lutra

It was a beautiful day on the river Ian. You just got up to late.

Nice one mad dog. Its great on the river in summer when its hot like this, but you need to get out your pit a lot earlier. About 4.30 am is a good time.

I don't and wasn't suggesting you go round chapping all the little ones. I'm as happy as anyone to fish for tiddlers all day long and probably more so than many in these specihead days. IMO you and Ian are spot on right that we should be as careful as possible to see that the fish we catch go back in as good a nick as possible. I hate catching tatty fish. Ireland tends to have good healthy waters and will soon sort out any weak fish.

And you know I care for what I catch, but if your goal is to catch bigger fish, wouldn't it be better to kill a load so the rest grow bigger with less mouths to feed?

Andy there is no good fish handling (not even yours), just differing degrees of badness. As for what seems to be your view that fish are so precious that we can't afford to loose any, I don't agree. Most healthy waters can afford to loose a few with no noticeable effects. Many you can easily fill a keepnet on may even benefit.

Rough handling it may have been, but I'd still bet that was a walk in the park for them compared with the life many UK fish have on our heavily stocked and fished waters.

You could just try a drop of rig glue on the shop bought knots and see if that improves them for you.

Jack Pyke soft shell for me. I wear it summer and winter, just with more jumpers or fleeces in winter. Mines camo, but you can get them in just green. 100% waterproof, breathable, quiet, soft, easy to wear and not to bulky to roll up and shove in the bag when I don't want it on. Mines had about 4 years of brambles, barbed wire, being sat on and used as an unhooking mat. Its never ripped and still don't leak. Its a good jacket with lots of life in it yet. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jack-Pyke-Soft-Shell-Jacket-Green-Waterproof-Windproof-Coat-Hunting-Fishing-/301118082201?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item461c094c99

I don't know this development, the Lambourn or the sewage system around there, but as you say sewers don't work all the time and I'd bet it go's into some watercourse around there. I'm just saying that before I put my name to a campaign to flush more down the sewer, I'd want some assurance the sewer system around there was up to it.

You can have my vote chesters.

I think I see it a bit different. Local waste water companies have been paying fines for years because it's cheaper than building new multi million pound sewage works that can cope with it's Victorian combined sewer system when it rains hard. None of which has stop loads of new houses being built in these areas. Fines maybe smaller for households, but are IMO at up to £2500 big enough for them to take notice of and the scope for big pollution problems is way bigger with a mains sewage works than one bellcheese. A lot is said by water companies about how clean their water is, but fishing takes me near a few outlets. Most seem to put a good head on the river and don't look that clean to me even when its not been raining.

Ok I guess none of you know where shite go's, but thinks it sorted mintly if its in the main sewer. Which in many cases can't cope when it rains hard without adding more new houses to it. I would like to think the EA have had more info than is given in these online campaigns.....

If they put it in the main sewer will it still not end up in the river? Does round here. On the up side, if the river gets dangerously low in summer you could just hold a beer fest and get every one flushing the loo.

I'd give vagabond some credit for telling me quite early in my fishing years that on many waters 90% of the food is within 6 foot of the bank so that's where the fish will often be. Coarse or fly I think thinking about that has served me well. I know you will know better Dave, but I do think we should tell some of the newer anglers that all the fish aren't always as far as you can cast (or that bit further) and bigger rods, reels, weights, baitboats or even a drone, often won't help.

Not sure I agree Dave. I think casting is only a tiny part of angling. Neither being able to cast to the noon or having a baitboat makes a good angler in my book. I think its been a couple of seasons since I cast more than 30 yards.....

I've seen actions and numbers on rod like this a few times when looking at older rods. Does anyone know how the rating works and what the number mean? This rod has it. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silstar-Tradition-Match-600-Rod-/321706954842?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ae73a905a

There has been a similar rise in the average size of chub in my local river over the same period in time and it hasn't had Signals. Don't many other species like tench, bream, barbel,.......... all seem to have shot up over the similar period in time? Maybe other factors like weather, predators and maybe some unknown have played a big part as well.

I think the intent of the Salmon and migratory trout licence is so you pay your money if you want to retain a salmon or migratory trout, be it to weigh, photo or to smack on the head and take home when in season. Out of season or with any other licence, you can't retain them.

We will have to differ on that one Rusty. I seem to think if you dig deep enough you may even find bylaws that say something along the lines of out of season fish should be returned immediately. Thats not weighing and taking a few pic's for me.

I'm sure it did, but if I bob down the river next month trout fishing will it be ok to weigh and photo any chub and barbel I catch? I think if I came back and posted them on here, you lot would have something to say.

No not a pb sea trout. Your just trying to make your own rules now Anderoo. What ever it was, it was out of season and should have gone straight back unweighed in my book.

Thanks Dave. I was a little concerned it might need a new coat of varnish after all these years, but a bit of googling tells me the impregnated cane is waterproof and has no varnish on it apart from the whippings and all looks fine there. So I think I'm good to whip the water now. Cheers Brian.

I've just give it a quick wipe over with a dry cloth. The rod looks near mint with just a touch of damage to the corner of the scottie dog transfer. I think it must have been bought at the end of his angling days and has lived in its stiff case with the bungs in since, so hopefully it will be fine. Thanks worms, I'll take your advice and try a 9wt. Cheers Brian.

My dad never fished in my life time, but he had a rod and reel and I was told he had enjoy seatrout fishing in his younger years. As he passed away last year I was thinking it would be nice to put a bend in his old fly rod.... The rod is a Sharps Impregnated 12.5ft "The Specialist" and the reel is a Sharps 3.5" W "The Gordon". Both look good to go, but not knowing much about old cane rods that have been sat in the dark for 50 years, is there anything I should do with it first? Does anyone have any idea on Line rating? I was thinking of trying around an 8 weight, but don't really have a clue.

We might need to find a wolf that eats John Deers to get our rivers back on track.