TALKING POINT Has fishing got too serious? Readers reveal 10 ways to make it more fun!
Are anglers blinded by targets and losing the raw joy of fishing under the glare of social media? Here, fishing’s elite weigh in on how to inject some fun back into your fishing...
CATCHING a new personal best, that target fish, or going all out for a big match win - at some point in your fishing career you probably set out to reach one of these angling milestones. But how far did you go to achieve it?
Today, some of Britain’s best anglers are prepared to sacrifice the very enjoyment of fishing to attain their ultimate goal, while a growing number appear to be fishing for ‘likes’ on social media, rather than for the sheer joy of it.
While ‘serious angling’ is no revelation, with countless die-hard match and specimen anglers in the history books, it appears that a result-driven attitude is spreading to all levels of the sport, with personal records becoming an obsession for many. It begs the question: is fishing becoming too serious, and if so, why? Most importantly, how can we enjoy it again?
THE ELITE MATCHMAN’S PERSPECTIVE
Jamie Hughes is arguably the best commercial match angler Britain has ever produced, with a trophy cabinet that’d put some football clubs to shame.
As a professional angler, he has to take his fishing seriously, but in achieving such heights Jamie admits that there comes a stage when the constant competition saps the joy out of angling.
“Without a doubt, match fishing can go too far” he revealed. “The thing with competing at the highest level is that it’s expensive, so there’s a pressure to win to recoup the high costs that these big events cause.
“Travelling around the country to fish endless qualifiers can also be demoralising, but don’t get me wrong - the joy of winning one of the big events makes up for all the challenges. We call it an emotional rollercoaster: Despite all the ups and downs, if you win at the end, it’s the best feeling you can have in fishing.”
When things do get too serious, Jamie believes that adding a bit of variety to your fishing helps to keep things entertaining.
“With our Winning Ways channel on YouTube, myself and Andy May are always doing all sorts of things, such as sea and pike fishing. Doing something different is so refreshing, and I’d advise anyone to not take fishing too seriously and add a bit of variety every now and again.”
THE SPECIMEN ANGLE
Two-time Drennan Cup winner Dai Gribble has seen first-hand the damage that chasing targets can do, but has always managed to avoid losing the love of fishing.
“I’ve seen anglers ‘lose their mojo’ when they’re too fixated on a certain target,” he told us. “Take the Drennan Cup. When I won it, I never woke up and said ‘I’m going all out’; I simply caught big fish as I went through the year. I’ve seen other anglers become so fixated on catching a certain species of specimen proportions that they go fishing almost as a routine, rather than for the pleasure of it.
“If you’re fishing and are not enjoying it, have a break. Go on a walk, to the gym, watch the football – just get away from it for a bit. You don’t have to go fishing, and there’s nothing wrong with giving it a rest.”
Dai also believes that social media is having a negative impact on the reasons some of us fish.
“I’ve got around 2,000 Facebook friends, and every day I see loads of pictures of big fish. It’s easy to get yourself down if you’re not catching, when seemingly everyone else is landing these amazing fish. It can add a real pressure to things, and I think if you’re not careful, you can end up more interested in likes than your own satisfaction.”
“We call it an emotional rollercoaster: Despite all the ups and downs, if you win at the end, it’s the best feeling you can have in fishing.”
THE MASTER OF ENJOYMENT
If there’s one man that knows how to enjoy his fishing better than most, it’s former British Record carp holder, Chris Yates. Having fished all his life, Chris admits he has a serious love for fishing, going whenever he can, but when it comes to the actual fishing, he has an approach we can all learn from.
“I’ve never been too worried about rigs or technique, instead keeping an eye on everything else, taking in the rhythms of the world, and keeping an open mind,” Chris told us.
“Giving yourself space to absorb what’s around you is as important as the fishing itself. One of my most favourite things to enjoy is being by water over the seasons. In spring and winter, I spend time by rivers, in summer by lakes, and in autumn I’m by both.”
Chris believes that fishing can get too serious: “Some anglers need to ease off a bit! Every day by the water is a good day. The people who enjoy it the most are the best anglers.”