Sea or coarse?????????

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    • 29/09/2010 at 3:32 pm #42149

      Sammydimple

        Now, before I get shot down this is simply a personal opinion based upon my own experience in my local area; South Devon.

        I used to be of the opinion, being a regular at matches both on beaches and around commercials, that the coarse fishing side of things was far more difficult and that sea fishing was easier but I have come to change my mind. My reasons?

        With commercials being really the only places to find matches these days, down here in the West Country at least, I have had to learn to catch Carp. I have learnt to fish the pole, waggler and method feeder and do okay at open match level. I can fish with paste, pellets, etc, up in the water, on the deck, in the summer when bagging and in the winter when I’m fishing for bites. I’m no Des Ship but I’m competent at least.

        Now, when I fish beach matches in the same area I could be sat on a steep shingle beach on weekend, casting three baits 100+ yards for Doggies, Rays, etc, scratching in a muddy estuary for Flounder, eels and Bass so close in I can still see my leader knot on the beach, float fishing for Garfish and Scad from a stone pier – the different styles of fishing I have had to learn are numerous and varied.

        I’m not for one minute saying that coarse matches are easy – I’d be winning every week if that were true – but I honestly believe that commercials have “dumbed” it down slightly compared to “the good old days” when match anglers regularly fished rivers and canals too.

        I know I’m probably going to get slated for daring to suggest that “chuck it and chance it” sea fishing could possibly be harder to master than commercial matches – a race more than a match in my opinion – but I really think it is.

        Your opinions please.

      • 29/09/2010 at 3:38 pm #117504

        TF_NathanWatson

          Never tried sea fishing so don’t know but from what you say you could be right!

        • 29/09/2010 at 4:14 pm #117508

          TF_Anthonywaters
          Participant

            I think sea fishing is so difficult just because theres no fish left in the sea when you look at sea matches these days they are never won with decent weights 11 ozs and similiar weights sea fishing is just scratching nowadays wherever you go. Commercial fishing is different they are heavily stocked so everyone will usually have a days fishing and the better anglers will excell

          • 29/09/2010 at 4:41 pm #117512

            Anonymous

              Commercial match fishing is more difficult to be successful at in my opinion. However, it does depend on the level of the anglers you are fishing against. Yes, you can catch plenty of fish on commercials. Normally much more than when sea fishing. However, to be very good at any form of match fishing. You have to get everything right if your fishing against the best in our sport. Tackle/methods/baits and technical skills and water craft all need to be good. Thats the same in sea fishing and commercial match fishing. Location is the main key skill for sea match fishing if you have everything else worked out and being done correctly. However, to win regularly in commercial matches against other top quality match anglers. You need to get the feeding just right on commercials or you will struggle and be pools fodder! There are not many sea fishing situations where you need to feed to catch what is in front of you. Sea fishing is a chuck and hope way of fishing if you have the main skills sorted out. You cannot say that about commercial match fishing because of the feeding of your swim issue!

            • 29/09/2010 at 5:12 pm #117516

              TF_caster rob
              Participant

                @Sammydimple:

                “Now, when I fish beach matches in the same area I could be sat on a steep shingle beach on weekend, casting three baits 100+ yards for Doggies, Rays, etc, scratching in a muddy estuary for Flounder, eels and Bass “

                You mean you don’t park behind your peg after devouring an on-site breakfast?

              • 29/09/2010 at 7:27 pm #117536

                TF_simon pavey

                  It’s down to your location Sam. You have the sea on your doorstep. You also have commies, I don’t know if you have any suitable rivers or ressies for a match?
                  But for me and many others living 70 miles from the coast sea fishing is a rare thing. But apart from commies I have the Thames ,Colne, ressies, canals etc which can be every bit as hard to master if you try to do them all…..

                • 29/09/2010 at 7:35 pm #117539

                  Sammydimple

                    True Blue, beach matches definately aren’t chuck it and hope affairs, certainly not pegged events; the same names crop up in the results list confirming that – they can’t always be lucky!!

                    This is true of commercial matches I know; in my area the same names win the majority of the matches just as in sea fishing.

                    Okay so we don’t have to feed to get bites; have you ever tried loose feeding at 150 yards???

                    Instead other skills are need that aren’t needed so much on a commercial, such as the ability to put three baits well past 100 yards in a howling head wind and anchor them on the bottom in fast moving tides.

                    We also can’t just pop in to out local tackle shop to buy the best baits. Sure, king rag, mackerel, etc are easy enough to buy but white rag, maddies and, at times, peeler crab are a different matter all together.

                    It’s true that to fish against the best on a commercial you need to be equally as good, but that’s just the same on a beach. And considering that most coarse anglers tend to stick to just a few local waters, thus becoming venue experts, it’s not that hard to become difficult to beat at your chosen venue.

                    Try that on a shingle beach where the bottoms changing on each tide, or a shallow sandy storm beach with no features like islands to cast to and only slight variations in the wave patterns to let you know where slightly deeper water is lying and it becomes even more difficult.

                    So I will stand by what I said; taking everything in to consideration I honestly think that sea matches can be harder to master than commercials – just for the amount of things that need mastering.

                  • 29/09/2010 at 7:37 pm #117540

                    Sammydimple

                      Simon, I fully accept that it’s just as hard to master canals, rivers etc, as I said in my original post. It’s commercials I’m talking about.

                    • 29/09/2010 at 8:37 pm #117550

                      Anonymous

                        So, being able to cast 150 yards in to a head wind is for sea match fishing what feeding correctly is for commercial course fishing, lol.

                        Having the best/correct bait, tackle, ect are individuals issues and have nothing to do with skill/ability or being a good match angler on any type of venue. The top match anglers in any part of our sport are able to get the best bait and tackle as and when needed.

                        As for commercial match anglers only fishing a few venues. I,ve fished more than 30 commercial match venues this summer. This includes venues as fare north as Yorkshire to as fare south as Cornwall. I live 100 yards from one of the best cod and whiting marks on the River Mersey!

                      • 29/09/2010 at 9:23 pm #117564

                        Daddy B
                        Participant

                          As in all aspects of angling, the top anglers just do things better than others. mostly without even thinking about it consciously.

                        • 30/09/2010 at 9:46 pm #117677

                          TF_D.W.

                            As somebody that has done both sides in question, without any shadow of a doubt, beach angling is a hell of a lot more difficult than fishing a commercial. There is a hell of a lot more watercraft involved with sea angling as well as knowing what species to target given the time of year. Some of the top sea anglers are fishing with gear that wouldn’t look out of place on a commercial fishery before anything thinks that they are all using gear that is the stereotypical view that anglers who haven’t done that side of the sport.

                            TB, the reason why the cod & whiting go to the Mersey is because it is just like both football teams that at close by as well – full of shite!!!! :o) lol

                          • 02/10/2010 at 7:34 pm #117809

                            TF_caster rob
                            Participant

                              Good post Darren. Hard to believe anyone could claim fishing a muddy aquarium whose level barely fluctuates and hardly moves except for a bit of tow equates to the challenge of natural and tidal venues.

                            • 03/10/2010 at 4:02 pm #117838

                              Sammydimple

                                It’s good to see that I’m not the only one with that opinion.

                                Thank you DW – you obviously know your stuff~clap

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