Joe Farrell with the latest from the angling scene
Joe Farrell
Like many anglers who peruse the many websites and social media platforms available today, many things always come to light when reading the very much informative and thought-provoking messages that are shared by our fellow enthusiasts.
As a match angler, I’m always keeping a close eye on the information being served upon waters I tend to visit on a regular basis. I’ll make no secret of it, I’m always ensuring I’m noting information shared that is based on many things from catches of species that are being caught, the most successful approach being used and of course the baits also used to catch them successfully.
Now it’s a thought this week, that on doing just this, preparing and looking ahead to a busy week fishing across the region on two different venues with bream particularly my target fish as weight builder in mind, sadly I was to come across some really negative comments that were quite disrespectful to not only the fish itself but to many anglers who like myself who fish for them.
As we all know, successful fishing always depends on a carefully planned campaign of action but that should never omit fun as part of the main criteria within it. But on targeting bream on a big wild water with tackle to play trade with them at hand, for me, biased or not, there’s simply no better tactical and sporting task I can think of when actually pulling it off and being successful on catching wild bream.
On the comments which described bream as useless, easy and dead weights to catch, my feelings on this, particularly when made by anglers targeting carp with strong rods and poles with elastic capable of pulling a car off its block’s, well the question arises, would there be any real surprise that with that strength, there’d be no option for a fish to even attempt to offer a response.
Having my say as I do, my point was made that a fine balance is always key when fishing for bream, particularly when tackling up for some long-range work. Rods long enough to pick up a distant length of sunken line is as important as the need for them to be strong and stiff enough to cast a weight accurately.
Jeff Holland took the top honours at Carr Mill Dam on Monday’s members match with a winning 15lb(Image: UGC)
Importantly too though, our rods need to also be soft enough when striking, or as I do, lifting into my fish. The importance of a critical balance is crucial, set up to still be retaining a ‘soft’ shock absorbing effect that will cushion the resistance of a soft-mouthed bream if it’s hooked.
Hopefully, like upon many joining in on our media sites, my response may well be heard to those who felt otherwise before, but more importantly for everyone, please play a hooked bream with the utmost respect and adhere to the rule of fish care as a priority over everything.
On the bank itself and catching up with one of our most well known clubs, the Alliance made a trip over to Parbold to Hall Lane Fishery on Sunday. Dave Jones took the best of this one as he put together a catch of carp on dead maggot for a top 69.10.0. In a close one Dave Weatherby’s 68.4.0 was just short of nudging that and Ian Spud’ Murphy’s third place was secured with his 57.6.0 effort.
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