I take that onboard, but I tend to disagree. I have tried the Carp sceen and I am going from my own personal experience of Carp fishing.
This could be down to differing skill sets, Reading the Sea or Estuary is not the same as reading the Canal or Lake, I am not disagreeing that I could be wrong as I have only done the carp weekender thing a few time and I always tend to set up another rod and go for Roach etc at the same time. I was not trying to be disparaging about others hobby as we are for the most part the same.
What I was trying to point out is, some people tend to use all the modern tech but could have a better time using a mix of old and new or basic skills.
Lots of sea anglers tend to forget the basics, just like the carp guys in my example do. As I said a lot of Carp guys don't know basic float techniques and baits other than boilies are alien to them, in sea fishing from a pier foget that they don't need to use that beach caster a hand line will be just as fun. And alot of them tend to forget or never learn how to collect there own bait even as simple as rockpooling for peeler crabs (the most expensive sea bait by weight).
I guess what I was trying to say is, in every skill there is a amount of rust or I'll skip that, and I feel that people should keep the skills sharp from the basics up.
But in coarse fishing I am not in favor of places that stock fish well over size in small lakes Like Carp or Catfish, that you can see happening in most corners of the country. Just so you know I have a ND in Gamekeeping an countryside management (and something else I wont go into atm), one of the fisheries modules was Commercial Carp fisheries, so I do have a basic grounding in what I am talking about at least from a textbook and fisheries management POV.
And again I am not being disparaging about Carp fishing but (or any part of the hobby),but I personally see more lack of skill in carp anglers who pick up the hobby from a friend than from some one who specifically wants to target Carp who is a general course angler, for example in a Tackle shop I have heard carp fishermen moaning about large specimin Tench taking carp baits, a Large tench is still a nice fish, it might not be what your after but god damn enjoy that fish. And this is a Council owned lake in a park where the 30lb Carp they where targeting was found floating belly up 10 years ago and when last netted the last Carp in double digits was 13lb. Then they will bugger off to places like Gigantica for a weekend and fish the same baits all week long, that others have used all year that Maxima or Korda happen to be pushing (looking at you Cell / Scopex), right in the middle of a nearly featureless lake. I would put a £100 on me VS pro carp guy on catching the bigger fish with me using naturals than the pro using boilies.
I am not trying to cast dispersions but my personal view of Commercial Carp is one of lack of skill, dont get me wrong they are dedicated and some are truly skilled but most are over accessoriesed that use the "THIS SEASON MUST HAVE", than focusing on what works.
well that's fare enough, but you will find that in all aspects of the sport infact any sport, the need to keep up with the joneses, to look the part, its just like fashion.
one year the carp boys will be into stainless steel, few years down the line everything is real tree, but also being a sea angler
for many years, I am fully aware that sea anglers are just the same, one year everyone "needed" floatation suits no matter where
they where fishing, all looking like ridiculous power rangers, another you "had to be using a pulley rig even when fishing over
clean sand? my point is they are exactly the same, you cant just attack a group of the sport when its very much pot calling kettle
black, there are all the gear no idea idiots everywhere.
We don't all fish commercials much the same as not every sea angler gets there sole enjoyment from flinging out
mackerel feathers, thos guys that turn up just for macky season and crowd the harbour arms leaving rubbish, drinking
being dangerous ect should not paint all sea anglers with the same brush! or( in my view) boat fishing requires no skill
if the skipper has put you on a spot and your able to reel up an 80lb conger, that lacks any skill whatsoever.
You see, this is the same as the noddys fishing the over stocked commercials!
You have raised a good point tho, and I have been banging on for years about this, you have to start at the bottom
to fully enjoy the top, my first fish was a little roach caught on a dried up lob worm on a 50lb class boat rod and reel,
this had me hooked and ive spent a lifetime chasing the dream, my best carp being a 54lb true brit mirror, 29lb pike
and best sea fish 21lb shore caught smoothound and a 13lb bass, you see ive come a long way since I was 7
and it hasn't been easy but ive enjoyed every minute of it.
The thing people miss out on is that journey. they get on that commercial or go on that deep sea wrecking trip with dad
and there catching double fig fish on there first session, there are 2 things that will discourage a youngster
or new guy from taking up a life of fishing and that's 1, not catching anything not even a goby first time out,
and the bigger more destructive one in my book 2, getting straight into big fish, they assume that its easy,
that there a great angler, and it has no chance of holding there interest.
So as fore starting out basic we agree.
