Sunday 13 January 2013

Reminiscing


Boom! World didn’t end, but it certainly got me thinking, what if the world was confirmed it was about to end, have I fulfilled all my dreams? Have I done my best to fulfil the days I’ve had on this planet? Now these sort of questions brew up all sorts of emotions and memories, some good some not so but everyone has a little regret right? I started looking back over the last year and how things have changed for me and what I have learnt about myself and others, as this is a fishing blog I shall keep this as fishing orientated as I can.  
 
This whole Weymouth LRF thing has been a buzz, a lot of people have said that it started because of myself putting in a little effort locally to show a few folk and then all of sudden like a stack of cards it was out of control, which don’t get me wrong is a good thing in the grand scale of the sports future, or is it? Each day that goes by now I’m walking along the harbour bumping into the odd chap here and there fishing and I see all sorts of crazy things, some cool some not so, it’s not in my heart to point out face to face what’s a smart idea and what’s asking for a broken rod, I’m not afraid to admit I annihilated my first LRF rod which was a modest priced tubular carbostar rod, but after that one breakage I leant that these rods require respect, I’ve seen guys running what looks like 10LB braid strait through to the hook on rods weighted .5-5 grams, casting out a ragworm and balancing there rods up against the hand railings of the harbour while they role a cigarette, I wouldn’t even do that even with a soft plastic lure! I know what cruises round in that harbour,  I’ve had carp rods jump off tripods before because I didn’t set the bait runner and it isn’t funny seeing your £*** rod float across the lake.. Or harbour, well it’s funny now I look back but that’s beside the point.
 
 
These rods require respect, a balanced line and leader combo, a smooth reel that can work in unison with the rod delivering line smoothly on the clutch, leader knots can be a headache at the best of times when using light game PE, but practice makes perfect, I used to stand at a CNC machine for hours practicing my knots until I had it perfect to the point I could almost tie it blind folded, I saw this knot pop up on Henry Gilbey`s  FaceBook page and it may look complex but has proven over the last month to be a beast of a knot with the light Game PE lines.
 
 
So going back to reminiscing.. as much I am concerned with the approach some people are taking to using these light rods, I have also looked into my own fishing and “profile” as they like to call it in the trade, things changed when I jumped onboard with Ecogear/Marukyu, not necessarily in a bad way, just a side step in a direction that was a little against my grain, and after a short time working with them I have decided to part company, not for any other reasons but personal reasons, the Ecogear product range is fantastic, it’s been a great ride and I thank them for the opportunities they gave me, I made some good friends and it was great to be given an insight into what goes on behind the scenes. I feel looking back now that the bubble of profile building can become obsessive and more about your exposure to the market and how good you look rather than your skill as an angler, photographer or writer, now I don’t consider myself a pro at any of these aspects of modern day angling but I can hand on my heart tell you that getting to caught up in the mills mess of it all takes the passion away from your angling.
 



 
 
 
So to prove there was no ill feelings or anything between me and Ecogear/Marukyu team, I was joined by one of Marukyu reps John Hall for a few hours fishing in Weymouth harbour, it was fantastic to realise that not everyone you meet in the bubble of the industry doesnt looks at you as a money spinner, I have actually made a good friend in John, as much as he’s a fantastic angler he’s a top guy and great laugh.
 
 
Check out John here with his first ever Flounder and Whiting, I’m sure he was made up with this catch as this was our number one target as the conditions were so poor to fish anywhere else.
 
 
So between the flounder and the whiting we had a number of micro species from scorpion fish to black gobys, after a little research I found out this was a sand goby, one of those species we normally put back thinking it’s just another gody, for anyone in the Weymouth LRF species League this counts as one point so being able to identify each species is a must. Know your fish!
 
 
We have also had our first Weymouth LRF post from Mr Iain Turner about his outing with Simon Harris, I’m really hoping this website takes off and the guys that make the LRF scene what it is have some input.. Like I said at the beginning of the post the Weymouth LRF thing is out of control now and there are people out there catching fish left right and centre and making the scene what it is... This is the place for anyone who wants to tell their story to the world.
Click HERE and check it out.
 
Anyone that wants to post a report or any pictures please just email me HERE.
Today I was meant to head out to some lakes I haven’t fished in over ten years, all these pictures of anglers holding perch has made me start thinking about fresh water again, long lost are my days of carp fishing and float fishing for roach... but why didn’t I make it to the lakes?? Because my mummy promised me this, the best farm house roast dinner a son could ever wish for, puts Matt Jones`s cooking to shame.. Over an out guys.