The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Vole wrote: ↑Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:21 am I learned much of what little I know from watching fish, tackle and bait in small, clear rivers.
My childhood and teens offered few such opportunities, my local river was the tidal Thames. Many of the clear-water lessons were directly transferable to the big muddy river, but learning on the Thames was just guesswork, persistence and hope, with very little progress possible without shared knowledge, and no idea, when nothing was happening, of why not; and very little learned that couldn't be discovered in a tenth of the time on a smaller, clear and more feature-filled water.
Once you've learned a good method on a small river, you still have to adjust it to a big one, but at least you know - or have an idea - why you're doing what you're doing, and can proceed with some degree of confidence, even though you're back to fishing "blind".
Glorious uncertainty is one thing; struggling on following guesses with no clue as to why so few work is a fine advert for golf.
I'd not deny those who have no access to "visible waters" the chance to learn, albeit at second hand, the lessons of the underwater cameras simply because they weren't around in my day; learning is a far more positive thing than forlornly tweaking the wrong method in unguided hope of getting something right.

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:48 am

Vole wrote: ↑Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:21 am I learned much of what little I know from watching fish, tackle and bait in small, clear rivers.
My childhood and teens offered few such opportunities, my local river was the tidal Thames. Many of the clear-water lessons were directly transferable to the big muddy river, but learning on the Thames was just guesswork, persistence and hope, with very little progress possible without shared knowledge, and no idea, when nothing was happening, of why not; and very little learned that couldn't be discovered in a tenth of the time on a smaller, clear and more feature-filled water.
Once you've learned a good method on a small river, you still have to adjust it to a big one, but at least you know - or have an idea - why you're doing what you're doing, and can proceed with some degree of confidence, even though you're back to fishing "blind".
Glorious uncertainty is one thing; struggling on following guesses with no clue as to why so few work is a fine advert for golf.
I'd not deny those who have no access to "visible waters" the chance to learn, albeit at second hand, the lessons of the underwater cameras simply because they weren't around in my day; learning is a far more positive thing than forlornly tweaking the wrong method in unguided hope of getting something right.

Wise words oh mighty Vole

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:16 pm Richard Walker experimented with rig design and arguably invented the first self-hooking/bolt rig when he fished with a lead stopped less than an inch from the hook. He caught his 31 pounder on it.

Despite the 'Essex' laddishness and, for me, the disagreeable personalities of the Korda crew, I have found the development of underwater filming very interesting. I love fish and am totally absorbed whilst watching them. Seeing them in their natural habitat is just an extension to my passion much like watching the footage from inside a bird nesting box. Were Dick Walker still with us, I feel he would also find it interesting.

As I type this, there is, on the TV, a program about wildlife and the use of hidden spy cameras to obtain new and previously unseen footage of various animals. It's just technology and it's progress - or, for some on here, 'progress'.

For me, it's just fishing. Using a self hooking rig for carp is vastly superior to doing the same, in a 'traditional ' way, for pike.

Personal choice and all that.

Jardine wrote: ↑Sat Feb 04, 2017 2:12 pm

Dave Burr wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2017 8:16 pm Richard Walker experimented with rig design and arguably invented the first self-hooking/bolt rig when he fished with a lead stopped less than an inch from the hook. He caught his 31 pounder on it.

Despite the 'Essex' laddishness and, for me, the disagreeable personalities of the Korda crew, I have found the development of underwater filming very interesting. I love fish and am totally absorbed whilst watching them. Seeing them in their natural habitat is just an extension to my passion much like watching the footage from inside a bird nesting box. Were Dick Walker still with us, I feel he would also find it interesting.

As I type this, there is, on the TV, a program about wildlife and the use of hidden spy cameras to obtain new and previously unseen footage of various animals. It's just technology and it's progress - or, for some on here, 'progress'.

For me, it's just fishing. Using a self hooking rig for carp is vastly superior to doing the same, in a 'traditional ' way, for pike.

Personal choice and all that.

Dave,
I don't think Richard Walker invented the bolt rig. My objection is to self hooking rigs and not underwater cameras.
The bolt rig is deadly, anyone can catch carp on it, no missed runs, no concentration.
The Korda boys demonstrated that, and there was no need to run outside the bivvy to the rods, the fish was already snagged.
I argue against it on the grounds that it is not sporting, and I don't consider it to be a form of traditional angling.
Best regards
Mem