What is a 'true' angler?

[awaaar]

"I do know that when I plan to go fishing the next day that the excitement is so fierce that it stops me sleeping, that has never changed since when I started as a lad.I pray it never does.."

 

along with that statement, and Budgies earlier post (quality).....that's my idea of a "true angler"

 

tight lines

[chevin]

Who decides whether or not an angler is "true" enough to contribute to the ACA?

[RUDD]

Everytime I see a piece of water my first thought is "What lives under the water?"

It could be a stream, a lake, an ocean, a garden pond, a river or a canal.

It drives my wife mad.

The first things I look for once a piece of water is spotted are likely looking fish holding features.

This also drives the wife mad as I chirp on and on.

I have seen so much water on my travels with no anglers present it drives me mad (especialy stretchs of river).

Most of my spare time (when the kids are in bed) is spent reading or watching angling media or making rigs / fiddling with tackle etc.

This drives the wife mad.

 

All of my friends, family and work mates class me as an angling fanatic.

One of the first questions I am always asked by any of them is "Been fishing lately" even though they know the answer.

 

I dont care what species I catch or what size.

I dont care what venue I am fishing at.

I dont care what the weather is like.

I dont care what bait or method I am using (as long as it is legal and safe).

I just love being beside water, being outside, taking in the surrondings, watching the wildlife and trying to outwit a fish.

While talking to other anglers on the bank I find my eyes drawn to the float, quiver or indicator and my mind willing a bite.

 

I still get the same buzz that I got over 23 years ago when I first went fishing.

I also have a sleepless night before a days angling (more so the night before a match).

 

I have always had a licence and always followed fishery rules.

 

I have more tackle than I will ever need but need every bit of it.

 

I would class myself as a true angler.

I belive I was born with angling in my blood and inherited the patience an angler needs, I have a thirst for more and more angling knowledge and watercraft. My grandfather was the same and was a fanatic until ill health caused him to stop angling.

Over the years I have tried and played various sports, I have been good at most but never anywhere near as good as I am at angling.

I am at my happiest when angling.

( this could be down to the fact that I am in my own world / space and things in real life such as bills, job etc can wait until I have packed my gear away and am on my way home!)

 

Only a true angler will know for sure if they are a true angler.

I know I am.

[Peter M]

A ture angler is an angler who fishes for more than one species and is not an obsessive one trick pony. Doesn't matter how good you are at it just that you have a need to do it. It is the oxygen of your life.

[Eddie]

I am no longer a true angler and have'nt needed to be for decades, but should the need arise I shall revert and expect to be far more successful this time due to the decades spent practicing.

 

The true angler is one who's skill and tackle are used to feed himself and others.

[Peter Waller]

Wordbender:

Wordbender:

But I'm still not convinced about TVs, Playstations and laptops in the bivvy!!

But you're fine with screens that find fish for you, presumably.

 

[ 09. December 2004, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]

[mark barrett]

lovely pic that pete.

 

good spots those bouys as well!!!!!!

[RUDD]

Oi Waller, how many times do I have to tell you to keep away from my back garden!!!!!!!!

[Newt]

Terry - I'm another who makes regular use of a sonar. Most times I'm looking for structure and pay little-to-no attention to 'fish' I see on the screen.

 

But there are several times when I do and I'm in agreement with Peter that most anglers who intended to catch certain species would do the same.

 

Cool weather and the largemouth bass in my area are more likely to laze along under schools or baitfish waiting for one to die and drift down than to be in their usual ambush places. Since the baitfish schools are in open water and usually from 5 to 40 feet below the surface, I certainly use my echo sounder to locate the 'clouds' that signal bait fish and then tweak the sensitivity to see if there are large shapes under them. I will continue to use the sounder to see what depth the school uses and fish a jig a few feet deeper.

 

I love catching blue catfish. Good fighters and they run to over 60lbs in several of my usual lakes. The blues like dead baits from the bottom rather than liking specific sorts of structure. Problem is, they may be on bottom at anywhere from 20 to 90 feet deep depending on their mood and water conditions. Again, I'll use the fish finder feature of my echo sounder to locate large fish on the bottom and make a careful note of the depth.

 

One of the lakes

 

 

 

[Peter Waller]

mark barrett:

 

 

good spots those bouys as well!!!!!!

Catfish floats Mark! Errr, yes you are right, at the right time of the year.

 

Rudd, what do you mean, your backgarden! It's mine!

 

Small compared with Newts, about 130 acres. Biggest carp 36 pounds, but not to me!

 

[ 09. December 2004, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: Peter Waller ]