wayne baker

We shouldn't tar everyone with the same brush. I know there has been a problem the last few years with eastern Europeans stealing fish. And its a serious problem that needs addressing. That doesn't mean that every polish person that goes fishing with rod and line is taking fish home with them. Most of the serious poaching is done a lot more organised. eg at night with night lines and netting etc Is it just polish that steal fish? I don't think so. I could name quite a few people from over the years that have stolen fish from venues, Not for the pot but to take to other waters. But i am not going to. Bottom line is we all have to be more vigilante and owners of lakes etc have to learn to police their waters properly. I know its hard on places like he fens and the broads simply because of the size of the areas to cover. but Isn't that what we pay our rod licence for?

Sounds different to me. My only concern with your method, And I'm not knocking it at all. Is the pike gets attracted to the feeding fish. And whilst they are milling around the feeder gobbling up the maggots. old esox comes along and has a go. Now if i was a pike and saw a dozen or so juicy roach preoccupied. Am i going to take a motionless deadbait sitting on the bottom. I dont know. Interesting to see what some of the other guys think.

I haven't used a swing tip for years. But i have two sportex Avon's that i made up years ago specifically with screw tips just for that reason. I can remember fishing Abberton resivoir back in the early eighties on the little road which in those day was great roach fishing, With a twleve foot milbro with a screw fitting with a home made swing tip. So simple and quiet. Another thing you dont see these days are butt indicators

Only forty eight days to go until October. I have had a busy summer chasing chub and barbel. but i still cant wait for autumn. I am making traces already.

Very pretty little fish. To the untrained eye they could easily be mistaken for a small roach.

Probably smelt fish

Good advice Andy and i am with you all the way. I would rather catch a fish with someone else's rig hanging out its mouth than blindly catch a fish that some noddy has trimmed up a trace to make him feel better. At leaste it can be worked on.

I understand people that become obsessed on a certain fish. If you fish the same waters all the time and know what fish are present, You do tend to become blinkered, And forget what angling is all about. And to me it is enjoying yourself. I had the carp bug for a long time when i was younger and spent a lot of time in pursuit of certain fish, I had a fair bit of success over the years but it does kinda totally blinker you and you seem to neglect the more important things like work and family. I can recall many a time back in the eighties bunking off work because i thought the weather was right for a certain water, Or a particular carp i had been watching for a few months. I like what Ken said, And i am the same now. If i am down the river and i see a nice fish eg a big chub or barbel i will do my best to catch it. If i don't then it doesn't matter. Ive seen it and it will be there another day. at least i know the stretch i am fishing holds some good fish. A lot of the mystery has gone from fishing these day, Not so much for the river angler or piker. But those that fish club waters and the like. Everyone knows whats in most of them carp to a certain size and even some waters i know the bigger tench have names. Which to me is a bit sad. To sum it all up for me, If i see it i will do my damndest to catch it. But i wont loose no sleep, Daydream, bunk off work, Or miss out on a night out with a lady. lol

I cant say i have seen any of the large ones lately. I think you will find the small ones seem to be the in thing nowadays. You could always try making your own one out of a bit of ply or plastic board.

When you first start out piking its always best to go with someone who knows what they are doing. Andys links are a good start, You could always join you local branch of the PAC aswell. Personnaly a dont start piking until about October. If you are going to lure fish for them just make sure you have all the nessarsary unhooking tools ie forceps, long nose pliers and wire cutters. Dont play them to softly get them in as quick as you can, Done let them wear them selves out, Dont leave them out the water any longer than you would like to be in it. And of course a unhooking mat for the larger ones.

Good thinking. I was just going to suggest that myself.its a great way to keep the action of the float rod. I done exactly that to an old diawa cavalier mk 2

Looks pretty naff to me too. I suppose its a matter of taste, If you were into playing the cello and drinking large amounts of wine it was the sort of thing you might have.

Anything is worth a go. Just try it and find out. I remember fishing for carp one day and i had a packet of dairy fudge. So i put a bit on a hair just to try and i caught a 22ib common.

Some good looking cats there fella well done

Quite right, The colne is underated, And not really fished that much by the serious specimen hunter but it does hold a few secrets for those willing to put in the time.

CAPS have got plenty of waters You can join in the local tackle shops. Miles of the river stour and plenty of lakes to choose from. Though the snake is probably not a great choice if your just starting back again.

Have to agree with Anderoo. Learning the basics is important before you start forking out on loads of carp gear. A bit of float fishing for tiddlers with a rod or short pole will learn her the joy of fishing. If you start her out sitting behind a battery of rods and waiting a long time for a take, You might find her getting bored quickly.

That's quite a snake there Den, They always turn up when you least expect them. Who'd of thought it would pick up a bit of yellow plastic.

Tench do get a little finicky the summer progresses. Nowadays with the extra pressure of close season fishing, They do seem to get very hard to catch on the more pressured venues. I personally stop tenching about this time and move onto other things. I don't think you can beat float tactics for finicky tench and small baits.

What alway tickles me when it comes to carps pet names. They alway seem to reflect the species. Eg dumpy dippy flippy frumpy gut bucket bob bill Etc During my serious carping times i only named a fish once. It was a leather about 14ib and a caught it a couple of times during one summer. It was the roughest fish i have ever handled, It was like sand paper to the touch, Like a doggy, So i called it old roughty. Dont know why i just did. Its still about and still called the same, last i heard it was about thirty pound

http://www.partridge-of-redditch.co.uk/

You got me there.I was just going to rant off a load thoughts about troops getting killed on foreign soil for a lost cause. And does he sign petitions for that? Never mind.

Cant say i have seen many lately in my local stretches. Predation is possible the main reason. No doubt chub and perch like them. And in my river stour the perch have made a real comeback which i think may be the reason. I can remember say thirty odd years ago the rivers were full of minnows, Even some of the drainage ditches on the farm i lived on back in the late seventies had a healthy population of them.

Like the look of the bag. Just right for a bit of stalking on the river. At that price you cant go wrong.

Bottom line with me is most people dont know how to live when they are alive. So theres not really much point living forever. One life make he most of it.