Angly

Earlier in the thread Budgie spoke of using a 5lb low-dia mono hooklength, was this in relation to SuperBream, and would that also apply to large tench? Seems a little light to me, or did I misunderstand?

Have you tried Shimano's UK spares outlet? Shimano Felindre

That ProLogic chair in the link doesn't look like it has leg locks, and as Sportsman said, that's not good. My chair is similar but had locking pins that fell out, I had to use bolts and wingnuts instead.

Still, beat my PB by 1lb 3oz!

I fish commercials during the closed season, but then the fish stocks aren't totally reliant on successful breeding to perpetuate the species, the owner merely restocks to replace fish lost by natural death or predation.

Ah, I'd thought of that, and concluded that even if the closed season exists for some other reason, and only by coincidence does it protect fish-stocks, then the need for a survey is still there.

Good, we liked them as they were! I enjoy your session write-ups no end Janet, and I'm sure I'm not alone there.

Well, ignorant as I am about most things fishy, I'd like to see a country-wide scientific study of all coarse and game species to see when exactly fish are now spawning in different areas. I'm sure weather trends, along with other environmental issues, have had an impact since 1878. Perhaps then, and only then, could we think about changing the closed season dates?

The non-shooting public didn't give a monkeys about target shooters (even those with pistols or self loading rifles). The non-photographing public didn't give a monkeys about photographers (even those photographing children, Policemen, or 'sensitive' buildings). Edit: "Public Opinion... an attempt to organize the ignorance of the community, and to elevate it to the dignity of physical force." Oscar Wilde.

Do we have anyone on the forum with in depth knowledge of animal behaviour patterns? I ask because I wonder at what point does a certain fishes behaviour pass from random event to generally accepted normal behaviour? What percentage threshold with what minimum occurrence value? By that I mean if person A catches twice on (e.g) slugs, is it a given that bream like slugs, or is it possible that these are random unconnected one-off events? Could you not overlay Anderoo's large map with a grid and use a grid reference system for location? You could also show slices through the lake to show depth, heck, you could even model that in 3D on the PC. Edited to remove information which could be used to identify the lake. P.S. Have you thought of entering all catch reports into a member accessible searchable database showing all pertinent info, and with the ability to produce charts and graphs.

Interesting session, well done on your new PBs. Wonder how you'd have faired had you bought all you gear?

How about the non-angling general public? I think they probably deserve a break from us too. Must be nice as an avid bird watcher/duck feeder/boater to get unhindered access to the banks for three months.

I have absolutely no idea whether my experiences of carbon fibre in the radio control car racing world transfer over to rods, but they might: Although carbon fibre is renowned for it's very high strength and very low weight, it is also infamous for it's intolerance of impacts, especially if marked or scratched in any way. Durability is not a word one often hears associated with carbon fibre. Of course rod blanks might be made from a totally different blend than RC car parts?

Signed

Thank you Steve.

Excellent, thank you chaps. Just need to work on keeping that line from wrapping around the backplate now.

Smashing result, and an illustrated write-up that would put many of us to shame.

Expensive! Bought a fair amount of tackle, it being my first season for about 15 years. Disappointments: Like Steve, just didn't get out enough. Failing to reach my goal of catching at least one of each of the major coarse species, especially supposedly easy species like pike (although I only started pred fishing recently). High Points: Just being fishing again and getting a bend in the rod. Tackle choice: By and large very pleased with the purchases I made. Grayling to centre pin, first grayling, first fish on centre pin...but it was a little small! Targeted 6lb 8oz wild river chub. Finding Angler's Net, two fish-ins, meeting fellow anglers. Improving my game from complete noddy to the heady status of novice. Plans for the forthcoming season: Locate and try new waters, finish off my 'rod race', work on all the areas where I need to improve.

Thanks Steve and tigger, already knew about that method of line laying from my fly fishing, just wondered if the lop-sided line lay was anything to be worried about and/or correct. On a general note, I've assembled my last three photos into a panorama:

Looking at the Barton Court map (which is printed upside down as regards to North, why?), it appears that both the Park Stream and Dog Kennel stretches at the very top of the fishery (so that's very bottom of the map!) are fishable. Did anyone try there? With regard to my Speedia centre pin, I certainly found the drag adjustment useful to slow the end tackle down just the right amount, but should I be concerned that all my line ends up against the outward face of the spool once retrieved? Is there a cure for this?

Lyn, if it's families too, make that me +2 please.

Wow, what a day! Up at 3:30am to arrive at Barton Court at 6am first light. After swapping pleasantries with Chris and Rusty who both arrived before me, and Steve (JV44), Elton and friend who arrived as I was tackling up, it was all systems go! I headed westwards looking for a nice swim and settled on a stretch of Heron's Delight just downstream of the weir. Previously research had suggested that sweetcorn bait would attract the grayling but avoid the ever present trout and with this in mind I threw a couple of grains in every few minutes over the next half hour. Finally I cast in and trotted down until my centre pin was almost empty. A dozen or so trots, during which I refined depth and learnt where to hold back hard to lift the bait to avoid depth changes obstacles and weed, bought no action and I felt a change of bait was required. On went a red maggot, half-a-dozen loose fed and I soon had my first fish in the bag. A grayling no less, not much of one I admit, but as my first ever grayling and my first fish to a centre pin, a worthy capture all the same! I was completely shocked at how such a small fish could use its fin so effectively with the fast current to fight back. Another grayling or similar size followed, then a tiny dace: First time I've caught a dace, so again, despite the lack of size, a very welcome capture. Time to move on and explore, I trotted maggots on Willow Stream and was quickly rewarded with two small roach and another grayling for my efforts. I wandered some more and met up with Steve (JV44) who graciously showed me around some other parts of the venue to the east. On our travels Steve stopped to point out a small jack pike hugging the bottom in the shallows. All I could see was a log, which the longer I stared at grew fins and finally, after what seemed like an age, was identifiable as a pike. Steve suggested I should buy some polaroids, which seemed like a good moment to get out the polaroids I had bought eons ago and actually wear the damn things! As we crossed Roach Bridge I looked down and saw a massive shape moving behind some weeds, a large trout which I guessed at being 6lb. Anderoo was fishing facing the bridge so we pointed out the location of the fish to him. Although we carried on our recce, meeting up with Rusty, we could see Anderoo was into a fish and headed back to see. Anderoo watched over by Steve (JV44) and Mike (Tiddlertamer). Mike, sorry I didn't introduce myself and greet you. 6 pairs of beady eyes trained on Anderoo, yet he stayed as cool as a Siberian cucumber and eventually landed this feisty brown trout: Everyone then discussed the nuisance value of the pesky trout and how you couldn't avoid them, which was a little embarrasing, as I'd managed to avoid them completely! Elton mentioned that the minnows were also a real pain and impossible to avoid...guess what, I'd not caught one of those either. Now I was a man on a mission! I headed up to the weirpool at the head of Parson's Ditch, where earlier I'd witnessed Anderoo taking another very feisty trout and duly started trotting maggots through. I was chuffed to bits with my first catch: My first minnow ever, cute little things aren't they? Although as Chris later pointed out, the novelty value soon wears off. The water in the shallow section of the weirpool tail was clear and I could easily see three trout mooching around. I wasn't leaving this spot until one of them was mine! I tried every trick in my book (not that many then!), but failed to get any interest whatsoever on maggot, and decided to change over to worm, which did the trick nicely: A small brown trout, but again, worthy of mention as being my first ever. Thank you to Rusty for being on hand to be photographer. I did try breadflake for roach and dace without success and also tried both a spoon and a wobbled deabait for pike, but without luck. In hindsight, I took way too much kit and too many bait alternatives (maggot, caster, sweetcorn, bread, hemp, lobworm, worm, cheesepaste). I should have perhaps concentrated on trotting the pin in the morning with maggot and lob, returning to the car to change over to the pike gear for the afternoon, instead of lugging the whole lot round all day. By the end of the day my back was a little sore, my trapped sciatic nerve a little tender, but a recurring issue to my right foot (broken in a motorcycle accident) was the main issue. I actually looked at my watch and am embarrassed to say breathed a sigh of relief that is was 5:30 and the day would soon be over. I headed back to the car, but couldn't resist stopping off at again Heron's Delight, the stream that had given me my first catch of the day. A couple of trots later rewarded me with another pretty dace, a fitting end to a fantastic day. To sum up, a fantastic day at a gorgeous venue (something out of a John Wilson Go Fishing episode) and with myself being a novice, plenty of firsts for me. Great to meet some more forum members and what a thoroughly decent bunch of chaps. I was a little disappointed that we didn't all retire to a quiet country pub with log fire and obligatory pub dog for just the one pint afterwards. Arrived home at 8:30pm, barely able to walk (foot trouble), happy, but exhausted. Many thanks to Chris Plumb for organising this. Some venue pics: Apologies for rambling, the photo intensive post, the poor quality of some pics (new camera), and for apologising too much.

Or (I knew my Boy Scouts map reading badge would come in useful one day!) you could just imagine there is a roundabout there, and say 3rd exit for the Fish-In. 1st exit is down to the publicly accessible car parks 2nd exit is the main house 4th exit is the coarse lake

I don't know if all arms and nets are the same, but mine have little right-angles at the end of each arm that face each other, obviously you need to check this is aligned correctly before the epoxy dries.

I've got 4lb line on my centre pin, hooklengths between 1lb 8oz and 2lb 12oz, with some low diameter 5lb 4oz in reserve.