All-rounders

[gozzer]

I don't advocate slinging any fish up the bank, Den, never have done, never will.

 

As I have said, I am not anti carp, it's the numbers of them, and the obssession with them that worries me.

Hooking a big fish of any species on light gear is a thrill, but not being able to get past the carp to fish for other species can be frustrating. I'm not talking about commercials either, these are association waters, with stocking policies dictated by the current trends.

I don't have a still water anywhere near me that is'nt like this now, I used to have several but alas no more.

It's not a matter of wanting to fish for my favourite fish all the time, it's just that I would like a choice, and that's being taken away from me.

 

If your favourite carp water was suddenly stocked with a large number of 1-2lb fish, that got to your bait before the bigger fish, I don't think you would be very happy about it.

 

John.

[Neil G]

Neil I can understand your reasoning but heres a different take on the two things you mentioned-

 

With all the masses of people now going straight in to carp angling we as Pike anglers are faced with a new problem! When the carping gets a bit hard the "instant carper" will logically look for another species to target.Now his standard 3lbTC rods and mandatory "Big Pits" aint going to be much cop for a bit of trotting for chub or float fishing for roach are they? And he is very unlikely to own any lighter tackle yet alone a float/match rod! So its pike he turns to....In my opinion these people make the worst pikers of all after all they dont need to learn how to handle big pike as theyve caught loads of big carp! only change to their "style" of fishing is often taking off the braided hooklink and clipping on a snap tackle! swap the shop brought boillie for a shop brought smelt,stick the rods on the buzzer bar and go to kip in the bivvy! After all this is the only "style" they know or are confident in.

 

Your second point- I reckon that a lot of my sucsess with big bream has come from the lessons I learned about feeding from my match fishing days. A lot of my pike have been caught from knowing where the prey fish are likely to be hanging about due to years of fishing for those same "prey" fish.And so on of course!! Get what I mean mate?

 

I see where you are coming from

 

The switch from carp fishing in the summer to piking in the winter is an 'easy' one as you point out in terms of gear....in terms of handling etc that's a different story.

 

Match fishing must be great for learning watercraft and locations of prey fish....all important for finding out where the pike are.

 

lol at 'sedentry anglers' Model Citizen

Edited September 21, 2007 by Neil G

[Anderoo]

I should say that I'm not really anti-carp. I love fishing for carp, they can be the most fickle, teasing and challenging fish around. It just seems to me that by going straight into carp fishing (note: 'carp fishing', not 'fishing for carp') people are missing out on an awful lot. As Budgie so rightly says, the wider your experience, the better you are able to deal with new situations and adapt. Also, your watercraft will be better as your experience of different types of water and fish species will be wider.

 

I don't have any beef with someone being a casual angler or a specialist. That's their choice, it doesn't matter to me! Casual anglers have every right to have a nice, relaxing fish now and again without being called noddies, and specialists are usually where innovation comes from. But until recently people fished widely for a long time, and then settled on their favourite species and specialised (Den, I think that sums you up?). Now that first part is skipped.

 

I do share the concerns of MC and Lutra, although I wouldn't advocate throwing carp up the bank. Our waters are changing fast, and I'm a bit concerned at where it is leading us.

 

PS Peter W, I got your joke even if no-one else did

 

PPS many high profile anglers are more all-rounders than you probably thought. Peter is best known for his piking, but I've read many posts on here where he talks about bream and roach fishing. Terry Hearn is best known for carp, but he is a brilliant all-rounder.

[Peter Waller]

There can be no doubt that the carp industry has thrust changes onto UK angling that is not universally popular. There can also be no doubt that carp have drastically changed the naturel environment of many of our fisheries. There can be no doubt that the UK is now awash with the things and that the UK media is obsessed with them. Take all that into consideration then I can understand why not every UK angler is having a love affair with them! Pike are naturel, indigenous fish to the vast majority of UK waters, carp are not.

[dapper64]

No, not anti anything Darren.

 

I just don't like the way angling is going, carp are just about everywhere now, even a match at Ullerskelf was won with them!

I just like a mix, and a choice when I go fishing, but because of inane stocking policies by some people, that choice is slowly being taken away.

The after effects of this years floods will, (IMO) be seen for years to come, and carp (and some 'exotics'), will see off some of the traditional angling in this country.

But I'm a well known pessimist, so I would say that wouldn't I?

 

John.

I think I know where you're coming from,a couple of still waters were I fish have a few big carp in them they have obviously been there a lot of years ,the ballance must be just right because obviously they can't all be the same sex yet we are not over crowded with small ones .they are really quite hard to catch and people tend not to target them which means you fish can these waters for the species you want without all the pegs being taken .the new up and comeing trend seems to be commercials stocking barble ,it just doesn't seem right surely its more satisfying trying to catch them in their natural environment than in such an artificial one.

[lutra]

Yes I did say that Otters have no place on a fishery, and I still stand by that.

Sorry to drag this one back up Den. Just wondering what your interpretation of the word fishery is as it reads to me like you would be happy to see some of are less number native species confined to the zoo in pursuit of your pleasures.

[lutra]

Well Barbel (a fish that is adapted to living in well oxygenated flowing water and know to suffer when captured in low poorly oxygenated times) in heavily fished still waters, what can i say? Not only is it fitting that its brought up here as it takes the mickey out of the term All-rounder, But should be one for the courts under cruelty laws if you ask me.

[Guest Rabbit]

I wouldn't say your a pessimist on this one John.

 

There's been a few carp in my beloved Ribble for years and some quite nice ones to 10-20lb. But only a few and they have never been a problem. Id even go as far as to say a nice change every year or two when one turned up when I was Barbel fishing.

 

The bad thing is that last year i caught about six in the 2-6lb bracket and know others have been catching them to. Now these aren't fish that have bred as they have just suddenly appeared at that size. So someone is responsible for it one way or another and i think it needs to stop before it dose become a problem.

 

Transporting a carp when i catch one to some where there not a problem is not an option so smacking them on the head and leaving them in the bushes if they do become a problem is the best bet in my view. At least the foxes will like me for a change.

 

So would you ''smack them on the head''

It's not for you to 'cull' fish, because it doesn't suit your perspective of how a fishery should be.

I have heard of Pike and Zander being persecuted, which is done out of complete ignorance, and you think the carp deserve the same treatment.

I hope this is a wind up, can't imagine any member of an angling forum admitting to doing such a thing, without an element of mischief.

Tell us you must be kidding?

[Guest Rabbit]

PS Peter W, I got your joke even if no-one else did

 

 

How do you know that? I mean it take's one to......

Edited September 21, 2007 by Rabbit

[lutra]

So would you ''smack them on the head''

It's not for you to 'cull' fish, because it doesn't suit your perspective of how a fishery should be.

I have heard of Pike and Zander being persecuted, which is done out of complete ignorance, and you think the carp deserve the same treatment.

I hope this is a wind up, can't imagine any member of an angling forum admitting to doing such a thing, without an element of mischief.

Tell us you must be kidding?

Sorry I'm not aware that there is anything wrong with smacking a fish on the head as a way of killing it.

 

The culling of carp was merely a suggestive view and i was really hoping some one would come up with a better way of controlling these illegally stocked or escaped invasive pests before they take all our waters over. fancy a go?

 

ignorance, mischief, kidding not words i was thinking of.