Carp etiquette

What an earth is going on with fishing etiquette these days?  Even on one of my sydicate water’s, things are starting to go in the wrong direction and some people are starting to behave like they would do on club waters.  They seem to have no regard to others, a simple 1 minute conversation could/would eradicate any issues and with a modicum of commonsense would really help to stop any issues before they occur.

We need to start to respect each others space a lot more.  You just don’t need the extra stress of dealing with these issues.  If you are greeted with an aggressive welcome, it puts you into the same mode and off you both go.  You gain nothing but pain.

Over the years I’ve been carp fishing, I’ve seen some funny phases.  When I first started, it was very secretive, but other angers would have the decency to talk to you, be very polite and ask you to leave the swim before they baited up or cast out again.  Even to the point of casting in the wrong area until you had gone.  Back in those days (what a line!), no one would set up anywhere near you and if they wanted to, they would have the decency to ask if they could do this.

Then came the stage, where anglers wouldn’t talk to each other. They would just hide in their bivvies’ or just point blank ignore you.  This then moved on to the set up anywhere and cast anywhere brigade.

Anglers have started to reserve swims, which I can see the point of this.  As 30 years ago, there were very few anglers and you could spend all day looking around with not even the hint of another angler.

Nowadays, you pull into most lake car parks and you can be followed in by 2 more cars.  Getting back to the point.  I’ve seen buckets put in swims for 2-3 hours, which in my eyes is NOT acceptable in this day and age.  Having found the person who owned the bucket and made inquires re the bucket, I was told his mate was down later and wanted to fish near him (was he scared of the dark!?).  He arrived 4 hours later. I have even seen a row of buckets & a chair once (is it beating the Germans to the sunloungers syndrome?).  I have also been told by a person who set up next to me on a empty lake that he fished this swim every Thursday night (even if the fish are topping round the corner?).  After a bit of a heated chat, he thought that it was a good idea to move swim and even up the odds a bit.

I’ve also found that it’s very hard to even get a swim on some of the circuit waters, nowadays due to the volume of anglers.  This is why I’ve stuck with small syndicates & club waters for the Winter, when most stay at home and only coming out on sunny days.

What I do on lakes that have secure parking, is to have a walk around with my bucket and place in the most likely swim, based on past trips in the weeks before.  I then carry on with my wheelbarrow until I find a better one then go back and collect the bucket.  This process only takes about an hour or less. Now, if you have the luxury that you have the place to yourself the ‘world’s your oyster’.

I know I’ve got a bit demoralised with carp anglers due to the above and moved back onto the rivers where it’s a pleasure to fish and other anglers are very courtious to each other (and helpfull).

This page is all about thinking of other anglers before you set up.  Most lakes I fish, anglers leave one swim apart and do not fish opposite to each other.  This is just an unwritten rule and it works well.  On the syndicate that I am a member of on the River Avon, people will not fish within a 3/4 of a mile.

It’s so peaceful.

My point in this page is to think of other anglers and also yourself.  Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of fishing.  Walk a mile in the other person’s shoes – how would you feel if you were spoken to like that or someone set up right next to you?

That’s all for now

Richard

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