What is Good and Bad About Fishing Today?

[TF_One Out of the Frame]

I had a surprising number of telephone conversations after I posted my mobile number with a view to helping someone coach their son on fishing. As most of these people were either people I had fished with regularly or met through this site I thought I would start a debate that seemed to be pervasive through most of the calls that I had.

Is fishing better today?

Personally, I’ve enjoyed sea fishing better recently on the grounds that I never knew what I was going to catch next (That falls into line with what Kagger TNB said in the AT thread) and I didn’t NEED to have very latest whatever to catch!

As I literally am about to get back on the bank I would welcome your thoughts: About a decade ago I was fishing a match at Kingfisher Lake behind Makin’s at Wolvey and Mick (a builder whose name escapes me) came over to me and told me I was chucking too short. He hadn’t got back to his peg before I was into a carp! Would that sort of thing go on now or is everyone self-centred?

[TF_AnthonywatersParticipant]

The opportunity we have now is a good thing the choices we now have to have a good days fishing are endless I think everyone has a commercial of some sort on their door step giving guaranteed sport ( unless your Scottish ) A bad thing about fishing today has to be some of the mickey mouse methods that have evolved take your pick……………rattler,floating pole, method feeder !

[TF_Smed]

good thing, endless variety, endless places to go, endless tactics (not all of em micky mouse)

bad thing, tackle companys charging over the odds for plastic bits of tat and crap bait!

[TF_proper tidal boy]

at willingshurst today listening to MICK THE BOOKIE moaning aboui the pegging and payout of sections he was not a happy bunny ??? air was BLUE lmao :p

[TF_JohnH]

Best thing about fishing is the quality of gear and information available, worst is moaners and cheats with a win at all cost mindset.

[TF_mauler7]

Good thing , the standard of Mr Average has improved considerably

Bad thing , the cost of top end gear , the new Z12 for example, I wonder how much its costs to make, shocking.

[TF_pr@ngler]

What’s good and bad about fishing today? Where to start?

GOOD:
* Best kit ever
* Most affordable kit ever (as a proportion of average disposable income)
* Many venues where more and larger fish can be caught
* Still a great angling fraternity

BAD
* Coarse angling is decadent evidenced by:
* Over-emphasis on kit
* Over-specialisation (ie venue experts)
* Over-emphasis on commercial fisheries as opposed to ‘natural’ venues
* State of fisheries, over-pegging and health of fish in some venues
* People get fed up with lack of unexpected, lack of variety etc
* You don’t think that the fish you catch are wild any more (I know fish have always been caught over and over again, but it’s the way that we think that is important). If that’s the case, is it really fishing?
* Focus on commercials is a distraction from the causes of the decline of more natural venues
* Natural venues harmed by over-abstraction, predation, release of hormones via sewage and other systems
* Over-emphasis on commercials reinforces the notion that natural venues are not good, not safe etc.
* Rise of commercials has reinforced the idea that fishing is about catching fish. But fishing is about trying to catch fish. There’s a big difference
* Availability of large nets of fish makes blanking unbearable.
* Fewer kids coming into the sport.
* Over-emphasis on kit, rise of commercials that cost and the banning of kids at some commercials reduces new people coming into the sport.
* I suspect there’s never been more angling writing, but the quality is not great and there’s self-plagiarism. The magic is missing, and that is needed to bring new people in and sustain those already here
* Relationship between some parts of the angling press and the tackle manufacturers doesn’t assist informed choice by anglers

All just my opinion of course!

[TF_Swimfeeder]

I find it hard to state what is good about match fishing these days, it has changed so much, particularly team fishing.

What is the most significantly bad thing about match angling now?

Well, I believe open match angling is no longer a “working man’s” sport, it is far removed from that because there are so many “full time ” anglers lining up to take the money, this makes competing too one sided and reduces the numbers competing, I think most of them are sad bastards to be honest and I do not have a lot of time for them, I certainly admire an angler that works full time and can still compete.

[TF_Gary]

GOOD: Getting to go fishing

BAD: Not getting to go fishing enough

[TF_caster robParticipant]

Excellent posts by Bob and pr@ngler, especially about angling “writing”.

[TF_moto46]

I would say ‘good’ is the quality and variety of tackle on offer. Bad is a lack of interest / sport on natural venues, im lucky in Norfolk but feel sorry for people who are near to and only fish commercials which is great for some but doesnt have the magic in it for me.

100lb carp on a commercial or 20lb silvers on a river?? No Contest!!! see you on the rivers 🙂

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