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I’ve fallen in a few times over the years. The first time I remember was when I was a small lad fishing the Thames and the overhanging bank I was standing on collapsed beneath me and sent me straight into the river. I couldn’t swim then and the guy in the swim next to me had to dive in and save me. I spent the next couple of hours next to my dad with a plastic Mac over me with my clothes drying out on the fence behind me, and every boat that past seemed to be pointing and laughing at me ? I also remember having a mate taking a picture of me holding a Tench just after dusk and then walking straight into the water because the flash had blinded me, I was sure there was firm banking where I trod but obviously I was wrong.? The last time I remember going for a swim was a couple of years ago when I was doing a bit of surface fishing for Carp on a private estate lake and was the only person there. I put my rod down for a second whilst I searched in my bag for something and my rod was dragged in because I hadn’t opened my balearm; and as my rod was being dragged out into the middle of the lake I stripped off and dived in and swam after it. (NB: Luckily my rod handle was floating and was still visible above the surface) I managed to grab hold of the rod and continue playing the Carp to a lot of cheering and laughing from a group of ladies from the estate whom I hadn’t previously seen, and trudged back to the bank and crawl out of the water and get dressed again amongst the applause ? Keith

I have never actually fallen in, but have got wet on numerous occasions . By far the commonest was wading an inch or more deeper than my waderr length. A bit of a laugh in thigh waders, less so in waist waders, and getting a bit hairy in chest waders. Done that in many rivers and in surf. If you ever don chest waders It is very important to invest in a good stout wading staff, both for feeling your way in a rocky river, and providing a third leg in a dodgy current or surf. Once you get chest deep it is easy to get knocked off your feet by a wave or a current surge. At 86+ my wading days are well and truly over, Have also had to swim for it as a result of a canoe collision - a canoe shot out from a side stream and rode over our stern and Norma's leg. (Incidentally Tigger this was in Madagascar, not the Amazon) there is an account somewhere in the AN archives. I have however once been washed in. There was e deep pool into which the water ran through a culvert . Just where the culvert entered was screened by overhanging trees and bushes, so the only way to fish that spot was to approach through the culvert which was brick-lined. This I did in pair of rubber-doled thigh waders. Slipped on the slimy bricks, which deposited me on my gluteal adiposities (fat a### in English) blocking the culvert and promoting a build-up of water behind me. This washed me out into the pool. I remember thinking how ridiculous the incident was, and burst out laughing as I was washed in. Got out easily enough (did you know it is perfectly possible to swim whilst holding a fishing rod ?)'

OH Dear, come on Chesters, are you saying that Martin is an indiscriminate flasher, just flashing all over the place? Surely he would be posting reviews up about long Macintosh Coats. Just saying.

Watercraft has many guises ?? Keith

I carry groundbait dry and mix with Venice water for the same reason as b-bear. In the same way if there are any molehills near the water I add some molehill soil to the mix . Molehill soil smells quite strongly of earthworms - even I, a mere human, can detect it. Using lake water also avoids the chlorine problem. We grow a lot of fancy plants including orchids and they definitely dislike chlorine, so we have installed three water butts to catch rainwater. If I ever mixed groundbait at home I would use rainwater. I see the bloody spellchecker has stuck its nose in again. For Venice read venue.

Phone, that sounds great, i've alway wanted to fish for those whopping grayling over there! I had a few hours out today, non stop catching really, unless I was walking to the next spot that is. At one point I heard a woggy hen sounding off and then it came flapping out of some willows downstream and opposite me. It then swam "on the double" across the river. Not far behind it was a otter porpoising after it ! Anyhow, I caught countless " dice " and had to take a couple of pic's of 'em for Phone :)...