Traditional Angling 'Image'
The extended book version of Traditional Angling is available now. It’s for those who understand that there’s more to fishing than catching fish; that the pleasure angler gets as much enjoyment between bites as when he or she is hooking, playing, and landing a fish; and that traditional angling is defined by a mindset more than the use of vintage fishing tackle.
I recorded a video last week of me talking about the traditional angling mindset. You can watch it here. But it only goes part way to explaining what traditional angling is all about. To complete the picture, we have to talk about angling image. It’s something I both want and don’t want to discuss. It’s the source of much passion, conflict, pleasure and pain.
So I'm going to share three blogs, each a week apart. The first, as shared below, asks you to think about your own angling tastes to determine the degree to which you're either traditional or modern in the image you seek when fishing. The second will look at the role angling plays in our lives and the experience we seek, and the third will explain the reasons for my unique and slightly unusual take on the subject – and how it's shaping my current thinking and activities.
Do you have traditional or modern tastes?
Traditional Angling seeks a romantic, timeless image. The modern sport, especially specimen carp fishing, seeks military-level effectiveness at deploying ‘offensives’ against the fish, with an image to match. Both seek pleasure, but in different ways, and each has its followers.
Which is your preference: traditional and gentle, or modern and 'on the offensive'?
I could write thousands of words on this subject, but it’s quicker and easier for you to see both schools side-by-side. With traditional angling imagery on the left, and modern on the right, which do you prefer?
Remember: there’s no right or wrong answer, only personal choice. Tally your results out of 17, then let me know your score (plus any views on the subject) in the comments section at the bottom of this page.
Fennel’s traditional angling imagery test
1. Traditional canvas bell tent or modern fishing bivvy?
2. Traditional canvas poncho or modern fishing umbrella?
3. Traditional canvas bed roll or bedchair?
4. Traditional split cane fishing rod or modern carbon fishing rod?
5. Traditional fixed spool reel or modern fixed spool fishing reel?
6. Traditional centrepin or modern fishing centrepin?
7. Traditional landing net or modern landing net?
8. Traditional fishing float or modern fishing float?
9. Traditional bobbin (silver foil) or modern bobbin?
10. Traditional hook packets (waxed paper) or modern hook packets?
11. Traditional tackle box or modern tackle box?
12. Traditional wicker fishing basket or modern seat box?
13. Traditional fishing creel or modern tackle bag?
14. Traditional rod rest or modern rod rest?
15. Traditional or modern fishing catapult?
16. Traditional fishing baits or modern baits?
17. Traditional hooking or modern rigs?
One or the other, or a bit of both?
How did you score? Are you swayed by traditional or modern angling imagery? Or perhaps a mixture of both? What influenced your choice? Was it rational or emotional? Based on asethetics or functionality? If it's traditional image we seek, then how much will we sacrifice modern performance and comfort to achieve our goals?
My guess is that you were able to choose between one and the other with relative ease and speed. It was an instinctive choice, because you inherently know what you like. It’s a wonderfully personal ability that reflects and communicates our character.
If we were to surround ourselves with our chosen items above, then others would know and understand us better. Maybe we’d enjoy our fishing more. But fishing is just fishing, whatever tackle is used. It’s the image and experience we seek that differs. And that’s entirely subjective. It’s fishing, personally. And what a great way it is to realise our dreams.
If you like this blog, you'll like Fennel's book Traditional Angling.
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