Match Fishing.

[flappy]

Same with a lot of sports though and I definitely won't be like that, for me it's more for a laugh and the social side of it if that still exists.

I did think like that..and then I met this miserable bunch..

 

[wingnut55]

I did think like that..and then I met this miserable bunch..

You love us really flappy...

Ian.

 

[Wolf]

I don't do matches anymore, I found they take the pleasure out of fishing, & doing matches hammers your gear to much ,also they hurt your wallet !!!! Good luck for any comps you do a

 

[Tatunka joe]

T 700 perfect otg cast flys out I use 30 lb braid and 80 lb braid leader will handle mixed ground easy I use mine in matches all the time love it and if your not keen on the 15 ft length I’m sure the t800 will work fine I orso have the gbfs mrk ones and love em they are more inclined for heavyer ground fishing but I use to use mine on chisel and with braid bite detection is mint not sure why all the negative comments about match fishing on here I love it just as much as chilling out fishing and have lernt more about catching fish from great match guys than anywhere else right now good luck bud

 

[wingnut55]

Same with a lot of sports though and I definitely won't be like that, for me it's more for a laugh and the social side of it if that still exists.

I agree, I used to match fish, local events, club matches, 40+ years ago, big difference to the Penn national League to which I was referring too. But good luck with taking it up again.

Ian.

 

[flappy]

T 700 perfect otg cast flys out I use 30 lb braid and 80 lb braid leader will handle mixed ground easy I use mine in matches all the time love it and if your not keen on the 15 ft length I’m sure the t800 will work fine I orso have the gbfs mrk ones and love em they are more inclined for heavyer ground fishing but I use to use mine on chisel and with braid Bute direction is mint not sure s as he all the negative comments about march fishing on here I love it just as much as chilling out fishing and have lernt more about catching fish from great match guys than anywhere else right now good luck bud

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

 

[Tatunka joe]

I have no idea what you’re talking about.

Ditto

 

[Mushty]

Hey Goose
There’s a lot of things to factor in with this question.
I used to fish matches years ago, when I was in my early to late twenties…so a bit has changed however…
You need ideally to have a set up that you are 100% confident with. A match scenario is not somewhere you try things out like braid or a new rod.
I used to have 2 matching rods and 4 matching reels, the 2nd rod was set up with reel clamped on and line through rings ready to have a trace clipped on in case of a crack off etc and it would feel identical to the other rod so straight into a potential pendulum cast it would go.
Bit overkill you may say but maximising your time is what it’s all about.
What style of casting do you use?
The T-700 is a long beach caster (not continental style) made for off the ground or overhead thump, the T-800 is a great rod good bite detection etc (I have 2 that I use most of the time)
Happy casting 4-6oz with big baits but a bit shorter than the T-700. I pendulum cast with mine but they will cast well off the ground.
Hope this has answered something?!

 

[Mr Fish]

My club holds roving specimen comps, more a friendly thing than serious match fishing though there is some money involved.
I much prefer that to standing on a beach trying to see who can catch the most whiting or dogs to build a heaviest bag, which imo can’t be great for fish welfare even if they’re measured and returned.
That said I don’t deny there’s real skill in that, there’s a lot to refine and focus on, much more so than your average pleasure session.

But I like our roving comps. The limits are very wide, from the Severn bridge to the furthest Dorset border, which basically means club members can target whatever species they want, with whatever methods they choose, so offering something for everyone.
The monthly rovers are 48 hours too, so you can pick your marks and tides and fish when you like or as often as you like.
There’s skill in that too but local knowledge or at least knowledge of marks is a big help there.

To be fair, more skill I’d say in trying to catch the most/best fish from a fixed peg on a beach, but as said it’s a very focused and almost mechanical form of fishing which doesn’t really appeal to me especially.

But we’ve mostly always had rovers on this coast because there’s very few beaches or marks that could be pegged or accommodate that many anglers.

 

[Mushty]

My club holds roving specimen comps, more a friendly thing than serious match fishing though there is some money involved.
I much prefer that to standing on a beach trying to see who can catch the most whiting or dogs to build a heaviest bag, which imo can’t be great for fish welfare even if they’re measured and returned.
That said I don’t deny there’s real skill in that, there’s a lot to refine and focus on, much more so than your average pleasure session.

But I like our roving comps. The limits are very wide, from the Severn bridge to the furthest Dorset border, which basically means club members can target whatever species they want, with whatever methods they choose, so offering something for everyone.
The monthly rovers are 48 hours too, so you can pick your marks and tides and fish when you like or as often as you like.
There’s skill in that too but local knowledge or at least knowledge of marks is a big help there.

To be fair, more skill I’d say in trying to catch the most/best fish from a fixed peg on a beach, but as said it’s a very focused and almost mechanical form of fishing which doesn’t really appeal to me especially.

But we’ve mostly always had rovers on this coast because there’s very few beaches or marks that could be pegged or accommodate that many anglers.

I relate to your 3rd paragraph, at certain venues when the pegs were drawn you would have an idea how the match would pan out just by what peg number you pulled out!
But yes for me, more often than not it was 15 minute cycles of cast out, unhook fish, get score card signed, bait up 2nd rig, reel in, repeat.

 

[Thrasher]

What about a trip to Anglers Den?
They seem to stock a range of brands of continental rods and some higher end stuff?

 

[Mushty]

What about a trip to Anglers Den?
They seem to stock a range of brands of continental rods and some higher end stuff?

They a pro continental and fixed spool set ups, and will push this…

 

[BMR]

Something to consider, some matches such as the southern league and opens do not allow the use of braid.

 

[Mr Fish]

I relate to your 3rd paragraph, at certain venues when the pegs were drawn you would have an idea how the match would pan out just by what peg number you pulled out!
But yes for me, more often than not it was 15 minute cycles of cast out, unhook fish, get score card signed, bait up 2nd rig, reel in, repeat.

Yep I see my club comps as more a reason to get out and fish rather than being deadly serious about it, though obviously will try and be as on it as I can be for the session.

We have a minimum 70% rating for the best specimen format so it also saves weighing a lot of fish you know won’t qualify for the comp.

Then again it’s done on a trust basis and pics of the fish and on the scales are allowed.
But we’re all mostly mates so I’m pretty sure no one currently doing it would cheat.
That format wouldn’t work in a big open comp I realise.

 

[wingnut55]

Back in the day when I did the local club comps/matches it was about getting out on the beach, little bit of competitiveness, and a pint or two in the club bar afterwards, and I am sure it's still the same these days. Although my local angling clubs seem to have a dwindling membership, and the youngsters these days aren't interested in Angling, mores the pity..

Ian.

 

[Thrasher]

Have you been out at any comps to see what is being employed now?

Mushty suggested two rods, Wingnut suggested the 14' Fireblade GT's, you could get a pair of them for a single T700?

 

[Topwater]

I would use what you've got for now and talk to other local anglers about what they use and why. Braid,FS and conti rods are not the be all and end all, nor do they suit all conditions.

 

[Leepip]

It's not all about Rods n Reels for Match Fishing more importantly is Preparation Quality Baits Rigs how to fish the Venue etc. used to Fish few Matches in the Past with a Local club done ok to With Rods I used never top Range Rods like Zipplex Century Always used Penn or Daiwa .Most matches fished are on Clean Beaches his there need for Rod to Cast 8oz and Bait

 

[Topwater]

Yes you need a good draw but the majority of matches are won at home the night before

 

[goose]

Looking at the match results in my area over the last year and the same names do crop up consistently in the top ten. Some of these names I know from thirty years ago but doubt they would remember me. Decided I will use my TTSM rods as I know them and what I can do with them with my limited capabilities. Went to Hastings today and watched a match while sitting in the car scoffing fish and chips. The conditions were not great with big tide and strong wind creating a big swell but you gotta love a challenge. Also swapped a fly rod and reel for a new any fish GBFS pro today and have just built the butt up for low reel and fitted a casting cannon so hoping to get out over the next couple of days casting to see how I get on with it and the braid. Hopefully I'll learn about different venues and more effective ways of fishing them although I can imagine some of the successful guys being quite secretive.