What does it take?

[adz1189]

Just seen the news while scrolling my Instagram feed that Jamie Hughes won the Maver Match This final yesterday - Congrats to him! Life changing £60k I can only imagine how that must feel ?.

It’s just got me thinking, and this is purely hypothetical, I don’t think I have the knack for such attention to detail nor that level of natural born skill...but, what does it really take to become a match angler of Jamie Hughes’ calibre? Is it just pure dedication and hours and hours of practicing or is there more to it than that? Does luck play a big part like any days fishing? Is it possible for an average angler to enter these big money competitions and make a real challenge to win the title? Just curious! ?

 

[tipitinmick]

Very nice. Well done Jamie. I see these big match wins as payback for all the hours, days, weeks and years that these guys put in. They have ' lived ' fishing. It sounds a lot but, I bet if you added all his match wins and divided it by the amount of hours ( from being a child angler ) he'd be lucky to hit minimum wage. A great achievement from one of anglings nice guys. Again .... Well done Jamie. ?

 

[smiffy]

The man is a machine?
To get to that point it takes time and dedication. He has specialised in the commercial type of matchfishing and got himself to the very top of the tree. I think I read somewhere that he doesn’t believe himself good enough to be picked for England simply because he only ever fishes commercials. That’s where he shines. I’m sure his apprenticeship would have included natural venues.
Hats off to the man.
Having time to give to the art is helpful. Being able to fish everyday is important. Especially if it’s under match conditions. Having a sponge for a brain and the ability to recall things others may have forgotten.
Thinking like a fish,which many don’t. Many anglers are quite rigid in how they fish and suffer for it,being able to adapt quickly and change tack is crucial.
Fishing every single match you can get to obviously improves your chances. This is the luck element. Your not going to draw a flyer if you’re sat at home or at work.
He seems to have a little something extra though. Would it be wrong to call him a commercial genius?

 

[tipitinmick]

Smiffy, yep a brain like a sponge. Agree. Whereas I have a bag of pebbles for a brain. Doesn't exactly soak up info like Jamie's does I know that. Would make a good doorstop though.

I love watching Jamie and Andy May when they come together. What a pair. Andy does make me laugh. Extremely good anglers both of them.

 

[sporty]

Having the knowledge and ability to access a situation and make the right decisions at the right time ,total dedication and a desire to win and achieve .There are no secret baits or tackle ,luck does play a part but the better you are the luckier you get !

 

[adz1189]

Their YouTube vids are quality aren’t they! Andy May seems a very funny guy!

 

[tipitinmick]

Their YouTube vids are quality aren’t they! Andy May seems a very funny guy!

I could do with asking him for some diet tips. He seems to have lost a few pounds. Looks better for it. Funny ? .... Very. I bet that's his tactic. Get all around him laughing and then beat them into submission. ?. He may joke about but, if you listen to him carefully you realise he's an extremely good angler.

 

[adz1189]

I’d love a days fishing with either of them! I bet the amount you’d learn would be immense

 

[Dusty]

The thing that always surprises me about Jamie Hughes is how cautious he is in a match.
You see videos from a lot of top anglers who will pot in cups of groundbait down the edge or use a big pot of pellets to kick start a swim at the beginning.
If you watch Jamie he often feels his way into the match very carefully, only feeding 4-6 pellets at a time to see how the fish want it.
Same goes for his margin fishing, his mantra seems to be to attract one fish at a time to a small pile of bait rather than pulling 10-20 carp into his swim at one time.