wayne baker

I know how you feel, I'm at work all this weekend. I managed to get out on the first day but since then i have been so busy I'm itching to get out as well. It didn't help with my missus opening a can of sweetcorn last night to put in the tuna pasta. Its one of those smells that just make me think fishing. I just hope this glorious weather holds out for a while.

When you are use to fishing stillwaters, Rivers can seem a bit daunting to start with. Until you get use to learning to read them and understanding the fish that live in them. In my opinion river fishing is where you learn the real skills of water craft. This time of year they can run clear and some look like they are devoid of life. I would sugest starting with weirpools and deeper runs. if you cant see the bottom its always a likely area for holding fish. Keep it simple just float fish maggots or ledger. If you havent got a pair of polaroids invest in some they are a very important bit of kit. Especially when trying to spot barbel on the bottom. Enjoy

Takes me back aswell. I use to cycle miles as a kid with me gear strapped along my crossbar Good old days

Saw a picture of gerrard photoshoped on bobby moores famous photo from 66 in the paper from yesterday. Saying i have one more chance. I thought to myself. " unlucky pal" At least West ham won it it 66. It will always end in tears.

There's no doubt fake baits work. But I'm with the others, I don't have a lot of confidence in them personally. The only ones i have caught on is the sweetcorn and even then only when fish over the real thing.

Nice one Andy. Make a nice livo.

Always expect the unexpected. Ive caught quite a few decent carp while tenching over the years and vica versa. My pb tench was caught whilst carping and my best english common whilst tenching.

Wasn'T ignoring you Judy Ive been fishing.

It seems to be the thing with carp anglers to want to fish at range a lot. Neglecting margins and close features. like Peter said i think most carp anglers are incapable of being quite enough to fish at close range. If you are fishing somewhere and you decide to fish to the far bank you should be aware that someone might turn up and want to fish it, And if so you should have respect and reel in. Bottom line is if there's a possibility of someone turning up then don't put a bait there in the first place, Fish within the confines of your own swim. Personally i would of just give him the finger and carried on fishing.

The girth is the deciding factor. When he said it was quite fat i was imagining some of the big carp i have had over the years and some of them were not much more than thirty inches in length they were just fat. Looking at the scale again and if it was a well proportioned fish you are probanly about right.

I think most fish take advantage of flies on the water. I have seen flies being taken by carp before off the top. I have heard of people fly fishing for carp, There was an episode of fishing on the edge, with henry gilby where he was catching them. If i remember rightly one of the flies was a imitation dog biscuit. But they did catch some on conventional flies as well. I see no reason why you couldn't try it, As long as the flies looked real enough. And the fish were actively feeding on the top. I would imagine a daddy long legs pattern could be quite effective.

Some fine looking tench there.

Hard to say without the girth measurement as well. Certainly upper double at-least. Possibly even a low twenty.

I tend to just wear nice comfy joggers and and tea shirt, Keep the boots in the doorway of the bivvy. I Rarely sleep and fish though, Most of my session fishing nowadays is after tench so i like to be a bit more tentative. So i sleep during the less productive times. I always try to get the rods as close to the door as possible, There's nothing worse than them first few seconds when you are woken by a take in the night and fumble about trying to get to the rods. One lake i use to fish years a go had steep clay banks and they were treacherous after it had rained. I ended up in the drink so many times me mates were going to put isotopes on the heels of my shoes.

Black slugs are a cracking stalking bait for chub during the summer. Its he plop when they hit the water they love. Never tried snails though but i see no reason why they wouldnt work in the right situation Just a thought Do snails float??

Like the others say, You wont go far wrong with the john wilson range. I have still got two of the original avons and they have serverd me well over the years, Though their looking a little worse for wear now

Kin noddys. Lucky you caught he fish

The first two just jumped out at me. But the n took a little longer, About six seconds.

Looks like they would make a cracking little livo

Have not got mine yet either. As long as you have paid dont worry as long as you carry the receipt from the PO. Its their problem. Your all on the database.

Looks like you had a good day tigger. Nice classic looking tench set up aswell. The way the weather has been the last few days i must admit my thoughts have been turning to the old tincas.

Never heard of anyone catching any before. If im not mistaken they are a north american species, Not sure what sort of climate they like but im sure newt could enlighten us on them.

When it comes to rucksacks you get what you pay for most of the cheaper ones dont last long. The strappings always let you down. Like tigger said you cant beat some of the army kit, The other trouble is the bigger they are the more stuff you put in them, More often than not you dont need it. http://www.dragonsupplies.co.uk/ViewProducts.aspx?Range=20 Theres some good ones here, A little pricey but they will last

When i lived up in inverness a few years ago. I went salmon fishing quite a few times and it didnt cost me nothing

Like Budgie said education is the important factor in stoppinig the use of gags. Trouble is as long as shops stock them you will get the newcomers who have had little guidence going in a shop and stocking up on pike tackle and buy one thinking it is a standard bit of pikers kit. Thankfully i havent seen anyone use one for a long time i have probably got one knocking about in the garage from years ago, Though i never remember using it. I think if i remember rightly i found it on the banks of abbo, Horrible looking thing, Looks like some medieval torture divice