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Apart from my carp fishing days in the 1980’s I have never set any targets when it comes to fishing, yes I like catching big fish but the short time spent un-hooking the fish should be spent appreciating rather than recording, I learnt this while fishing for barbel on the Wye a few years ago. This last year (2014) my rucksack had been lightened by a pound or so by leaving the spring balance at home and in 2015 I shall continue without chasing the numbers game…
the tuesday swim... 
Completely agree, Nick. I haven’t weighed a fish for a decade now. Why reduce an experience to a statistic?
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It’ll likely be the time you need them most, Nick! And for something totally unexpected But good luck…
Jeff
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I don’t agree entirely with the idea. i am unlikely to venture out without a set of lightweight scales, but the general sentiment is very valid. I feel I would never want to place that measurement above the joy of simply being there, looking at the gorgeous creature in my net and seeing it swim safely away. It takes, after all, no less skill to catch an eight pound pike than a ten pounder, and, probably more significantly, no less skill to catch a 1-15 roach than one of 2-1. But I know that, if I abandoned the scales completely, there would be something missing, especially when I have one of those two roach in the net. When thinking back l would have to think about the day I caught a very good roach, whereas “the day I caught that 2-1 roach” is likely to live longer in my memory.
A couple of years ago I accidentally caught a beautiful, fit looking common carp of “about 10 pounds”, in a flooded spate river whilst fishing for gudgeon. The light tackle and adverse conditions made the fight and capture very memorable…..but I still have that tiny niggle of whether or not it was a double figure fish. So not even a huge fish, but I have a minor query that will never go away.
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Dear JayzS,
Thanks for your comments, but I truly feel that if I caught a large roach and was not sure if it weighed 1lb 15 oz or 2lb it wouldn’t bother me, thinking about it, the unknown quantity of its true weight adds a little mystery. One thing I would be certain of though is the rarity of such a specimen and appreciate it without having to stuff it in a plastic bag or weigh sling. On the other hand I do understand those who weigh fish and I might well return to the practise, but the way I fish at present has no place for it.
Tight lines for 2015.
ATB
Nick
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….if you enjoyed the day and the catch, why should knowing a weight reduce the event to a statistic? Only if it is the statistic itself that you seek, might it become so.
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havent weighed a fish since my return to fishing in 08. Not against it etc … But agree anything to jettison unnesseary equipment got my support ..thanks for the blog Nick enjoy all of them …
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