Keith's comment on my last post requests that I gather together a number of ingredients that could be cooked up to provide the perfect angling video moment...
'Personally I'd like to see:
- an underwater shot of the fish moving about an hour or so before you arrive, just going about it's normal business.
- The fish moving towards the baited hook.
- Every bite you recieve in close-up (HD, of course)
- The whole of the fight from a number of different angles including above and underwater.
- A landing net pole shot of the fish being banked.
Do you think you could do this please?'
Well, it was too much of a challenge to pass up so I went out to my local stream to see what could be done...
The first two requests were impossible as the water was far too coloured but I am sure that it would not be so difficult in clear conditions to get footage of roach swimming about and even mouthing the bait.
The other three requests turned out to be easier than I'd anticipated except the underwater bits!
*Watch it now if you want to see it before I go on to describe what happens next.
After many failed trials I finally figured a way of getting the camera six inches from the end of the very sensitive quiver tip and how to keep it still, and then successfully recorded a few bites - I kept the camera rolling, on and on, and actually hooked a fish, which was very lucky as I only caught two roach in the three hours I was there. As the fish fought, the camera continued to roll, and due the juggling act I then had to perform, recorded from a number of different skewed 'angles', the fish was netted in nearly full view (another lucky break) and then the 'landing net pole shot' of the banked fish was accomplished. Unfortunately at eleven ounces and the biggest of the two fish caught, it didn't improve my challenge score at all and only equalling my previous best roach of the year so far.
It's a money shot, especially the strike and tight line to the hooked fish, that in a proper production would provide a couple or three useable clips. With a good cameraman at the controls of a pro camera this would have been as smooth as a babies bum; this is certainly not that, it's a happy mess but has given me an idea for an hour long version on continual loop so that armchair anglers or those who can't get out for a fishing fix can put it on the TV and wait for the bite to come around again, and again, and again!
Keith, mate, get yourself a beer, sit back in your comfiest chair, and enjoy...!
As for the actual fishing itself, well it was damned hard work, as it often is here. Sometimes it all goes right as the evening approaches and passes into night and if all goes according to plan a rash of fish can be brought to bank one after the other, but on this occasion the fishing actually deteriorated as night approached and the most positive bites occurred in broad bright sunshiny daylight, which would seem to go against all received knowledge about roach fishing, but then again, anyone who knows anything worth knowing about roach will tell you that with this, the fish of fish, there's nothing to be said that's hard and fast about the catching of them.
'Personally I'd like to see:
- an underwater shot of the fish moving about an hour or so before you arrive, just going about it's normal business.
- The fish moving towards the baited hook.
- Every bite you recieve in close-up (HD, of course)
- The whole of the fight from a number of different angles including above and underwater.
- A landing net pole shot of the fish being banked.
Do you think you could do this please?'
Well, it was too much of a challenge to pass up so I went out to my local stream to see what could be done...
The first two requests were impossible as the water was far too coloured but I am sure that it would not be so difficult in clear conditions to get footage of roach swimming about and even mouthing the bait.
The other three requests turned out to be easier than I'd anticipated except the underwater bits!
*Watch it now if you want to see it before I go on to describe what happens next.
After many failed trials I finally figured a way of getting the camera six inches from the end of the very sensitive quiver tip and how to keep it still, and then successfully recorded a few bites - I kept the camera rolling, on and on, and actually hooked a fish, which was very lucky as I only caught two roach in the three hours I was there. As the fish fought, the camera continued to roll, and due the juggling act I then had to perform, recorded from a number of different skewed 'angles', the fish was netted in nearly full view (another lucky break) and then the 'landing net pole shot' of the banked fish was accomplished. Unfortunately at eleven ounces and the biggest of the two fish caught, it didn't improve my challenge score at all and only equalling my previous best roach of the year so far.
It's a money shot, especially the strike and tight line to the hooked fish, that in a proper production would provide a couple or three useable clips. With a good cameraman at the controls of a pro camera this would have been as smooth as a babies bum; this is certainly not that, it's a happy mess but has given me an idea for an hour long version on continual loop so that armchair anglers or those who can't get out for a fishing fix can put it on the TV and wait for the bite to come around again, and again, and again!
Keith, mate, get yourself a beer, sit back in your comfiest chair, and enjoy...!
As for the actual fishing itself, well it was damned hard work, as it often is here. Sometimes it all goes right as the evening approaches and passes into night and if all goes according to plan a rash of fish can be brought to bank one after the other, but on this occasion the fishing actually deteriorated as night approached and the most positive bites occurred in broad bright sunshiny daylight, which would seem to go against all received knowledge about roach fishing, but then again, anyone who knows anything worth knowing about roach will tell you that with this, the fish of fish, there's nothing to be said that's hard and fast about the catching of them.
Fantastic Jeff ,what weight tip were you using old chap.
ReplyDeleteThat clip has served as a form of methadone for me as I have been on work duty today and was dying to get out.
Thanks
Now That's what I'm talking about!
ReplyDeleteA+++ great ebayer.
Bazal, I recognise the tip it's the lightest glass one on a Shakespeare Mach 2 wand, maybe 0.75oz, maybe less?
But Jeff, if you were using braid you'd have hooked up with the three indications before the one you hooked.
I for one am loving this new angle. Prepare to be amazed at my next hapless attempt to trump you.
That's not bad Geoff. I look forward to "A Passion for Roaching"
ReplyDelete