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She definitely has a point. If you need so much gear it obstructs the path behind you then you need to rediscover what the point of fishing is - whatever that is it has nothing to do with how many kilograms of 8 inch roach you can get out of a canal by saturating the bottom with brown crumb. Half those fish probably croak it after being crammed in a keep net for 4 hours. Having said that, one could tar any group with the same brush, including cyclists. I am a keen walker and get fed up of hordes of mountain bikers tearing past us on footpaths either inches away or expecting us to telepathically make way for there arrival so their "extreme sports" experience isn't interrupted. Oh, and they turn the paths into a World War I battlefield as soon as it rains. Not all anglers are rude and irresponsible, and not all cyclists are either....

I was once told a small mepps is good for perch, but I suppose you would get pike as well so have to use wire. If you were targeting perch only could you use something like a Gulp worm as a lure? These are worms made from some vegetable protein you can mount on a hook - you can get "earthworm" variety I think. I suppose even then you would still have to use wire in case of pike.

Oh well thats a non-starter then. If the fish were suited to the conditions maybe a suitably sited private fishery would eliminate the risk of escape but it sounds like "fantasy fishing" Maybe I'll "take a fishing holiday to the US" as was politely suggested. I am assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that spinning for bass near me in Essex would be a non starter as the water is normally like tea off the Essex coast and in estuaries like the Thames, Crouch and Blackwater - have enjoyed spinning for mackerel/pollock in plenty of places along the west coast were they can actually see the lure. Never managed a bass though.

I wonder if anyone has considered setting up a private fishery with Largemouth Bass or similar species in the UK. Maybe our climate is too cold? As I understand they are prime freshwater sport fish in the US, are great fighters on the right tackle, and are fished for with both lure and fly. The EA would probably scupper it with concerns that they would escape into the local ecosystem but I don't see the problem as they would mainly eat sick/wounded fish as pike, perch, trout, salmon and zander do already. I don't see the issue when fish farms for barramundi etc are being set up, and everywhere in Scotland is full of salmon farms (a highly predatory fish...) Oh well until then I'll stick to "Sega Bass fishing" on my PS2.

Cheers will give that a try. I have some small drennan 2bb crystal wagglers and have used them in summer at 4-5 feet depth with some success (well I caught fish which is success for me!). Maybe I should go back to those. May not get a chance to fish in next couple of weeks until its too late (i.e close season) I had some difficulty plumbing the depth with those though as they didnt seem to lie flat when set overdepth, but maybe thats my misuse of them again. Might still have a play with the loc-slide though sticking to deeper areas. Cheers Jon

Rod is actually about 11 feet long so maybe a good point about the range however I still have the same problems re losts of little bites at 15-20 feet. I am beginning to think its just winter, finicky fish and my inexperience combining I might look into swing tips - I guess this produces a definite swing instead of the small movements of quiver tip/leger float etc (or does it duuno never used one?) Maybe I should just strike more and daydream less Cheers Jon

Thanks for your help guys. Sorry I meant loc-slide leger float got the name wrong. Mine has the same crescent shaped locking device Ginger refers to. From gingers comments it sounds as though I have set it up right but I am fishing in only about 5-7 feet of water at a mix of ranges from a 15 to 60 feet out I would say - maybe that changes the way the bites work, or maybe I am using this at too shallow a depth. I am sure mine says something like 4 feet and above on it. I am at work having a lunchtime "surf" right now so can't post a photo of my exact float BUT here is a pretty good catalogue photo I found. This isnt my exact one but is the same product line. http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/sear...p?section=17065 It sounds as though I am basically doing it right but would stil; be interested in swapping experiences of fishing with these. I found it quite interesting (in a good way) how just one simple piece of kit like this can produce a whole new experience of fishing i.e not knowing what your float will do next.

No no thats no good you need a bait boat, a large tent roughly the size of a marquee used for weddings, a rod pod with at least 3 unattended rods and LOUD bite alarms, six cans of K cider, a mobile phone playing an assortment of annoying ringtones .........

Hi, am relatively new to coarse fishing but have been quite a few times now and am getting the hang of the basics as far as picking up bream and roach at my local park lake anyway, still have to break my tench and carp "ducks" but I'll get there. Anyway, my local tackle emporium had some loc-tight leger floats and the guy in the shop told me that they fall flat when you get a bite. It seemed more fun than a quiver tip (as it says on the packet!) so bought one and found that it wobbles about a fair bit, and occasionally goes under and resurfaces in a flash but thats about it. Have set it up as a basic running leger with a no 6 shot about two feet below the float then my 1/2 oz bomb further down with a n06 shot to stop the bomb just before the hooklength. I find I am getting very finicky bites with the float wobbling a touch or maybe dipping under a tiny bit. If I strike at these I get zilch. I guess this could just be the fact that its winter and the fish are finicky, but maybe I am setting the float up wrong or something. Should the lead be fixed rather than running? What I have done seems to be broadly consistent with the instructions. The float is fairly big so maybe the fish feel the resistance of it and drop my sweetcorn and size 18 immediately. Dunno - anyone got any experiences or tips of fishing with these floats? Cheers Jon

Thanks a lot guys that looks like some useful advice. That outfit looks pretty much what I need. It looks like still waters are where its at in Essex so I'll go for a 7 and stump up for another rod if I go further afield for river fishing. I look forward to reporting back with my first unassisted trout Cheers Jon

Hi, have done some coarse fishing etc but the wife bought me an "experience" voucher for Christmas which I used on an introductory fly fishing day at Rutland Water near Leicester. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt some casting basics (and even managed to catch 3 rainbows under my guides expert tuition) My question is whether anyone knows of an easyish water nearer home in Essex (Brentwood) where a ham-fisted beginner like myself would be welcomed. I guess somewhere where I can fish from the bank in a reasonably secluded location where my failed attempts to cast quietly wont endanger or annoy anyone. I know fly fishing goes on at Hanningfield Reservoir and I was thinking of giving that a go from the bank. Any suggestions regarding that venue or other recommendations in Essex most welcome. Also, I have no kit. I was going to get something like a 7# rod with no 7 floating line but beyond that not sure what else I should get. Have a landing net from coarse fishing but obviously need flies etc Any ideas welcome

This is rather a lot of fuss over nothing. People from Eastern Europe have a different culture and they eat coarse fish. Its up to the EA or for private waters the owners to decide whether they want to permit this. Personally I see no problem if limits are imposed, but I would think most places will decide its not worth the bother. If there is enough demand maybe we will see specialized put and take fisheries as with trout etc. Also it is worth mentioning this is not some barbaric practice from the hinterlands of civilization as some people seem to be implying. Perch were eaten during the war in Britain (as has been pointed out), and pike and carp were certainly eaten widely in the last century. In France, carp are prized food fish in some circles and in Austria pike and zander and eaten widely. Personally if someone knocked a 20lb carp on the head and started gutting I would love to see the face of the nearest member of the bait boat and bedchair brigade. I think this is just something that goes on and coarse fishing as an industry needs to decide how to manage it rather than just shaking their heads in horror and spouting patriotic dogma.

I live further out in Brentwood so am not sure about immediate Ilford/Romford area, but Billericay and District Angling club have a load of waters some quite close to East London e.g stretches of the roding, chlemer etc + loads of lakes in essex membership £55 per year I think. Am not a member but am considering it... http://www.bdac.co.uk Also, Thorndon Country Park South lake (nr Brentwood) on the A128 just north of where it joins the A127 has lots of easy to catch roach, some slightly harder to catch bream, some b*oody difficult tench and a few 20+ carp. Also popular with winter pikers. £5 + £2 parking in country park. I know from that "Accidental angler" program on Channel 4 that the coppermill stream in Walthamstow has some good chub and carp, not sure how you access it though. The only place I have heard of for barbel is the lea valley area (as already mentioned) but am only a novice.

OK Cheers looks like not the best area for casual coarse fishing. Maybe have a crack for bass on the lure from the salt marshes, or as you say just make it a walking and birdwatching (and pub!) trip Thanks for replies anyway.

Am going camping with the Mrs up in Norfolk this weekend in Burnham Deepdale and if I'm a good boy I might get a chance to fish for a couple of hours. Not really looking for a day ticket place as its not worth it for a couple of hours fishing - anyone know an easy to find location for a couple of hours casual dangling with only a rod licence required or is it all pretty much day ticket up there on the broads? Cheers Jon