Now this has been on my mind for a while and is just a personal ‘vent’ certainly not a dig at anyone.
My first ever fishing session, many years ago, was pretty uneventful; I think I caught a couple of small roach, but what a day! Middle of summer, a rod, reel, line, hook, float & bait that was about it and I fished this way for quite a while. For many years I gained my experience by mistakes, successes and knowledge from the one book bought for me by my parents.
I’ve grown up with the love of fishing, the places you go and the experiences you have. Over time I learnt more about the types of fish, habitats, methods of fishing, baits etc and enjoyed more and more the time I’d set out for a day and night with the intention of targeting a certain fish with certain methods, the challenge & the results were the fishing addiction for me.
Setting nostalgia aside I’m sure I’m not the only angler who is astounded by the community which seems to be carp orientated and spend all their efforts in going after ‘the big one’. So many young ‘anglers’ seem to be going straight into fishing for carp, for the size of the fish,. Advertising is flooding the markets with Big gear, Big baits, Big fish!!
Why am I so frustrated? Well everyone is different and I know the exhilaration a big carp can bring but I do feel that so many budding young anglers are missing what fishing is all about.
Speaking with a seasoned angler on the bank this summer my feelings were summed up to me very simply;
“These ‘muddy puddles’ (referring to a fishery) are all very good but you do find yourself catching the same fish all the time, where as fishing a half decent river, whether after a certain type of fish or just a general ‘lets see what we get’ kind of attitude, taking in the surroundings, in the middle of nature, well – it just sets for a fantastic day / night.”
I’m not judging anyone, after all fishing is such a diverse sport and there’s something in it for everyone. I just hope that the younger generation isn’t missing what I had when I started out fishing, the sheer fun and enjoyment of a days fishing no matter what the result.
And before anyone comments, yes most of the trips detailed on this site so far have resulted in carp catches, yes they’ve been good days but I’m yearning to get back to some good rivers hopefully soon. Maybe that proves my point, maybe not.
