Secret squirrel...

[steve2]

I am lucky with my two best tench waters in that the are specimen carp waters with fish over 40lbs. The tench catches mean nothing to the carp anglers they are not carp therefore not talked about and sort of a well kept open secrect.

 

[Philip]

Funny the number of records of other species held by anglers who were fishing for Carp down the years. Off the top of my head...

Eel
Roach (4.1 fish)
Bream
Orfe
Grass Carp
Tench

Sure there have been lots of others. Strange they would claim the records when they mean nothing to the Carp anglers.

I also see literally 100 anglers pouring scorn on Carp for every Carp angler scorning the other species.

Most amazing of all is the ability of some general species anglers to crowbar their hatred of Carp into literally any thread on FM. I cant recall even 1 Carp angler doing that for the other species yet.

 

[The bad one]

I tell everybody everything all the time, but it may not always be correct what I tell them. The skill of the told angler is to work out whether what I've told them is correct.

 

[108831]

Lying bugger Phil,lol...

 

[108831]

Funny the number of records of other species held by anglers who were fishing for Carp down the years. Off the top of my head...

Eel
Roach (4.1 fish)
Bream
Orfe
Grass Carp
Tench

Sure there have been lots of others. Strange they would claim the records when they mean nothing to the Carp anglers.

I also see literally 100 anglers pouring scorn on Carp for every Carp angler scorning the other species.

Most amazing of all is the ability of some general species anglers to crowbar their hatred of Carp into literally any thread on FM. I cant recall even 1 Carp angler doing that for the other species yet.

It isn't the carp themselves Philip,the angling etiquette in carping only applies to fellow carpers in the main,it is moving to barbel angling too(because many are or were carp anglers),anyone seen float fishing is looked down upon,as if they are of no consequence,the other afternoon I was the only angler not fishing on the lead for barbel,oh no,a guy had a fly rod out,asked him if he was fishing for chub or dace,oh no,barbel.....added to the fact that every club has filled there waters with carp,altering the dynamics of our waters....

 

[bracket]

I think the significance of disclosure depends on what discipline you follow. Most of my fishing over the years was match fishing on rivers, predominantly the Trent. My experience has been that match anglers were happy to discuss how they tackled a peg and what bait they used. It was all part of the post match craic, which everyone reiished. Even when Benny and his boys were emptying the Trent they would always tell you they did it on the caster. They were somewhat more reticent about how they prepared them. Couldn't fault them, everyone like to have an edge. I am happy to tell anyone what I have caught and where, for what it's worth, that's what keeps angling moving forward in my opinion. Keeping things close to your vest is somewhat small minded in my view and a tad smug. Not everyone will agree with this and I accept that. Pete.

 

[sam vimes]

I think the significance of disclosure depends on what discipline you follow. Most of my fishing over the years has match fishing on rivers, predominantly the Trent. My experience has been that match anglers were happy to discuss how they tackled a peg and what bait they used. It was all part of the post match craic, which everyone reiished. Even when Benny and his boys were emptying the Trent they would always tell you they did it on the caster. They were somewhat more reticent about how they prepared them. Couldn't fault them, everyone like to have an edge. I am happy to tell anyone what I have caught and where, for what it's worth, that's what keeps angling moving forward in my opinion. Keeping things close to your vest is somewhat small minded in my view and a tad smug. Not everyone will agree with this and I accept that. Pete.

The subtle difference is that match anglers don't usually fear the prospect of several anglers camping out on the stretch that they go to fish next time out. It's not really the fear of others catching fish that makes people tight lipped, it's the fear of the circus coming to town and never being able to fish there again, or seeing the place getting hammered so much that the fish depart for pastures new. There's also a significant difference between general coarse/match angling and specimen hunting. In my experience, the most tight lipped anglers of all are PAC type pikers. I've known them to get downright nasty with people being a little too obvious on public platforms.

In my real fishing life, rather than forum fishing, I've been told repeatedly that I give away far too much information, particularly on my syndicate lake. However, the difference here is that I can pick and choose who I tell what and that I know (to some degree) every member. If they are open with me, I'll be the same with them. If they play their cards close to their chest, they get little from me. Sadly, that doesn't work on a public forum. There are plenty of regulars on here that I'd be happy to help with information on venues I know well. I'll even guide them on certain waters and have them as guests on others. The lurkers that just trawl for information can take a running jump.

 

[Philip]

Match and specimen anglers are always going to be poles apart on this.

For me there is a big difference between sharing tactics and sharing location

In addition there is also a massive difference between match anglers who weigh thier catch for all to see and fish numbered pegs and fishing somewhere it may have taken you weeks if not months or even years to track down and is only known to you.
Be public with location then and you wont be catching many fish as you wont even get in the swim you did the donkey work to find as someone else will be fishing it.

 

[108831]

Lets be honest,a mate and I(and no doubt many here)used to make swims,cutting our way through branches to gain access to fish holding areas,trouble is today you would never get in them again,so your work was in vain....

 

[peterjg]

We can all be accused of being a bit reticent and keeping back some info while still wanting to give general help. For instance even Peter Crabtree (who started this thread) refers to a lake he fishes as the town pit without actually naming it - though for those of us who know the area it is very obvious which lake he means so he is hardly being super secretive.

If you have a nice quiet venue I suggest that you keep it like that. If someone reveals a venue, bait or method and asks you not to tell all then honour the request. Others on here have said that venues have been spoilt when details have been revealed, surely we have all seen it happen. It's great to hear of good catches but it's very satisfying to do it your way and not just copy - having said that I have learnt a lot from this forum!

 

[seth49]

Luckily the two clubs I’m a member of are members only, and access is through locked gates, so no day tickets, and just one allows guest tickets, so you only meet other members, I’m pretty open with information if asked, although I do keep a few things to my self, always like to do things a little differently to anyone else, does seem to give me an edge.