Comments on: Red Letter Days…. http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days Fishing4Fun is the UK's leading online coarse fishing magazine Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Terry http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3144 Terry Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:47:27 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3144 I have found that most of the top anglers have confidence in the methods they use and will only take maybe 2 or 3 baits and fish them all the way through the match. Where as a lot of anglers turn up and try copy other peoples methods and end up wasting a lot of time feeding swims and fishing method they are not used to. I have found most of the top open anglers keep it as simple as possible and not over complicating things. I have found that most of the top anglers have confidence in the methods they use and will only take maybe 2 or 3 baits and fish them all the way through the match. Where as a lot of anglers turn up and try copy other peoples methods and end up wasting a lot of time feeding swims and fishing method they are not used to. I have found most of the top open anglers keep it as simple as possible and not over complicating things.

]]> By: Stuart http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3143 Stuart Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:22:42 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3143 I cannot argue with any of that. Ticky D. I agree absolutely, No one is shy about telling you what they did because, as you have said, there is a lot more to fishing than how you lasso your pellet or whether you lift and drop it etc etc, it is a knack that you learn and I think we all know this. The thing is, there are only a few anglers who, as Tom suggests, look at match fishing with the goal of striving for years, to become as good as those top anglers who are more dedicated and experienced, the rest just want to fish in a match where all the anglers there are as good as they are...... it is never going to happen of course at any kind of top level and apart from handicapping the better anglers, just for being better, what can you do? nothing! Like Ticky D, I have had some good teachers in my few years in the sport but I personally feel that the biggest edge is fishing regularly. I think that you can get by with just one method that you can fish well and that this will be enough on the knowledge front in most cases. having the up to date knowledge of the water you are fishing, how much you need to catch to compete and even, what you are fishing for! is equally as important in a match and it is this that you lack if you dont get on the bank enough. When you are sitting next to a guy who knows every peg, where every bar is, what size the fish are, whether you can fish maggot or will get plagues by bits if you do, if paste is working on that water etc etc. I just think that these aspects are more important. Of course some guys can fish paste or pellet better than others but fishing any of these methods well enough to catch is not hard, it is the other factors that mean you dont waste an hour in a five hour match, thats 20% more fishing straight away that the next guy. It has been said many times before that the top anglers dont do anything different and I know this. I have fished matches when I was unable to really fish, but I went along just to watch and they do nothing different, it is more about WHAT to do and WHEN to do it rather than how you do it. All of the above applies to feeding too of course. I cannot argue with any of that. Ticky D. I agree absolutely, No one is shy about telling you what they did because, as you have said, there is a lot more to fishing than how you lasso your pellet or whether you lift and drop it etc etc, it is a knack that you learn and I think we all know this. The thing is, there are only a few anglers who, as Tom suggests, look at match fishing with the goal of striving for years, to become as good as those top anglers who are more dedicated and experienced, the rest just want to fish in a match where all the anglers there are as good as they are…… it is never going to happen of course at any kind of top level and apart from handicapping the better anglers, just for being better, what can you do? nothing! Like Ticky D, I have had some good teachers in my few years in the sport but I personally feel that the biggest edge is fishing regularly. I think that you can get by with just one method that you can fish well and that this will be enough on the knowledge front in most cases. having the up to date knowledge of the water you are fishing, how much you need to catch to compete and even, what you are fishing for! is equally as important in a match and it is this that you lack if you dont get on the bank enough. When you are sitting next to a guy who knows every peg, where every bar is, what size the fish are, whether you can fish maggot or will get plagues by bits if you do, if paste is working on that water etc etc. I just think that these aspects are more important. Of course some guys can fish paste or pellet better than others but fishing any of these methods well enough to catch is not hard, it is the other factors that mean you dont waste an hour in a five hour match, thats 20% more fishing straight away that the next guy. It has been said many times before that the top anglers dont do anything different and I know this. I have fished matches when I was unable to really fish, but I went along just to watch and they do nothing different, it is more about WHAT to do and WHEN to do it rather than how you do it. All of the above applies to feeding too of course.

]]> By: Ticky d http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3141 Ticky d Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:12:32 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3141 Here is my five pennies worth, I used to fish club matches with stewart when he was living up in London and he also encouraged me get go into some opens with him and we did a lot of travelling together, I was the pools foder, I almost set up a standing order every month to give him my pools money direct and cut out the middle man. Anyway the point is although he beat me easily, he was also straight about giving advice on how to fish and didn't hold anything back, if I asked a straight question I got a very truthful and long answer. I think the point is all anybody has to do is ask one of the stars what they did on a given day and most of the time they will tell all, because they know they will 9 times out of 10 still beat you because they are a better angler, it isn't about luck. I did manage to beat Stewart twice of the next peg and he was the first person to come up shake my hand and say well done. Here is my five pennies worth, I used to fish club matches with stewart when he was living up in London and he also encouraged me get go into some opens with him and we did a lot of travelling together, I was the pools foder, I almost set up a standing order every month to give him my pools money direct and cut out the middle man. Anyway the point is although he beat me easily, he was also straight about giving advice on how to fish and didn’t hold anything back, if I asked a straight question I got a very truthful and long answer. I think the point is all anybody has to do is ask one of the stars what they did on a given day and most of the time they will tell all, because they know they will 9 times out of 10 still beat you because they are a better angler, it isn’t about luck. I did manage to beat Stewart twice of the next peg and he was the first person to come up shake my hand and say well done.

]]> By: Terry http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3140 Terry Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:46:14 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3140 Cheers Stewart if you get any other info please let me know. Terry Cheers Stewart if you get any other info please let me know.
Terry

]]> By: Tom http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3139 Tom Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:31:32 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3139 Couldn't agree more Stewart, Couldn’t agree more Stewart,

]]> By: Stewart http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3138 Stewart Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:13:09 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3138 Hi Terry That sounds like a great weeks fishing! I have not been fishing Gwinear on a regular basis so don’t feel qualified to give you peg numbers. Andy Dare or Chris Hancock are your men for that info. Phase 1 has the bigger fish and the far bank (right as you look at it) is slightly better for the carp. There is a huge head of good skimmers in here ignore them at your peril! They love caster. The 1st and last pegs on the near bank are great fishing long to the bank. Phase 3 has plenty of carp and some good skimmers. At the moment feeding micros is the key and fishing corn or paste on the hook. September will more than likely be pellet. Penvose and Lakeview I have never fished so cannot help. Janet will be able to help you at Mawgan Porth. Hopefully I will have some updates here for you on how it’s fishing. I suspect caster and maggot and soft hook pellet will be making an impact at the end of Sept. Best wishes Hi Terry
That sounds like a great weeks fishing! I have not been fishing Gwinear on a regular basis so don’t feel qualified to give you peg numbers. Andy Dare or Chris Hancock are your men for that info. Phase 1 has the bigger fish and the far bank (right as you look at it) is slightly better for the carp. There is a huge head of good skimmers in here ignore them at your peril! They love caster. The 1st and last pegs on the near bank are great fishing long to the bank. Phase 3 has plenty of carp and some good skimmers. At the moment feeding micros is the key and fishing corn or paste on the hook. September will more than likely be pellet.
Penvose and Lakeview I have never fished so cannot help. Janet will be able to help you at Mawgan Porth. Hopefully I will have some updates here for you on how it’s fishing. I suspect caster and maggot and soft hook pellet will be making an impact at the end of Sept.
Best wishes

]]> By: Stewart http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3137 Stewart Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:48:36 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3137 Wow, that caused some debate! Thanks for your opinions on the subject of failing match attendances. It is interesting what you say. This is my take on the subject; it’s not meant to wind any person up it’s just how I got into match fishing and some thoughts on what the meaning of match fishing is to me. Personally I would love to see a united circuit in deepest SW where we have good turnouts on a variety of waters. I first started fishing a long time ago in fact it's getting on for fifty years! I enjoyed pleasure fishing as a kid but soon the lure of match fishing took hold. I used to fish in senior matches that allowed juniors to attend and I have to say I was hooked. In my early 20's I held down a professional career that lasted 30 years. I started fishing club matches some I won and others I lost, mostly I lost! I was also married and we had three boys, my daughter came along much later. I was fortunate to be able to go fishing and it was only match fishing that interested me. Club matches lost their interest to me and soon I was getting a drubbing week in week out by the likes of Steve Gardner, Steve Sanders, Kenny Collings and other greats like a very young Will Raison. But fishing against and talking to these anglers taught me loads and believe me I am still learning from better anglers than I ever will be. I do not consider myself in the same league as any of the anglers I have mentioned, and believe me there are many others to add to the few above. But by competing against them I have been able to on occasions hold my own and frame / win a few. But it has taken a lot of determination in what is a sport that you have to put the time and effort in. The meaning of ‘match’ to me means contest, competition, a challenge and if I am involved I fish to win. I do not like to think that I am there to make up the numbers, if that is in your mind then indeed you will be fodder. In the vast majority of the matches in my area it is not the money that spurs me on personally, prize money is on the low side and is quite rightly spread around in larger section payouts for fewer anglers in sections. That said I enjoy putting an envelope in my back pocket just like everybody else. I cannot understand people that call themselves matchmen and shy away from competition. They then fish other matches where they obviously think they can win. Is it because they think can win against weaker opposition? If so is that not hypercritical? What happens when someone becomes a venue expert there and starts taking all the coin? Where do you go next? Believe me anglers need a broad experience to be able to compete on any open circuit. Experience on water is also useful and personally I have loads of failures that I recount whilst learning a water. When Tom first asked me to write for this website I agreed on condition it was ‘warts and all’ this I have done detailing every match that I have fished since. For those that read my ramblings you will notice that I can go weeks without winning anything. Take the spring and autumn festivals for instance; I don’t think I won a penny! It is not just that standard, I have struggled and I am often beaten on our local waters. I have thought long and hard as to whether or not I am good enough to fish at festival level but I have entered again this Autumn to take on the stars, I have the desire to be there amongst my peers. There is one thing for sure no angler is unbeatable BUT if you think you cannot beat the anglers on the next peg then believe me you will fail. Wow, that caused some debate! Thanks for your opinions on the subject of failing match attendances. It is interesting what you say. This is my take on the subject; it’s not meant to wind any person up it’s just how I got into match fishing and some thoughts on what the meaning of match fishing is to me. Personally I would love to see a united circuit in deepest SW where we have good turnouts on a variety of waters.
I first started fishing a long time ago in fact it’s getting on for fifty years! I enjoyed pleasure fishing as a kid but soon the lure of match fishing took hold. I used to fish in senior matches that allowed juniors to attend and I have to say I was hooked. In my early 20′s I held down a professional career that lasted 30 years. I started fishing club matches some I won and others I lost, mostly I lost! I was also married and we had three boys, my daughter came along much later. I was fortunate to be able to go fishing and it was only match fishing that interested me. Club matches lost their interest to me and soon I was getting a drubbing week in week out by the likes of Steve Gardner, Steve Sanders, Kenny Collings and other greats like a very young Will Raison. But fishing against and talking to these anglers taught me loads and believe me I am still learning from better anglers than I ever will be.
I do not consider myself in the same league as any of the anglers I have mentioned, and believe me there are many others to add to the few above. But by competing against them I have been able to on occasions hold my own and frame / win a few. But it has taken a lot of determination in what is a sport that you have to put the time and effort in.
The meaning of ‘match’ to me means contest, competition, a challenge and if I am involved I fish to win. I do not like to think that I am there to make up the numbers, if that is in your mind then indeed you will be fodder. In the vast majority of the matches in my area it is not the money that spurs me on personally, prize money is on the low side and is quite rightly spread around in larger section payouts for fewer anglers in sections. That said I enjoy putting an envelope in my back pocket just like everybody else.
I cannot understand people that call themselves matchmen and shy away from competition. They then fish other matches where they obviously think they can win. Is it because they think can win against weaker opposition? If so is that not hypercritical? What happens when someone becomes a venue expert there and starts taking all the coin? Where do you go next? Believe me anglers need a broad experience to be able to compete on any open circuit. Experience on water is also useful and personally I have loads of failures that I recount whilst learning a water.
When Tom first asked me to write for this website I agreed on condition it was ‘warts and all’ this I have done detailing every match that I have fished since. For those that read my ramblings you will notice that I can go weeks without winning anything. Take the spring and autumn festivals for instance; I don’t think I won a penny! It is not just that standard, I have struggled and I am often beaten on our local waters. I have thought long and hard as to whether or not I am good enough to fish at festival level but I have entered again this Autumn to take on the stars, I have the desire to be there amongst my peers.
There is one thing for sure no angler is unbeatable BUT if you think you cannot beat the anglers on the next peg then believe me you will fail.

]]> By: Terry Palmer http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3133 Terry Palmer Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:29:36 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3133 Hi Stewart, I am running a small festival at the end of September for 20 anglers. We have two days on Gwinear with 10 anglers phase 1 and 10 anglers on phase 3. What are the best pegs numbers to put in a 10 man section on each lake. Also what stamp of fish are we looking at as we have not fished the water since redevelopment into the three lakes. We have been told one is big carp and the other is stockies and big skimmers. Any info you can give us will be most helpfull. We are also booked on Penvose Farm Match Lake 1 day, Lake View 2 days(10 on each lake) and 2 days on Morgan Porth for 2 days if you have any other info you can give us. Cheers Terry Hi Stewart, I am running a small festival at the end of September for 20 anglers. We have two days on Gwinear with 10 anglers phase 1 and 10 anglers on phase 3. What are the best pegs numbers to put in a 10 man section on each lake. Also what stamp of fish are we looking at as we have not fished the water since redevelopment into the three lakes. We have been told one is big carp and the other is stockies and big skimmers.
Any info you can give us will be most helpfull.
We are also booked on Penvose Farm Match Lake 1 day, Lake View 2 days(10 on each lake) and 2 days on Morgan Porth for 2 days if you have any other info you can give us.
Cheers Terry

]]> By: Stuart http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3132 Stuart Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:23:03 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3132 "I think it is better to look at anglers such as Stewart and Harry doing do well at a venue as reasons to go to a place rather than reasons not to". Sorry Tom but one of us is missing the point, this began with my thoughts on why your "occassional match angler" is not fishing the matches as often now. My commitment to angling or other wise is not important, in fact, I am not important in this at all, the fact is they dont go and that is why, whether you think it's a shame or not, that is what anglers have said to me. I am lucky in that I can afford to match fish and not win.... many guys cannot and it is OK for you to expect them to take it on the chin week after week in the name of learning something, the fact is, not many people want to be forever pools fodder and so they dont fish the matches as much now. Contrary to my last, rather flippant comment, I will be fishing the Silver Fish and the winter league at WA, but I know a lot that won't! “I think it is better to look at anglers such as Stewart and Harry doing do well at a venue as reasons to go to a place rather than reasons not to”.

Sorry Tom but one of us is missing the point, this began with my thoughts on why your “occassional match angler” is not fishing the matches as often now. My commitment to angling or other wise is not important, in fact, I am not important in this at all, the fact is they dont go and that is why, whether you think it’s a shame or not, that is what anglers have said to me. I am lucky in that I can afford to match fish and not win…. many guys cannot and it is OK for you to expect them to take it on the chin week after week in the name of learning something, the fact is, not many people want to be forever pools fodder and so they dont fish the matches as much now. Contrary to my last, rather flippant comment, I will be fishing the Silver Fish and the winter league at WA, but I know a lot that won’t!

]]> By: Tom http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/stewarts-blog/red-letter-days/comment-page-1#comment-3131 Tom Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:07:41 +0000 http://www.fishing4fun.co.uk/fishing-diaries/red-letter-days#comment-3131 I think its something of a myth that all top anglers are obsessive people with time for nothing else in their lives as you seem to be insinuating Stuart, the vast majority of top anglers I know have wives and girlfriends and full time jobs, and a lot of them only get out once or twice a week. Stewart Lister is perhaps the perfect example, he has a young daughter, a wife and runs his own business as well as competing at the highest level. Obviously, having time to prepare and practise and fish a lot of matches is very helpful if you have got it, but plenty of people who live 'normal' lives like you do really well in fishing. As long as you enjoy your fishing that is the main thing, but I think it is better to look at anglers such as Stewart and Harry doing do well at a venue as reasons to go to a place rather than reasons not to. I think its something of a myth that all top anglers are obsessive people with time for nothing else in their lives as you seem to be insinuating Stuart, the vast majority of top anglers I know have wives and girlfriends and full time jobs, and a lot of them only get out once or twice a week. Stewart Lister is perhaps the perfect example, he has a young daughter, a wife and runs his own business as well as competing at the highest level.

Obviously, having time to prepare and practise and fish a lot of matches is very helpful if you have got it, but plenty of people who live ‘normal’ lives like you do really well in fishing.

As long as you enjoy your fishing that is the main thing, but I think it is better to look at anglers such as Stewart and Harry doing do well at a venue as reasons to go to a place rather than reasons not to.

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