Paul Arden | Monday, 14 October 2019
“The Slump” is always very difficult to deal with - it’s that feeing of being “fished out”, of being in a hole where nothing quite comes together in your performance and of not being on peak form.
The origin of the word “slump” is Norwegian and means “to fall into a bog!”
I always used to get into one every season in my Ardleigh Reservoir days. It would creep up on me sometime mid July and impact my fishing. It’s something those of us who fish hard all season long encounter. Here in Malaysia I get three seasons in a year and they are all fishing ones, so twelve months of fishing.
I remember I first read about “the slump” in Steve Parton’s “Boat Fishing for Trout” book. His recommended solutions were to get involved in minor tactics and experiment with other fishing methods. I used to change location and visit somewhere completely different. For example in mid-summer, I would let the fishery know I was heading off for a few weeks and spend it in the West Country, fly fishing for stream trout in the moors. Another thing I would do - very much in fitting with Steve’s book in fact - is to try lead-lining on the rudder, Northampton Style. I was never very successful at it, but the change was always good for me.
I’m apparently in just such a slump now. One week of lost fish, one week of very little opportunities and - yeah I’ve lost my hat and apparently my mojo with it - it’s the dreaded slump!
Fortunately I have a week off, organising shit (there will still be fishing of course, just not 13hr days) and then two weeks back-to-back guiding (I don’t think my slump is contagious; I certainly hope not!!) and then I can switch over to fly fishing for Jungle Perch and/or chasing Gourami again.
As you can see from the PoD I did manage one 5.1KG Snakehead on dark! Busy week this week; Flavio has headed back to Switzerland having brilliantly landed four big Snakehead on his trip, I’m finalising our mothership boat plans, catching up with Sexyloops and tying a few new fly ideas for Snakehead (I want to tie a Snakehead Fidget Fly for one thing). Lots to be done between now and my next flyfishing guests.
Have a great week. Lots happening this week now that I have Internet again.
May your slumps be short and meaningful!
Cheers, Paul
Footnote: Steve a few years ago wrote a series of articles for Sexyloops. One that applies to many of our current Board discussions involves rod ratings. It, as well as the others, can be found here . Steve's book was very influential on my approach to Stillwater Angling and is always worth a read. Unfortunately Steve has since removed his mortal waders but I do think of him quite often - my favourite flyfishing quote is one of his: "Fly fishing is not about patience - it is in fact about organised impatience"!!! That really sums up how to approach fly fishing for me.