This is a guest post by Jamie Hibbert of the UK based Fishing Blog. You can also follow Jamie on Twitter @fishingblog.
I am delighted to be given the chance of writing an article for this website. Despite the fact that I am talking about the common sport of fishing, the US and UK have a very different approach to the subject and language around it. I have been blogging about UK Sea fishing, with the emphasis on UK Sea Bass for the past 6 years.
The aim of the fishing blog is to pass on the knowledge I have learnt and try to educate a few of my readers into a more holistic approach to angling. “Balanced fishing tackle” is the term I emphasise to enable people to think out of the box and consider different ways to increase their catch rate, respect the quarry, and get more enjoyment from the sport.
Why have I chosen 30 years of change? That is roughly the amount of time I have been fishing and I think that period has seen the most change and improvement in UK Angling. Let’s get started.
The Beginning Of The Story
Game fishing was once the pursuit of the tweed clad gentry, smoking a pipe while playing a Salmon in a black and white landscape. Fishing was still very agricultural and minds could not be persuaded. 30 years ago we were within a period of change—fishing with rod and line was starting to make significant money and it was becoming accessible to more and more people. The growth of UK tourism, better communication routes, improved vehicles and more expendable cash had its effect. New tackle ideas and technologies were rapidly improving and becoming affordable e.g. Carbon fibre thanks partly to The United States Air Force and NASA investing in it from the 50’s.
There were simply not enough good rivers around the UK to support the demand so still waters grew and grew. The finesse of fly fishing was alive and well while equipment was being replaced with new, more capable gear. Minds were being opened and ideas were being shared, at last!
Coarse fishing accelerated and itself became more technical. The fine points of this facet of angling were being identified by anglers and solutions were found. There was a strong following of purists matched by a new breed of anglers who were open to technology, methodology and science as a means to improve their pursuit.
Sea Angling was struggling. We were using very simple gear, basic rigs and fighting rapidly falling fish stocks after the boom in the 60’s and 70’s. Sea anglers were a little left behind in my opinion. There were anglers out there looking to improve the way we approached our sport, Dr Mike Ladle in my opinion was a breath of fresh air… along with friends of his and no doubt many others like them who remain unknown they decided to pool methods and techniques from all fishing disciplines in order to better target species and increase catch rates.
I feel that Carp anglers have taken this ability to adapt, change and improve their fishing almost into a science or art form. Everything is considered and worked out to present the bait to the right place in the most effect way possible—perfection. I know having cast a fly, that this is the premise of a good game angler, but I feel the UK Carp guys have excelled and put many of us to shame with their dedication and accuracy to the sport.
The Evolution Of Sea Angling
The last 10 to 15 years has seen a huge leap forward in the world of Sea Angling. Before this, every magazine wrote the same article every season, mentioned the same bait, the same few lures and the identical rigs. I generalize, but I am sure you know what I mean. Now we are seeing not necessarily brand new methods never been seen before, but methods taken from other aspects of fishing, applied to sea species.
UK Sea Bass fishing with lures, ledger and fly has seen massive growth. The modern approach employed by many anglers in my opinion is in the spirit of sport fishing. Tackle is balanced, new lures are being shaped and trialed all the time. Methods for catching Bass are being copied from US fishing techniques and around the world as well as Game, Carp and Coarse anglers from the UK. Clothing and luggage has improved immensely, we certainly have to thank the US for this improvement to our angling.
The biggest and most noticeable change has to be Kayak fishing. It is used by most disciplines, but sea anglers have taken it to the extreme and to great effect. Kayak angling is everywhere, the magazines now feature pages purely to Kayak anglers. I am one of them and they certainly helped me to increase my catch rates. This has made boat angling affordable and achievable to thousands of people. Think we might need to thank the US for that one as well!!
Finally fishing in the UK is becoming cool, well just. We have a new, fresh and exciting approach to angling, which is drawing more and more people to it. The clothing has fashion in mind with a smart cut and colour as well as being super functional.
Here in old blighty we have always had a small number of great anglers who have pushed the envelope in their chosen field, now the majority of anglers are exciting, fresh and open minded. One of the most important facts is we are learning to respect the quarry, treat it’s environment carefully and fight for its cause against crazy rules that do not protect our prized fish. Hopefully one day we will see UK Coastal sports fisheries that we can be proud of.