The Fear Of The Monster

All anglers, like I want to catch a big fish. I mean such a fish, that is not just big but monstrous! Imagine all the hype and photographs of the fish and you, the angler. Likely you just could net it and put it back without putting a number on it. But anyway, catching such a monster fish ultimately has consequences.

There is a saying that goes "Be careful what you wish for". Sometimes you can be better off just dreaming and not getting what you think you want. What is there left if you break the record? You can't keep on fishing for the record fish, because you've already caught it! I don't actually know what it feels like, but I know some anglers who have caught the record fish and suffered somewhat of a motivational breakdown. Usually the fisherman changes the fishing style or the species they are fishing for. Some people turn to playing golf. 

I lost a lot of my match angling appetite after winning the Finnish team championship twice in a row. Winning that contest had been my motivation in practicing and competing. When I had what I wanted, my match angling days were over.

I love fishing for carp so much that I don't want to catch the record carp. I fear monster carp because they can take from me what I treasure the most.

Not a monster carp, luckily.

Ghosts of The Deep

When carp fishing isn't difficult, it's extremely difficult. The story is, of course, different in heavily stocked waters and lakes with freshly stocked or naive fish. Hook-happy fish are also easy to catch. But mostly, the cunning and old carp of the deep are like the creatures of imagination.

When you catch such a creature, the moment is like a dream. And when the fish swims away into the abyss, so disappears the image of the fish from your mind. The only evidence for that the fish was real are your photographs.

What I really love in Finnish carp angling is that most of the fish in any given lake have never been caught or ever will be. They will remain ghosts of the deep. I will remain happy not catching them all.

I just love looking at old catch photos. They keep me sane on blanking streaks...