Secretive Techniques

[The one and only Harvey]

Everything I do is public, except where I fish. One thing I truly enjoy about fishing is to find the venues that hold the fish I'm after. I have walked for miles and miles along riverbanks, equiped with a bolo rod, a reel and nothing but an Arlesey bomb in the business end. Plummeting the depth, noticing what the flow is like, what the vegetation is like, both in the swim and on the bankside. What conditions is preferable for roach, and where would the chub feel happy? Using every thing I know about the different spieces, and making mental notes. Contemplating what might be swimming under the calm surface.

And then coming back with rod, bait, hooks and line, to a particular promising stretch of the river, and catching a stunning roach, or a new species, that no one knew was present in the river, it total bliss. It's miles more satisfying than catching where everybody else is fishing.

When I strike gold, I'm not inclined to let everybody know. My closest fishingmates will be informed, but no one else.

 

[Jgh80]

I've always been grateful when anglers helped me out, especially when I was young, so always felt it was only right to do my bit when I got more experienced. As two 15 year olds, my mate and I used to fish the Calder around Cooper bridge. It was mainly roach and gudgeon back then. We did alright with catches of around 6/8lb of fish, but our weights were usually made up of around 60% gudgeon the rest roach and the very occasional small chub. We met a guy who showed us how to fish the stick, varying the shotting patterns, feed, speed, and depths to find, and keep catching the roach. The next time we went we both had our first 20lb+ bags of roach, with just a few gudgeon. His name, (if i remember correctly) was Horace Pywell, a Bradford 'All England' team member. After my Dad and uncles, he had probably the biggest influence on my river fishing.

John

He taught me a lot too and was a genuine bloke my uncle was asked to fish in the same team but declined,even in his later days he was don’t of all knowledge and saw a lot of him at the river bank with his cat sammy

 

[PJG]

I used to do a lot of carp fishing in the Colne Valley and very fortunately belonged to two great clubs, both had publicity bans which were strictly enforced to preserve the fishing rights when leases came up for renewal. There was also much secrecy around baits and rigs, in fact there is a fantastic rig which I have still never seen in print.

Now I just fish for roach. Old habits die hard; I still keep baits and venues a bit quiet.

 

[rudd]

I used to do a lot of carp fishing in the Colne Valley and very fortunately belonged to two great clubs, both had publicity bans which were strictly enforced to preserve the fishing rights when leases came up for renewal. There was also much secrecy around baits and rigs, in fact there is a fantastic rig which I have still never seen in print.

Now I just fish for roach. Old habits die hard; I still keep baits and venues a bit quiet.

Does it involved a bit of elastic?

 

[tipitinmick]

Who wants to know ?

Secretive ? Half of us on here can’t even hold our own water. . Nah. We like to share info and experiences don’t we ?

 

[chefster]

Who wants to know ?

Secretive ? Half of us on here can’t even hold our own water. . Nah. We like to share info and experiences don’t we ?

Ha! I just go and try and catch , I don’t know enough to do that consistently, let alone keep anything a secret I’ve been very lucky in that I know some really decent match anglers who are more than happy to have helped me out, so I’m quite happy to be able to pass anything on

 

[tipitinmick]

Ha! I just go and try and catch , I don’t know enough to do that consistently, let alone keep anything a secret I’ve been very lucky in that I know some really decent match anglers who are more than happy to have helped me out, so I’m quite happy to be able to pass anything on

I’m the same Gazza. Although I’m still trying to absorb all of the tips and info you gave Marker50. That’s going to take me all of 2021.

 

[Whisker]

I know someone I could ask “what did you catch ‘em on?”
“Pellet” he’ll say... with 12 empty tins of corn behind him!
If I’m lucky enough to frame, I don’t mind saying how I fished it... fishing changes every day.

 

[Total]

I’m the same Gazza. Although I’m still trying to absorb all of the tips and info you gave Marker50. That’s going to take me all of 2021.

......At least 2031!>>>>>>

 

[carphauler]

I'll tell people where I catch and and on what bait/technique, not that anyone takes notice, I don't catch much,

 

[Fred Davis]

Just to illustrate how far off you can be, one of the last matches I fished was at puddleduck fishery I had been included in our match squad and I like puddleduck as it is one of those venues I have had a bit of success at in the services matches ( post office police fire prison army etc) in fact in the same event the year prior the team had came second and I was 4th or 5th overall (18 teams of 4) so quite pleased as this event attracts a high standard of angler with Pemb Whiting taking the overall win but in the main it is a team event, now this year was different due to covid etc the date to fish changed and it was squeezed in the conditions were quite chilly I had personally not practised and decided to rely on my mates for up to date info, at the draw I was told it had been fishing hard prior to the event, so I fished initially on the far bank long kinder cupping 4mm pellets with alternative hook baits after 2 hours and one or two carp to show and with a force nine gale to contend fishing long i decided to go with corn down the middle instead of meat although I started on meat but eventually switched to corn, I weighed in a paltry 46lb of carp lost a big double at the net and ended with upper mid range of section points, However the angler next to me never fed a thing weighed in 99lb of carp fishing long on a disc of bread just alternating his depth if the float went under and he missed a bite he shallowed up if he had no bites he deepened his rig simple fishing, now chatting after the match it transpired that the winning team all the anglers fished bread and never fed a thing, obviously some of my mates had fished the midweek practice which was won using the same methods I did have rather strong words with some of the team as to why no info was past to the whole team a team event is just that info needs to be shared, however I can only blame myself in not being up to speed as I always say you only get out what you put in, preparation for me was zilch, the team as a whole didn't do to bad which was surprising as none of us fished the bread and the middy sponsored angler who was next to me and gave me a thorough pasting his team fared even worse, in fact it was at this match that I admired Russell Shipton the sponsored middy anglers pole xz65-3 as he was able to fish virtually all match long in a fierce side wind and his pole remained poker stiff.

 

[Roger_feederer]

Ive seen some dodgy stuff. Saw a guy chuck over a kilo of boilies right in front of his peg as he was packing up so the swans would come in and nobody else could fish that peg.

 

[rudd]

Ive seen some dodgy stuff. Saw a guy chuck over a kilo of boilies right in front of his peg as he was packing up so the swans would come in and nobody else could fish that peg.

One thing I detest is an angler chucking in bait when they pack up - even worse when others are fishing.

 

[Pilchy60]

Interesting one, I am fortunate to know a double winning Fisho Champion, who has never not, given me any advice, guidance etc when I've asked him...as he said once, 'you can own Ronnie O'Sullivans snooker cue, but unless you practise 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, you aint playing like him'. I often find that certain people want the 'fast track', but nothing beats time on the Bank. One of my Club members once asked why I was sharing info with a fellow member, as it would give them the advantage....maybe just me, but if I can help a fellow angler.....that'l do for me. (this pertains mainly to matches as that is what I tend to fish, rather then Specimen type).

 

[rd115]

I'm just a n00bie pleasure angler, anything i know probably isn't worth knowing except for maybe other beginners?

 

[Roger_feederer]

One thing I detest is an angler chucking in bait when they pack up - even worse when others are fishing.

Well theres levels to it, if its the last half a handful of maggots or micro pellets it isnt the end of the world but over a kilo of big chunky boilies specifically to draw in swans and ducks so nobody else can fish that peg is disgraceful.

 

[Zerkalo]

I've made threads about throwing bait in at the end of a session before. I generally couldn't care less what most anglers do but there are things like that involving courtesy for others, it's good to think about sometimes, to the extent that a lot of places I fish ban it for water quality etc.

I'm much shyer to use my groundbait catapult when other anglers are around when Bream fishing but it doesn't really bother me if other anglers are piling in bait, never really had it happen, except for a time on the Severn where someone came and fished the peg just upstream from me and was throwing in groundbait by hand every cast, except he was casting to the far bank and all the bait was landing in the middle of the river, I had to stop and think, maybe a secretive technique with method to the madness? I wouldn't have said anything anyway but was casting mid river myself so hoped some of the bait would find its way to my swim, everyone on the stretch blanked that day though. Feeding is part of fishing at the end of the day but bait at the end of the session can mess it up for other people, disgraceful if done intentionally.

 

[chefster]

I've made threads about throwing bait in at the end of a session before. I generally couldn't care less what most anglers do but there are things like that involving courtesy for others, it's good to think about sometimes, to the extent that a lot of places I fish ban it for water quality etc.

I'm much shyer to use my groundbait catapult when other anglers are around when Bream fishing but it doesn't really bother me if other anglers are piling in bait, never really had it happen, except for a time on the Severn where someone came and fished the peg just upstream from me and was throwing in groundbait by hand every cast, except he was casting to the far bank and all the bait was landing in the middle of the river, I had to stop and think, maybe a secretive technique with method to the madness? I wouldn't have said anything anyway but was casting mid river myself so hoped some of the bait would find its way to my swim, everyone on the stretch blanked that day though. Feeding is part of fishing at the end of the day but bait at the end of the session can mess it up for other people, disgraceful if done intentionally.

Feeding quantities of bait while you’re fishing is one thing, but disgarding it all into the water after is really reckless....Tunnel barn farm ban anyone caught doing it ...If everyone who fished there threw there leftover bait in , water quality would suffer, as well it would have an adverse affect on the fishing ....In matches most well managed places have buckets on the weighing in buggy’s for leftover bait

 

[Roger_feederer]

I'm much shyer to use my groundbait catapult when other anglers are around when Bream fishing but it doesn't really bother me if other anglers are piling in bait,

I wouldnt have the stones to use GB at range outside of a feeder, imagine cocking it right up and plopping a tangerene size ball of GB right on top of someone elses float. Ive seen men hit with bar stools for less.

 

[Total]

I wouldnt have the stones to use GB at range outside of a feeder, imagine cocking it right up and plopping a tangerene size ball of GB right on top of someone elses float. Ive seen men hit with bar stools for less.

I couldn't be trusted to land a tangerine GB ball in the same lake!