lutra

Cheers for a lovely afternoon Ian. I missed the barn owl, but was happy enough with the kingfishers, buzzard and the rest of the wildfowl that seemed to be enjoying the spring weather. Back to cold, wet and windy for today, so might have to tuck up under a brolly later.

I know lots of anglers that would be happy to swear they had caught loads of bass and mullet from the local duck pond and as big as they could stretch their arms out.

Well maybe, but it would be more important what a judge decided. I would like to think if some jobsworth bailiff tried to say you were chub fishing with your bread meant for mullet or salmon fishing with your fly meant for bass, the bailiff would have to give the judge a good reason why you couldn't have been mullet or bass fishing before you got done.

This "normal lead level" is for swans that live on the Wear with its rich lead mining history or one for swans that live elsewhere?

Did read an article a while back (but can't find it now) that said many swans show signs of lead poisoning. As Phone says they are very sensitive to heavy metals and there is lots of it out there. To a blind vet even one run over by a Number 52 bus might have died of lead poisoning. Are they blaming lead dust because they have found lots of it or because they can't find any?

I'd like to think barbel aren't stupid, but I think everyone in my local river must have been caught a zillion times on manufactured baits and often the same ones. After dark or with some colour in the water and warmer temp's seem to be bigger factors to me than natural bait or not. They just seem suckers for a lump of spam, pellets, boilies, or a blob of paste. I'm sure they should wise up at some point, but they never seem to.

Booked the last week off work, so if its not blowing, snowing and raining.............

Nice one Ian. I didn't bother last Sunday as the weather was pants (blowing and snowing), but looking better for this week and the nights are drawing out now so might put a rod back in the van for the last few weeks and maybe get an hour or two after work.

On rivers that the flow changes a lot (because of tide or spate), I think you will find they move a lot to find the flow that suits them. So yes if you chuck a bait or two out into the flow and/or the edge of the flow, there should be a good chance one might find you eventually. Mild weather and warmer water temps always helps this time of year. Tight line.....

I don't have a good track record with modern ones and have always thought of cane as being quite strong. How about one with a spike. Might be handy, you never know. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quality-BAMBOO-Cane-Fishing-LANDING-NET-1-65m-FISH-with-SPIKE-/351318712317?pt=UK_BOI_Packing_Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item51cc3a1ffd

That is mad. What do you think a real old one will make? £10,000? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RARE-OLD-2-PART-BAMBOO-CANE-FISHING-LANDING-NET-HANDLE-/261788380817?pt=UK_BOI_Packing_Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item3cf3cdae91

He's made that look easy. A quick 20+ trots, and he's off home with two 3's in the bag.

Well I can only speak for me and I enjoy the choice of species, tactics and the history of it all that we have in angling and don't really like the idea of losing chucks of it because its not fashionable.

Does it matter? The introduction or even just the reintroduction of species will have a big impact on the species naturally present. Some species are even likely to be lost for ever because of it. So IMO we shouldn't do it or let it happen. As a northern angler I spend a lot of my spare time fishing for fish that don't belong here naturally. Yes I enjoy it, but I still think the introduction or reintroduction of species should be stopped and anyone caught doing it should be shot on sight. I don't much want to catch a long thin 10lb carp from Loch Ness, ......... Its much better to dream of a massive ferrox, arctic char, vendace or a salmon. Why do we need to do it? Why can't we just enjoy what we already have?

Only 5ft Bob, I could double that float fishing while rolling a fag with the rod tucked under my arm.

No I can handle that size John.

Dear Bob, Do as you like. As I said "all legal methods are legitimate IMO". I don't impose my own rules on others and not even myself if the mood takes me. I've never said anything about your fish or fishing and why would I? Your not me so do as you like. If your asking do I think sitting behind rods for ages is easy. I would have to say no, its tediously hard work IMO and even a little bit of it kills me these days. But you do as you like Bob your not me.

Nice one Ian. Did they go at all? I had a few in a mixed bag last week and they were so slow I had convinced myself the first one was a bream before it popped and it was a chub. Never known them to be so weak, but it was a very slow deep hole I was fishing.

Who's Dappy. Will you let us know if any topless supermodels are coming on it. Then I might be tempted to watch it.

All legal methods are legitimate IMO. I don't like rules especially new ones made by people who just want others to follow their way of thinking. Rules (new ones) will be the demise of angling IMO. Having said that I can quite understand why spears and nets have been banned in modern times and thats a rules I would back. Is a 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, or 4lb chub, barbel, ........., or even a carp an achievement if it caught by setting a known trap, in a known spot and you know its just a matter of putting the time in? Personally I'd find chucking a spear more fun (and probably more skill full) than spending hours waiting behind a fishing rod or rods knowing the trap was set and thinking its just a matter of putting the time in. I like having my own personal rules on the best ways to fish, because I can change them when it suits me. So do what you want Bob, just don't complain when you get bored.

I was thinking of something longer than that Ian. Maybe 17-18ft ish. Can't really say reel fittings bother me that much so long as the reel don't drop off. The most uncomfy thing to hold on to this time of year is a freezing cold pin, but it don't stop me using one.

Fished off Blea Brows with Vagabond a few times. Didn't cost a cent to fish and there are lots of free footpath around there as well. So don't think I would be in a rush to part with 70-90k.

May have a trip or two to Scotland and may be Ireland just to forget there is a close season.

Nice one Ian, looks like you've been busy. Ribbles been a bit slow for me as it could do with a bit more water. Cold, low and clear isn't a great combo.

After many years of trouble with alarms and water I bought a set of delkims. Not cheap but it has cured the problem and would have been a lot cheaper if I hadn't bought loads of others first.