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No passion for angling?

Julian Griffiths said:
Not having read the other contributing posts. I fully understand what your saying.

Once upon a time as a youngster, I recall the sleepless nights before the following days early start & getting up with my brother at 4am brings back wonderful memories. Even cycling to the nearest angling shop to buy 5 or 6 pints of maggots was very exciting for us both at the time. 😊
Fast forward a few years and around 18 yes old fishing the Windrush, I caught an opening day 6lb plus chub, and my first ever barbel, unfortunately it was a humped back specimen, and full of ulcers, so not the most thrilling of captures, but a barbel nonetheless.
Heading to my 20's 30's I had a few barbel days with the likes of Trefor West, and our very own Graham Elliott (affectionately known as the silver fox on here a few yrs back😊) catching a few barbel with Trefor down at Lacock on the Bristol Avon, and with Graham on the Kennet, where we caught one barbel from memory, but I ended up with fish well into 14lb thereafter. So it was the likes of Graham and Trefor that gave me the specimen hunters addiction I had in me & was thankful for having it!

Now, I've not fished seriously for barbel in a few years, mainly due to declined numbers of that species where I am, but there's still a few knocking around....some may recall I lost my brother 3 yrs ago now, all of a sudden whilst he was on holiday with his wife and kids, and having him repatriated took over 6 weeks, so understandably my fishing sibling is no longer around and I lost all enthusiasm for the sport...
I'm only starting to seriously think about making a return now, but with my brother passing away impacted me so badly, to the point of just thinking what I needed for a days fishing was too much for me to think about... I just couldn't do it!

So as life's changed I'm not as passionate about angling as I once was, this current pace of life is ridiculous, where you don't feel you have the time or energy after work to get out to fish. But I do know that once I do sort myself out, it'll be the best thing I've done in the past few years!

I'm going to fish without expectations as well, and come away from the specimen fishing mentality , as I think that too started to impact on my enjoyment for the sport. And I was setting too higher expectations on my self and started to not enjoy being out bankside.

No. I'm going to go out, fish in the shade of an old tree, hold the rod tightly and have a snooze if I so wish, whilst listening out for a kingfisher, Swifts or Swallows above, or get awoken by a 16lb plus barbel. I'm just going to get out in the countryside and find some peace & quiet! 😊
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Lovely Julian.

Different types of fishing is the key.
Fly fishing for Zander, Trout, Carp and Pike.
Float fishing for all types. Including the challenge of Mullet.
Spring chasing tench, feeder or float.

And as you say, relax.
 
One thing I would add on the nature side is I love seeing all the different animals barring rats and otters. The mice I can handle although I don’t like being sat shoulder to shoulder in undergrowth when it gets dark and they’re russling about right next to you. Otters I don’t like for obvious reasons but I hate when they creep up on you in the dark, see you then dive under the water making you jump out your skin
 
With you on that Jon, just to think many civvies would give their right arm just to glimpse an Otter in the wild.
But they are incredible and for me although can ruin a session they are now embedded into our rivers and we can hope there is now a sustainable balance.
It's not what you can see it's as you say all that rustling that normally ends temporarily with a conversation with a bank stick.🤨
As a body of eccentric society misfits Anglers are well placed in seeing things others don't from swimming grass snakes to big cats, and I I wouldn't change a bit of it, thank God for fishing.
 
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