TOP ANGLERS IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN!

WHAT is it that makes some anglers just so damned good? Our sport is littered with names who have been at the top of their game for many years, across many disciplines.

There must be something that separates these anglers from us mere mortals. On the face of it, ours is a sport that anybody can excel at. I don’t think anyone is born a ‘naturally gifted’ angler, and there certainly isn’t a set of physical attributes that would give someone an advantage in the way that being incredibly tall helps for a career in basketball. In fishing, we all essentially have access to the same tackle, baits and – barring exclusive syndicates – venues.

One thing that comes across regularly when we’re out shooting features with these top anglers is their attention to detail and an unrelenting desire for perfection. There’s never a ‘that will do’ attitude if a rig doesn’t land exactly where they want it.

Many also seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to reading a swim and choosing when to make a tactical change. While a lot of this comes with experience, some anglers certainly seem to possess this skill on a whole other level. Perhaps it’s a throwback to our hunter gatherer days? One great example, and an angler who embodies all the factors I’ve touched upon, is Steve Ringer. I recently watched the new Fishing

Gurus Underwater film, and on Steve’s very first cast he landed his feeder on top of the camera. There’s accuracy for you!

In another video with our tackle editor, Mark Sawyer, Steve’s knowledge about how air pressure can affect casting performance, and his ability to work out the contours of his swim by counting the ‘drop’ on his feeder, is simply mind boggling. He gives this area as much thought as he does bait preparation and rigs.

All we can do is learn from these guys and try to impart as much of their knowledge as we can into our own fishing.