“Never miss the chance to watch a really classy angler at work!”
HAVE you ever had the chance to watch a great angler at work?
We’re lucky in our sport that it’s relatively easy to do just that. From articles and videos, to watching a match in progress or booking a coaching session, there are endless ways to do so. Think how tricky or expensive this can be in other sports!
It’s one of the great perks of my living that I get to meet some of the very best anglers. As tempting as it is to fish yourself, though, a smarter move is simply to watch and listen. Although the danger is that I then become like a kid, asking a thousand questions.
Last week it was John Horsey at Chew Valley Lake, who was filming with Turrall Flies.
Just chatting to one of England’s most capped fly anglers was fascinating, but it’s something anyone can do by booking a session. So what stood out a country mile? Well, there’s often a paradox with the best anglers. Because while you’ll find a forensic-level understanding of fish, tackle and tactics, the most conspicuous thing of all is how simple they make fishing look.
While many of us clamour for “edges” or secrets, the truth is that these guys aren’t successful because they have superhuman abilities, but because they do the basics incredibly well.
We’d all do well to remember that, in any type of fishing, the fundamentals are also its most advanced lessons. Things like spotting bites, casting accurately and understanding our quarry are all skills we can improve – if we can only question our bad habits.
Predictably with John, bite indication and control of tackle are streets ahead. So many of us only hook fish when we get that car crash take, yet miss subtle bites entirely. Meticulously counting down the depth, watching the line itself and tuning into small, subtle changes are massive lessons – and things that apply equally to lure or bait fishing.
Another sign of a great angler is the way they’ll undermine the sport’s oldest clichés with a wry grin. With every original angling brain, you’ll hear direct experience rather than truth by textbook, whether the topic is tackle, watercraft or weather.
Our Chew day was a case in point. Most fly anglers curse hot, flat conditions. But John Horsey isn’t most anglers. He solves the puzzle and beats the pressure. He not only knows where the fish are, but has an insane understanding of local hatches and seasonal changes.
Unsurprisingly, he latches into fish number two before I’ve had so much as a pull. It’s not even a contest, to be frank, but there’s so much to learn from a great angler. All you need is the courage to listen and be self-critical, because another timeless lesson is that nobody is “The Compleat Angler” – every one of us is a work in progress.
“These guys aren’t successful because they have superhuman abilities”