Used to take fishing very seriously when I was younger, regularly fished 3 matches a week (was on 3 shifts and thought nothing of fishing a midweeker when on nights!!). Used to enjoy the variety and different skills/techniques required between rivers, canals and lakes and what species were present. Lost interest when the commercial fisheries started to dominate the match fishing opens, lots of regular matches dried up on my local rivers and canals due to lack of support and the matches on the commercials became too expensive as many were being won by the guy who could use the most bait ie the sponsored anglers. Still fish but only probably half a dozen times a year for a couple of hours each time on my local river, walking distance from home and the 1 mile stretch I fish has a variety of different species meaning something is likely to feed whatever the weather, few bits in my pocket, pint of maggots, a pole and landing net has resulted in barbel to 6lb, chub to 4lb, bream to 4lb, roach and perch over a pound, the occasional rudd plus a few minnows and gudgeon, never seem to get the same species in the same spots either so can be quite rewarding as you never know what you might catch, just spend 10 or 15 mins at each spot then walk further downstream to the next, river runs alongside a busy road at the back of an industrial estate but always see plenty of wildlife and always quiet, might go Fri pm after writing this.
