The Bloke in the Next Peg

The Hopeful Match Fisher

I think there is an interesting psychology with match fisherman about the bloke in the next peg, or either side.  I'm trying to work this one out, but I've noticed a few things about myself recently that I've found surprising.  I'm sure that if some psychoanalysis was done across the range of match fishermen, successful or not, interesting patterns would emerge. 

One of the things I often read about in articles is 'confidence'.  So I might be confident on a particular water, or method, or I might be confident about a peg I've drawn or how I think I will do against the anglers either side of me. There is also confidence in the equipment you use or a certain bait.  For example, I'm always confident with meat and 8mm pellets, but that has only evolved through experience and use.  On the opposite side, I'm less confident with paste and boilies.  My point is that regardless of which water, peg, method or bait I've got there is a feedback loop going on which might effect how I fish.  What gets affected is my attitude towards making changes in the match or just sitting on a certain method.  Less confidence could also mean less concentration and alertness.  However for some less confidence might mean extra concentration!

In a recent match I fished there were eighty-one anglers at Gold Valley and, as many commercial fisheries are, there were anglers fishing back-to-back on two different lakes.  On my own peg, on Gold Lake, were were catching carp and generally having a great time whereas on Middle Lake, to my back, they were having a nightmare.  Even by halfway in the match anglers were strolling, packing-up and chatting. We all know that feeding fish can switch on and off during the session and indeed they did on Gold Lake, but that didn't seem to figure.  

The only other sport I've ever had any sort of competence in is snooker, although many years ago now.  With snooker you just play the table in front of you.  In fact the general advice for a snooker player is to switch-off your opponent in your mind.  Stephen Hendry was a great one for staring at the floor when his opponent was at the table.  But have you noticed how as match anglers our actions are affected by the angler in the next peg?  Switching swims, feeding, picking up odd fish often make us follow the bloke next door, or they follow us. 

I had the frustration once of getting well ahead of a superstar angler to my left on pellet waggler while they sat on a method feeder.  With three fish in my net he could stand it no more and soon joined my on the surface - the trouble was he then started catching steadily whereas I fretted and tailed-off as he caught me up and overtook.  At the end of the match he had double my weight. Now what happened there in my head?  It's interesting to speculate.

Obviously to win your section or the match you need to beat the anglers on either side.  I find all too often that I don't manage that but that adjacent anglers win the section or get in the frame.  Now I'm not saying that I only lose to match and section winners, but I do wonder if an angler doing well next to me brings up my own effort and performance?  Is it good to fish next to superstar angler or those who go on to win?  I've noticed a lot of anglers, particularly in team matches, are on the phone to others on the lake and seem to 'fish the lake' rather than fish their peg (if you know what I mean).  Watching what is going on is surely important, not only what other anglers are doing but also what signs there are from the fish.  

All sorts of thoughts and ideas here, but one thing is for certain - there is a bit of a mind game going on in a match which seems to affect performance regardless of the peg and fish.

Hopeful