of members paid annual subscriptions, and through this, they had the money to lease, or buy fishing rights to rivers and lakes, for the use of the members.

Now, due to the increase in commercial fisheries, which are usually over stocked with carp, and provide 'easy' fishing, the associations are losing members, and of course money. This makes some either give up fisheries,(usually rivers), and/or stock their own lakes to similar levels as a commercial.

The waters they give up are usually taken by small exclusive clubs, and become available to only a few fortunate ones.

So those of us that don't like the commercial type fisheries, are left with a smaller choice of venue.

There are still some good waters where day tickets are issued, but they are getting fewer as time goes by.

 

I can never understand, why anyone would pay the prices that some commercials charge for the day. When 3 or 4 times that amount, pays for a yearly subscription to fish many miles of river, canal and lake side.

 

John.

[gozzer]

Do any of you really think that Wingham came about by accident?

 

Den

 

How many Winghams do you know of Den?

And it's out of the price range of most of us.

 

John.

[poledark]

Tigger, sorry mate, you have got it all wrong, we never fished the finest lines and flimsyest rods we used the thinnest and strongest that we could get.

Rabbit, FS reels and glass are modern!

 

Twisted silk (yes, I did use the stuff) was superceded by nylon, whole cane by split cane and then glass and now carbon (praise be to the gods) and super thin braids (more praises)

 

Fishing tackle has constantly improved and anglers have siezed on all these improvements, mostly gladly.

 

OK so you want to fish fine? 1.4lb hooklink and 2.8 mainline, 18 hook? all modern tackle..

 

Try using that on an old cane rod and see how far you get.

 

I could go on and on, but at the bottom of all this is the desire to catch big fish, not everyones cup of tea, but I really don't think I have ever met an angler who truly does not want to get a PB every time he goes fishing, and so the size starts to increase and the tackle needed has to be stepped up. Not down, playing fish for ages and /or losing them on so called "sporting" tackle is NOT good angling, you have a duty to use the best/strongest tackle that will do the job FOR THE FISHES SAKE.

 

Forcing kids to endure catching tiddlers or blanking is not good training, take them to a well stocked comercial and teach them fish handling without killing half what they do get as what happens when they catch little perch in the local pond. Assuming they are allowed to actually fish the local pond in the first place.

 

The poor old carp is blamed for all of anglings supposed ills, not many modern kids will agree with that sentiment, they just love 'em.

 

Den

Edited May 23, 2007 by poledark

[lutra]

I can't help but to think the bubble will burst with all this uk carpy stuff. After all its better in France so why would you want to spend your time here in a cold damp bivy catching tiddlers. Well at least that's what i'm hopeing they will do. You could even slap a couple of french men in the tunnel on the way!

[Guest tigger]

Tigger, sorry mate, you have got it all wrong, we never fished the finest lines and flimsyest rods we used the thinnest and strongest that we could get.

Rabbit, FS reels and glass are modern!

 

Twisted silk (yes, I did use the stuff) was superceded by nylon, whole cane by split cane and then glass and now carbon (praise be to the gods) and super thin braids (more praises)

 

Fishing tackle has constantly improved and anglers have siezed on all these improvements, mostly gladly.

 

OK so you want to fish fine? 1.4lb hooklink and 2.8 mainline, 18 hook? all modern tackle..

 

Try using that on an old cane rod and see how far you get.

 

 

Den

 

 

Well Den I don't think I've got it all wrong. I've never used a old cane rod and have been fishing for the best part of 38yrs.

 

With respect I think you have an obsession with large Carp and heavy tackle. I also have heavy gear for Pike/large carp fishing but I wouldn't use it for average sized fish on average sized ponds.