barry211

slightly different experience but similar subject and an experience i want to share here, i was having a cheeky day session on my local water and towards the end of the day a young lad possibly mid teens and his dad turn up. i was the only person on this small lake but they set up opposite me (30m) and the dad looks my way and waves sort of apologetically as his lad starts throwing a line in (float) and begins flinging it about like an excited toddler. i see what is going on and from the looks of things this is a lad that has suddenly taken to fishing with all the hyperfocus i have encountered with my friends kids and also from what i do for a living and is diving all over their side of the bank with such enthusiasm flicking his line here and there every time he sees a fish leap or show on the surface. the dad is a supportive spectator of all of this action and keeps looking my way to sort of say sorry and i tell you now this was one of the most beautiful and heart warming things i have seen in a long while. the pure enjoyment radiating of this lad was wonderful and i thought if this works for him and his dad then fair play as it was a joy to watch, when i wrapped up they were still there and after several thumbs up to the dad i shouted good luck and really just wanted to stay and watch as this whole thing had me quietly cheering the lad on the whole time. i was desperate for him to land something but from what i could see this was something both had done before and the support and encouragement from the father was something i thought as wonderful. i think fishing is something that all can enjoy and would and have never had any problems sitting and explaining what i am doing with inquisitive children and have accompanied chldren of friends with very very short attention spans and often have just reeled in and walked around the venues with them chatting away then back to the rods and a few more minutes of intense fishing before another short break. hats off and respect to anyone that starts this hobby/passion/life as it brings its own rewards with memories and time away from pressures in life, i remember when i started taking my kids it was instant results that were wanted to hold thier interest so it was a whip pole and red maggots all the way just so they would catch something, now me and my daughter can sit peacefully for a while before the wandering and focus loss kicks in but then as she is older a quick walk around with a camera taking pics of wildlife works for her and we are then back fishing again. sorry if off topic but this experience has stayed with me and wanted to share it and wish good luck to everyone that wants to share their passion with their children but worried about what others may or may not think, if you ever encounter me on a water in Suffolk never worry about your kids enjoying the hell out of a hobby i love and want others to feel the same way.

love the post, i started as a specimen angler and never really targetted carp at all in 40+ years but caught one by accident when going for tench on a feeder and from there i have been building up gear bit by bit. i ended up chucking out a carp rod i picked up cheap alongside float fishing using my wychwood freespin reel from my barbel set up and the baitrunner aspect works fine, now go out for day sessions with a 2 rod set up just for carp and when i go with my daughter i still float fish as we like a little competition on the silvers front and put out a single rod for carp away from the float action. am finding my feet in the carp world and as the only set of scales i have ever owned stretch to a mighty 3lb i have no PB for carp but a lad fishing next to me once weighed a common and it came in at 11lb 7oz so technically it is the first carp i have weighed but not the biggest i have caught. i hope you have a much fun switching species as i have had as it is teaching me a whole new world of rigs and set ups which will keep my going for years to come

for what its worth i have 2 x 10ft carp rods as only fish small waters so felt no need for distance but my coarse gear is made up of a 17ft float rod and a 15ft pellet waggler. i use the same reels for each mostly but with the exception of the float rod where i use a smaller reel with very light line. i alternate between sometimes fishing a session soley targetting carp or if out with my daughter i set my float rod up to run a competion on who catches the most silvers with her as its fun. all the venues i fish are smaller pond types so no long cast needed but if i was fishing big waters i would definately upgrade to 12ft rods but still keep the same reels

out yesterday for a short day session and called it quits after a few hours, caught 2 but unhooked both in the net in the water as nothing would cool the cradle down so thought why bother as i don't need a photo or weight. will be leaving the rest of my fishing till late sept as more comfortable for me and the fish and really yesterday was just an excuse for me to get out of the house and go bankside so played about with a few new rigs and faffed with solid bags for a change 😅

have found myself in the same boat a few times but as i only get out once every 5/6 weeks i have made the mistake of trying to fish a poor swim, i agree with the going home part and hindsight is wonderful but sometimes i do just want to sit there in the peace and quiet with no distractions. i have regretted fishing a blank in a bad swim as i agree with some of the other comments about feeling unprepared for the change in swim i had in my head and the planned approach.

i remeber starting as a kid with rods strapped to my bike and travelling light, when did i start taking so much stuff it became a slog to set up with a bag for this and a bag for that? love that set up mate

when feeder fishing it will be either single sticks with a rod rest or old school taget board, but since i started with the carp malarky i must admit a pod is helpful, i go with what ever the venue presents. if hard board or solid base a pod is fine and adaptable but if nice grass/mud then its single sticks for each rod as only use 1 alarm anyway. still new to all this but some old school stuff still works fine for me such as the bank sticks and quiver tip rests..........

ironically it comes down to local planning permission as bivvy's are classed as a temporary shelter but the use of a tent means the site could potentially have to register as a campsite and it depends on what their stated description of the site is for. it came up a few years back in my course fishing days as wanted to do an overnighter with my daughter and only had the standard 2 man little green tent and asked the bailiff, he was good about it and explained why i couldn't use it and pointede out that it's a bit silly when you could book 5 nights on the site but stay in a bivvy but not 5 nights and stay in a tent.............

As a course man myself when I started taking my daughter it was to a day ticket place on a 4m whip with pole rigs and red maggots, she caught loads of small roach and loved it. Have upgraded her to 8m pole and started teaching her casting with rod and reel but she always goes back to the whip as she just loves plucking fish out and happy with her catches. We now alternate between a venue for her to land roach and the next trip for me to try carp set ups. These are some if her fish from a nice little venue near Wrentham in suffolk