This is not an attempt to put anyone down - just an attempt to get my own thoughts sorted. I feel so torn on this issue and I thought it would be fascinating to hear what others think.

I'm basically a stillwater trout fisherman. One of the things that drives me is the insatiable hope of landing a large fish; but the other thing that drives me is the desire to be out in the wild, particularly on large waters which require long walks to search out the fish. So here's the crunch: having spent donkeys' years on the bank and vast amounts of cash on tackle and fuel I've never landed what would today be regarded as a 'large' fish. I did once hook the Mother of All Rainbows on a vast reservoir but to this day what happened turns my stomach, so let's not go there...

After all these years I've managed just two four pounders and one five pounder.

The cost of a ticket seems exorbitant at the best of times, but a couple of years ago I decided to take matters into my own hands and visit my local big fish venue just to try and experience a big 'un even if the price seemed totally off the scale. I chucked in a juicy Montanna, and out popped a 2½ pounder (first cast). Out it went again, and out came a 3½ pounder. Now you may scoff, but hold on a second. In all my years of fishing I'd only ever caught two or three 3 pounders. I was a bit confused - nay conflicted! What the dickens was going on? Was I enjoying myself or was I feeling guilty for having entered this realm of 'money can buy you anything'?

Things did settle down after that, with just a few missed takes. But a few hours later one or two of the residents started rising to buzzers, and I was in home territory. I set up a lighter rod, threaded the line, tied on (an admittedly juicy) buzzer, and presented it to the next fish that rose. Bang! Holy cow! The heart pumped. The reel screamed. The beast headed for the other side, ran out of room, and turned right. A few minutes later there it was, in the net. The only five-pounder I've ever caught. Big smile. Three-fish limit reached.

The wife was suitably impressed. Self-esteem seemed to have increased. But the doubts just kept creeping back. Had I actually achieved anything? "Shut up nagging thoughts - I had a good day!"

Now here's the crunch. As time has gone on the inescapable truth has caught up with me: nothing that happened that day can even remotely compare to the 3½ pound rainbow that took my fly as it landed on the water on Queen Mother Reservoir and headed for the horizon like a demented torpedo. It wasn't the most beautiful landscape but it was the most satisfying capture by a mile. Unexpected. Devastating. Mind-numbing. The stuff of dreams.

I now sit contemplating my next trip. If I travel to a big stillwater the cost of fuel means I'm paying about £36.00 in all. For that price I can get a three-fish ticket you-know-where. And boost my ego. Then deflate it on reflection.

I'm glad many people can get satisfaction on small stillwaters. But it irks me that I can't - specially when I long to feel the pull of a real lunker.

Does anyone else feel this way? Am I perhaps living in a by-gone era, or is it just that we are all different? Please relate the relative merits of your own captures. How did it really feel? (My uncle caught a 15-pounder and said it came in like a sack of potatoes. Fish of the Year and annual Troutmasters winner notwithstanding.)

One last thought: when you travel a huge distance, fish your heart out, and enjoy the magical scenery - but come back with nothing, you also feel guilty for having used up so much of the family income. -"If only I'd gone down the road to that other place at least I would have had something to show for it..."

It all really depends on your style of fishing to be honest. Yes you can chuck cats whiskers, fritz, and dancers and yes you will pick up fish. Rarely will you pick up big fish. For these fish I often suggest more natural tactics particularly blood worm patterns. To date I've had 11 10lb+ rainbows and 2 10lb+ browns, one of which 17lb 3oz(fish of a lifetime) all on blood worm yes I've had them on other patterns but I have found 9/10 that bigger fish lurk in the depths and don't exert much energy if possible. Hence fishing hard on the bottom with a slow to static retrieve tends to bring more quality (in my experience)

Please don't think I'm pro or anything as I certainly am not. This is more an opinion than anything.

Gary

If you feel guilty then take a lovely plane trip to eastern Washington-Lake Roosevelt, Banks Lake, Grand Coulee area-if the scenery alone isn't worth the air fare I'll be surprised-and the fish there are all wild, rainbows, kokanee(landlocked silver salmon), smallmouth bass who smash a fly just as hard as any trout, walleyes(cousin to zander), record size carp who rise happily to flies and about three or four other species. It's a large water created when the Columbia River was dammed in 1933, it's very deep, the water extremely fresh and cold and you've every chance of catching a record fish. Not happy there try one of the large rivers for steelhead, big browns, cutthroat, dolly varden and three or four varieties of pacific salmon or a hybrid between a pike and muskellenge called a tiger muskie-they go to 50 pounds or more. It won't be cheap, but well worth the journey-and I think you'll be back for more!

Very interesting. You clearly know what you're talking about. Did any of those clonkers come from large stillwaters? And how much satisfaction did you get from landing monsters from small venues? The relative sense of achievement really interests me.

---------- Post added at 09:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 PM ----------

Flytier07: I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I'll get round to it one day. Meantime my forthcoming foray into salmon fishing might be more satisfying than I've hitherto expected (now that you've got me thinking in that vein.). Wild fish, with the real prospect of something heavy on the line. Mind you I don't expect it will give the same kind of satisfaction as matching the hatch...

i would not worry too much about it, getting a double is not all its cracked up to be, personally i would prefer a c&r water with a good mix of fish.

my first double i thought i foul hooked it as there was no fight and all i did was haul it in. other doubles were similar.

problem is a rainbows heart is pretty much the same size for a 3lb and a double. A double will carry more weight ( obese ) so does not give as much of a run as a 3lber. Remember these are not bonefish or tarpon.

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Most of them were from 'small still waters'. Yes I did get satisfaction to some degree. Although no more than a nice clean 3lber. As I said in my earlier post, if you fish where the big fish are feeding you will pick them up, eventually. I don't doubt for a second if you present a fly or imitation correctly and the correct depth, if a fish sees it and is feeding 9/10 you will catch. It's just a matter of right place at the right time.

But if the fly ain't in the water and where the are you ain't gonna get 'em. ;-)

Gary

But it's the devastating run that I long for! I'm thinking more than ever that I'm better of on reservoirs. Very informative!

If it's big fish that floats your boat, have you thought of fishing for a different species. Carp are great on the fly and more than once they had me well into the backing.

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Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

You know I've never really contemplated coarse fish (other than pike) on the fly. Now that you make that point I'm going to mull it over.

I did watch a YouTube video on carp on the fly. I was a bit put off by the idea of presenting a dog biscuit imitation, though. Not sure if I could look myself in the mirror and all that.

(And as for pike I'm under the impression it's one quick run then they die on you...)

Carp will take naturals - small Damsels, PTNs, Hairs Ears and big drys all work aswell.