Rob J

Like I mentioned earlier in the thread... You can put some cream in the bran... or corn meal...... makes em juicy... the key to bigger size is the type of fly that lays the eggs. You are looking for Blue bottles. (they lay their eggs at night). Seal the box during the day and put it somewhere cool, then put it out again at night time. The other important thing... don't riddle the maggots until they have finished eating... make sure they have stopped... then riddle and store. As for the colour... you may have to try different dyes... make sure you dye the meat first... give it some time to soak in, before putting it out at night for the flies. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

I keep saying I'm out of tune with much of todays thinking, as far as angling methods are concerned. But from what I see on the bank, and assume from some posts on here, I'm well out of date with what's acceptable or expected as reasonable behaviour in angling today. Hey John... What I would give for a walk around that club... I too grew up when people had different attitudes, not just towards angling Per Se... but towards each other in general. Like you, I was made aware by me Da and Uncles ('not related') what was expected behaviour... I remember getting more than one clip around the ear for not paying attention to what I was doing and interrupting a fisherman when I wasn't supposed to. But back then, that's how we learnt. If I did speak quietly to an angler, he was always addressed as Sir... and I found that he would recognize when I was going out of my way,,, not to get in his, and would usually acknowledge that fact by letting me stick around a bit longer. I made many friends... many of them old enough to be my Grandad. These old fellas taught me a lot... that taught me to fish properly... they taught me respect... what a wonderful gift. These days people don't have common manners or for that matter common sense... and if you say something to them, then your the cretin... It is a sad commentary when we disrespect other people, but it has become common place now. It costs nothing to be polite... some of the people you describe do what they do out of ignorance... me Da always said that was a poor excuse... (usually just before he clipped me on the ear again). Others do it out of indifference... even worse in my opinion. I wish I had an answer, John.... all I can do... is try and set an example to others. When I go fishing I clean the area I'm going to fish of all rubbish... line... plastic bottles etc... and then I start to fish... trying to teach this to my boy was hard at first,,, but then one day he was complimented for doing it, by an old man passing by... and I never had to ask him again... he'd just jump out of the van and grab the trash bags and head to the bank. It's up to blokes like us to teach the young angler and non angler alike...... we can't just give up the ghost and let it go... if we do that.... all we are... is accomplices. Keep at it mate... it's gonna get worse before it gets even worse... Respectfully... Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

are the amounts you get from breeding your own seriously worthwhile? You can vary the quantity... just by putting out several tins at the same time. I would start out small at first and see if it's something you find worthwhile. The quality, however is a different thing... the Gozzers I got were big and juicy, no comparison to store bought. They were almost the same size as waxworms (Bee Moth larvae)... It worked for me, but I don't have any neighbours to speak of and don't risk offending anyone. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

Judging by some of the photos I have seen on the internet... maybe it's not just a few Bad fisherman. If it is a few,,, they certainly get around. We must police ourselves. If we see someone leaving crap on the bank or in trees, especially line and hooks, we must tell them about it. Most of them will pick up their trash if you take the trouble to let em know, of course you're always gonna get the belligerent Git that don't give a s*** for anyone or anything. (you can't do anything with those... they are numb) It's such a dilemma... educating people about keeping the environment clean and safe for birds and animals, to say nothing of just keeping it beautiful for beauties sake ... is it even possible ? Where are the authorities ? Rob J Palm Springs Ca. 5 Degrees to go.

Hi Twochay... Many years ago I used to fish a tiny little river in Kessingland Suffolk... (sorry, can't recall the name). it held some Roach that were amazing. Back then it didn't get much fishing pressure at all, and if you were stealthy (did a little crawling on your belly) you could really get some beauties... I had Roach out of there up to 3lbs... what scrappers they were. In a recent post I was told that there are some really nice fish in some of the drains in the Fens around Cambridgshire. One of the members posted some pics of some real big red eyed beauties. If there was one fish I could introduce to the US it would be the Roach or the Rudd. They were always my favourites. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

There are many things I miss from home (England)... Mum & Dad being the foremost... but I don't miss the Closed season... used to get 'Cabin fever' really bad. Start talking to meself in the shower and throwing stuff at the Mother in law... In the US you can fish for freshwater species all year long... no more talking to meself... but I still throw the occasional object at you know who... Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

I got a Chapman's catalogue with this months edition of IYCF with dozen ranges of rods. The choice is overwhelming. On top of this I've been told some manufacturers rebrand last years line with just a new name and livery and might even go so far as to place the rebranded model in an alternative price bracket. Given all this how does one go about making an informed decision when buying a rod. Hi Everyone... over the last few weeks, since becoming a member, I have been trying to catch up with & come to terms with, the enormous changes that have taken place with course fishing techniques and equipment. When I left England in '79 I had a split cane rod with a fibreglass tip section (quite the thing at the time, let me tell ya) I caught everything on it from Roach, to Rudd ... to Bream, Perch and Tench, even the odd Pike once in a while. I also had a fibreglass rod which had two tip sections... One for ledgering (I don't think anyone just ledgers anymore, they use a feeder) and one for general float fishing. I don't recall there being a rod for every purpose... and especially not for every species... (with the exception of Pike). I felt fortunate as a lad to have two rods... many kids on my street used a 'hand-line'. It would seem that if you fish for a variety of fish, according to the 'powers that be' you need a rod for each one of them. Is this really necessary ? Are the tackle companies just shoving this one where the sun don't shine. It seems to me you would need to be made of money to just get yourself a basic set up. I checked out some prices the other day... (to be honest I wasn't very familiar with the company names, so I assumed the higher priced equipment to be of better quality) I know that's not always the case. Some of the gear was outrageous. As for the poles (weren't being used very much, if at all, in England in '79)... what they were asking for them was exorbitant, to say the least. I saw some that were literally thousands. If as Tony suggests these companies are just switching the lables on the equipment, isn't that 'fraud' of some kind. Is anyone watching out for the consumer. Sadly, I have not fished in England for a long time, but I cannot believe it is really necessary to have all of this equipment. OK it's nice to look C O O L, but how does a youngster get into a sport that's getting so extremely expens ive... to say nothing of the overwhelming assortment of tackle available. You need to be an expert before you even start and I think that's doing things backwards isn't it? Let's hope that the 'Powers that be' that try to sell us all on the latest, greatest... gotta have this one deal... are making a 'rod for their own back' (Pardon the pun). I feel very confident that if I was to climb into me Mums loft and dig out my old rod (yep... still got it) I'd be catching fish again very quickly. I might not be the coolest looking angler out there, but there would be fish in my keepnet. Looks like I may have to work a few more years before returning home to retire... just to buy the tackle... to say nothing of the portable home (Bivvy) everyone seems to need in order to sit on the bank and look c o o l... or is it warm. And I was so looking forward to retirement... Oh Well ! Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

Dogs here in the US "Must" be on a leash when in any public place. The fines are quite high and strictly 'Enforced' (seems the 'Enforcement' bit is missing in the UK) Also when you walk your dog here... you 'MUST' clean up after it... you see all these people walking their dogs, carrying these little zip lock baggies... and scooping up their dogs 'Donations' when they are done.The fine for not doing that is pretty high too ($100.00 I think) and again strictly 'Enforced'. I fish a state park an hour from my home and the Federal Fish & Game officers there are diligent to say the least. I saw one guy get arrested for not cleaning up after his dog and then the silly bleeder got 'Mouthy' with the officer who was writing him a ticket... so he ended up in hand cuffs and probably spent the night in gaol. (These Fed guys are pretty 'FREE' with their 'TAZERS' too.) It is such a shame when people don't take responsibility for there animals... My Da always used to say "Ignorance is Bliss"... I suppose most of the people described in this thread must come from "Bliss" Huh ? Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

Scientists at Du Pont decided to test this, and found that there was actually no difference between lubricated and unlubricated knots. Despite this they also concluded that spitting on knots can help in practice, simply because these knots were more likely to be tied well. Additionally the type of knot the angler elects to tie is not nearly as important as the care he uses in the actual tying process. I was not aware of the tests performed by Du Pont... interesting... they actually have a product here in the US that is made specifically for the purpose of lubricating a knot as it is "drawn down". Lubricating a knot of any type will help it "seat" better... hence "these knots were more likely to be tied well". Heat will damage any line to some degree and the more you can dissipate the heat, the less damage is done. When "drawing down" a knot the slicker the line is, the less heat is created... the better the knot seats itself... the stronger the final product. I agree with Steve in as far as... "the type of knot the angler elects to tie is not nearly as important as the care he uses in the actual tying process." However, I believe that some knots are much "Stronger" than others. The Palomar over Clinch or improved Clinch knot, for example. I would go one step further and say, that in my opinion a "poorly" tied Palomar is still stronger than an improved Clinch... just based on the slippage factor. Having said that, I think one should endeavour to find the "strongest knot available" for their purpose and then practice tying it, and more importantly "seating it correctly". Remember... it's not practise that makes perfect... It's perfect practise. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

Also catching is only part of angling, what about the environment, the tree's, the birds, the inserts, the night sky, the thank f*uk i am here and not a work, these are all things important. So if you do another 1000 hours of not catching think what else you have that not to many others enjoy. Marvellous sentiments mate ... That's what it's always been about for me... although I do need some reminding at times... Catching fish is a "Bonus" albeit a welcome one... But there are still those that cannot see... One morning when loading my lad (He was about 6 at the time) into his float tube and handing him his gear, he grabbed my arm and said "Hey Daddy... Look at that" I was expecting to see rings on the surface of the water where some large fish had just jumped... but there was nothing... so I said "Look at what mate" ... he said, "The sunrise... Daddy... it's beautiful"... From the mouths of babes... Rob J Palm Springs CA.

Then the big brollys appeared, and some anglers added side panels, and thus the bivvie was born. Pretty unobtrusive, not so "permanent" as a tent (odd that, seeing as it takes a mallet and an hour of banging to erect some of the new ones). Hey Den... Now theres an ineresting way to "attract" the fish huh ? Maybe if the angler in question was to use a little stealthier approach to his fishing, he wouldn't have to erect a portable home so he can be comfortable until the fish return. I missed out on this Carp craze thing ... started about the time I left England... late 70"s. I was more into Roach, Rudd and Bream fishing. Floats and delicate presentations, etc: This carp fishing seams like a bit of a "sit & wait" deal... and hope you have the "Flavour of the Day Boille" beside your feeder. Not exactly what I would call fishing... more like waiting... do you suppose some of these bivvy/tent dwellers have portable T.V.s... I guess you have to have the volume on the "Bite Alarm" set pretty high so you can hear it over the Telly huh ? I Don't mean to sound cynical but I have such wonderful memories of fishing in England as a lad... and it was the experimenting , changing your shot patterns your hook size and other things that made it so challenging. Oh Well... so much for progress... Rob J Palm Springs CA.

Just like to add my thanks to Andy as well for his fantastic work of art.Had my A.N. pin a few weeks now and am as pleased as punch with it. Hey Andy... Where for art thou ???? Someone mentioned your center pin reel to me a week or so back... I am interested in getting my hands on one. How much are they and where do I place an order. Sorry if this seems stupid but I'm new to the forum and don't know everyone by their first names.... yet. Except those soon to be wed guys "Tigger and Budgie"... how's it going lads... I heard great things about this reel and would love to hear some reviews as to how it compares with others. What I have heard so far is that the quality is astounding and apparently the reel sells for a fair price. Info... pictures... stats I.E. width... weight... diameter etc... please. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

On at least two occasions the knot has failed and the end of my line has been left looking like it has had a perm, while the fish has been left with the hook. Gaaargh! Only myself to blame. Should have tied the knot properly and checked it... Nonetheless, do you use a different knot, thinking it more reliable than the tucked half blood knot? I don't care for the Uni knot (basically a Clinch knot) and it can slip easily if not tied correctly. The Palomar tests out to almost 99 percent of the breaking strain of the line..."IF TIED PROPERLY" It can be a problem with "Tiny" hooks as Vagabond stated... but I've had no problem with sizes down to 14... using Maxima .009cm 4lb test. There is a superior knot "The Jansik Special" that tests out to almost 100 percent but it's quite difficult to tie and takes a lot of practise to draw down. The key to a successful knot is how it's drawn down (pulled tight). Regardless of what knot you are tying... make sure you lubricate the knot very well, prior to drawing it tight and in some cases the different ends have to be pulled together at the same time... not separtely (example would be a surgeons knot where all four pieces have to be pulled together or it won't seat correctly). Lubrication is key... it is necessary to help seat the knot... without lots of lubrication, you create heat and that will destroy the integrity of the line, and hence the knot. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

I've clicked on some of the links here, and at least one of the products is described as both tent and bivvy! Isn't the term Bivvy derived from Bivouac meaning temporary camp. I think you can use a tent for that yeah? Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

If they're rising to a hatch I usually catch a couple, but when nothing's moving I've never caught one from my little stream. I tried wet flies down and across and upstream nymphs with the usual result. Hi Andedroo... Try "matching" the hatch and if that don't work... do some descreet digging around (a little downstream of course) and pick up some rocks or stones and see what's clinging to the underside of them. Select something close from your fly box or if you tie your own... try and match it as close as you can. Worked for me after several "fishless" days on one of my favourite mountain streams.. Good luck mate Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

Beautiful reels lads... craftsmanship at its finest. I checked out the Chris Lythe reels the other day... that young man loves his craft and it shows... nice to see a bit of "Olde English" engineering at work. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

Carp have been eaten on the Continent for ever... France in particular... In Japan they are revered as a food fish. In the pioneer days of the United States they were imported from Europe as a food source, because of their abaililty to adapt to various waters. True they can taste muddy if they are not cleaned probably but so can a lot of fish including the largemouth Bass. If you remove the skin after filleting the fish... there is a brown stain on the meat, along the fishes lateral line... take a filet knife and remove the brown flesh. No more muddy taste. I love Cod and Haddock... but truth is if you don't have them cooked in batter and you just eat the meat baked... they are quite tasteless. There are other fish caught from the sea that do have very good taste to them including Tuna... Sole... Redfish ... Snapper etc... but I would hardly call Cod and Haddock the tastiest fish in the sea. In the US freshwater fish are eaten as much if not more than sea fish. Walleye for one is very tasty and the meat nice and firm... Bluegill and Redear both have a nice sweet taste to them as does the Crappie... to say nothing of Catfish... an extremely popular fish for the table. A lot can be done to remove the fishy/muddy taste from fishes in the cleaning and preparation of the meat... Very good for you and unless you eat it 3 times a day.. seven days a week... you don't have to worry too much about Mercury poisoning Rob J Palm Springs Ca.

For the quoted replies question, have a look at the photo below. Thanks Newt I'll give it a go mate..

Which fish would you most like to introduce to you local lake/river? The Bluegill and Redear. Found abundantly in the US. Part of the Sunfish family (as are the Largemouth Bass). Pound for pound I'd put them up against anything "fight wise" they scrap all the way to the net... the small ones are easy to catch (fun for the kids) the big ones are a challenge to catch consistantly. They make for incredible float fishing which also makes it much more fun for the kids. Rob J Palm Springs Ca.