Over the year’s, I’ve noticed that in the beginning in my years fishing down in the south, I was a member of as many clubs waters as possible.  Fishing here and there and not really focusing on one water.  This was brought about by moving from Suffolk to Hampshire in the mid 90s for work and discovering all these lovely new carp lakes to fish all at the same time.

As time progressed, I realized that I needed to just simply focus on one or two waters for a few years and then move on.  Some of these changes probably came about due to work, as I was moving up the career ladder.  Also fishing was really becoming a popular pastime and unfortunately the idiots started appearing on local club waters.  This did effect my quite badly at one point and very nearly completely binned fishing, if it hadn’t been for a visit to my ever faithful tackle shop in Southampton.  I made a passing comment to a guy I knew who worked in there and he pointed me in the direction of a amazing river syndicate, it simply let you do as you pleased with only a couple of understandable rules.  This basically saved me and I spent 7 year’s wondering up and down a 5 mile stretch of the Hampshire Avon, doing as I pleased and in that time I can count on my hands the number of people I met.  I just fished for anything that came along and got lost in fishing again.  There is also a freedom for you when the water is managed like it was and with like minded anglers as well.  this is where my passion for fishing was reborn and it sent me straight back to the 80’s!

There are always sliding doors moment in this life we live and 7 year’s after I had joined the syndicate, it was getting smaller and the landowners were after more money, I was in the same tackle shop and the same thing happened. “Oh! you may be interested to know there’s a new syndicate starting up that sounds perfect for you.”  This was the day I found out about my Airfield Lake syndicate and I’ve been here ever since.  This has the same attributes as the river syndicate, not many members and all very nice and friendly.  The lakes and rivers are very wild and woolly, they are set up in such a way that you can be hard pushed to see another angler when you’re fishing, unless you pick an area that divides the lakes up.

At my age, I think this is all I’m looking for and in a strange way, I think covid 19 has helped me come to the realization that the simple thing in life are more important.  Or as I’ve tried to do, simplify my life to the important things.  It shouldn’t be hard work to enjoy yourself, it should be stress free and enjoyable.  All I really want to do when I go fishing, is catch a few nice carp and fish for some unknown warriors.  But be simple and straight forward with as less stress as possible and enjoyable all the time, even if your blanking.  If the soundings are stunning and you don’t have to worry about where the next person is going to pitch up, this just has to be the way forward.

If you are having any doubts about your fishing, I hope the above has helped in some way.  Fishing has been highlighted as one of the best mental health reliefs for stress, don’t stress yourself out by going to the wrong place or not catching, just look around and enjoy the view.

Until next time

Richard