Take Me to the River - Carp Anglers by Mo

I am an amateur angler, mostly river fishing as a youth at a time when televisions were black and white. I was 14 maybe, I had my own rods (3) and tackle, a selection of floats, some ledger weights, hooks and line, all kept in our shed alongside my recent purchase of maggots. I always took great pleasure in seeing my four sisters scream and run at the sight of these little yellow and pink torpedo-like worms wriggling in sawdust.

I used to walk down to the riverbank at Wallingford and set myself up alongside a whole string of anglers - each sitting in their low chairs, umbrella up and at least three rods lying on their rests with a small lump of squeezed sodden bread weighing down the line between the rods first rung and the reel. Any small bites make the bread jolt the anglers' attention.

I peered into their nets as I strolled by towards the furthest available spot. Most of them had been there all night in the prime spots. Mainly bream and perch were the typical catches. For me, I was pleased with a gudgeon or two to take home and show my mum. Anyway, I decided to try my ledger that day, not because the river was running high and fast which it was, more likely I had run out of the little lead pellets that look like pac-man munchers, only the size of a pea. You have to bite them in place underneath the float line to make the float stand upright.

As I reeled in my line I felt a terrific tug, must be a log or something my hook has stuck to. But it was definitely moving. I was half way between panic and fear as the realization came to me. I've caught something, and it's big. My rods flexing caused somewhat of a commotion amongst the anglers down the line, they were looking over at me.

I was struggling, but slowly bringing something towards my riverbank. Two of them came over, thankfully one with a landing net, I didn't have one. Still this fish was fighting hard to get away from me. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes later it started to surface in the swirling muddy currents of the river. It was huge and strangely, it wasn't coming up head first. The first thing that surfaced was a dark, long back. I think the fish may have been more confused than me at being caught by the dorsal fin!

bagginup from the Carpfishing UK Forums

The lads helped me land a 35lb Carp, with an enormous mouth and a big fat belly. The hook had caught its dorsal fin presumably during my reeling in. By this time ten or fifteen anglers had seen this incredibly lucky catch and roared with laughter seeing the hooks placement. They took charge of the biggest fish I had ever caught and duly returned the magnificent fish to its river home. They handled the fish with a level of respect for a creature I had never seen before or since.

Of course, absolutely no one at home believed me and they probably still don't now but that's of little consequence because it introduced me to perhaps that most unusual of fishermen, the Carp angler. continued below

Take Me to the River - Carp Anglers continued by Mo

coffindodger from the Carpfishing UK Forums

Years Later, I would be reintroduced to carp fishing by Stuart, a good friend, who I accompanied to a couple of afternoon/evening angling sessions last summer. The mere mention of carp takes Stuart (and most carp anglers, I'll wager) into a state of glee. I recently joined Carpfishing UK Forums to try and find out more about what makes Carp Anglers that little different from most other fishermen.

I asked them using the forum what it is about carp fishing that's so special. Here are some of their replies.

Rusty There is a buzz that you get from doing it. When that bite alarm screams a full blown all out run at any time during the day or night, your heart just hits the back of your throat and beats out of control right up to the point of wrapping the mesh of the landing net around your prize. It could be any size or any breed of fish that has picked your bait up, but for those moments that alarm is going it could be the biggest fish you have ever caught. Mark All I can say is its in my blood and could not imagine not going fishing for carp again. Pellethead Fishing these days to ME is about a different challenge every time I do it. Yes I set my trap, yes I stalk my TARGET (not prey, as EVERY fish I hook goes back as good as it came out) but there's so much more to it than that. Every angler has their own reasons for going, heres mine: I go to enjoy the outdoors, I love being in the countryside, the wildlife this country has to offer is equal to any other country. The people you meet on the bank have the same thing in common with you so it is easy to start conversations (some of my best mates have come about through our common theme, fishing). I go to relax, to get away from the pressure of my job and my family. When I'm there, I eat when I'm hungry and not dinner time. I sleep when I'm tired and not bed time. Over the many years I have been doing this I have learnt so much about the art of angling and when I slip the net under a nice fish I feel satisfied with what I have achieved. As for carp anglers, we are not unique, there are anglers who will fish for barbell night in and night out on my local stretch of the river, Roach fisherman who will fish for years for the 3lb specimen, Perch anglers who are out all weathers trying to catch their chosen target. Pike anglers who fish all winter for the big 20 etc. etc. Carp fishing has been embraced by the tackle companies and exploited to the max. The uncatchable carp has become a target for us anglers who dare take on the challenge, but we know they are not uncatchable, don't we? baitman6 I think it's the peace and quiet. Then there's the waiting and anticipating..............is one gonna take my bait......................how big will it be......................how big COULD it be............then you hear............bleep..................bleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. bagginup Heres my biggie, Hull. Stick this one on your article. A truly magnificent fish, which I'm sure most carp anglers in the country would love to get their hands on. The feeling when this one slipped in the net was one that I'll probably never experience again. It's what dreams are made of, son. Just goes to show that you don't have to be famous to get good catches. Just got back from fishing for 2 nights in the freezing cold with no luck. Still, enjoyed every minute of it, even when I woke up to a rat in my bivvey, munching on my food. In my eyes, words cannot explain why we go carp fishing, if they can then can someone please share them with the rest of us. Carp fishing is not only a hobby but an obsession as well as something we do to relax and get away from work and the family. One thing I can't stand is when narrow minded people ask you what is the point in fishing if you're just going to put them back? or fishing is boring when they've never even tried it. I guess its just one of those things that you have to try, to be able to experience the magic feeling of catching a carp. Another thing about carp fishing is that no matter how good you are, you can never know everything there is to know. There is always more to learn, even if your name is Terry Hearn (and I'm sure he'll agree)! scrumpy monkey We do it because the best fish for the best. Wherever we are from.

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