FishyFraser

Am I the only one who thoroughly enjoyed the comedy of this thread? No offence intended!

I'm thinking of buying a season ticket for this very picturesque (and historically significant) stretch. Does anyone fish there? If so what is it like? The Lea Valley site praises it for large chub and barbel which interests me but I would be grateful for the informed views of the forum. In addition, anyone bought a good barbel rod recently, not looking for some overdone test curve; I like to know what others have used rather than just rely on the tackle shop or magazines. Many thanks in advance. Fraser.

Bonefish...best pound for pound fight ever on light tackle...!

Have to say, I enjoy the odd session on a (pretty) commercial. It doesn't beat a river or chalk stream but variety is the spice of life. I even like the camo gear (i'm hiding now).

Anglers Paradise!

Hi, Anyone been to Anglers Paradise? Just booked a weeks stay in August with my son and looking forward to some good fishing. I would like to hear others experiences of the place, it looks fantastic... Fraser.

Whilst I hate to see a poor 8Ib carp skull dragged in on 3Ib TC rods and 20Ib line, there is nothing worse than being 'undertackled' if you forgive the term. I would say, like most others here, that 2.5 should cover most if not all situations with the right line and terminal tackle. Fraser...

Should the breaking strain of ones hooklink be higher or lower than your mainline? I've always assumed lower but I have noted some posts here which suggest the opposite. Could someone clarify?

The pleasure on my 11 year old sons face when he hooks into a rod bending chub on the river lark yesterday. Cannot be beaten.

Sorry but if that was me I would have cut his line after being ignored for the third time...little 'erbert

Sunshine and showers on my met weather report....just clouding over now and expecting rain....

Anderoo is right. In order to have something like a fair comparison you would need a range of knots, tied by numerous people, controlled with different breaking strains and then tested using the same procedure for each. Not that this would give anything like a scientific result but it would be a little more reliable than three knots tied by one person. I always used the half blood with the tuck, but changed to the grinner after discussions on here. I will try the palomar as well but I have had no breaks with any thus far.

Fuji all the way...tried both and sliding rings are just so unreliable...

Cheers guys...i have been watching the weather...the forecast rain never seems to come...but I agree it will be here by the weekend...

I'm sure he knows his stuff. but comes over as a bit of a prat...a bit like richard littlejohn for anglers....!

...Is this permissable. I'm not actually fishing just putting in bait.

I'm not a pike fisherman (yet)...but from what I've read the larger fish are caught on lures...

Whereabouts on the Lea would you suggest...I'm close to it too but have had mixed reports. I think at one time it was a prolific river but, a combination of cormorant predation and pollution seems to have wiped it out...?

try here... http://www.jfonline.co.uk/knots_page.html

No...not sure why I would want to share this info...PBs are PBs...I enjoy sharing chat and info, knowledge - which I gain more than I give - on here, but I'm not into trumpet blowing.

If you bag up on Chub let me know exactly how you did it....! Bread flake is an all round favourite and keep moving very quietly...!

A very long thread on this topic here.... http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=75101

Slices will be very dificult to hook; chop it up and use it for free offerings. Go to the supermarket and get a tin. How you chop it up e.g. size/shape prepare it e.g. flavour/colour depends what you want to fish for...As a general rule I let it dry off a little bit so it stays on the hook better, gently push the hook right through, twist and pull up so the hook secures the meat.

I think anything that works is great...I started my 11 year old (two years ago) on a basic match rod and fixed reel setup. It was a bit tortuous to begin with but now tangles and re rigging are few and far between - and he deals with most issues himself. Most of the whips/short poles I looked at were not up to much. Had the kit you describe been around I might have bought it - for your seven year old it sound perfect.

I'd not thought of this before although I once saw Matt Hayes scoop a pike that was following in a perch he had just hooked. Not for me I must say but I can't see anything wrong with it ethically or otherwise...what did the gripes on your blog consist of..?