Do you lie about your catches

[Ken L]

I admit it. If I've had a blazing day anf Joe Average asks me how I've got on, I'll usually tell him that I've managed a couple of Jacks and either be unspecific or just plain lie about where they were caught.

I tend not to mention the chub trout and perch at all.

 

Why ?

 

Well, I've had people watch me catch and told them the truth in the past and had them appear on the river the next week with noddy gear and a big stick for unhooking pike that have been held down with a boot whilst the operation was performed.

I've also seen idiots target known Pike holding areas with gorge tactics and beachcasters for the anual pike boxing day butchery session.

 

As to the match fraternity, they either seem to want every predator chucked up the bank or they get their collective arses in their hands when they realise that I'm catching more chub and perch than they are.

 

If someone is genuinly intersted in what can be done with lures, I'll tell them and show them but otherwise, 'fraid not.

[david t]

dont see a point in lying.

 

i would only conceal the truth if i thought it would be detrimental to the fishery i was fishing, and to be honest, as i tend to fish the quieter venues, i would say that on average, only one in every five trips do i see someone who asks how i have done and on a few venues i dont ever see anyone who asks what ive caught.

 

also it depends on the person who's asking, if its a slightly abrupt rough specimen hunter, who i feel may exploit me for info then i may diquise it, but if a young novice, or an old novice was to nicely ask, i would tell him where and how, but if i caught a real monster i may still not gives its true size, for fear of word of mouth. but on the whole, i catch few remarkable specimens, so im not too bothered about concealing my captures!

[Alan Stubbs]

What's the point? You're only deluding yourself.

[Mat Hillman]

I fish purely for my own pleasure, I son't really consider myself in competition with anyone else, (apart from when I fish with my brother - he's the competitive one!) and so would only be deluding myself!

 

OTOH I do understand the resoning behind some people keeping quiet about good captures of delicate species such as pike, but as i'm more into catching pretty hardy species such as carp and tench it's not quiet such a concern for me as it would be to a piker!

 

Although I get asked "whats that funny looking reel" more often than I get asked what I've caught!

 

Mat

[Guest Brumagem Phil]

Yeah I lie sometimes. If some donkey dick and his mates turns up I'll do my best to make the water I'm fishing look unappealling (if I want to keep it exclusive). On the whole though I tell it as it is.

[ayjay]

Do you lie about your catches

 

Only to downsize them.

 

If I'm fishing the H.Avon for barbel I never admit to catching more than a couple of small chub.

[A Worm OOE]

You lot are too honest I bought a special pair of arm extensions to demonstrate how big the fish I catch are.

[gozzer]

I understand your reasoning Ken, but I don't fish many popular waters. If I am asked, then like some others on here, it depends on who's asking.

 

Many years ago I was introduced to a small stream in N Yorkshire. About 4 or 5 of us knew about it. For a couple of seasons we were the only ones who fished. Then the guy with the transport moved, so we told a 'close and trusted' friend, (mainly because he had transport and we didn't ). Within a few months the farmer had stopped anyone fishing because of all the cars that were turning up at the site. So because of the 'friends' big mouth, a great free fishery was lost to us, as well as the trust that we'd gained from the farmer.

[seph]

I to keep things pretty much to myself, as I don't want to turn up to a stretch that I have put a lot of hard work and effort in to and find I cannot get a peg.

 

On the other hand, when I fished a lot of day ticket stretches. The owners really exagerated about what had been coming out and how it had been fishing.

[Anderoo]

I'm pretty truthful (for an angler!) More often than not if I'm honest with someone who seems trustworthy, they respond with useful information. I may not tell people about specific swims, but I'll certainly give them enough information to go on. For example, yesterday I helped out an old boy who was flyfishing and he gave me some invaluable information about the coarse fishing prospects on the river. If I'd kept my mouth shut about good stretches and flies nobody would have benefitted.