wayne baker

Good result fella. Thats a real beauty.

I got out of breath just reading that lol

Its a good question. One i have often ponded upon. Unlike a lot of other species that have seemed to increase in there average weights the last decade or two, Due to anglers baits. A roach of a good size, Say even a pound plus is still a good fish. Rustys theory is interesting and possibly a factor, Being delicate feeders maybe they just haven't progressed on to new style baits as much as other fish. Though i think a true roach just hasn't got the potential to get big, Without any form of hybridisation. Like Vagabond said "how many big roach are true roach?. I havent had any big roach for a long time round my neck of the woods. The Suffolk stour above Nayland use to be a good area and about twenty years ago i was lucky enoungh to have a run of quality fish on the float, and also when chubbing in the winter with flake. But the roach have all but gone now. The larger ones at least.

A thirty five plus pike is my realistic target. As long as it beats my personel best i would be happy. I like to think it would come on a mild November afternoon, With leaded skies and a bit of drizzle in the air. On a drifted 6oz live roach. On a lake with very few anglers and maybe the company of one good friend just to help me enjoy te moment.

Glad you enjoyed yourself slickfish. Well done on your fish. That's a classic example of how it should be. Learning on the bank from somebody else is the best way to learn the vital skills. If people want to fish for pike they will have a go whether they have someone to show them or not. At least learn as much as possible about the techniques and handling. Like budgie said us more experienced anglers should not try to put newcomers off the sport but incourage and educate. I know us pikers can be a cagey lot but i know of nobody that wouldnt help someone out on the bank if they needed it,

I think its a load of b£$%^%$s I remember a long time ago reading an article in a carp mag. It might well have been crapworld. oF someone using chandelier dangly thingys as wieghts. As for the electric feild thing, When i think about most carp waters most are strewn with lost rigs. Thats a lot of electricity on the lake bed i think.

Must be that time of year again fellas.

Sorry couldnt resist this. Just reminded me of a song. Beware.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But i concur, Its best to get out with a experienced piking to learn from first hand. Its all well and good reading articles and watching the likes of Matt hayes and browny. But as with most things in life theres no substitute for the real thing. Nothing wrong with a little racker rash to teach you how to hold a pike proper. Lol

Hello fella. If the roach deads are fresh there's no reason why you shouldn't leave them as long as you like, If you are happy with their position. Like Budgie said naturals can be a killer bait on a lot of waters where the pike have seen a lot of oily unnatural baits. Its a bit early in the season i think to be worrying about pressured fish. Unless you are going somewhere that noddy's been pounding all summer. A good early season bait is smelts and if you can get some quality fresh ones they can be popped up quite well with the use of a syringe once thawn out. Using a running ledger is a good rig to start with. Nice a simple. And give it a twitch now and then. I am a great believer that pike often move in on a bait and sit and watch it for a long time. And a little tweek now and then can sometimes be enough to induce the fish to take the bait. Don't neglect the float though. i love float fishing for pike i think it can on occasions be the best approach, Especially when you don't know the water to well. You can cover a lot of ground. And providing you mount the bait well you can put a lot of life into it. Again twitching it now and then and keeping it just of the bottom. My post is a bit late. I been working but hope i helped you a little. For next time. Regards Wayne.

If I'm not mistaken Dedham mill pool and a couple of hundred yards up stream is day ticket on the bank. Or it use to be, Don't quote me. Colchester APS, And colchester PS. Control most of the lower Stour. Its my local river and spend a lot of time there, But this summer i have been struggling with the lack of rain. Most of my chub stalking has been pretty fruitless apart from dusk and beyond. If your folks live in Ardleigh why not have a day on the ressie feeder fishing. As for barbel down stream from dedham goes you will have more chance of catching a burbot lol

I see no reason why they wont take them. I have caught quite a few sizable bream by accident when fishing with pellets intended for carp

I wish i had invented the disgorger. What a simple little item.

I think you got a bargain there fella. I love walking round the old car boot sales. you can always find something of value if you get there at the right time. The only thing that worries me when i find a stall with some good quality stuff on it is if its cosher. I always quiz the vendor a little first to make sure the origin of the merchandise isnt hooky.

I agree Peter, Its a good idea but it isn't the first time this has been done. Taking a load of kids fishing and trying to introduce them to it is all well and good. But how many of them actually got the bug? Very few i think. The tax payers money would be better spent on educating them about being a good citizen an having respect for other people in their own environment. The kids in inner cities nowadays just have nothing to look forward to and with their gang cultures that are rife these days i dont think the old bill taking them fishing is going to make a lot of difference.

I would imagine there are still plenty of big bream in Abberton. Trouble is you are very restricted to where you can fish. And i can honestly say i have never seen anyone doing any thing much other than piking there. except in the days when you could fish the layer breton end. That use to be some exellant roach and perch fishing.

Cheers John I fished ardliegh a few times last autumn, Just general feeder fishing. And had a few good perch, Along with some nice roach. Your quite right it has a bit of potential perch wise. And being a five minute drive from my house i should give it a bit more attention. Trouble with ardliegh for me is i use to fish it years ago when the pike were in abundance during the trout stocking years and had my share of nice fish from there. I have been out on there a few times since and struggled. As for Alton, Funny enough it was on my mind for a bit of feeder fishing. Love to give Abberton a go this winter but sadly not a member at the moment. Bring back the god old days of day tickets. I spent most of the eighties and nineties there.

We really need some rain here in Essex, The rivers are very low and its making things very hard at the moment. Normally this time of the year i would be sorting my piking gear out for a few sessions but with the weather the way it has been lately its a bit to mild for my liking, I can see me starting my piking a lot later this autumn October will probably see me at one of my local ressies doing a bit of perching, I might even dig the lures out for a while.

As far as fishing goes its the same as in the day, Its just dark. Make sure you have the visual aids. Spare batterys for your torches are a must. invest in a head torch you really cant beat them when playing fish and rebaiting etc Plenty of spare clobber. Get there well before dark so you can familiarize yourself with the swim. Johns idea of scattering a few night lites on the water line is good one. A few tips on torches, Dont use them more than you have to, Dont shine them round the lake it annoys others, When baiting up keep one eye shut then you wont loose your night vision. Dont drink any alcohol or do drugs. Best go with someone who is experienced at night fishing. Last thing is remember all those strange noises you will hear at night have a reasonable explanation. dont let you imagination run away with you.. Enjoy.

I don't think its a good idea at all, I can think of quite a few reasons why. My first concern would be the tackle shops maintaining a high standard of healthy fish. My other concern would be that anglers would be transporting fish around in bait buckets in their cars. Dispite when you buy these fish from a dealer you will get some sort of reciept. But how is a EA bailiff to know if the fish in the bucket are the ones you bought from the shop? I can just see it being abused. To many ways to flaunt the law again.

I have always found its best to stick with one type of boilly. And persevere with it. Especially if you are fishing the same water, Sooner or later the fish will get on it. Finding out what everyone else is using is also good as you can get the benefits of a short term bait, Before it blows like most do. As far as pop ups go i never use them in the summer months unless i feel a need to. I much prefer a critically balanced hookbait though i would use neither in a bag. Winter time is when i use pop ups the most, not that i do a lot of winter carping these days but i found the hi viz colour ones are very effective. I feel that the flavour is unimportant its purely a visual thing in the winter a lot of takes i believe are mere curiosity on the carps part. Hence you can fish them with no other bait near them out in the middle of the lake

After all that poncing about i was waiting for it to collapse. And him falling in.

I'm the same i think nothing of spending money on bait and terminal bits. But when it comes to other bits of kit i very rarely buy anything new nowadays. I always keep a look out for second hand bargains. The last time i bought any new rods was about ten years ago. Like Budgie said a lot of people put to much enthesis on their rods and reels they are mearly tools to put the important part of your fishing in the right place. You could go down the river with a bit of garden cain and catch fish if you wanted.

Great. Just dont drown in it. The police divers will never find you.

I thought the point of wearing real tree etc was so you can squat against a tree and have a dump and not be seen. More seriously though i have managed to restrain myself from buying any of the in fashion camo style gear. I am quite happy with my gortex para smock for stalking.