Let's talk fishing

[Broughtonblue]

My dad took me course fishing as a youngster and taught me all i know, then continued into my 20's. Now in my 50's and have only dabbled every now and again. Having recently moved to Norfolk i was thinking of having a go at sea fishing off the beach, but have just discovered this little beauty just 5 mins from my front door, been a few times and it really does relax me, you can solve a lot of problems whilst sitting on the bank. Like others have said, if you want to spend hundreds of pounds then you can, but im still using my 30 year old rod, reel etc, only ever float fish as anything else seems far too technical, and have only used the good old staples of bread, sweetcorn and cheese. Dont even bother with maggots now. Still tempted to have a go at beach fishing (when the weather warms up!) But as i dont eat fish it seems a waste.
For anyone with mental problems i would thoroughly recommend fishing as a way to relax and unwind

 

[delb0y]

I finally managed to get out again - even though it's the close season (local canal is still open to fish), and even though it was only for an hour and a half.

I bought half a pint of maggots, strapped the rod and landing net to the bike, took a minimum of kit, and off I went. I should have taken a camera because where I fished was gorgeous - it's on the non-accessible side of the canal, and is leased by the angling club off a farmer, and to get there you cycle through a few fields. Had there been no fishing on the end of it, it would have still been a great ride.

Only caught a single bream, but it was more about proving that it's still doable by bike. I have one of these:

and I thought it might be heavy / uncomfortable on my bike, but it wasn't, and inside I could easily fit a box of tackle, the tin of maggots, a bag of groundbait, tin of hooks, box of floats, and a reel. I still didn't use any of the outside pockets. And I still didn't use 80% of what I took anyway. I have a single pannier on my bike and that accommodated the unhooking mat and flask of coffee (and inner tubes, and cycling tools).

Altogether it was very easy, and next time, I might try a little further afield.

 

[oldworld]

Keen fisherman in my youth, twenties and thirties. Mostly matches but got fed up with fish being returned to the water only to die.
I used barb less hooks but every now and again a fish would take the bait and hook right down. A horrible process trying to remove the hook without tearing into the fish.
I don't condemn the sport but it's not something I enjoy doing now. I always stop and chat with an angler to see how he's doing. Best of all is watching someone playing a large fish.
When I lived in Romsey we saw a chap fishing from his garden and he had a large fish he was trying to land. What a tussle, it must have gone on for over half an hour. When finally landed it was a large salmon. I gave him some applause and he said he was going to put it back, more likely into the freezer!

 

[numbnuts]

I've not been beach fishing since the covid started.

 

[MichaelW2]

Does angling have much to teach a person who wants to catch and eat a fish in a wilderness survival situation? I cant imagine learning eveything about angling but I know nothing about how to catch a fish for dinner.

 

[numbnuts]

Does angling have much to teach a person who wants to catch and eat a fish in a wilderness survival situation? I cant imagine learning eveything about angling but I know nothing about how to catch a fish for dinner.

Most fish in rivers in the UK are owned, so you can't just turn up and catch fish, beach fishing is different you can catch what you like, but that is governed by size limits, anything under size has to go back.

 

[oldwheels]

As an aside to my post about the Nelly and Leslie "smack" . At about the same time (60years approx. ago) l lived just outside Boston Lincs. and my mates and l spent almost all of our time out on the marshes and mudflats around the Wash.
One form of "fishing" we used to pursue was what we called "Butt stanging" . This required you to wade through the water at low tide with an implement like a rake except the "tines" pointed forward not at 90degess to the handle. You had to go barefoot so that you could feel the flatfish , Butts as we called them. The fish would lift off from the mud shoot forward a bit then settle down again , giving you the chance to stab it with your "Butt stang" . For reasons best known to ourselves we usually carried out this ritual in the early and late part of the year , just before the duck shooting season . Boy was it cold.
l would be interested if anyone else has heard of or even tried this method of "fishing" !

They do or at least used to in the Solway Firth. Cannot remember any local name but here probably was one. There was certainly an annual competition but again my memory is faint.

 

[oldwheels]

I used to try for salmon and sea trout in the River Leven at Balloch but too many others in that area had the same idea. Did some fly fishing in small lochs in Sutherland but never got much.
Done a lot of sea fishing for food species off Mull, Ardnamurchan and in the Tiree passage. Many species are now virtually fished to extinction. We used to drift with bait off Tiree and got cod, haddock, whiting as well as the occasional dog and gurnard but latterly the area was empty of fish.
Inshore mackerel, coal fish and pollack mainly. I used to get conger in my creels when I fished for langoustine but put them back mainly.
Never tried for 'trophy " fish such as skate as we fished for food types only. Not interested in anything not edible.
Dived for oysters and scallops with sometimes lobster and crab if they were big enough.

 

[delb0y]

Here we go, a couple of photos from the mobile phone:

 

[simongt]

Here we go, a couple of photos from the mobile phone:

And a perfect modern example of how fishing shoud be done; simplicity - !
My neighbour, a fishing nut, has to use a Transit van to haul all his 'essential gear' about whenever he goes down to the river - !

 

[rockyroller]

Here we go, a couple of photos from the mobile phone:

how are you carrying that pole? a cpl of velcro straps?

 

[delb0y]

how are you carrying that pole? a cpl of velcro straps?

There's a rack on the bike that you can't really see on the photo - and a bungee cord wrapped around it - so that holding down the landing net and two rods at the back of the bike, and a plastic strap (soon to be replaced by velcro at the front). The pannier is small - so there's opportunity to carry more there, and the rack, could accommodate something, if I needed more. But for what I do, I'm happy, save for my cycling action, - left-leg wise - needing to be adjusted to accommodate the rods. That's the only thing that might make longer trips awkward.

Derek

 

[Hicky]

I started as a kid myself some 30 years ago and have pitched up at the bank with son number two in tow(he wanted to start). We're fortunate to have a fantastic complex 1/2 mile away from home with some varied ponds and stock. There is work to be done on site and he's keen to help get stuck in and is no stranger to work parties. Sunday just gone he banked and unhooked three carp all +8lb all by his todd.
I must admit the push for n+1 for fishing kit is worse seemingly than bikes.

 

[FishFright]

For the first time in recent years I won't be renewing my rod licence . The last 3 years I went 5 times so it's not worth the money, sadly I just don't want to go any more.

 

[Drago]

My Grandad was a bit of a fishist, but I'm afraid say I know nothing about it,