Fishing the States

[Tom Brooks]

Might fishing the States be considered Foreign Carp Angling??
Tom.

[oliver reed]

Originally Posted by Tom Brooks

Might fishing the States be considered Foreign Carp Angling??
Tom.

Only if you don't live there dude!

[Blue]

Might fishing in the United Kingdom be foreign Carp Angling to you I might ask?!?

[Tom Brooks]

Originally Posted by Blue

Might fishing in the United Kingdom be foreign Carp Angling to you I might ask?!?

Not if Canada is still part of the United Kingdom.

[Marcus]

What do you need Tom? I know there's at least 1 member on here who resides in the US, where in Canada are you?

[Tom Brooks]

I'm from the states but I didnt know, since I was in the states, if I needed to be in the foreign carping section or not. As you can more than likely tell, I'm new to the forum and I'm just trying to find the correct place to try and fit in. If thats possible.
Tom.

[oliver reed]

I think you're safe in the Foreign fishing section fella. Is it popular over there or relatively newish? Have always wondered whethr carp are viewed in the US with any regard or if they're more of a problem as in Australia?

Asides fishing for them in Canada I've seen little in the way of publicised carping in the US (apart from Tony Davies Patricks articles in Carpworld,when he got shot at!)

[cradd]

when i was in the states last year i got talking to a lad from north america (not sure which state) about fishing he could'nt beleive the photo's on my phone of me holding carp he thought it was the funniest thing.I tried to tell him how big carp fishing is in this country and the way we treat them on the bank but he just thought it was a waste of time and evert fishing for these loverly creatures.

[Marcus]

The Carp Anglers Group Carp Anglers Group (CAG) are trying to change the way in which carp are viewed as trash fish and the members mostly practise catch and release - well worth taking a look. A number of times I've fished waters over there with bow fishing tournaments following which breaks my heart as they spear spawning carp and throw them in a skip to be buried or sold as fertiliser - so CAG are trying to change peoples perception of carp but it's difficult when myths get handed down from father to son

[Tom Brooks]

There are many good things happening stateside when it comes to carp angling. CAG is a very good example. I'm a past BOD of CAG and they do a lot of good work. Most of the new attitudes towards Carp have been rooted in the British/Euro treatment of Carp. Will the guys in the states treat Carp as our Euro brothers any time soon?? Some will, in time more will, but the honest truth is that it will not come to pass in my lifetime I'm affraid.
There is one small pocket of the USA that has evolved into a Carp Angling mecca over the past 50 years. In the foothills of North Carolina, Paylakes have been around for many years. I'm in my fifties and I've been doing it since I was 12, as did my great grandfather. Making baits that catch carp consistantly with the pressure of up to 100 men around a pond with only 10 feet between them for and eight hour session makes for some baits that would tempt the devil. We fish for up to $250.00 for the largest Carp landed each 15mins for an eight hour period. Not a childs game for sure. These paylakes are where Packbaits have their roots and have been doing many good things for our wildwater brothers too.
There is no comparison between a Paylaker and any other stateside carp angler, unless he is a Brit/Euro transplant. I have a Brit partner because of CAG and I have yet to meet a carp angler with more grit, intensity, and all out love of the sport other than the local paylakers I was raised with. As I travel over the States fishing Events with my Brit partner, I can't help but notice that the only guys that come to really compete are the Euro guys. 95% of the rest of the guys don't have a clue. Not because they don't want to, but just because they have not got the background nor had the chance to evolve into what the average Euro guy or Paylaker has. jmho
Tom.

[Marcus]

Paylaking and carp angling are too very different sports with only the quarry as the constant. Euro angling is primarily geared towards a genuine love of the fish itself and the whole 9 yards involved around its capture, to me paylaking is entirely focussed on the packbait and the cash and it doesn't really matter what the fish is they are angling for. Could be wrong but I've had 'debates' with die hard pay lakers in the past and we had to agree to disagree

[Tom Brooks]

Originally Posted by Marcus

Paylaking and carp angling are too very different sports with only the quarry as the constant. Euro angling is primarily geared towards a genuine love of the fish itself and the whole 9 yards involved around its capture, to me paylaking is entirely focussed on the packbait and the cash and it doesn't really matter what the fish is they are angling for. Could be wrong but I've had 'debates' with die hard pay lakers in the past and we had to agree to disagree

I must say that you are 95% correct, with me being one of the 5% that truley loves the sport of Carp angling. That is why I have enjoyed the past three years of wild water angling as much as the 40 previous years of paylaking. However, the combination of the paylaking/wildwater angling has proven to be a very good combination. When the two get together, with open minds on both sides, its a marriage made in heaven.

Let me also say that just because a guy calls himself a paylaker doesn't mean anything unless they are from North Carolina.
Respectfully
Tom.

[Madchestercarper]

I'd like to add, that Tom has the greatest bite alarms ever!!!

[PJW]

Originally Posted by Madchestercarper

I'd like to add, that Tom has the greatest bite alarms ever!!!

Ok! I'll go for it....lets be havin' a photo then