ANGLING TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
IS THERE any greater mystery than looking at a venue and wondering what might be lurking beneath the surface? I think it’s something that fascinates both anglers and non-anglers alike... the unknown of the underwater world which we can’t see.
Of course, some venues have more of an air of mystery around them than others – rivers and large sprawling reservoirs for example, where fish could conceivably avoid capture for most of their lives. But even man-made complexes where stockings are recorded still have the potential to produce big perch or roach which are often neglected by the regular visitors who target the prolific carp stocks.
And even in this day and age where it feels like every lake in the country has been discovered and fished, and reports of which fish live where are easy to find online, there are still numerous catches reported each year which really take us all by surprise.
For me, this is one of the things that makes our sport so unique. For all the time and effort you can spend honing your skills and becoming a master at certain tactics, there’s still every chance a newcomer with a basic float set-up and a few maggots could catch a fish the most seasoned of specimen hunters would fish a lifetime for. Angling really is a great leveller. Indeed, my daughter has caught rudd bigger than any I ever have while whip fishing on our local club water!
As long as you’ve got a baited hook in the water, there’s always a little part of you that wonders what the next bite could produce. And when the unexpected does happen it’s truly magical! In this week’s issue we take a look at some of most notable accidental captures, ones which really sent shockwaves through the angling world, so turn to p14 to read more about these remarkable feats.
Needless to say, I hope that you all have a great week and that an unexpected big fish or three comes your way!