Angly

I use a DSLR (because I can't afford to buy a compact as well just for fishing), and therefore the bankstick/monopod option is not available to me because of the DSLRs weight. Like Neil G, Lutra and Lyn, when fishing alone I just have to make do with the fish in the net shot with rod butt/reel for scale.

If you don't require a camouflage chair, then similar chairs can be found at many retailers. The lowest price I've bought at was two for £9.99 from Millets.

There is a 5000 size version of the new ST and it's more expensive sibling the DL, but for some reason it’s not yet available in the UK.

It wasn't at 11am on the 11th of the 11th was it? Maybe they were observing the 2 minutes silence?

I was under the impression (perhaps incorrectly) that a fish will try to pull in the opposite direction to any force the angler applies, and as you don't really want the fish to dive to reach obstacles, side pressure (rod low) was preferable?

True, but placed somewhere cool, with the lid off, and not too deeply layered, they don't sweat and get wet! I was nervous/sceptical too 'till I tried it. Lid off worked fine for me.

Thanks Andy. I've just realised I'd probably HAVE to freeze them, as using them on any other water than were they were found alive (just dead?) would be illegal anyway. Still, my mum could do with some pond filtering, so I'll do as you suggest re. testing the water. I'm quite sure they are Swan Mussels due to a. the very large size, and b. someone somewhere online (EA?) has a list of known Freshwater Mussel colonies, and there are none in my part of the UK at all. Always best to be sure though I agree. I'm 99% sure the EA are already aware of the issue, but I'll contact them anyway as you suggest.

I've been made aware of some Swan Mussels which have little chance of survival (dues to circumstances I won't go into, otherwise it won't take long for folk to find them), and with that in mind I'm going to take half-a-dozen for my Mother's pond, with the long-term idea of using them as bait for Carp and Tench (any other species partial to mussels?). Now, I'm fully aware that Swan Mussels don't generally like changes of environment, and therefore they may not survive, so does anyone know whether they are still effective as bait after they have been frozen?

I bought a Shimano Alivio 4000RB, two spare alloy spools, and two 7 x 13 x 4mm ballraced bearings from a local stockist (£1.50 each) to upgrade the Alivio to full bearing spec., and that cost just over £30 in total. Top to bottom: Shimano Alivio 2500RB (on 13' Shimano Catana BX Match) Shimano Alivio 4000RB (on 11'6" 1.5lb TC Wychwood Rogue X Barbel) Shimano Baitrunner Aero 5000RE with XTE alloy spool (on 12' 2.75lb TC Fox Xtreme Pike Deadbait) If I had one criticism of the Shimano Alivios, it is that they are a little TOO free running, but a dab of gresae in the bearings will fix that when I give them the end of season service.

I had my first maggot keeping experience a month or so back. I bought three pints in a 3.3 pint Drennan Maggibox on the Saturday to use during the following 7-days, and left them in the nice cool garage. By Tuesday I was left with about 2-pints of maggots on top of about 1 pint of maggot soup, all of it smelling very strongly of ammonia (maggot sweat)! Following advice form various threads on here, I threw the soup maggots away, riddled out the surviving maggots, and changed their sawdust (luckily my son’s friend’s father is a keen amateur carpenter and had an ample supply of sawdust for free). Following a session Wednesday, I decanted the maggots into a large Tupperware box, and left the lid off, again in the cool garage. Despite my fears to the contrary, none escaped, the maggots stayed dry and fairly inactive, and with a couple more complete sawdust changes before my next outing on the Friday they even smelled fresh again. So, to echo what all those who knew already knew, keep ‘em cool, keep ‘em dry, and remember that maggots stacked deeply wriggly a lot, generate heat, and sweat a lot…thin layers are the order of the day. Trust me, you don’t ever want to have to deal with maggot soup! I eventually ended up with more maggots than I needed, and the maggots turned to casters, which are now in a bag frozen in the fridge.

Rod bag arrived this morning, thank you very much Budgie. Seeing as I'm on a roll, I don't suppose you have an 'Aerial' centrepin lying around gathering dust?

Some may remember the plight of a lovely chalk stream local to me, the River Wandle, which happily is (or rather was) recovering quite nicely with new stocks of Chub, Barbel, Roach, Perch, and Trout to supplement those fish that survived the Thames Water poisoning. Now, apparently some individuals (not the first word I typed I'll be honest) have released thousands of Tench and some large Carp (those well known chalk stream dwelling fish) into the Wandle 'rescued' from Mitcham Common's Seven Island Pond. God only knows how they or the rest of the ecosystem will cope, presuming of course they weren't diseased! Incredibly, this action seems to be celebrated on some forums (which I won't mention for fear of increasing their traffic). Anyone have any idea of the effect this illegal stocking will have?

Lovely write-up and photos as usual Janet. Where is the young blood though? Does your club have younger members, and if so where were they, and if not why not? Perhaps your club should require (e.g.) three work party attendance signatures to be elligible for membership the following year?

I saw three medium Pike taken from a Lower Thames wierpool a couple of weeks ago. However, the recent rain may have changed things a bit. (I'm using the EA defintition of Lower Thames, i.e. Tail of Bray Lock Buckinghamshire to Teddington Boundary, just to check we're both singing from the same hymn sheet)

Without wishing to hijack Rigg’d’s post this topic has raised a few questions for me… I’ve just got the one do it all Pike rod, a 11'6" 2.75lb TC jobby, and that's what I'd use to sink-and-draw/wobble a deadbait due to the baits weight. Now, say I forget to bring my deadbaits, or the tackle shop has sold out, but I have some artificials to hand. I presume this rod would be overkill for a Savage Spring Minnow Shad Kicking Dawg? So, could I get by with a 12’ 1.5lb TC ‘Barble’ rod? I know it won’t be ideal, but would it do?

You are a gentleman Sir, how much do I owe you? PM sent.

Sorry for the late reply, must of missed this thread, and in any case, I'm not keen to endorse a knot to thousands of forum readers based on my very limited knowledge and experience. Regardless, I've not caught anything yet, although I have had to pull for a break twice after encountering submerged debris, and both times I managed to straighten the trebles (Drennan Carbon Semi-Barbed) without anything coming loose. I'm using an untucked half-blood knot top and bottom, with a knotless knot for the middle treble. I feel a lot happier now with Steve's experience leading to the same conclusions, and will continue to use this setup until something better comes along.

Yorkio, the comments alone on Steve’s site are enough to tempt me, but his £10 minimum order takes me over budget (by about 100%)!). Neil, Hmm, that’s really unhelpful, now I’ve had to add another item to my ever growing wants list! Budgie, well yes, obviously long enough for a 11’6” rod, but also wide enough to accept a pike size butt ring (I have some standard bags here that the rod won’t go into because the rings are too large). Chesters I could run one up on the machine (Old skool here, did sewing at school and in Scouts), but by the time I’ve organised a suitable bit of cloth I’d be better off parting with the £5 for a proper jobby!

In the posted vid the cameraman is heard to say "...nailed a dead Roach" whilst looking in the Pike's mouth at the end of the clip.

Runner? Rider? Lol, nooooooo, I'm the pedestrian, being the newbie in every sense of the word (new(ish) to the forum, first fish-in, first time on the Kennet, first Grayling, and depending upon my fishing until then possibly first Pike too!). Hence I’m looking forward to this immensely!

I've recently bought a Fox Xtreme Pike Deadbait rod, which unfortunately doesn't come supplied with a cloth rod bag (tut tut). Fortuitously I have a Fox triangular profile plastic rod tube from a previous non-Fox rod purchase to go in my rod holdall, but I'd still like a cloth bag as well. Any recommendations?

Woohoo! Can't wait!

E-mail expectantly sent.

I had an early morning session on the Middle Level on the Friday. My intention was to walk a good few miles away from where I'd parked the car, then wobble a deadbait back for Pike or demented Zander. But having forgotten to buy deadbaits at Specialist Angling when I’d shopped there on the Saturday, I first had to catch some bait. After three biteless hours, and with my left ear aching and ready to drop off from the relentless icy wind and driving light rain I gave up! Note to self: Remember to buy all baits needed/bring shelter for fishing open areas of the Fens. I’d previously fished both the Little Ouse and Wissey on the Wednesday, and although weather conditions were just as poor (sudden cold snap with freezing temps overnight, bright sunny days, and slow paced clear waters), I did manage an enjoyable (often ‘fish-a-chuck’) trotting session on the Wissey in Hilgay for some tiny Perch (to maggot), Roach (to maggot, bread flake, or elderberry), and eventually Dace (to maggot). I’d tried the whole KLAA fishable section of the Little Ouse with no luck, but that could just as easily be due to my complete lack of skill as the adverse weather conditions. Bravo to KLAA’s bailiffs. If you only ever see one other angler on the bank there, chances are he’s a bailiff! Very helpful chaps too, a mine of useful information.

Don't forget also, that the larger the diameter of the spool, the more line is retrieved per revolution of the bail arm. Normally (but not always) the larger diameter spools hold more line too. I say not always because Shimano’s P3 4000 size spool is actually slightly larger diameter than a 5000 Baitrunner yet holds less line (because the Baitrunner spool is longer, and the core of the spool is smaller). I’d hope that with a major brand name reel, if the manufacturer lists the spool as being suitable for 15lb then the spool is up to the job of pike fishing. Indeed, in the UK at least, the law almost certainly says it would have to be.