bluerinse

The pike are really fit and in amazing condition, and can grow to a really good size, (my biggest was 14 kg) but like with most fishing you catch a range of size, they predate mainly on herring which is a really rich food, this encourages rapid groth. Perch on the other hand are numerous, but I have to say I never caught any really big fish, pleantly around the 1lb mark, I have seen though in Swedish angling mags, massive perch photos. (3 -4 kg) The water is not really brackish, its lightly salted, clear and cold, supprisingly there are no crabs or shrimps in the sea, yet prawns are a great bait for seatrout and salmon! I have caught Salmon in Stockholm, it must be one of the only capital city's in the world you can fish for and catch Salmon. Stockholm is built and a number of Islands, on the edge of the Baltic sea. Swden offer great fishing opertunities were ever you fish be it river , lake or sea. ure fishing is the most comon prictise followed by the fly. very little course fishing is done. I enjoyed some great roach and bream fishing on feeder. I also fished some small streams with float and was suprised at the standard of fish I caught, big Roach, Ide, Perch. I only lived in Sweden for 18 months but enjoyed some of the best fishing of my life. Now I also lived in Latvia for 7 years and the fishing there was also outstanding but thats a diffrent story.

I have fished a form of up stream worming, it involves a very special weight, The weight is a small tube of lead incased in a plastic sleeve, the sleeve is three times biger than the lead and sealed at the top, this causes a bubble of traped air. (I purchased these in Sweden) The weight is fish on a sliding rig , normaly with a bead and swivel and a long hock lenght, around 2 feet. The worm is hooked through the head. This is cast up stream and bounced back slowly towards you, you need to keep in contact with the weight, I use a ledger rod, bounch back a foot or so at a time hold for a 10-15 seconds and repeat. You very offten get takes just after the lead has settled. I have caught many types of fish on this method, Pearch, Roach, Chub, Dace, trout, sea Trout, etc I have used this on the River Arrow ( a small tributry of the Warwickshir Avon) to great effect for Chub and Dace. Not sure were you would be able to get the weights, I now only have one left! and its a bit far to go to sweden. I did see them on a web site some time ago but can't remeber were. Anyway I hope this helps in soem way.

I don’t know about Barbel but I have caught a lot of Bream on lures! I used to live in Sweden and often went fishing for sea trout in a small town called Norrtälje. The river ran from a lake at the back of the town into the Baltic Sea. The sea trout would swim up the river to breed and then head into the lake. At the same time the bream from the lack would head into the river to bread on the gravel bottom. I used to target the Sea trout on there way up stream, The first time I caught a bream I though I had foul hooked it as the lure was on the outside of the mouth. But after catching 10 or so large bream I had to come to the conclusion that they were taking the lure. It occurred to me that it was more likely they were chasing of small fish that were trying to feed on their eggs as they were breeding It was a great river to lure fish, I caught, Smelt, Bream, brown trout, Sea trout, Chub, (could have been Ide) Pike, Perch and Herring. As a side note I have to say fishing the Baltic takes some getting used to. Perch, Pike, Cod, Mackerel, Herring Trout, Salmon, Sea trout all take a lure off a boat in the sea. http://www.norrtalje.se/

funny thing happened to me in October. I had not had mine checked for about 15 years. I woke up one sunday Morning and told my wife, I just dremt I will have my rod licence checked today. I got to the bank and had not even set up when I heard good morning sir Im from the EA, can I see your rod Licence. weird or what?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WYCHWOOD-ROGUE-FREES...1QQcmdZViewItem Might be worth a punt regards Richard

mine was a daddy ruff on the seven at stockport. I was float fishing under a platform with worms dug from my garden on a sunday afternoon. circa 1969 I still remember how I was supprised at how spikey it was.

Thanks everyone Thats a couple of great days out (parkhurst and Gailey) lined up with hopefully repeat visits later in the year. I will let you know how I get on. Cheers Richard

Ive just read the following in one of my old books "The Burbot was thought to be exctince in the uk until one was caught recently" The book was printed in 1971.

I have to say unfortunatly I don't think they are a dying bread. You see this sort of thing all the time, I have to say normally kids, I always put them right, I have also unhooked fish for other anglers who were frightened of their catch, I always try and encourage better fish handling. I have nearly had altercations on the bank a couple of times with angler’s mis handling fish. What can you do! You can't get the message to all anglers, perhaps a poster campaign in tackle shops sponsored by one of the big tackle companies!!.

Hi I fished the Arrow on Sunday, It was still high but dropping, I caught 3 Chub ( 2 x 2lb, 1 x 3lb+) from 3 diffrent swims. I really had to fight for bites. I used Peppered lunchen meat rolled in Tumeric. I had a few small plucks but the bites were very tentative. I ended up free lineing with just a small shoot close to the bait, I let it roll into snags and undercuts. I fished into fetures were the current was slack and eventuly got a fish, but the swim was dead after and had to move. The Avon was unfishable for most of its legth in Warwickshire and Worcestershire. It seems smaller rivers fall faster so be come fishable earlier. Cheers Richard

I would like to go boat fishing somewhere in the midlands. I don't mind what for (not fly fishing as I do this anyway) Pike, Zander, Barbel, bream, carp you name it I want to try it. What I am interested in are places you can hire the boats. I would prefer River but lake or reservoir would be interesting to. I used to do a lot of course fishing from boats when I lived in Latvia and Sweden. I found it to be a great day out, I Loved being able to move with out having to drag the tackle every were and resenting up. I love being able to get to swims that are not accessible from the bank. If anyone has any info it would be greatly recived Thanks Richard

Firstly let me say I am no great sea angler, I just have a go 3-4 times a year ive caught Pollack, wrasse and Bass on hard back crabs normally a little biger than a fifty pence, fished under a float just of bottom. off the rocks at whistling sands north wales. I have fished with peeler in the same location and I have to say there seems to be no diffrence in the take rate. I whip the live crabs on with bait elastic and don't even hook the crab. (no scent leakage)

I read somewhere that some Dutch Burbot were released in the UK last year, anyone else see this. With regards to your questions, most books even into the70's were listing the Burbot and giving info on the fish. Most early books I have list the Burbot. Not much info though. I would love to know more, and I recon it would make a great TV show to challenge someone to catch one. (I would love to do this) I understand that they feed similarly to eels, even if they are a member of the Cod family. Below is a listing from the Encyclopaedia of Angling by Norman Marsden second edition 1969 published by Hamlyn. Burbot Fresh Water fish. (Cod Family) Max. Weight 8 lb. Average weight 3lb. Found in some southern and eastern rivers. It is the only fresh water member of the cod family. Remains on the bottom in weeds and under stones by day. At night it goes after small fish and spawn. A large barbel hangs from the lower Jaw and two smaller barbells point upwards on the upper jaw. The Tail fin is short and round. The first dorsal fin is small and centrally placed; second dorsal very long, reaching back to the tail; anal fin is similar; pelvic fins are forward of the pectorals, which are rounded. The Burbot lays her eggs in a strip of jelly in the same way as perch. Colour; back and sides, olive green with brown markings; belly green, white or yellow. Spawning time December to March Also know as eel-pout. Further more I don’t believe there is a UK record recorded for Burbot!! Regards Richard

If My memory serves me correctly, the observer book of fresh water fish reconds which fresh water fish are sutible for keeping in a tank and how to lookafter them. It may have been in early editions. cheers Richard

for flood warning follow this link http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subje...n=1&lang=_e

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/regions/ regards Richard

http://www.fishingrepublic.net/golden.html It seems anyone can register for a Golden Ticket to get a bit of kit at cost!! sounds Like a good deal cheers Richard

Not quite the same point but I was fishing for bass in north wales last summer when to jet skis decided that out of the massive amount of water that is called the irish sea the bit that I was fishing was the place for them. they just kept hrashing through the area I was fishing just of the rocks. there were bass in the area until they decided to spend 1/2 an hour blasing past me. I shouted at them , waved my fists etc.. but they just laughed. if i was able to get to them there would have been an incident. I was really **** off as I only get to go sea fishing once a year and as its normally on my famliy holiday its limited time (maybe twice during a weeks holiday) now canel boats , narrow boats etc.. are not a problem, I fish the Avon in Stratford and through the summer its like the M25 but It never really bothers me, most boated are freindly and considerate. I have even had a few glasses of wine of a boater who moored up next to me one evening and started chating.

Just over the road from my house behind the Alcester rugby club is a man made lake, there are notices about it being a catfish syndicate water. does anyoneknow anything about it. how much to join the syndicate, number of fish, size of fish, etc.. I have been up to it about a dozen times but have never seen anyone fishing!! I am really just intrested as it is right on my door step. I have never fished for cats but wouldnt mind having ago. not sure I would want to join the syndicate but would love to know more. If anyone can give me some info I would appriciate it very much. Thanks Richard

http://www.reelvalue.co.uk/ usful link regards Richard

On the strech between the wier and the bridge they tend to be mid stream, if you position your self by the life boye ring you should fish midwater left or right, about 4 meters out the river starts to shallow, fish on the side of the ridge, the Z'S seem to patrole along the ridge, cheers Bluerinse

I fish the Avon for Zander on a regular basis. If you want to catch fish I can guarantee fish at Lucy's mill in Stratford on the town stretch. Between the second weir and the bridge. It is day ticket and pay on the bank. Best methods are live bait (bleak being the bait of choice) Running ledgers (weight depending on flow), touch ledger as the bites can be hard to detect. Strike at the slightest twitch, (not the bleak you have to get used to the difference) I have caught over 30 fish in a day secession, ranging in size from 10oz to 12lb. I fish further up the Avon at several other locations, I find these hold big fish mainly and not the range of sizes found in Lucy's mill. I have in fact just got back from a days fishing, unfortunatly no Zander today, but 4 pike were had, (I used dead bait, small skimmers not the best in my opinion for z's but great for pike) I had to fish a lock that backs on to the river as the level was really well up. Me I always put them back, but have had many anglers giving me grief for doing so. I nearly came to blows with one idiot who was trying to insist I knock them on the head. I have also seen a well know local fish and game supplier taking them home in large numbers!! And he is certainly not eastern European!! I have eaten Zander and they are good, I lived in Sweden for some years and you find it in many restaurants and in the supermarkets. I still believe it should be ok to take the odd fish home for your own personal use. I have not done so but toy with the idea from time to time. There certainly is no shortage of Zander on the Avon I rarely blank, Mostly at this time of year were the pike seem to get in.

Hi Andrew That would be great if you could get me the form, or even tell me were the tackle shop is. I really appriciate your help. Can I contact you some how? Cheers Richard

again thanks for your help, I have been told it might be avalible at a tackle shop in redditch, not sure which one so will have to go to them all!!! Cheers Richard