Tedster

I thought it would be too good to be true. My family are asking what I want for Christmas. Havent been fly fishing for ages so thought they could get me a rod. Hence the reason for looking around. You are right. The only way to get what you want is to find it in a shop so you can check the action - then if you can find it cheaper elsewhere all the better.

Have been looking for a new fly rod. Took a look on ebay and saw these rods. There are thousands of them. All supposed to be £299.00 but going for a lot less. Has anyone heard of them or used them. I'm tempted to make a bid - but what sounds too good to be true usually is.

Wow, Steve that spot looks stunning. Have been baiting swims with hemp and mini-pellets everytime I go. Sometimes I dont fish - just watch. Seen lots of chub but never barbel. Will have to get up early one morning and have a good look before the water colours too much. I think I will use a feeder and fish through the roach, small chub to see what's around. Was loathed to use maggots because I would be plagued by small fish - but I guess that's going to happen on any general bait. I will fish the weir pool and some deep spots with worms/maggotts, hemp and ground bait. Could get anything! Thats the beauty.

I have a ‘secret’ fishing spot. I say secret but it’s clearly not - it’s just I have never seen anyone else fish it. The only sign I have seen of other anglers are kids. There is access to a weir pool and a 300 yard stretch of river downstream from the pool. At the end of the pool there is a deep section and a bend with an undercut bank. The river then has quite a uniform depth and flow for a short length. There is then a fast shallow gravel section, deep pools with more undercut banks and overhanging trees, then deeper and slower, more shallow gravel. At the end there is a sudden very deep slow section. There is not much in the way of weed due to the gravel and shade from overhanging trees. I have caught chub to 5lb (my main quarry). I have only stalked fish where I have seen them so have not fished the deeper sections. Most of my success has been freelining a slug, bread or worm usually from an overhanging tree through one of the deep sections. I have also caught smaller chub off the top. There is also some good roach and perch. Not yet fished the weir pool itself as I have been concentrating on the river where I can see the fish. I know there to be barbel upstream from the weir in a stretch a couple of miles away so it is not impossible they are here. I have never seen any in ‘my stretch’ however, if I were a barbel wondering along this river I’m sure I would stay here. This leads me on to some questions I was hoping you would help me with. Firstly, whilst stalking I have never seen a barbel in the river. Could they be there but just so shy and sneaky it’s possible I have never seen them? The river is not that wide but because of the shade you can never see all the way across, into the deeper sections or into the undercut opposite banks. (so could have answered my own question). I don’t fancy the idea of spending hours fishing for barbel if there aren’t any. So to improve my chances I want to use a bait that would be as equally appealing to chub and barbel. Are there any such baits and what would work in the winter? I have seen carp in the river a couple of miles downstream so are there baits that barbel, chub and carp would take? I would put money on there being bream too. What would you suggest for a multi-purpose bait whilst trying to find out what species there are in a weir pool and the deeper sections of the river? Chub will still feed in the winter but not being a barbel angler I don’t know about them. Is it worth trying for them in the winter or should I try again in the spring? Any tips would be great. Thanks