FishyFraser

dle time not idly spent. - Sir Henry Wotton Says it all for me...

I agree, after looking myself I find most fishing specific kit to be either a ) overpriced b ) not fit for task or c ) both. Much better to spend a decent amount in blacks or some other outdoor clothing specialist. Better made and longer lasting although it will cost you a few more quid in the short term. http://www.blacks.co.uk

Absolutely. My dad pays over £1500 a year in golf membership, that's before endless changing of clubs hoping to take a fraction off his handicap. Bang for buck as they say stateside angling is by far and away the least expensive of all the obsessive sports/hobbies.

Gfs it is then! I do use a float as well by the way... Well put and I drive a Mini for the river and the 4x4 on the carp lake...

You are right it is a truly fantastic fish...it has a very salmon like mouth to me though, but it's hard to tell.

agree with all of that!

OK guys I have narrowed down the choice of bite alarms to: A pair of Diawa Optonics or the GFx recommended by Steve - I'm putting it to the vote...

Hmm

Cheers..

Can't help it but I'm just not a pole person!

I too have been thinking of a centre pin, but I think I may have become nostalgic watching 'Passion for Angling'. Are there specific centre pins for fly fishing only or can they all be used interchangeably? By the way how do you get an avatar on your posts? How many questions was that?

I was looking at those! I think I might just dive in and get the tackle shop to get them in for me. I was wondering what you get in the ones that are £80.00 + each. Unless they're just fancy names and tarty tackle! Cheers. Cheers.I'll have a quick scan of ebay!

Funnily enough I was only chatting to someone about this a few weeks ago in my local tackle shop. This chap waxed lyrical about hair rigged cat meat! You know, tinned cat food! I was well surprised but he reckons barbel go wild over it. It got me thinking of a pellet, fishmeal and cat meat groundbait. You never know but this guy reckoned it worked a treat.

Thinking of buying some bite alarms - any recommendations out there. I don't want to spend a fortune around £50.00 ish for a pair. Thoughts very welcome. Cheers.

I have an Okuma Opti-Drag which I have used many times and found reliable and up to the job of float fishing in the margins as well as for Chub on the river. Okuma seems to have the reputation of a budget reel maker but I have found it very well made and smooth when playing fish. I can't say much about the models you cite but I have no problem with the brand or the build quality.

If it were me I would pre bait the day before with marine pellets (I prefer Swim Stim) and make sure they are feeding confidently in the swim. Fire out more bait for a few hours before legering a hair rigged pellet and waiting. You could try nicking on a PVA mesh bag with the same pellets.

would it depend where it melts? If it is about four feet off the bottom would the hookbait not fall into/around the contents? You could do a test in water from the lake in question and time how long it takes to break down and compare that with how long (roughly) you think it takes to reach the bottom? Just a few thoughts!

I'm watching it now...Brilliant!

Cheers. I'm off to the website!

As a relative newcomer to fishing (eight months) I have been initiated (more by magazines than anything) into a world of carbon rods, carp rods, baitrunners and various items of electronic wizardry, strange and convoluted rigs and feeders. I'm now tucking into this series of, by todays standards, relatively unsophisticated tackle but a fantastic enthusiasm for being by the river and taking the sounds, sights and bites of riverine life. Does anybody remember this show the first time around? Is it especially famous? It's a world away from Matt Hayes but it's absolutely fantastic. I'm at home with a ruptured ligament at the moment but I am enjoying the feast of fishing on Discovery Real Time and there is no better show than this. Twenty years ago I would not have seen the point of fishing - I wish I had watched this then. Best, Fraser.

Any and all..! Fishing on the waggler for chub and the method for carp...or just light tackle on a river stretch suits nme fine on a balmy late summer afternoon. Would love to have a go at fly fishing at some point.

Of course the Daily Mail frequently over elaborates, overcooks and sensationalises everything. it's the Sun without breasts! More's the pity...

By the way don't forget your local tackle shop! The link I gave was for the description. Cheers.

Hi Phil, I have been fishing for eight months and have found everyone on here really helpful. Best bit of advice I've had is, support your local tackle shop. Good local advice and a great source for bait and tackle. If they vanish off the high street it would be sad day. I can't say that I've always bought my tackle there but I do try. good luck. Fraser.

On the basis of your budget I'd go for the Korum Neoteric....I have used one of these for a few months and for light float work is a brilliant piece of kit. I'm always a little reluctant to recommend kit but this is a lovely rod. http://www.fishtec-coarse.co.uk/ProductDet...opListRec=36861