Does carping takeover?

[tarpon]

Hello All ;D

Since I got all the carping gear, I've neglected all other types of fishing. I went piking a few times last winter (didn't do much!) and went sea fishing with mates about 5 times in 2 years.

I used to fish for anything and everything, quiver rod, float rod, light spinning rod, and 1 cheap carp rod. Thoroughly enjoyed fishing the rivers for chub, perch, roach and the ever elusive barbel.

Since catching my first decent carp, I haven't really done anything else. Went out and got a better rod and some alarms and built up a basic but satisfactory collection of carping gear over time.

My other rods (one of which cost twice what any carping rod or reel has!) now sit in the bedroom doing nowt. i often sit and ponder over this while carping and sometimes wonder whether I should really be at the river after a barbel or chub etc, instead of sitting behind motionless buzzers, and moaning to myself about chucking in ten quids worth of boilies! I could have been sitting on a completely deserted bank of the Seven trent, catching lots of different species, and theres always the the chance of a big barbel, chub and carp.

So to me, carping has taken over, and has, in a stupid kinda way, stopped me enjoying fishing in the way I used to. Maybe it's the pressure associated with it, maybe it's the cost, maybe it's the keeping up with new rig materials and designs, maybe I'm just going slightly mad!! Maybe if I'd beaten my PB in the last 2 years I wouldn't be having these thoughts! (That last comment is typical of a carp angler ain't it!)

Does anyone else have the same feelings, or am I a loner!?

[linebites]

I did at one time just fish for carp and only carp and if i caught a bream or tench i hated it. But then also i liked to float fish so what i do know is have two rods out for the carp or whatever wants to take it and i have a float around, and know i do not care what i catch as long as i catch something. This seemed to have worked for me as a couple of weeks ago i caught a new PB bream of 8lb 1oz.
The only time i fish for one type of fish is when i am catfishing which i have not done a lot of this year but even then i have one rod out for whatever.
I enjoy my fishing even more know then i used to.

And as for your other question i would not say you where mad just crazy

[pitseapike]

I'm not into the carp set up yet but i do put 2 rods outs, 1 ledger and 1 float with lighter tackle and even been known to chuck the pole out just to crack the boredum.

PP

[Rickster]

im not into the carp scene in a big way, if i go to a water and i know its got some lumps in it i tend to put a rod out with a carp rig on and proberly pellet. I still go river fishing and sea fishing. I go on one holiday a year just carp,cat and sturgeon fishing (still yet to catch the last 2) but thats all i would say i go just fishing for the speices (except for the odd weekend maybe 2 a year). I tend to be falling more and more into the carp scene as each year passes, i used to have 1 carp rod now i got like 3 i used to have 1 baitrunner now i got 5 etc etc.

But is it just me, as soon as a manfactuer puts the word carp on the packet on goes another few quid where you can buy exactly the same type of thing for less when its not been branded for carp fishing.

[Camo]

I have been fishing since the age of six and have never tired of it no matter what branch of the sport, that's almost 45 years on the banks, caught my first carp whilst in my thirties and along with the fish I too was hooked, I still do the occasional day trotting the river and love Pike and Catfish.

[rocket]

Hi all,
Tarpon, you and me both im affraid. I loved nothing more than walking a deserted stretch of river[throop, teme,avon, kennet] fishing for chub and barbel. I too then caught a carp [7lb common] and as alan said was truely hooked line sinker and copy of angling times thrown into the strange but beautiful world of carping.
Im hoping that 1 day i'll be walking rivers again at the crack of dawn.......and no your not mad.......unlike me beep beep.

[Camo]

I can vouch for Rocket being mad, he had me in stitches on the banks, having recently fished alongside him or should I say as a gillie for him, a quality angler / specimen hunter.

[rocket]

as alan has just embarassed me im gona do the same.

i fished 1 pole a swim on the mill for a weekend.
on the friday nite i had 5 fish to 33lb, the first run was at 9pm the last 3am, he was there landing,weighing and taking photos.

saturday nite i had 8 fish to 26lb again he was there, net, scales, camera again until 3 in the morning.
I could not thank him enough[ well a cuppa and a bacon butty can go along way] theres not many people who would do that for you not even a good mate.

HATS OF TO YOU CAMO, TOP MAN.
I've got to go i'm starting to get a tear in my eye

and no not a tear in my brown 1 either.