How Did It All Get So Complicated?

[Arry]

I have made a return to the simpler side of fishing and to be honest... I get more enjoyment out it now than I ever did with a shedload of kit and matches every week... there's a certain simple purity in what I do now that I couldn't attain whilst match fishing... and the upside for me is I get to look at some stunning old gear... it's not for everyone, admittedly, but it suits me to see my days out doing what I'm doing

 

[Total]

Had.

^^ Love you too Sly!

 

[Browner]

I have made a return to the simpler side of fishing and to be honest... I get more enjoyment out it now than I ever did with a shedload of kit and matches every week... there's a certain simple purity in what I do now that I couldn't attain whilst match fishing... and the upside for me is I get to look at some stunning old gear... it's not for everyone, admittedly, but it suits me to see my days out doing what I'm doing

I’m with you. Not some much the old gear but certainly the simple approach.
Below covers pretty much everything I’ll need for a morning on the river or lake, tackle wise.

 

[SShark]

I was a fishing fanatic from the age of about 12-18 then lost touch with the sport for 20 odd years only returning a couple of years ago. As a kid my tackle choices were driven entirely by money - or lack of it! Pocket money and birthdays meant lots of improvisation and everything had to last.

Not long ago I got my tackle down from the roof space of the garage at my childhood home for the first time since my teens and it was surprising how much stuff was just obtained not bought - no idea where from - reels swapped for things, old rods donated to me along the way. There was a couple of fibre glass rods, a cheapo pole, knackered tackle box and some better quality bits that Father Christmas brought.

Despite all that it always did the trick and I cant really remember feeling I like I really needed anything else pasrticularly as it all often had to be strapped to a bike. Though I definitely stared longingly at the Bennett's of Sheffield catalogue at the time imagining what it would be like to have an unlimited budget.

Now I have my own money and car - pretty huge increase in possibilities! - I do probably buy unnecessary stuff - nowhere near the kit of a matchman but buying a full set up for drop shotting/jigging that I may never use (after watching videos about it on YouTube) is a great example of not keeping in simple.

There's no doubt that missing 20 years of fishing you notice what has changed. Specialist carp tackle which was already around has become even more specialist and now there are a lot more poles to take into account commercial fishing for big carp. Loads more bait options too - vast ranges of pellets, additives, pastes etc and of course techniques that I never read about in the early 90s from drop shotting to method feeder.

 

[mbuna_matt]

Fished the club lake this afternoon, 1 rod, 1 reel a bag of bits (plastic tub of method feeders, hook box, disgorger, tub of 2mm micros / groundbait (1 pint of e/a), landing net, bank stick and a light chair. I caught carp all afternoon. So why when its match time do I take everything and the sink? I suspect its because I pack my pole which requires a cart load of rollers, top kits etc. And to top it off if I fish the pole its top 2 and 2........

 

[Silverfisher]

Standard for me on the rivers now in terms of individual things to carry is a couple float rods and reels, a feeder rod and reel, 1 or 2 landing nets and handles, 2 or 3 bank sticks, a baitwaiter, a ruckbag and a chair. Stillwaters are the same if the bigger more natural types but will generally do away with the feeder rod and reel, one of the bank sticks and the baitwaiter on small commercial style types. All smaller items tackle, food and bait (and the reels) go in the ruckbag and/or folded up in the chair. Generally carry the rods, nets and bank sticks across the chair as well as my quivers a faff to get in the car so I don’t often take it. Only thing I’d really like to add to that set up is a decent whip as that wouldn’t add much to carry or set up but would give me an extra float rig without the expense and faff of an extra running line set up that would hardly get used compared to the current primary float rods. Is no bother carrying that stuff on the reasonable walks I have on most venues, not that I don’t appreciate a short walk as much as the next man!

 

[Corn Master]

As I place an order for a trolley and a couple of pole rollers, I'm wondering when my fishing became so complicated. I have a holdall with a pole and four rods, two carryalls, a roller bag, a bucket, and a seatbox filled with all sorts of paraphernalia. And now a trolley to carry it all on. Next July will see 40 years since I began fishing. Thinking back, my tackle was so simple back then. In one hand I used to carry a 12ft match rod, a landing net pole, and landing net, a small folding school, and a rod rest. In the other hand I carried a small cantilever box. And on my back I had a small rucksack. In the two tiered cantilever box, I had half a dozen wagglers, a split shot dispenser, 3 packets of hooks in sizes 18,16 and 12, a plummet, and a disgorger. In the rucksack I had a small reel, a bait box with either sweetcorn or maggots in it, a small lunchbox and a drink bottle. And that was it. I could walk the mile and a half to my local pond. Fishing was so simple back then.

You can still do that if you wish.