A statement about modern angling?

One of the angling blogs that I follow is Bureboyblog.blogspot.co.uk - a nicely written variety of posts from North Norfolk and the surrounding areas, generally about angling, but not always. Looking at my "dashboard" this morning I saw that a new post has been made and quickly clicked the link to be rather bemused by a very short (tongue in cheek) caption which accompanies a splendid photo of said angler and four very nice pike taken from various venues in his part of the world.

The caption reads, and I've copied it directly, "nothing more depressing than the photo album of a single species angler."

22nd December 1986 - 23 lbs 5 oz

A single species angler? I don't believe I came into contact with such an individual when I first got into speccy hunting, way back at the very start of the 1980's? However the seeds were already being sown for the upsurge in demand, before the total domination, of carp angling within the UK. John Sidley might have been "The Eel Man" but he was also a bloody good pike angler, Fred Crouch was a Barbel nut, yet could turn his hand to Chub and Roach when the fancy took him. Even Kevin Maddocks, the guy whom I hold responsible for the whole carp fishing fiasco, turned to Catfish when he had nothing left to earn (prove) as a carp angling devotee.


Single species anglers; I might just as well write Carp Anglers, are a relatively modern development, a manifestation of instant gratification and the rise of  the commercial fishery. It is, therefore, the reason that the photo albums of these guys (and gals) are rather one dimensional. After all, there are only so many poses you can use to present a wet fish to the camera - photos very quickly become samey.

 

25 years later and I'm still using that same pose. I don't care how
arty - farty the photographer, there are a very finite number of
poses open to the average angler.

I suppose the question is really, why are the photographic collections assembled in the first place? From my own perspective, my angling journey, through all it's phases, is captured by these images and is there for my personal amusement and memories. Of course I use them to add interest to my blogging, as an indicator of my abilities and commitment and also to share with and, hopefully, entertain other like-minded souls who choose to look at this blog.

Would I wish to change anything? No, I don't believe I would.
Memories of a particular stage in my angling journey - Carp fishing in that exciting period 1983/84
As they were the target, is it any surprise that my photos reflected this?

I consider myself very fortunate to have avoided the snare of carp angling and been allowed to pursue my dreams in phases of single species efforts as the year's seasons progress. When setting my stall for a particular species, I focus all my efforts toward a successful conclusion before changing tack and seeking a challenge elsewhere. It is, therefore, no great surprise that my old albums contain lots of similar images of Catfish, Tench, Carp, Pike and Zander as each species was targeted.

My PB Barbel

One of over 100 seven pound Tench that I've taken from Wilstone.
 

Once again, I am sure that there is an awful lot of age related stuff allied to these thought processes. Modern anglers simply don't have access to the angling apprenticeship that was available to me as I was growing up, and that's as sad as it is true. Responsible parents are unlikely to allow their kids to wander off to the local rivers and canals, unsupervised, in these modern times?

May I end this drivel by stating my thanks to Bureboy for the spark that set the ball rolling - cheers!
My only other option was wild flowers - don't go there!!!