Match Fishing! James' FP

[Paul Arden]

Hi James,

Really interesting and well written FP!! It's been a long time since I competitively fished. I think you kind of fall into it when you base yourself on UK stillwaters for a long time.

It probably tuned up my Stillwater game more than anything else. Made me fast at knots, upped my concentration levels and so on. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea for me to take the same approach to rivers and the competitive FIPS arrangement!

Competition fishing can get a bad knock but competition is normal. It's not the competition that's the problem for me, it's the poor losers and/or poor winners that I don't like.

It might be a somewhat obscure sport but ours is even more niche!!

Cheers, Paul

[Michal Duzynski]

Hi James
I like your FP too.
I like the comment that in relaxing casual fishing you wouldnt stay and cast in one spot(different directions) for an hour
I might acctualy put this to test in my next sw trip, anyway Im not catching much, so what a hell. As most of the time Im after flathead I might try scrubbing the bottom in a flatie looking spot for an hour with a clouser.

Who knows it might be a game changer.
Mike

[alex vulev]

great manly FP , competition improves the breed . Its a good way to learn a lot about fly fishing , maybe the best way. Poor losers and/or poor winners are in any sport , i can live wth that.

[James9118]

With it being a 'small' competition, albeit with impressive prizes (plus qualification for a national match for the top 3), I didn't notice any unsporting behaviour from anybody (I even waited for the hooter to go before fishing ). Perhaps as things get closer to the pinnacle then the overly competitive side of things starts to show? I don't know as I've never been there.

What was very impressive was the performance of the winner, like I said he caught double the number of trout than anyone else. This wasn't just the luck of the draw - he seemed to be well known by the organisers so must have a track record of doing well. Unfortunately I didn't get to speak to him about what he was doing - that would have been very interesting.

I have a friend who has taken up competition river fishing in order to improve his nymphing technique. Again he says that watching a top competition angler catching more fish from a stretch that you thought was possible is a great learning experience. Obviously you have the choice of how much of the intensity that you take into your own fishing, but even if you just take some of it then your catch rate should be improved.

I've entered for a comp at the same lake in December - no doubt I'll report back how I get on.

James

[VGB]

Was groundbaiting allowed like it was at Graffham and what are your views on spodding as a potential match winner? You could attach some feathers to make it look like a fly.

[alex vulev]

i think the dry fly brigade is throwing a couple of dozens of dry flies via match fishing catapults to create an artificial hatch and the nymphers are doing spods filled with nymph imitations to boost matching the hatch strategies

[James9118]

Was groundbaiting allowed like it was at Graffham and what are your views on spodding as a potential match winner? You could attach some feathers to make it look like a fly.

Groundbaiting - how very dare you! I have a keen interested in entomology and a scientist's knowledge of sampling significance. As such turning one stone was deemed to give insufficient evidence as to the sub-surface life present. Granted, turning every stone was probably going too far, but I like to be thorough!

[VGB]

Did any sandwiches fall out your pocket as you bent down to turn the stones?