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I ordered a Chinese meal last night. Chinese driver came to our door and I walked out to meet him. He started shouting "isolate" "isolate" I said you’re not that late, I only ordered 25 minutes ago!

Damn site more than i caught ,i popped down the river for a couple of hours ,just as i leant forward to drop the float in the bank slid and down i went. The rivers not deep just waist deep in the pool i was trying to fish but getting out was a laugh ,fricking cold and very muddy ! In the end i walked downstream to where the bank was easier to climb but i went down more times than i went up. Must have been a great sight walking along the road ,one hand holding a muddy bag and rod the other desperately trying to hold up sodden muddy trousers with a broken string ! Probably curtains were twitching and the neighbours thinking whats that old fool up to again ,worst of all the mrs refused to let me in until i had a strip wash in the shed and a dash into the house dressed in a labcoat . Not sure i will venture out again this winter And no theres no pictures!

I thoroughly love using a centrepin for trotting on the small streams and rivers that I fish, but not in all swims; some of the swims are too full of streamer weed and cabbages to allow me to trot very far. Plus the smaller streams that I fish have a lot of bends and overhanging branches which can make trotting a float a very precarious pastime in some cases. But the centrepin when in the hands of someone who really enjoys using it and who knows how to get the best out of using one is a tool that a lot of people just ignore; to their detriment in my view; however everyone is different and there’s nothing wrong in that at all, each to their own. I also enjoy using a centrepin when I’m fishing the lift method after Tench not only because I like the feel of a fighting Tench on my pin but also because the pin comes into its own and out performs one of my fixed spool reels when I’m delicately tightening up to a float which is setup to fish the lift bite. I much prefer to use a fixed spool reel when I’m fishing the link leger on my streams and rivers in tight swims and once the light starts to fade and at night. I also use my fixed spool reels on stillwaters (except when after Tench using the lift method) and the only time I ever use my closed face reel is if I’m float fishing at fairly close ranges on very gusty days. I used to regularly use my Mitchell Match when I used to do a lot of Match fishing and I felt the dab bailarm was a treat to use and allowed me to cast a lot faster and easier when I needed to get my float out again fast.. So it’s horses for courses for me, we all have our different likes and dislikes and different views, wouldn’t it be boring if everyone always thought the same. As for floats; Perhaps if one spent a couple of days with a master like Ivan Marks or Billy lane or Keith Speer you would learn to appreciate the different types of floats out there and could take advantage of using different types of waggler or top and bottom floats, both types of which I would be totally lost without. But then again if you are happy with just using the same type float all of the time on both still and moving water then there’s nothing wrong in that either even though that’s not my ideal. Keith

I’ve just been to the chemist to get Mother’s prescription, I spoke to the pharmacist Alan asking if he sold hypodermic syringes, when he asked why I says, “I’m going to inject bleach to see if it works, not on myself of course but I have a list of people to try it out on!” He smiled (a rare occurrence) and says “Can I add some names to the list!”

Alas the ability to read and comprehend what others have written is not a strong point for some. I do try not to bother nowadays as really theres just no getting past those massive blinders but sometimes I can't resist the temptation to try. must be useful at times to be able to blissfully ignore what is going on in the surrounding world and live in ones own little fairy story.

I managed to get out when the virus first broke, bought 1,500 rolls of bog paper and 150 bottles of hand sanitiser, thought I would be ok but my sister is coming to stay as she lives in a post office with her daughter’s family and it’s not a good environment for protecting her from infection, so I went out today to get some more bog roll and the shelves are empty, bloody idiot hoarders and panic buyers.

Thanks for trying to explain my position Phone, but you've got somethings the wrong way round. It's not so much the 'culture' of the carp anglers in general, I have a few acquaintances, that are carp mad, and we still talk amicably it's a mixture of things. It's not the fault of a virus that it inflicts itself on other people, but we still want to try and control, or eradicate it. We can't eradicate the people who catch and spread the virus, only try and get them to accept more hygienic, and common sense methods to help reduce the impact of that virus. Carp are the virus, anglers are part of the group that wilfully spread it. I've tried over the years to explain my feelings to this group, as well as, clubs, 'fishery' owners, river authorities, and the environment agencies, but while many say they see my point, I'm afraid they are only too willing to accept that angling is now becoming an artificial pastime, worshiping money and the ego, but without, for want of a better word, 'soul'. The creation of overstocked artificial, predominately single species waters, for one. I would feel the same whatever the species, even my favourite roach or tench, it just happens to be carp that are singled out, because they are easy to breed, grow large, and are virtually indestructible in comparison with many other species. I cannot understand, or accept, the appeal of waters that have no natural balance. Throughout my angling life, I have seen waters change, and the predominant species change within them. Sometimes it's been because of changes in the effects of the weather. Long dry summers like the mid 70s, saw an explosion of fry, and very good, (for the time), match weights in the autumn/winter, and the following year. This was then followed by an increase in most predatory species, pike, perch, chub, and even catching roach and bream on small live/dead baits. The waters then over time attained a new, 'natural balance', not always exactly the same as before. Eventually the whole thing levelled out, until the next change in conditions. Sometimes it was a manmade incident that altered that balance, such as pollution. Then, my view was that the water should be left until it could support aquatic life, and then, only then, should there be a restocking programme, just enough to 'kick start' the natural cycle. This last point was dismissed by those who wanted large stocking programmes, to produce instant results, which brings me to my next point. I don't usually refer to these waters as 'commercials', because we have always had waters where we had buy a permit to allow access to fish. The main difference is that where it was once done to create 'pin money', to bolster the family income, sometimes with the added inclusion of a bacon sandwich and a cuppa on arrival. Now it's an out and out business concern, a part of the angling 'industry'. Where once anglers paid the money to allow access to the water, and then their success depended on their skill, luck, or lack off. Now anglers pay not only for the right to fish, but as part of the fee, expect a guaranteed catch, regardless of their ability, and actively complain on line if they don't receive the 'catching experience' they've paid for, just like buying any commodity. Almost instant results, regardless of any ability on behalf of the angler. I've never believed that fish exist purely for the catching pleasure of the angler, they are part of a great cycle of life that encompasses all our native wildlife, and I felt privileged to be able to share in, and be a part of it, if only for a while, before returning to my inner city life. I could go on and on, and as some on here will attest I often have, but will finish....for now, with one more point. While Cameraman and I agree on most things, I, (so far), have refused to patronise any overstocked commercial water since my early disappointing forays in the 90s. While I can understand his views on the safety, and convenience aspects of these waters, especially for the young, and, I guess, the older generations, I still can't understand why they have to be so overstocked. I see it as a dumbing down of the whole thing, and with many of the youngsters I've help over the years, I have found that the ones who have it too easy when they start, (double figure carp, and big bags of fish spring to mind), are the ones less likely to stay with angling. Those who start 'small' and feel the need to 'grow' and expand their angling experiences over time, are the ones that I've seen continue over the years. In fact many of the youngsters I helped 20, 30 years ago, are still at it. It's a standing joke within my family that I have often been stopped by someone, who I don't recognise, but obviously recognises me, (I guess I must have looked pretty old 30 years ago). They then start to tell whoever is with me, the story of how I helped them when they were kids. It's a nice, if somewhat embarrassing situation to be in, but it makes me feel pretty good inside. John.

I saw some absolutely disgusting behaviour on the way through town today. There was a man and a woman having an almighty argument in front of a load of kids. Suddenly the woman just lost it, she was hysterical and smacked the guy straight in the head. It all kicked off then and there was a massive brawl. Someone must have called the police because this poor policeman turned up on his own. He was trying to stop the fight by hitting the man with his baton but the guy took the baton and was hammering the Policeman and the woman with it. Then out of the blue a crocodile appeared and stole all the sausages!

They were good "in the day" but compared to most intrepids they were far superior . I have a boxful of Mitchells not worth selling on but dont collect them as such ,some are highly sought after but more to put on a shelf than a bank. I dont rate them today enough to use them but i do use abu closed face reels most trips from the same era they fulfil the need i use them for as most know on here i stupidly becan collecting intrepids this is about 2/3rds of my collection i cannot go back far enough to get them in all in the fram

I didn’t fancy going on the river today as I thought it would be packed so I had a few hours after lunch on my local estate lake after a few Carp with my son Stuart. We fished against one of the islands about 2 swims apart and had a nice peaceful afternoon sitting behind our alarms doing a bit of Carp fishing for a change. The Island that we both fished against We both had a few Carp but I only took a couple of shots. Nothing to write home about, Stuart had the biggest at 15lb 15oz (he wouldn’t round it up by just an ounce ); but it was a very pleasant few hours. Keith

Here's mine... I've always liked John Searls artwork and especially this print. I know it's daft but it's just another form of ornament ....in'it LOL. I use the reels and floats so they're working ornaments :).

That gave me PTSD flashbacks of an.....erm....doctors examination. Small frail fella, but geez' it felt like he had fingers the size of King Kong.

To be honest, to take a photo i'm happy with the pictures my phone takes, and I nearly always have it with me....just gott'a get a decent fish now! After saying that, I do have a picture of my first actual weighed double on my float gear. It was a wierd scenario that day as I kept telling yself that my tenth fish would be a double, I won't go through the tale again as I told it on here a few years ago when it happened...it is a true tale though and my tenth fish did turn out to be over 10lbs!, Here's a couple of the fish before I got the tenth one... And here is the double... I have thought about having this picture enlarged and framing it since it was my first float caught barbel of over 10lbs. Only snag is it's tail is coverd with grass and my float isn't in the pic!

I'm not trying to teach my granny to suck eggs here, but....Chesters, your wrong bud. If fishing a parrot cage swims as you describe, you simply cast straight out (rod pointing forward, or at any angle) and wally your float/ lead, whatever out. You don't have to cast from the side, or from the back to wally cast. Infact, casting with a centrepin is easier and more accurate up to around 30 or so yards out than of using a fixed spool reel. Alan showed me how to perform the cast needed for a constricted swim also. Just for reference, I very often fish in seriously overgrown swims and very often on smaller rivers where wading is completely impossible and I can only fish from the bank. These are examples of very overgrown spots where taking a picture was very difficult and everything was perched precariously...

With the lockdown being lifted for a few sports etc, and with fishing being one of them I had a few hours on one of the clubs still waters today. I used a rod and reel I use on the river whilst trotting and it worked a treat on the still water just the same :). i caught countless carp and surprisingly, lots of chub!!

Last year, I had a good double figure barbel (no scales with me but it was closer to 15lb than 12) from the Avon at Fladbury and that was taken (on a feeder this time) right down the side. I was fishing with my dad (who has never landed a barbel over 8lb in 50 years of fishing) and he has had a few things to say about crude tactics and braid hook-links before now but I pointed out that there's nothing "sporting" about leaving hooks in fish and showed him the two additional hooks that I had removed from the fish's mouth. Earlier that day, after three hours without a tap, I'd spotted what could very well have been that fish feeding in the cabbages in front of me - a foot from the bank and in 9 inches of water and had set up one rod with a bobber and dropped a lump of meat into a hole in the weeds less than 3 feet out and bought the feeder in hard against the edge of the weeds on the inside line. I caught more fish on the float but alas, they were all eels.

My sons the same with his car hes always trying to pin down a noise and replacing bits that do not resolve it ,he gets rather annoyed when i tell him to turn up the stereo until it goes away!

All good, thanks. Sorry - just trying to keep on top everything right now is proving difficult. She was lethargic for a while, after the main symptoms passed, but seems a lot better now.

Making stuff (that usualy broke first time out) was part and parcel of our closed season you could smell the new season approaching ,that strange musty water smell when you popped by just before it began. As a kid my gear was all hand downs ,old worn out crap given when an uncle got a new bit of kit (our family was from deptford and pretty thick back then but the place was destroyed in the 60's by development and most went to kent ,londowners did that!) Then i bought bits to build rods from walkers hythe with so so results but it taught you to respect your gear then as i started work at 15 money could be used to buy better stuff as is the case with most back then

He was a true legend. RIP Stirling, the motor racing world is a far poorer place now :(

Last night the wife was wearing a sexy black Negligee for bed - I could see right through to the Cardigan!!

Wow! that's a major swerve/U-turn, Corbyn was your new 'messiah' a few months back. Talk about fickle! Anyway on to more serious things. Paul, in your self appointed role as the chief spokesperson for the Tories Are Wrong All The Time, (TAWATT for short) party, could you please enlighten the nation, (or at least the half dozen or so on here), by sharing a little of your vast wealth of knowledge. What would you advise the Government to do in the future, to fight this pandemic? Your expertise in epidemiology, ably supported by your 'experts' in the media would be of great value in this fight, and could bring some much needed solace, and reassurance to the people. Thanking you in advance, I await a reply with bated breath. John.

Watch to the end John

Was in the post office yesterday and there was a terrible panic when three blokes came in through the door wearing masks. Then one of them said "This is a robbery" and we all calmed down a bit.

I must have written at least a half dozen replies to comments on this thread, and then deleted them HV. This time I couldn't help it. To try and score some petty political points on the backs of the sick and dying, is as low an anyone can stoop, and I couldn't let it go. Every evening, as well as the horrific news reports, we get a facetime call from my daughter checking that we are ok. It breaks our hearts to see and hear the stress, danger and even abuse that her and her colleagues are subjected to every day, and they still keep smiling for the sake of their patients. We can't even give her a comforting hug because she insists on keeping her distance for fear of infecting us. I can't really put into words my thoughts on those that belittle the efforts of those who are trying to help us through this time, just to try and prove some pathetic point they obsess about in their sick and twisted, narrow little minds. Well I could put it into words, but it would probably, and rightly, result in my being banned from the forum. John.

In their eyes if they are given the power to decide it can show it has power by not doing what others want! English heritage has such power so they close the bridge in the village for repairs for far longer than necessary just because they can! Give worthless bits of skin power and they WILL use it

I agree with both cameraman and phone, it can be fantastic, but would advise a degree of caution. I would talk it over with your wife, check your finances, and how much early retirement would impact your final pension. I don't think you drive, so check where you can get to a water either on foot, public transport, or have a fishing friend you could travel with. I didn't have transport, having had the use of a company vehicle for so long. I bought a car to enable me to go fishing, and carry my grandson, (who was born a month after my retirement), to the many hospital visits he needed in his first couple of years. Without my grandson, or the car, I think I would have stagnated at home, but they got me moving, and gave me something to focus on. My wife is one of the 'waspies' that got stung over her retirement age, and is still working. I run her to work and back each day, but she has the option to retire this year, and is undecided whether to go part time, or retire completely. It's partially the money, but unlike me, she loves her work, and the social life with her workmates. That's another thing that I would consider, whether you would prefer to take a small part time job, to ease you into retirement, it's worked for a few people I know. We are all different, and have different needs, and lifestyles. I, for instance, have always been a bit of a loner, with just a few people that I would call friends, and I was mostly fine with my own company. Over the years, I have lost contact with many people, especially angling friends who chose a different 'commercial' path to me. I now find that I sometimes miss having them around, it's probably an age thing. I might sound all 'doom and gloom', but I've known many people over the years, who have longed for retirement, but found that the idea, and the reality, don't always match. They have found themselves 'lost', and have fallen into depression. Some have eventually found something to focus on, be it part time work, a hobby, and in the case of a widower neighbour, a new lady friend. Other have not been so lucky, and have deteriorated both physically, and mentally, into a 'different' person. I hope it doesn't sound like a 'trying to teach my grandma to suck eggs' thing, I genuinely believe it's not always an easy thing to adapt to. Whatever you decide Martin, I hope it works out well for you, and your missus. John.

Not too keen on Roman Catholics myself Phone but that’s pushing into barbarity.

My son damaged his calf ligaments, and was on crutches for a few weeks, then his partner fell, and injured her ankle, and neither could walk very far, so Grandad became chauffeur, child minder, and general dogsbody, for a while. The only chance I've had to go fishing, this year was the other week, when I saw a break in the wet and windy weather, and the river levels looked near normal. I haven't renewed my Leeds & District yearbook yet, so was limited in choice of venue, and decided on my old favourite, Wetherby. I arrived about 8 o'clock, and the river looked at an almost perfect level, carrying a few inches of extra. The water was very clear, but it was overcast, and slightly misty, so I wasn't too bothered. I walked the length, and decided on a swim I hadn't fished before, it was on the inside of a bend, with a slack on the near bank, and the flow about a couple of rod lengths out. With a slight upstream breeze, it looked perfect for trotting, or holding still in the slack. I plumbed it at about 10 ft just on the crease, and started to introduce a few casters, with a little hemp, while I had a coffee prior to fishing. After about 15 mins, I cast in and began my trotting, feeding a little every couple of casts. I had that feeling of expectancy, and a tinge of the excitement that I hadn't felt for years, since I was a kid, and every session would be a probable 'red letter day'. An hour later, with the clouds and mist clearing, to a bright blue, sun lit sky, and the breeze doubling in strength, and without so much as a nibble, I was feeling somewhat less confident. I switched to maggot, and a heavier float, introduced a little cloudy groundbait, and still no action. While I was baiting my hook, I heard a splash, and looked up to see the aftermath of what seemed like a fish swirling in my swim. I threw a few small crusts in to see if the chub were in residence, but they floated downstream until the gulls saw them. I carried on fishing until I heard another swirl just upstream, and turned to see more spreading ripples. This happened a few more times over the next half hour or so, I heard it, but didn't see it. I then cast into the slack, and 'laid on' while I had a coffee and a sandwich. There was another swirl, but this time I saw it. I saw the head, the tail, and the bloody wings! A cormorant was working the length, and I hadn't seen it surface, this time it came up about 30yds downstream of me, dived, then resurfaced just upstream of me. I don't know if it had been more successful than me, but it must have scared the crap out of any fish that I might have attracted. In the past, this would have called for a walk, with a coffee, and a calming cigarette, but that was over 5 years ago before I packed in, but I doubt that if one was offered, I would have struggled to say no at that moment. Instead, I put out a feeder, with flake on the hook, and breadcrumbs in the feeder, in the hope that a bigger fish would maybe escape the attention of the cormorant. I thought about moving, but felt dejected enough, to not have the energy or inclination. Another half hour without a bite on the feeder, and more important, no sign of the bird, I reverted back to the float. I'd kept up the feeding routine, and first cast the float sank, I was so surprised that I didn't even strike until it was on the way back up again. The next cast, another bite, this time I stuck, and connected with...a minnow, then another, and another. I was just glad to see the float go under, so I thought I'd fish through the minnows, and hope for something better to show up. A few minnows later, I hit something that put a bit of a bend in the tip, only for it to shed the hook. On inspection, I saw that I should have changed the hook when I'd caught a snag, but since it came off easily, I didn't bother. The next cast, with new hook, produced another minnow, then another, so I thought that I would try a small spinner in case the local large perch has arrived to the table. I took out the telescopic spinning rod that I bought for the fruitless trip to Fort William last year, and put on a small mepps, that I'd bought at the same time, and tried a few casts. Those who remember my old posts about this place, might remember, apart from the minnow population, there was also the occasional 'dog walker problem', but with this being mid week, I didn't think it would be too bad. I was just about to cast again when there was the sound of something rushing down the bank towards me, followed by the sound of growling, and barking. I turned to see two dogs, one of them looked like one of those Japanese fighting dog things, the other a large scruffy mongrel. In my shock and surprise, I had release my thumb from trapping the line, and the spinner had fallen onto my keepnet laid on the ground beside me. I stood with a couple of bank sticks in hand in hand, feeling a little apprehensive, and a lot pee'd off, and waited for the owners to appear, they didn't. I heard a few people on the other side of the flood bank, call out to dogs, and the two things looked towards the calls, but carried on barking and growling at me. This stand off lasted what seemed like ages but in reality was probably only about 5/6 minutes. The owners never appeared, and the dogs got bored and left, only to come back for a few seconds and start again. Now I know I moan a lot, but for all these dickhead dog owners knew, it could have been a child that had attracted the attentions of their beloved canine 'children', instead of a gnarled old moaner like me, with different, and more serious consequences. After the mutts had left, I turned to pick up my spinning rod, only to find that the trebles had embedded themselves in the mesh of the net. I usually change the trebles on any shop bought spinners, or at least squash the barbs, I had obviously missed this one! In trying to extricate the barbs from the net, I found that I had left my pliers/cutters, at home, and ended putting a hole big enough to take my fist, in said net. The next cast out with the spinner prevented a repeat of the situation, I hit a snag, and had to pull for a break, leaving the lure behind. I carried on trotting for another hour or so, but with just few minnows to show for my efforts, and the reappearance of my feathered friend, I packed up and left. I was always taught that, Proper Preparation Prevents **** Poor Performance, I have come to realise that this is a load of crap. The day before my 'fishing' trip was spent making sure that everything was ready, (everything but the wire cutters, obviously), so all I had to do on the morning, was fill my flask with boiling water, get my bait from the shed, and go. It's the most prepared I've been for many a year, and the result was one of the worst days I can remember. Next trip will be different, I'll just bung my gear in the car and set off, somewhere, anywhere there is water, and I'm allowed to fish it, sod everything else! Apologises for the extended rant, but I needed it. I don't know if I will be able to get on a river before the end of the season. We've had almost constant rain since that day, with added 50 mph winds. Yesterday I woke up to a couple of inches of snow on the car, but the rain and sleet took it away during the day. Today it was snowing most of the morning, but that has melted now, and added to the already swollen rivers. I know I'm lucky in that I live on high ground, and never likely to flood, unlike the poor sods that are being flooded for the 4th or 5th time in recent years. I'm left wondering that if it does calm down before the end of the season, how much will there be left to fish for? The number of fish that will have been swept away, or stranded well away from the rivers, must be in the hundreds of thousands, although we will still have the bloody carp that escape from the flood plain ponds to pollute restock the rivers, won't we? John. PS, On a lighter note, I had a lady approach me and ask something about 'swimming off the sandbed upstream of me'. I assumed that I had met a considerate dog owner, and, seeing that there were a good 30yds of trees between the spot, and my swim, I said ok but keep the dogs up that way. She then explained that it wasn't a dog, but her and a friend that wanted to swim! I warned her that the water was very cold, and the floods had brought a lot of snags into that area, but said it's ok with me, but be careful. I soon heard some splashing, and laughing, and looked to see these two 40 something ladies, in just ordinary swimming costumes, enter the water, and spend the next 15/20 minutes swimming up and down the area. In hindsight I believe that they had probably scared the cormorant away.

You're right Ant, 20 years young! I was one of the first to join, on February 19th, and almost immediately became a moderator. Technically I was 'involved' with AN before it even started. At the time Elton, myself, and many others were on the rec.fishing.coarse.uk chat group (ethernet?) where I'd be replying to requests on where to fish. Then Elton contacted me to ask if I'd like to manage the fisheries database on a website he's hoping to make. I agreed, and the rest is history.

Don’t be daft, he doesn’t subscribe or actually read the body of the text, he just grabs and links to the headline that, very often contradicts With the point he is attempting to make.

I had the last hour of daylight on the river today and it was more than enough! Ok, it was only 6 degrees but the wind made it feel much colder and it made my hands and especially my fingers ache like hell. Anyhow, the hours trotting/torture produced quite a few small chub and I lost one that felt quite decent to a hook pull.

Thinking about it - must have been another forum I was on (which I no longer use) alongside A.N.

A while ago I was seriously considering investing in Gozzer’s fan cleaning and refurbishment business, after all there was an abundance of warnings and it seemed a worthwhile investment with the possibility of a high return. As the frequency of the predictions became more and more diverse and yet never happened I looked for another way. I came up with my own idea. Grow a huge crop of sour grapes, this would benefit the environment by removing some pollutants from the area and give some financial reward. Imagine my surprise on learning that lots of people, including some on this forum, already have an abundance of sour grapes that they are peddling! Oh well, better buy some cleaning gear and see if I can still get a franchise from Gozzer.

text set out below is from someone who I voted for to be sacked. Guess who cod. yes it came from a daily rag this morning. It is more truthful than your misery you are peddling. As a test to see if you actually read text you don't want to comprehend, I wonder if you will claim that 17.4 million where either duped or they are the far right. One other detail that is a fact, 4 million plus labour voters also voted to leave, Corbyn and co blatantly ignored their wishes. Weren't the newspapers fault. A lot of MPs had tried to make the Election about stopping Brexit: Jo Swinson, Phillip Lee, Chuka Umunna, Anna Soubry, Dominic Grieve, Sarah Wollaston, Chris Leslie, Sam Gyimah. All of them ended up losing their seats. We meant what we said in 2016. Three years of being told that we hadn’t understood what we voted for didn’t wear us down. It just annoyed us. Plenty of people who voted Remain in 2016 were exasperated by the dishonesty of those MPs who, having promised to respect the result, did everything in their power to frustrate it. This week it was the country’s turn to speak. Britain is a democracy. That doesn’t just mean that we hold votes from time to time: Russia, China and Venezuela do that. It means we expect our votes to count. We expect MPs to act as our servants, not our rulers. We expect our decisions to be honoured. Our bloody-mindedness obviously caused a degree of surprise in pro-Brussels circles. Other countries that have voted against European integration have been ignored or made to back down. Not Britain. When we say something, we mean it. Sticking to our referendum result is not the only thing that makes us unusual. Unlike many European countries, we have never had a Marxist party in office. Nor, in modern times, have we ever allowed an anti-Semitic party anywhere near power. Those two honourable records are still intact. Above all, Thursday’s election was a vote for moderation. Although his detractors make him out to be some sort of extremist, Boris Johnson is a main stream politician. Yes, he is unusually clever and gifted. Yes, he has a rich and eccentric speaking style. But his politics are pretty moderate — he is a one-nation Tory who, as a backbencher, backed Ken Clarke for the party leadership. He has always stood for liberal and humane conservatism. The only way you can label Boris “far Right” is if you also apply that label to 17.4million Leave voters. ‘Voters treated as thick’ Plainly, the electorate doesn’t see Brexit as extreme. There is nothing wrong with wanting to live in an independent country that makes its own laws, just as Canada, Switzerland or Singapore do.

Oh FFS!

I had a nice day on a couple of club still waters yesterday. I met up with Mike on the first water, he was already set up and fishing. He'd been fishing for a couple of hours and hadn't had any sign of a bite. As we stood chatting we saw three grass snakes swimming about right under our feet! The water was choked with weeds and everytime Mike wound his set up back in it was covered in slimey green algea/weed. Even if he had managed to hook a fish, retrieving it through all the flotsum and jetsume which was floating on the surface and the weed below would have been very tricky! Because of the bleak out look we decided to go elsewhere and so he wrapped up and we set off to another similar water some 30 miles away. It turned out to be a wise move and we both had some nice carp which gave some decent little battles before they were netted. Weatherwise it was strange as when I set out from the home it was very cloudy and dull and there was even a little drizzle, but by the time I had reached the first venue it was blazing sun and despite wearing a brimmed hat my face now resembles a freshly peeled beatrute! Sorry, but unfortunately I forgot to take any pic's :(.

I have been reluctant to recognise the ATr as anything but an advisory organisation ever since they formed. I know that 'Fish Legal', (I hate that name, it sounds like one of the 'have you had an accident' type of law firms), have done a decent job of helping out in cases of pollution etc, but I much preferred the old ACA, despite the alleged mis handling. I did consider carrying my long standing subscription to the ACA over to Fish Legal, but at the time, you had to subscribe to the ATr, in order to do so. I see the ATr as a self elected body, with a self devised remit. During it's early days, it was very reluctant to answer any questions regarding it's policies, or aims, other than the ones they wanted to discuss. I had several emails ignored at the time, I assume because they felt that any answers they could give wouldn't enhance the image they were trying to promote. I know I wasn't the only one who had the same treatment. I don't know the current official membership, but unless they have had a massive surge in numbers, then I would guess it's well short of 10% of individual angler numbers, back then it was below 1%. I wonder how many individual member there would be, if membership wasn't a requirement of entry into many big matches. It probably explains why so many of those who see it as a governing body, are in the match fraternity. It angers me that many are seeing the ATr as being mainly responsible for angling being allowed this week. I know they sent a letter pleading our case, but to now try and claim full credit for something the government were going to allow anyway, seems to me to be presumptive, and self promoting, at the very least. John.

I’m so sorry to hear this Elton, here’s hoping mrs Elton has a speedy recovery, and your family can get back to some kind of normality. It must be hard with a two year old, they don’t understand what’s going on. My grandson who was 5 last week, and is, ( according to him), “grandads best mate”, can’t understand why I cant visit. When we FaceTime, he will often turn his back and not speak to me like he’s fallen out with me. It’s bloody hard, and probably the worst thing about this self isolating. Stay safe everyone John

My apologies Phone old chap. I should take that back as it was aimed more at a certain type of extreme left, the type we have in the UK that would bend over backwards to defend and excuse such lowlife. I myself would describe a lot of my own views and ideals as being leaning towards the left. My bad for my previous post on the subject.

Phone, the float is only 3 gram and I shot it simply byusing four or 5bb's. I have one dropper shot about 6 to 8 inches up from the hook and bulk the rest about 12 or so inches above the dropper. I can vary the shot as the session goes on by sliding them up and down the line. I rarely ever faff about with fiddly set ups and for the most of my trotting I simply fish 6lb mono straight through to the hook. The majority of anglers would say I fish way to heavy, some call it crude. At the end of the day (crude or not) it works alreet for me . Obviously there are situations where I do scale right down if the fish i'm targetting pay more attention to anything out of the ordinary/suspicious but i rarely fish for those kind'a species.

Silly that was me ,we have to even stage that aswell!

Clod accepts that 100% of migrants in the Channel ‘belongs’ to the U.K. but that 85% of the fish ‘belongs’ to France and he is happy with that.