Future of match fishing

[Dave Spence]

Steve Toone AKA ... ‘ Rip off ‘ would have loved you Dave. ??.

I fished a few of the Toony rip offs at Attenborough mate, happy days

 

[tipitinmick]

Feels like a big gap between the fifty somethings and the younger anglers where I am. Admittedly I don’t fish that many commercials but, it’s not often you see a twenty something on the bank up here. Like I say ... unless they’re all fishing commercials ? With regard matches .... I think the real big matches will always be a draw. I can’t see those falling by the wayside. As for the small 20 to 30 peg opens .... not sure about those. ?

 

[tipitinmick]

I fished a few of the Toony rip offs at Attenborough mate, happy days

Me too. Oh the good old days. You could walk across the breams back on there some days. It was solid. Attracted some big names those matches didn’t they ? Wish I could turn the clock back. We had some right laughs. ?

 

[Dave Spence]

How about an MD 200 pegger on the Trent, I would come home for that one

 

[tipitinmick]

How about an MD 200 pegger on the Trent, I would come home for that one

Now ya talking. Float only though. ??. Hold on .... where’s my John Deene, Pete Warren sticks ? Noooooooo. Make it a feeder match then. ???

 

[The Landlord]

Now ya talking. Float only though. ??. Hold on .... where’s my John Deene, Pete Warren sticks ? Noooooooo. Make it a feeder match then. ???

You getting your Diawa Porky Pig out, Mick?

 

[Dave Spence]

You getting your Diawa Porky Pig out, Mick?

Oy... Don't knock the pig, a fine tool

 

[tipitinmick]

You getting your Diawa Porky Pig out, Mick?

Hey, I saw a new one, never been used apparently on eBay a couple of days ago with a starting bid of ......... Wait for it ......... £140. Wow ! Think my one cost £90 new back in the day. And then I thought I’d been ripped off. ?. I prefer the Daiwa Amorphous 11 / 13’ heavy feeder these days pal. A lot nicer rod. You’ve got me wondering whatever happened to my porky now. No doubt my dad has nicked it out my garage. ????

 

[Dave Spence]

You getting your Diawa Porky Pig out, Mick?

I've still got some Deany and Warren sticks mate

 

[tipitinmick]

Oy... Don't knock the pig, a fine tool

For what ? Sea fishing ? ??

 

[Dave Spence]

Hey, I saw a new one, never been used apparently on eBay a couple of days ago with a starting bid of ......... Wait for it ......... £140. Wow ! Think my one cost £90 new back in the day. And then I thought I’d been ripped off. ?. I prefer the Daiwa Amorphous 11 / 13’ heavy feeder these days pal. A lot nicer rod. You’ve got me wondering whatever happened to my porky now. No doubt my dad has nicked it out my garage. ????

I'm just picturing your dad outside your garage in a hoody, with a porky pig in one hand and a jemmy in the other

 

[tipitinmick]

I've still got some Deany and Warren sticks mate

Name your price. ??

 

[Dave Spence]

For what ? Sea fishing ? ??

it was versatile

 

[tipitinmick]

I'm just picturing your dad outside your garage in a hoody, with a porky pig in one hand and a jemmy in the other

You know my dad then Dave ? You’re not far wrong. Don’t ever lend my dad anything as you’ll not get it back. ??

 

[Dave Spence]

Name your price. ??

Only got them last year mate, e bay.

 

[Ken the Pacman]

Competition fishing has moved on from a low point a few years back which saw off many of the team competitions and things like Winter Leagues which had grown since the 1970s.
The Riverfest competition is well supported as is the Feederfest but its the same faces many of which fished Irish Festivals in the past too.
General matchfishing has changed and become more fragmented because you have maybe 50 Commercial fisheries hosting 20 anglers or more as against 10 rivers or canals hosting 100 peg matches.
Yes we know all this you are thinking but the deeper reason behind it is the attitude has changed ....many people cant compete with the venue experts so they look for another venue or fish club matches, previously every dog had its day or at least a good chance on normal stock level venues because they were far more peggy resulting in bonus days for the lucky sod who drew the one shoal of bream in the match.
What I am trying to put across is that people who know a venue can usually predict the outcome close enough when they see the draw which has taken away the magic of unpredictability that existed before overstocked puddles became the norm, not saying it takes any less skill to win if anything it possibly takes more skill and certainly speed to compete on commercials with any consistency.

 

[grey]

I think the participation in local leagues and matches in most sports have suffered a steady decline since the 80s: pool, darts, cribbage, dominoes, football, cricket to name a few off the top of my head.

I don't know if the drive to compete in sport has been eroded by peoples' other interests, or the younger generation has simply not been brought up to see competitiveness as a pastime, but it's worth noting that the older generation don't seem to participate in competitive sports as they did in their youth - and I don't think it's because they're getting too old, just like the youth they have lost the impetus to do so.

With less new-blood entering coarse fishing, coupled with generally less desire to compete, I think we have to accept it is time Match-fishing should be added to the 'endangered' list of sports.

Maybe we look towards the sports that have reversed the general trend for inspiration and solutions to growing our own sport?

 

[Total]

Steve Toone AKA ... ‘ Rip off ‘ would have loved you Dave. ??.

And Frank Barlow would have got Mr Spence a proper hat!

 

[Dave Spence]

And Frank Barlow would have got Mr Spence a proper hat!

Oy what's wrong with my hat, it matches the contours of my funny shaped head perfectly. I fished a lot of the same matches as Frank but never actually spoke to him, he seemed a real character RIP.

 

[Wise Owl]

Most matches today are carp dominated.

I might get to a Few silvers only matches at Woodlands this winter they look ok