Thinking about my first match

[bananas]

Well done 3rd on the first match, very good going .

 

[CoarseanglerSteve]

Well done 3rd on the first match, very good going .

Thanks, but in fairness there were only about 10 fishing!!!!!!!

 

[Shirleycodlin]

So went for it last night. Was a bit hesitant as it was fishing 10-1 am (i have only fished into the dark on a couple occasions) and I couldn't get any crab. It has also been quite weedy along the stretch these past few days.

Anyway, armed with some lug, rag , squid and bluey I decided to give it a go, although reverted back to a FS on my conti rod as I have yet to use my multipliers in the dark. Was glad I did as I didn't realise how close the pegs were (the Cleveleys stretch of the promenade is permanently pegged with little fish shaped markers/numbers). Just hoped I could cast straight and avoid crossing my neighbours lines, especially as I was next to Hazel, the owner of Hookers Baits .

Everyone was really friendly and helpful so was looking forward to starting, and just hoped I wouldn't blank!

It was a slow start but as the light started to fade I saw the first fish caught, a few pegs away. I was fishing a 2 hook rig with worm on a size 2 and a squid and bluey or squid and black on a slightly larger hook in case any bigger fish were around.

After 30 minutes it was clear it was going to be hard, with only a couple fish caught. One guy had a nice sole but bites were few and far between. At about 10:45 I had a good knock but nothing materialised. The next cast brought a better bite, a little rattle which proved to be a tope pup. I added another about 30 minutes later but that was it for me.

The guy who had the sole also had a decent smoothound so was clearly going to be the winner (based on total length).

At the all out there were only 2 who caught anything of note, with another guy getting a ray. However, when the results were announced I was surprised that I had managed 3rd, beating a few others who also had one or two small tope! Was quite pleased as this was my first attempt and it was clearly a tough evening.

I enjoyed it, but am not totally convinced if it is for me. I liked the company and chat, but I do like the seclusion of fishing on my own, and being so close to other anglers was a bit off putting. I also think I prefer to try to target better fish rather than the catch anything approach which i suspect is needed in many matches. Will probably give it a go again as this is a series of friendly Friday night matches where entry is only a pound and winner takes all.

Well done on 3rd.

I totally get where you are coming from.
Tiddler snatching is not my scene either, but, it does win matches.
I fished the local club matches in 2019 mixing up fishing for small stuff and doing my usual bigger fish approach and ended up top 5.
In 2020 (all be it a shortened season) I went all out fishing for small stuff, fishing as fast as I possibly could.
The results spoke for themselves. I one every match bar 2 and comfortably won the league. The downside was it felt a hollow win as I had not been true to myself and fished in a manner I did not enjoy.
I certainly wont be fishing like that again any time soon.

 

[The Third Earl]

Well done on 3rd.

I totally get where you are coming from.
Tiddler snatching is not my scene either, but, it does win matches.
I fished the local club matches in 2019 mixing up fishing for small stuff and doing my usual bigger fish approach and ended up top 5.
In 2020 (all be it a shortened season) I went all out fishing for small stuff, fishing as fast as I possibly could.
The results spoke for themselves. I one every match bar 2 and comfortably won the league. The downside was it felt a hollow win as I had not been true to myself and fished in a manner I did not enjoy.
I certainly wont be fishing like that again any time soon.

I agree with your sentiments Shirl, for me, I have never bothered much with shore based matches, but used to regularly fish charter boat matches, and fished at National Level, with a lot of placements and a team wins under my belt, but that was when we fished for weight, and specimens.
With conservation being such a big thing nowadays , boat matches have gravitated toward species hunts and that for me meant tiddler snatching on a scale I just do not understand. I used to enjoy targetting bigger fish for a decent bag weight, with a feed at the end of it , but using size 6 hooks with cotton for line and quiver tip rods better suited to fishing for roach , from a charter boat is just for me pointless, even more so when you see grown men getting all excited over a poor cod or whiting…

I tried it for a year or two, but it just got boring , pointless and boring ,and to hear the anglers gushing over their bag of tiddlers, and saying ”its all about species” is , well, just leaves me cold with no feeling of satisfaction at the end of it, win or lose.

So after a good 25 years of enjoying charter comps, I packed them all in, for all the comps I used to fish, I now pleasure fish the way I like to , and gain far more enjoyment , even a poor day pleasure fishing is better than a day wasting time and money chasing minnows.

I know exactly what you mean when you say being true to yourself. ?.


Dave

 

[nearly70ty]

Worth having a chat with the other anglers after the match, it's surprising the little snippets of information you pick up

 

[Tatunka joe]

I agree with your sentiments Shirl, for me, I have never bothered much with shore based matches, but used to regularly fish charter boat matches, and fished at National Level, with a lot of placements and a team wins under my belt, but that was when we fished for weight, and specimens.
With conservation being such a big thing nowadays , boat matches have gravitated toward species hunts and that for me meant tiddler snatching on a scale I just do not understand. I used to enjoy targetting bigger fish for a decent bag weight, with a feed at the end of it , but using size 6 hooks with cotton for line and quiver tip rods better suited to fishing for roach , from a charter boat is just for me pointless, even more so when you see grown men getting all excited over a poor cod or whiting…

I tried it for a year or two, but it just got boring , pointless and boring ,and to hear the anglers gushing over their bag of tiddlers, and saying ”its all about species” is , well, just leaves me cold with no feeling of satisfaction at the end of it, win or lose.

So after a good 25 years of enjoying charter comps, I packed them all in, for all the comps I used to fish, I now pleasure fish the way I like to , and gain far more enjoyment , even a poor day pleasure fishing is better than a day wasting time and money chasing minnows.

I know exactly what you mean when you say being true to yourself. ?.


Dave

I think I like the way are club matches are done we’re you only weigh in two species of any fish so once your got your normals like dog pout and alike you can try for your rarer species do you can approach your match’s in one of two ways either try and get as many difffert species as you can or like my mate does go for the specimen fish both options seem to work ?

 

[Topwater]

The only thing worth competing against is the fish in my book. I abhor match fishing myself as I've found it brings out the worst in many folk. Each to their own though and if it floats your boat then enjoy it but just don't take it or your self too seriously

 

[Tatunka joe]

The only thing worth competing against is the fish in my book. I abhor match fishing myself as I've found it brings out the worst in many folk. Each to their own though and if it floats your boat then enjoy it but just don't take it or your self too seriously

I hear wot your saying mate luckily club I fish for is pretty good last match there must have been nearly 300 posts on our wassap page with people take ing the pi55 fishing was slow but the banter was epic and no one takes to heart all good fun ?

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Speaking of match fishing, I am still in a quandary as to when to restart our match leagues (DAA).
Many of our members are in the vulnerable category re covid, and the majority of the comps are fished on private land.
Given the recent spike in infection rates, it seems foolhardy to start an organised event, especially on a private estate where we are constantly fighting to retain access rights.