Fishing’s biggest myths - Fact or Fiction?

Have you ever wondered if some accepted angling wisdom has any basis in reality? We have, so we enlisted expert mythbusters Paul Garner and Rob Hughes to help us separate fact from fiction…

Are tench the ‘Doctor Fish’ with healing slime?

Dr Paul Garner says:

“I think it’s pretty far-fetched to believe that other fish rub up against tench!
“The thick slime (and small scales) make it easier for tench to move through dense weedbeds (their preferred habitat, especially when young) and also makes it more difficult for parasites to latch on.”

Tench slime may not have the healing powers some think

Is red line invisible in water?

Rob Hughes says:

“This one is absolute nonsense! I think it first came about when someone saw something about divers and red light in sea water and jumped to the conclusion that red line would be invisible.
“Red is actually one of the most visible colours in shallow water. If it wasn’t, how do you explain the effectiveness of red maggots?”

Are pike’s teeth covered in anticoagulant to keep prey (and anglers!) bleeding?

Dr Paul Garner says:

“I don’t think so. You appear to bleed a lot when you get cut by a pike tooth because your hands are normally wet and the blood is mixing with water, so it looks worse than it actually is.”

Pike teeth aren’t covered in anticoagulant

Does sound from a bite alarm travel down your line?

Rob Hughes says:

“I’ve tested it and it doesn’t. When I’m diving you can hear hard sounds like car doors slamming or lorries hitting a pothole, but softer sounds like talking and fairly quiet music can’t be heard.
“The surface of the water acts like a barrier, so sounds made in water travel further than sounds made above the surface.
“We tested a bite alarm on its highest tone and highest volume and it was just about audible in the margins, but we tested it with and without line and the sound didn’t travel along the line.”

The sound of an alarm does not transmit under the water

Do only uncaught carp have a mouth curtain?

Dr Paul Garner says:

“Not at all. Virtually all carp are hooked in the lips, so the curtain would have to be incredibly fragile if it was damaged while playing a carp when the hook was nowhere near it. I’ve caught plenty of carp that have been on the bank numerous times – some have curtains, some not, so this is not true!”

Are you really fishing ‘on a dinner plate’ at 120 yards?

Rob Hughes says:

“No, you’re not! If you were fishing on a spot that small at 120 yards you wouldn’t be able to hit it more than once, and if you were able to hit it more than once then it certainly isn’t the size of a dinner plate! It’s hard enough to drop on to a spot that size from a boat!”

You aren’t fishing on a dinner plate at 120 yards

Do fish have a three-second memory?

Dr Paul Garner says:

“Absolutely not! Most fish have a good memory, including the ability to learn new behaviours such as remembering where to find food and the best spawning sites.
“They build up an accurate map of their environment, which enables them to move quickly around a lake or river. Anyone who keeps fish will know they soon learn when someone enters the room that they might get fed, so come to the front of the tank.”