This year I have fallen into the trap of joining a syndicate again, forgetting that I gave up my past syndicate tickets due to lack of time because of family and work commitments.
So far I have spent a total of about 18hrs on the bank and nil fish for my £600!
What makes it worse is having a syndicate WhatsApp group rubbing my nose in it, with all the usual faces doing atleast 3 nights a week and sharing their catch photo's 😩.
I think I have posted a similar thread before, but how many of us are struggling with bank time, feeling that it is more important to spend time with our families, but then feeling frustrated. It isn't helped by the fact that I have to work every other weekend too, so the weekends with the family are much needed and treasured!
I know that the fish will always be there 🤞, but when tickets come up you feel that you have to take them otherwise you could be waiting years for another opportunity, and then it just feels like a waste of money.
Sorry for the “feeling sorry for myself” post. I'm sure I'm not the only dad/husband sitting at home today gagging to get the rods out!
So far I have spent a total of about 18hrs on the bank and nil fish for my £600!
What makes it worse is having a syndicate WhatsApp group rubbing my nose in it, with all the usual faces doing atleast 3 nights a week and sharing their catch photo's 😩.
I think I have posted a similar thread before, but how many of us are struggling with bank time, feeling that it is more important to spend time with our families, but then feeling frustrated. It isn't helped by the fact that I have to work every other weekend too, so the weekends with the family are much needed and treasured!
I know that the fish will always be there 🤞, but when tickets come up you feel that you have to take them otherwise you could be waiting years for another opportunity, and then it just feels like a waste of money.
Sorry for the “feeling sorry for myself” post. I'm sure I'm not the only dad/husband sitting at home today gagging to get the rods out!
Leave the WhatsApp group for starters. If you use social media for fishing, then dump it. Go fishing when you can and ignore what anyone else is up to.
When you're just happy to be out rather than fishing to keep up or compete then you'll have a better head space and every fish is a bonus.
I'd much rather have a life outside of fishing and a happy family than do 3 nights a week.
When you're just happy to be out rather than fishing to keep up or compete then you'll have a better head space and every fish is a bonus.
I'd much rather have a life outside of fishing and a happy family than do 3 nights a week.
In reply to Post #2
couldn't agree more ,i know lads ,so called sponsored anglers, have put themselves under that much pressure, they are miserable as f..k if there not rinsing the lake, come of social media,and start to enjoy your hobby again mate, ive been there ,young family,self employed,working to support my family while the full timers are bagging up, after all its only fishing. il probably get hung for the last comment.lol
couldn't agree more ,i know lads ,so called sponsored anglers, have put themselves under that much pressure, they are miserable as f..k if there not rinsing the lake, come of social media,and start to enjoy your hobby again mate, ive been there ,young family,self employed,working to support my family while the full timers are bagging up, after all its only fishing. il probably get hung for the last comment.lol
In reply to Post #1
How far away are you from the pond and does it do night bites?
As long as I help the kids with the bedtime routine and then I'm back for the school run, I usually angle from 8pm to 6am once a week, or once a fortnight depending on shifts.
How far away are you from the pond and does it do night bites?
As long as I help the kids with the bedtime routine and then I'm back for the school run, I usually angle from 8pm to 6am once a week, or once a fortnight depending on shifts.
In reply to Post #2
Spot on!!
Spot on!!
See it more often now. So many lads on my lake obviously don't work. 3/4 nights a week and they only do that because there's a limit. They're not even half decent anglers they just occupy areas of the lake. Does put me off massively. Much preferred my weekday / weekend rota ticket. Was a great bunch on the weekend shift.
Don't get me wrong if family and work wasn't there I'd likely be out 3/4 nights a week also.
Don't get me wrong if family and work wasn't there I'd likely be out 3/4 nights a week also.
Sounds like you need to sack off the camping... sorry carping, purchase a centrepin and a decrepit old avon rod (preferably cane) and go rove the local overgrown rivers in search of some proper fishing.
In reply to Post #7
I'm in a similar position. I joined a syndicate this year but due to family life i get out for one overnighter a week. I've done around 8 nights and haven't caught yet. The ones catching seem to do 2/3 nights where they can bait up and sit and wait.
Im loving it at the moment as I am learning the lake and see it as a challenge.
Im almost writing off this year as its a learning curve.
The whatsapp group is very quiet as its a secret squirrel type place so I dont know what being caught anyway..
I'm in a similar position. I joined a syndicate this year but due to family life i get out for one overnighter a week. I've done around 8 nights and haven't caught yet. The ones catching seem to do 2/3 nights where they can bait up and sit and wait.
Im loving it at the moment as I am learning the lake and see it as a challenge.
Im almost writing off this year as its a learning curve.
The whatsapp group is very quiet as its a secret squirrel type place so I dont know what being caught anyway..
In reply to Post #1
With you on this - similar situation on my water made worse in that you have to submit captures to a private FB group as part of the rules - when you've not been for a bit you can get sick of all the trophy shots that ping over the weekend / perfect weather windows that you've missed. . .
I feel your pain however still believe its worth keeping tickets if the lake is pretty / secure and the members aren't 'members' - this is worth its weight in gold irrespective of how many sessions you clock before ticket renewal time; do you really want to go back to day tickets?
Also - if your trips are sporadic try and get on the going bait / a bait team if poss. Pre-baiting on my water pays dividends; the most consistent anglers are baiting up on either Sunday pm when the lake is mostly empty to return midweek or Mid week to return at the weekend. There's no way I have the time or energy to compete with this so I quickly discovered who was using what and jumped on the bandwagon; this way at least most of the commonly known spots are now being baited regularly and on my behalf! This has made a difference to my own catch rates and does give me confidence when I do get the chance for a session etc . . .
With you on this - similar situation on my water made worse in that you have to submit captures to a private FB group as part of the rules - when you've not been for a bit you can get sick of all the trophy shots that ping over the weekend / perfect weather windows that you've missed. . .
I feel your pain however still believe its worth keeping tickets if the lake is pretty / secure and the members aren't 'members' - this is worth its weight in gold irrespective of how many sessions you clock before ticket renewal time; do you really want to go back to day tickets?
Also - if your trips are sporadic try and get on the going bait / a bait team if poss. Pre-baiting on my water pays dividends; the most consistent anglers are baiting up on either Sunday pm when the lake is mostly empty to return midweek or Mid week to return at the weekend. There's no way I have the time or energy to compete with this so I quickly discovered who was using what and jumped on the bandwagon; this way at least most of the commonly known spots are now being baited regularly and on my behalf! This has made a difference to my own catch rates and does give me confidence when I do get the chance for a session etc . . .
In reply to Post #9
If I found out what bait the top rod on a water were prebaiting with and it wasn't one of my normal baits, I definitely couldn't bring myself to jump on the back of their time, effort and expense. I'd consider that very poor etiquette.
If I found out what bait the top rod on a water were prebaiting with and it wasn't one of my normal baits, I definitely couldn't bring myself to jump on the back of their time, effort and expense. I'd consider that very poor etiquette.
In reply to Post #9
I detect some reticence about having to post on FB.. Is there an obligation to be honest& truthful regarding catches? If its for growth /weight records then maybe fair enough,but for anything else?? Can't you deny some catches and 'blank ' instead'? As for looking at the FB page, turn off notifications and leave it alone.
I detect some reticence about having to post on FB.. Is there an obligation to be honest& truthful regarding catches? If its for growth /weight records then maybe fair enough,but for anything else?? Can't you deny some catches and 'blank ' instead'? As for looking at the FB page, turn off notifications and leave it alone.
Any decent syndicate will have some level of control over time bandits... "How much and when do you fish?" being one of the first questions asked during vetting... I know a few places where three nights a week most weeks would see zero chance of even obtaining a ticket. The point being to give the working family angler a decent chance when they do get time to fish. 
In reply to Post #10
Etiquette be damned - if I could compete timewise (some of these are balliffs who live mins away) I would introduce my own bait however if you cant beat em / join em . . .
Etiquette be damned - if I could compete timewise (some of these are balliffs who live mins away) I would introduce my own bait however if you cant beat em / join em . . .
In reply to Post #1
I'm in a similar position, got onto a syndicate this year that I'd been waiting a couple of years for. Beautiful place but I've only done 4 nights since 1st April as it's 90 mins away so needs to be a weekend. Loathed to give up the ticket as cracking fish, may just have to focus on spring and autumn there.
But have also just got a weekday ticket for an embryo syndicate, stock no where near the same quality but it's 10 mins from work so I fish every Monday night. Gets me my fix without impacting family life and seems a good compromise for now.
I think if you can afford it then keep the ticket, but maybe consider focusing on a couple of weeks at 'good' times of the year and accept you can't do the rest. Accepting the reality I found takes away that constant guilt of paying for it but not fishing.
I'm in a similar position, got onto a syndicate this year that I'd been waiting a couple of years for. Beautiful place but I've only done 4 nights since 1st April as it's 90 mins away so needs to be a weekend. Loathed to give up the ticket as cracking fish, may just have to focus on spring and autumn there.
But have also just got a weekday ticket for an embryo syndicate, stock no where near the same quality but it's 10 mins from work so I fish every Monday night. Gets me my fix without impacting family life and seems a good compromise for now.
I think if you can afford it then keep the ticket, but maybe consider focusing on a couple of weeks at 'good' times of the year and accept you can't do the rest. Accepting the reality I found takes away that constant guilt of paying for it but not fishing.
In reply to Post #1
I think if you can afford to always keep a ticket.
I'm in the same boat, due to work and family life I get maybe 1 or 2 nights every 3 weeks. But if I didn't have the syndicate it would be day ticket waters and I just couldn't see myself doing that. Plus the prices for 24/48hrs are a joke.
The only highlight which keeps everything fair down my syndicate is there's no pre-baiting, walking around the lake or visiting without fishing.
I think if you can afford to always keep a ticket.
I'm in the same boat, due to work and family life I get maybe 1 or 2 nights every 3 weeks. But if I didn't have the syndicate it would be day ticket waters and I just couldn't see myself doing that. Plus the prices for 24/48hrs are a joke.
The only highlight which keeps everything fair down my syndicate is there's no pre-baiting, walking around the lake or visiting without fishing.