Contents Introduction
5
Why Go Fishing
7
Types of Fishing
11
Types of Angler
17
Fish Species
29
Tackle
47
Methods
63
Introduction Fishing is a mixture of patience, strategy and guesswork. It gives you the chance to get involved with nature and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is a skill that is being lost and forgotten about in the age of technology, it has provided us with a sport and sustenance for generations upon generations. This book focuses on course fishing which is the least expensive and most available form of fishing and it is aimed at the complete beginner to the sport.
5
Why Go Fishing?
8
Top Ten Reasons To Go Fishing 1. Stress relief. Sitting by a stream or a river in the middle of the countryside is one of the best ways to relax on a sunny afternoon. 2. Bonding. Spending time with friends and family whilst doing something fun and exciting can help to strengthen relationships. Also teaching somebody else to fish can be a rewarding experience.
6. The money spent on a fishing licence contributes to the environment agency budget allowing them to keep the environment clean and improve sustainability. 7. Its challenging. You have to understands the tackle you are using and how to make it work for you, how can you change your tactics if your not catching any fish.
3. Fishing for Food. Wild fish is low in 8. It helps to get your mind off other fat and is good for you, its more fulfill- things. Concentrating on your fishing ing to catch your own food. can provide you with a much needed break from other aspects of life. 4. Its fun. Spending a day fishing is more fun than going to work! 9. To get ideas. Inspiration can be found anywhere especially when 5. It gives an insight into the having fun. environment and how you can help to support it. 10. Learn something new about yourself by being alone and testing yourself against nature. 9
Types of Fishing
Game Fishing Game fishing is generally done using fly fishing tackle. The fish that are caught are Salmon, migratory Trout and sometimes Grayling. Special licences are needed when game fishing and these are more expensive and exclusive than licences for course fishing waters.
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Coarse Fishing Course fishing is the focus of this book. This type of fishing includes many different methods and tactics such as float fishing and pole fishing. The fish that are generally caught in course fishing are extensive and often edible. The licences and tackle to start this hobby can be inexpensive and accessible to anyone. The types of waters are also varied between rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and canals all over the UK.
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Sea Fishing Sea fishing is also an enjoyable experience with a huge array of fish to catch. This type of fishing can take place from boats and from the shore line, off of jettys and from cliff sides. There is no need for licences when sea fishing however it can become costly if you want to get to the bigger fish as you will either need a boat or pay for an organized trip.
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Commercial Fishing Commercial fishing mainly takes place from boats out into the ocean using nets and technology to catch different and large amounts of fish. However commercial fisheries can also be found in-land in lakes and specially made ponds farming trout and salmon.
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Types of Angler
Pleasure A pleasure angler is somebody who enjoys the simple act of fishing. In groups or alone this type of fisherman has no aims or goals other than having fun and relaxing by the riverside.
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“I go because every so often you need a break from the real world, away from stress and get some peace and quiet� 19
Specimen The specimen angler will always have a target in mind. They want to catch large fish of any species. Generally specimen anglers target Carp, Pike and Barbel as they arguably give the best fight and are the most prestigious catch. They will have set tactics and approaches to their fishing and will think nothing about spending hours or even days no catching anything for the chance to catch an amazing fish.
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Source - Angling Times Newspaper, 2012
21
Competitive Also known as a match fisherman this type of angler enters competitions to show their prowess. There are two main types of match, biggest fish and biggest total weight. This type of fishing can be costly as large amounts of bait and equipment are needed to be able to change to and situation during the day. However there can be great rewards if you climb the ranks into the top matches where thousands of pounds and equipment can be won.
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Lee Taylor, a competitive match fisherman has won the prestigious Barston Masters trophy. With a winning weight of 71lb 12oz to beat a total of 79 other anglers. Source - Match Fishing Magazine 2012 23
Commercial Commercial fisherman have taken their passion and turned it into their career. They use technology and their wits to catch large amounts of fish everyday to sell to supermarkets and other shops.
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Andy Giles is a 40 year old fisherman from Cornwall. He used to work in a fish shop but decided that this life style was not for him. He decided that he wanted to be the person to bring in the catch. He is now the proud captain of a 100 tonne trawler boat worth £750,000 with state of the art sonar and gps equipment which can track and catch up to £1000 worth of fish in one day. Source - BBC HD : Toughest Place to be a Fisherman
“You couldn’t do this if you didn’t love it. This is more than a job, its a way of life” 25
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“When you put the nets out in the morning, you don’t know what your going to catch. Which still excites me! Which is a bit strange and funny I suppose!”
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Species of Fish
Coarse Species
Barbel (Barbus barbus)
Current Record 17lb 1oz 7.739kg
Season June - March
Distribution Mostly found in southern England
Natural Diet Bottom feeders, taking any creatures lying in the gravel
Top Spots River Severn, Great Ouse, Hampshire Avon and Wensum
Top Tips Fish with big smelly baits in a flooded river.
31
Bream (Abramis brama)
Current Record 16lb 9oz 7.513kg
32
Season June - March in rivers. All year in stillwater
Distribution Very widespread except in chalk streams
Natural Diet Water snails, caddis, insect larvae.
Top Spots The Fens and Norfolk Broads
Top Tips Big Bream are nocturnal.
Carp (Cyprinus Carpio)
Current Record 56lb 6oz 25.571kg
Season June - March in rivers. All year in stillwater
Distribution Very widespread. Carp are found in all waters.
Natural Diet Insect larvae, Molluscs. Moths and Flies off surface.
Top Spots Vast number of Carp lakes. Redmire and Wraysbury are both famous.
Top Tips On big stillwaters, fish into the prevailing wind.
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Catfish (Silurus glanis)
Current Record 62lbs 28.12kg
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Season All Year
Distribution Uneven distrubution, more in the South.
Natural Diet Swan mussels, dead fish, frogs and newts
Top Spots Claydon Lake, Withy Pool, Oak Lodge and Wintons
Top Tips Fish into the margins of the water.
Chub (Leuciscus cephalus)
Current Record 8lb 10oz 3.912kg
Season June - March in rivers. All year in stillwater
Distribution Widely distributed throughout the country, both still and moving water
Natural Diet Insects, crustacea, small fish, dead moths and flies.
Top Spots Great Ouse, Kennet, Dorset Stour, Hampshire Avon
Top Tips Prebait swims and come back later in the day.
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Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius)
Current Record 4lb 2oz 8drm 1.885kg
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Season All year.
Distribution Uneven, mainly found in undisturbed stillwaters.
Natural Diet Shrimps, snails, insect larvae, worms and vegetation.
Top Spots Any secluded ponds.
Top Tips Use light, delicate tackle.
Dace (Leuciscus leuciscus)
Current Record 1lb 4oz 4drm 0.574kg
Season June - March.
Distribution Shallow rivers in the southern half the UK.
Natural Diet Insects and worms. Surface feeders on flies and moths.
Top Spots Hampshire Avon.
Top Tips Trotting Maggots in a clear river.
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Eel (Anguilla anguilla)
Current Record UK 11lb 2oz 5.046kg
38
Season All year.
Distribution Widespread in all water types.
Natural Diet Decaying matter, fish spawn and worms.
Top Spots Neglected lakes, where they have been undisturbed.
Top Tips Fish near to snags, like conger eels colonize sea wrecks.
Grayling (Thymallus thymallus)
Current Record 4lb 3oz 1899kg
Season June - March.
Distribution Uneven, Southern England is best.
Natural Diet Insects, fish fry and water snails.
Top Spots Southern chalk streams.
Top Tips In the best condition in the winter months.
39
Perch (Percha Fluviatilus)
Current Record UK 2.523 kg 5lb 9oz
40
Season June - March in rivers. All year in stillwater
Distribution Very widespread. Perch are found in all waters.
Natural Diet Fish, crustacea, worms and insect larvae.
Top Spots For really big perch, reservoirs and gravel pits
Top Tips Perch are active feeders at dawn. it is best to start fishing at first light
Pike (Esox lucius)
Current Record 46lb 13oz 21.234kg
Season Some waters all year, rivers June to March, but in some waters October to March Only.
Distribution Very widespread. All waters.
Natural Diet Fish, small mammals, worms.
Top Spots Resevoirs and large lakes.
Top Tips Use frozen deadbates, they will release scent slowly. 41
Roach (Rutilus Rutilus)
Current Record UK 1.899 kg 4lb 3oz
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Season June - March in rivers. All year in stillwater
Distribution Widely distrubuted in all waters
Natural Diet Aquatic instects, snails, worms, caddis and silkweed.
Top Spots Chalk streams and large resevoirs.
Top Tips Roach love the coloured water of flooded rivers.
Rudd (Scardinius erythropthalmus)
Current Record 4lb 8oz 2.041kg
Season June - March.
Distribution Patchy, apart from Ireland.
Natural Diet Surface feeders on insects, insect larve from the bottom.
Top Spots Irish waters.
Top Tips Rudd can feed at any depth, try changing as the day progresses. 43
Tench (Tinca tinca)
Current Record 14lb 3oz 6.435kg
44
Season All year.
Distribution Widespread, especially stillwaters.
Natural Diet Mainly bottom feeders, on worms, shrimps and snails.
Top Spots Reservoirs and large gravel pits
Top Tips Tench love lilies on lakes.
Zander (Stizostedion Luciopercha)
Current Record 19lb 5oz 8.76kg
Season June -March in rivers, all year in stillwaters
Distribution Uneven distribution over the UK.
Natural Diet Both live and dead fish.
Top Spots River Severn, the Fens and Coombe Abbey.
Top Tips Fresh (not frozen) freshwater dead fish.
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Fishing Tackle
Fishing Rods Fishing rods come in all shapes and sizes, each are more suited to a particular task than the other. Size is an important factor, a longer rod will allow you to cast your line further, however it can become cumbersome and ill suited to close margin work. Different rods also have one of three types of action. The first being a “through action” where there is a uniform amount of strength through the rod, this is seen as a all-rounder and can be used in many situations. The next type of action is a “progressive action” rod, these are made so that as the rod bends more more power is applied to the line, this is useful when dealing with larger fish but may not give the angler any pleasure with smaller species. The final style is a “fast taper” rod. This rod has a flexible tip allowing the angler to cast their line further. 48
Reel Housing
Butt
Tip
Eyelet
The end of the rod can either be normal or it can have a special tip known as a quiver or swing tip. These show an action when a fish has taken the bait.
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Reels The reel attaches to the rod and it both holds the line and allows the angler to retrieve it. This is the key part when playing a fish, as pull to quickly or to sharply you may loose the fish. There are three types of reel that the course fisherman may use. The most common being the fixed spool reel. These have a “drag� system that controls how hard you can retrieve the line. The other types of reel are Multipliers and Centrepins. Multipliers are used when large amounts of heavy line are needed, such as when fishing off a boat. Centrepin reels are more commonly used in fly-fishing. These reels allow the fish to take as much line as they want before the angler steps in to fight the fish.
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Centrepin Reel
Multiplier Reel
Detachable Spool Bale Arm
Power Roller
Reel Seat
Handle Anti Reverse Drag Control Fixed Spool Reel
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Fishing Line There are three main types of fishing line. The first and by far the most versatile and widely used is called “Monofilaments�. This type of line is made out of nylon and are used because of its near transparent colour. The main factors to consider when choosing line is the diameter and the strength. The stronger the line, the more abuse it will withstand when playing a fish without snapping. However the stronger the line the thicker it becomes, thicker line makes it easier for the fish to spot it therefore making them less likely to take the bait. The other type of line is called braid, it is a lot stronger that monofilament however it is far more expensive, therefore not used as widely Wire Traces are also used just before the hook when catching Pike as their teeth can cut through the monofilament line. 52
Some Examples of Fishing Line
Hooks Hooks come in a variety of sizes and curves, with a choice in barbed and barbless tips. As a general rule the larger the fish you are trying to catch use a larger hook. Some people use barbed hooks as they are less likely to loose fish, however this can injure or damage the fish and they are banned in many fisheries. Trebles are only used when catching pike due to the bait used and there aggressive nature.
Suggested Hooks Style of Fishing
Hook Choices
Big Carp
Size 2 - 6
Pike
Size 4 - 8 Treble
Other Species, Large Bait
Size 4 - 8
General Feeder
Size 12 - 16
Feeder, Strong Fish
Size 12 - 16
Feeder, Roach and Dace
Size 14 - 18
Float Fishing, Flake Bait
Size 8 - 12
Float Fishing, Caster Bait
Size 16 - 18
Size 6 Treble Hook 53
Pole Fishing Using a pole is a different style of fishing. A pole does not have a reel instead the line, float and hook is tied to the end of the pole. The end of a pole generally has elastic in it which tires the fish out when its hooked and is swimming against it. This method of fishing allows the user to pin-point exactly where they want to fish and also use delicate line and hooks because the strain of the fish is put onto the elastic rather that the line itself. An inexpensive way to try out pole fishing is to purchase a “whip�. These are shorter and more fragile poles that can be bought for the fraction of the price of a pole, which are expensive as they are generally made out of lightweight and strong carbon fibre tubes.
Example of Stored Rigs which would be attached to the end of a pole. 54
An example of a pole showing the elasticated tips 55
Nets Landing nets are used when a fish is too large to pull out of the water by the strength of the line alone. Using a landing net also helps to limit the stress caused on a fish after it has been caught. They come in two shapes and in many sizes, either the triangular shaped net, which is generally used for large fish and the spoon shaped net for smaller fish. A landing net always has to be used when pole fishing. As the name suggests a keepnet is used to house the fish that you have already caught, these are submerged in the water and fish are placed into them. These are generally used in fishing matches as they can be weighed afterwards to determine the winner.
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An example of a triangular landing net.
An example of a Keepnet.
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Indicators and Floats For a beginner to the art of fishing, float fishing provides the most enjoyable and exciting experience. Different floats allow different methods to be employed. For example a large float will allow more weight to be added to the line, therefore a further cast will be achieved. A smaller float will be less intrusive in the water and therefore less likely to scare away fish, and it will also allow the angler to see fish interacting with the bait easier, however less casting distance can be achieved. Other indicators that can be used are quiver tips, when ledgering a bite will be shown by a bend in the tip or by it relaxing. These tips are attached to the end of a ledger rod and come in different thicknesses depending on the anglers personal preference and water type. 58
An example of a Waggler floats.
An example of a Quiver tips.
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Leads and Shot Leads are used to pin the line and bait to the bottom of the water, the size of the lead you use is dependant on the strength of the line you are using, the distance you wish to cast and the strength of the water current. Split shot is used to add weight to the line when using a float, the larger the float the more split shot it can support. Various sizes are used to help balance and fine-tune the presentation of bait.
An example of a some bomb leads.
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An array of shot sizes.
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Fishing Methods
Baits Arguably the most important decision the angler has to make is what bait they are going to use to tempt the fish. Almost anything can be used, although bright coloured, strong smelling and tasting have been known to be successful. When choosing bait it is important to decide what fish you want to catch, large fish will go for small baits, but smaller fish will not be able to.
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Natural Baits There are many different natural baits. Including Worms, Maggots, Casters, Slugs, Prawns, Sweetcorn and Chickpeas. The idea behind natural baits is simply that you are offering the fish part of its natural diet. Most of these baits can be bought in your local tackle shop, found in the garden or bought from a shop.
Man Made
Ground Bait
Man made baits include Bread, Meats (such as Luncheon Meat and Sausage), Pastes, Boilies and Fake Baits. These are processed foods that appeal to fish because of either their colour or scent. These are useful because the fish might not have been introduced to these baits therefore will be more willing to try them.
Ground bait is used to tempt the fish into your swim, generally ground bait is made of strong smelling and colourful food so fish are attracted from further away, however they do not contain enough food to satisfy the fish therefore hopefully they will take the bait. Ground baits can be made or they can be bought from a tackle shop. A good example of an inexpensive ground bait is bread crumbs.
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Float Fishing Float fishing is arguably the easiest forms of fishing for beginners. This is due to the easy set up of the tackle and the clear visible indication when a fish has taken the bait. When a fish has taken the bait the float will either disappear under the water, or it will start behaving erratically. When this happens the fisherman needs to strike with the rod and start reeling the line in. The level of the bait in the water can be changed be leaving more or less line after the float.
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Line
Water Line Float
Split Shot
Hook 67
Ledgering Ledgering is another form of fishing. When using this tactic you know that your bait is on the bottom of the lake, pond or river. This gives natural bait presentation. Because of the extra weight it allows the angler to cast the line further that with a float. This is useful when trying to get to larger fish who may be spooked by your presence on the river bank. This method is also useful when fishing in weirs or other fast moving water, as the bait is pinned down rather than moving around which can be distracting and not as relaxing for the fisherman. Bites are detected by using a quiver tip or a bobbin, these visual indicators are attached to the rod and move when a fish takes the bait. 68
Line
Hook
Split Shot
Lead Weight Water Bed
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Surface Fishing Surface fishing is a really exciting form of fishing. It allows the angler to see the fish actually take the bait. Surface fishing can be done with or without a float. When not using a float make sure that you grease the line with something like Vaseline, as this will help it to float. The Bubble float shown in the diagram is a semihollow ball that adds weight and buoyancy to the set up allowing the fisherman to cast further. Generally bread is used as a bait when surface fishing as it floats. But be careful not to catch ducks or swans!
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Hook
Bubble Float
Line
Water Surface
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Dead Baiting Dead baiting is used when fishing for Pike. You have to use a large float when using this methods so that the weight of the dead fish is supported in the water. You use a wire trace to make sure that the Pikes teeth do not cut through the line. Treble hooks are used because you need to both hook the dead fish and leave prongs exposed to hook the pike.
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Water Surface Float
Line
Split Shot
Wire Trace Treble Hooks
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Lure Fishing Lure fishing can be simple and fun way to catch fish. Trout, Pike and Perch are mainly caught by this method however sometimes Chub and Carp will respond to it. Lures are designed to make fish think that this is food and the angler reels in the line at different speeds and directions to support this. There are many different sizes and styles of lure and these can have different actions in the water, different patterns on them or different weights to allow longer casting.
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Water Line
Line
Lure
Wire Trace
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Knots There are lots of different knots that an angler can have in their arsenal, two of the most versatile are the Locked Half Blood Knot and the Double Overhand Loop. The first is used to tie hooks, swivels, lures and anything else to your line. The second is used to add loops to the line, which is used to accommodate a loop to loop hooklength.
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The Locked Half Blood Knot
The Overhand Loop Knot
Image Source, The Practical Guide to Coarse Fishing 77
Tying Knots By Chris Helingoe Tying knots is the average persons guide to coarse fishing. With detailed diagrams and visual guides it gives the reasons, tactics and knowledge needed to become a successful fisherman.