Listening to KP and Broady come back (hopefully) into form, yesterday, I began to wonder if there is such a thing as "form" in fishing?

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

I would say definately......

It's all about the amount of time you spend on the water; getting to know what's working and which area's are holding fish...then perfecting techniques to catch them.

The more often you fish the better you get in my experience.....as you get a feel for the water, and increase your confidence

I know i feel rusty if i have a couple of weeks off a particular water.

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Mock me, vilify me, but don’t ignore me!

There certainly is Bill. When in form, casting is a breeze, retrieve and presentation are spot on. Water craft is top notch.
Loss of form, casting become erratic, presentation fails and choice of retrieve too quick or slow. You become blasé on water craft. Things are taken for granted.

Not that I suffered any such.

Ah but I bet a forward defensive stroke or block isn't in your armoury.

The longer I leave it between sessions the more I become inhibited...lacking confidence. It does affect my thinking and even trusted flies and methods sometimes feel alien. Not always the case but it tends to creep in more and more nowadays.

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Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room - President Muffley

Never was in mine. 3 quick steps backwards towards square leg, duck and quick prayer that they bring the spinners on soon.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

I defo think form comes into it. if i have a lay off for whatever reason it takes me a good few trips to get the feeling "right", were it all becomes natural almost like driving when your not thinking about it

When fishing a competitions I need at least two days to get my eye in so to speak. The longer you can have to warm up and improve your form the better.

BK

But isn't there something more intangible about form? You guys are talking about practise, but professional sportsmen can practise hard,seemingly do everything as before and still be unable to find form.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

It's those little nuances, if you lose them, you lose form. I've lost a big nuance.
Just look at golfers or cricketers. It's all in the swing. Same as in casting, juding distance, timing etc.

Form is a big thing. I fished Maran Lakes today after a couple of weeks off fishing and my casting sucked, couldn't identify what they were feeding on and after 4 hours I lost all enthusiasm.

Think I need to fish more