Saturday 11th March… After a cold and fairly dry winter the river was in pristine condition. Nice flow and lightly coloured - reminding me of pint at the local that just has to be returned – and to top it all the temperature was mild and the sun, remember that, was a-shining. In spite of recent statutory changes, this particular Saturday was still, in my mind at least, the ‘last day of the season’. This led me to reflect on what had passed but also look forward to the coming year. While some anglers seem to live the passing of one year to the next as seamlessly as a carp mesh keepnet, I, and I think, many others still feel touched by the three months we call the ‘Closed Season’. It’s at this time when I stop and do a few things that I’d normally just skim over:
Although the above tasks can be a bit of a chore, they’re also quite relaxing and enjoyable in their own right. These are some of the things that make up fishing, and their meticulous undertaking are part of what makes a content and, often, successful angler. However, and this is perhaps because I’m a bit odd (or that’s what some say – I disagree), this time of year is also time for setting goals and planning the coming season, the angler’s ‘new season’s resolutions’ if you like. I like to sit back with a pen and paper and jot down a few things that I would like to achieve in the coming months. Inevitably, as all anglers, size matters, and goals tend to centre around things such as "catch a 10lbs+ barbel" or "catch a bigger (preferred species here)". Not very imaginative I admit, but would you argue with a new PB fish?
Further goals you may set yourself can include technical aspect such as learning to whip a spade end hook, cast a fly, use a multiplier, perfect your long trotting, get really accurate when casting heavy swim feeders, or whatever you personal style may include. Match anglers inevitably want to win. I once set myself the target of always trying to win my section. This was very frustrating and caused me many sleepless nights. Then I was advised to simply try and catch more fish than the two adjacent pegs, and that season I did so in 37 out of 43 matches. The main result was that I won more sections and even whole individual events than any previous season. A lesson I learned in the cut and thrust world of the match angler was to set realistic, achievable goals. What’s the point of saying "this year I will catch a thirty pound pike" if your best ever was 12lbs, I will catch a barbel if there aren’t any in your river? I could stop here, but I don’t agree, even with myself! When I was trying to beat those either side of me, I was constantly thinking about winning the National even though it was three months down the line! I never did as an individual but I did win sections and won twice as a team member. If you really want to catch a thirty then you might catch a twenty, if you want to catch a barbel, then find somebody who does on regular basis and offer to share your knowledge with them! Don’t underestimate your own experience, we can all offer something and we can all learn something from one another. How can you do this? Why not use this site and the forum. You can post an ad. for advice or even set up exchange trips, teach somebody to cast a fly in turn for them taking you float fishing for estuary mullet. There’s nothing we anglers love more than demonstrating our skills and enabling somebody to do something they have never done before. This season I learned loads about deadbaiting on stillwaters from my friend Paul who, in turn, can now do a fair job of trotting a stick float down a quick gravel run. The simple thought here is this: angling is still a sport which is transmitted like the ‘flu from father to son (in my case son to father!) or neighbour to neighbour, friend to friend. The future of the sport we love is dependent upon sharing our knowledge. I didn’t pay anybody to teach me to fish, therefore the price that I pay is by teaching others and passing on the baton, for no more reward than their company and conversation. SO go on, set your self some targets for the 2000/2001 season. And to make it interesting email me with them pete@go-fishing.co.uk and I’ll publish some of the best and try and help myself or by putting you in touch with somebody who can. You can then prove sceptics wrong by telling me when you achieve your goal! Here are some resolutions we should all make:
Tight lines Pete * or woman’s ** I have promised to assist Elton to catch his first ever barbel this year – reputation? What reputation? |
Size or quantity of fish are
closely followed by catching that elusive species that you’ve often dreamt of. For
some people it’s the exotic, the shad, the salmon, the grayling, the zander or the
huge Wels catfish. Slightly more common species may be difficult to catch or rare in your
region, top of the list here is, in my experience is the barbel (like some web-based
angling magazine editors who shall remain nameless**), closely followed by the tench, pike
and, until the recent commercial fishery boom the carp.