Jump to content

Am I too far gone, to ever return?


gozzer

Recommended Posts

As most will know, my angling days have been very few and far between this last few years. This has been partially through, ill health, and a general disillusionment with the coarse angling scene. I haven't cast a line in anger for about 2yrs now, or been in a tackle shop/store. Since I retired last year, and with the help of my GP, my health is much better, and I was planning to make June 16th my 'come back' date.

With this in the back of my mind, I went to the opening of a new 'Go Outdoors' store in Leeds. My, or I should say my wifes, main reason was a free discount card, and at least an extra 15% of the discount card price.

I wandered off to look at what tackle they had on offer, not a great selection, but enough to occupy myself with, while my wife and daughter took in the rest of the store. A guy came and asked if I wanted any help, I declined, "just browsing". When I started looking closer at the gear, I noticed that about 60% was carp related, the other 40% made up of general coarse, spinning/predator, fly fishing, sea fishing, with a bit of cross over stuff, bags, nets etc. These proportions were roughly what I expected so no surprise there. As I looked round I started to feel uneasy, out of place, not 'at home' as I always used to be when surrounded by tackle, and in the company of other anglers. I couldn't settle, and when the assistant came back to ask how I was doing, I said I was looking at rods and reels for 'general/mixed' coarse fishing, and that I wasn't into the 'carp scene'. "Oh, you must be a match angler then", he said, pointing at some pellet wagglers in the rack. "No, I said I'm not into carp", I said. He stared at me as if I had just uttered the sentence in Chinese, completely puzzled. I just shook my head, said "Never mind", and went off to find my wife.

I thought about it for a while after, and apart from the reaction of the assistant, and the choice of gear, I couldn't explain the uneasy feeling, the feeling of being in an almost 'alien' place.

I'm almost too scared to try a proper tackle shop, (if I can find one), in case that feeling is still there with me.

 

John.

  • Like 1

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly, stop caring about what other people think. Just go out and fish, just because some retail employee doesnt understand your fishing ideas doesnt mean there is anything wrong with either person. Pop into a proper tackeshop, buy a few bits, who cares about brands, just buy what best suits your needs and get out fishing. Of course angling is dominated by carp fishing now days but thats just the way it is, buy a few bits, sit by a river/lake and catch some fish, ultimately thats all any of us want to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As others have said Go Outdoors does not really represent your general tackle shop. The next day the chap who seemed confused by your reply could well be working in the picnic section or on ski wear, he may know absolutly nothing about fishing.

 

There are plenty of huge warehouse style tackle shops out there who may or may not be better but your smaller family business does in general offer a better experience even if the saturday boys are carp obsessed.

 

If you can find a small local shop chances are it will be full of Carp tackle and bait but in genetral the staff do seem to know a lot about coarse fishing and I have found even if you cant see it on display they often have it out back or will order it for you. My local tackle shop is almost all Carp gear but so far there has not been a thing I have wanted that they dont have stored away some where or are not willing to place on order. If most of your customers are interested in Carp it makes sense to have that on display to encourage those impulse buys.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a local Carporium, but I have two other tackle shops. There's a more traditional match focused shop, but the one I have been using recently has a real mixture of gear. It's got carp stuff, obviously, and carp-focused match stuff too, but also a really good lure fishing section and a lot of traditional coarse angling gear. I was amazed the other day to find that they sell pinkies - I've not seen them in years, I bought a pint for old time's sake!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, a 'proper' tackle shop is what I think I need. My local closed down a few years ago, so I'll have to scout around for something similar.

It wasn't what other people thought/think about me Sebn. I think most on here who have read my posts will realise that not a problem with me, I am what I am like it or not. :D

 

It was a strange feeling, I started out with a degree of enthusiasm, but that slowly waned, until I felt uneasy. I didn't go in specifically to buy any tackle, I did buy a couple of fleeces at a good price, in the main store though.

There was some decent gear among the 'lesser' stuff Ian. Okuma, Shimano, Shakespeare etc, all at reasonable prices, especially with the extra 15% off.

I'm geared mainly for fishing light, (old school), so I was looking for something with a little bit more backbone to take slightly heavier lines, and a general upgrade of my gear.

 

John.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

See, something designed and marketed for carp match fishing might be just the ticket for chub or tench - you can always get some spray paint and cover up the graphics!

 

Anderoo has been seen fishing Farmoor for trout with a very useful extended landing net handle with "Carp Baggin' Machine" adorning the handle, I keep trying to get him to paint over the uncouth text! :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

See, something designed and marketed for carp match fishing might be just the ticket for chub or tench - you can always get some spray paint and cover up the graphics!

 

Anderoo has been seen fishing Farmoor for trout with a very useful extended landing net handle with "Carp Baggin' Machine" adorning the handle, I keep trying to get him to paint over the uncouth text! :)

 

I always had my doubts about Andrew, with good reason it seems. ;)

 

I got over the labelling of tackle early in my youth, when I used to land decent barbel and chub on what was classed as 'roach' tackle. (I'll have to tell that story sometime).

I don't want any 2lb+ TC rods, or 'big pit' reels, just a nice 1.5lb 13ft rod with a middle and tip action, and probably a couple of reels. I'll have to crawl into the shed to have a look at my gear, after 2 years of neglect, and even more for some of it!

 

John.

  • Like 1

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't really know of any rods in 1.5lb test at 13ft, they all seem to be 11 or 12ft in that power rating.

Only ones I can truly reccommend in that test curve are the Hardys marksman and superos, the 12ft supero barbel is seriously good!

Shimano X-Aero Baitrunners are nice reelBAitrunner do them in smaller sizes also, 2500 and 4000.

Stradics in their various sizes take some beating for float and leger/feeder fishing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.