arbocop

Well, if it helps, I'm happy to spin a pin with you. I need a day out. Weather isn't great, and the rivers are all shot but the Lambourn may be OK. Mike

Yes, it's a bleak. And, quite a significant specimen!

Hi, It's been many years since I posted, or actively reviewed any posts on this forum due to family, work, and life commitments, but I did so today to catch up and discover what was happening. I especially wondered what Chris, JV44 and Rusty were up to. Despite my absence, it is so very sad to hear of his passing - I enjoyed several sessions on the Kennet and a few fish-ins. 61, is no age to shuffle off the coil. Rest (or should that be Rust) in peace Rusty. May your centrepin always revolve quietly. I do hope his ashes (assuming he was cremated) were cast into the Kennet. Mike

Try a thermal onesie. Put 'normal' clothes on top so that you can say dry and don't look like a Minion. Bingo. Just don't stay out so long that you need to go to the toilet. More seriously, I agree about trout fishing gear they do make a better range but it is very expensive. I am a small guy, and most angling clothing available is way too big. I once bought something from Angling Direct - allegedly 38 chest - you could have got two of me inside it. Try Decathlon. Their outdoor gear is much better than most coarse fishing stuff. A pair of skiing trousers for instance. Not designed for anglers, and doesn't have loads of pockets, but it's warm dry, reasonably well made, and cheap. Just avoid the luminous yellow!

the name crayfish can mean so many different species of crustacean, it is difficult to determine what the rules mean, or what species are in the packet without using scientific names. The supermarket bought ones could be anything from crawdads to a white clawed. Personally, I don't like using cooked prawns, or crayfish tails - it seems a little artificial to me. Completely irrational. I've caught perch, chub and pike on raw prawns, but they are hellish expensive. Some prawns are so big, that a tail would be the same size as a young crayfish. I've free-lined a few large prawn tails on rivers and caught chub, they hit it with a right bang. I'm sure perch would too. As to the moving question, yes, I'm sure a twitched one would be more attractive. Not moving, just inched occasionally. it also ensures you are in contact - essential for detecting those perch bites before it gets swallowed. I mainly fish rivers, and I've caught perch while retrieving a free-lined worm - they've chased it upstream. Only ever smallish ones though, half a pound or so. Pike too, but that's probably more obvious. I'm not sure about perch behaviour in a stillwater, but no reason to assume any difference. I've caught them on a moving fly in a lake when fishing for trout. Mike

Lovely reels, not used one in a while, but then I haven't been fishing for a while. Jigotai brought a few samples along to an AN fish-in a few year's back. I had a spin, and quick trot. Lovely. I used to have loads of pins, now down to three. Kids cost me a fortune. Mike

Oh dammit, it seems to have uploaded three times again..

Thanks for cheering me up and making me laugh on my morning commute through a dark rainy morning and a packed train to London. Thanks for cheering me up and making me laugh on my morning commute through a dark rainy morning and a packed train to London. Thanks for cheering me up and making me laugh on my morning commute through a dark rainy morning and a packed train to London.

Nice fishing. I really must get out as I haven't been since July, fly fishing. Mind you it was the River Wylye - one of the more beautiful waters in the UK and I got some good trout to 3lb on dry fly. Family commitments - kids, overworked wife and elderly parents 3 hours drive away mean that I just don't have the time. The next best thing is seeing what everyone else is doing. Might get out in the New Year. Small stream chub beckon for me....

Nice catch. Always nice to see a netful of roach. According to the red top angling magazines they were due to be extinct by now, along with river fishing generally. I think Angling Times said that rivers would be devoid of anglers by 2015. Mike

Apologies for the blatant plug, but I would want my fellow anglers net members to know that have a copy of the above for sale on eBay if interested... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-Signed-Angling-Book-CHEVIN-Chub-Study-Group-HB-DJkt-Mint-/131675040138

I have two. One better than the other. PM me and I'll send you photos. I'm going to restore one, so can let one go. You can decide which, but both are usable. Mike

I've had a similar experience, but with a gudgeon. It's also happened with a trout that took a tiny grayling. Mike

I once caught a gudgeon on a very small mepps with a red wool tail. Hooked cleanly through the bottom lip, so did chase and take. I can only assume it was taken for bloodworm. Smallest fish I can recall that made me smile. The only other I can recall was a Ruffe caught from shakerley mere in Cheshire, bitterling from a pond in Cleveleys near Blackpool and a tiny pogge I caught in the sea from a kayak. Probably other tiny fish I've caught - had loads while dipping with a net but they don't count - but they are the most memorable. Mike

I have a photo on my wall that seems very similar to number 4. It's not quite the same, but superimpose a newt and you would have a potential winner... Mike

You need to season it - like wood. it also depends on the species. Phyllostachis is excellent. I grow the black variety. I've seasoned some outside for two years and it's as hard as tropical hardwood, with a natural shiny coating, like lacquer.

I've grown some serious bamboo in my garden! i have signed up to that forum, but keeping up with two posts is a faff. if I don't succeed on here then I will go there. Mike

Used the quiver tip and the avon top. Only real test has been largish chub and smallish barbel. Went legering for big bream but didn't get any. it's OK, not like the old Masterline one, but enjoy it while you can. The reel fittings break under the corks, and two eyes fell out within three years of not very hard use. Mike

That's very good of you. I'll have to measure them unless someone knows the dimensions. They are all the same size categories so they should be recorded somewhere.. I want to make a cane landing net handle, a cane buzzer bar, and some rod rests. Mike

I have a Korum spoon for about five years. I don't fish as often as you (12-14 sessions per year - nearly all river) but find it OK. my biggest gripe is the small screw that tightens up the arms of the frame into the yoke (or whatever it is called). it keeps coming loose which makes the arms a bit wobbly, and it nearly fell out once. I've since tightened it right up as hard as I could and glued it in and it is now firm and steady, but with the fish you put in it and the amount of use, you may encounter more rapid wear and problems. although I like it I would consider a different net in the future and this Gardner one looks perfect. mind you, I only catch chub so I'll get a smaller one. I did use a folder for a while, but the handle wasn't sufficiently long for some of the steep banked jungles that I fish. However, it might be OK for the barbel farm/fish barrel that you go to. Mike

The universal fittings - ferrules? - threaded ends of rod rests and landing nets etc. I believe they are manufactured in brass, but they might be phosphor bronze or something. Anyway, does anyone know where I might be able to get hold of the above? I have been interested in making a few items myself using home grown cane, and need the threaded ends to finish the job. I have scoured the web, but don't really know what I am looking for - I may be using the wrong term. Do I need to contact an engineering shop and get some made up? if so, what is the thread - is it British Metric Coarse, ISO or something else? Clearly they are different diameters, but I believe the thread is the same pitch. Your advice please, learned parishioners of AN. Mike

Where is the River Andrew?

I think know where that is. i used to fish that too. I always thought it would throw up a big perch - but it never did.

Sounds great Steve. I'll look forward to it. Mike

A chub crease swim if ever I saw one. Always a banker for big chub when two currents form an eddy, and a backwater. My very similar chub came from a very similar 'Crabtree swim'. Good in winter too, get the bait right under the undercut bank. Nice chub Rusty. As regards. Barbel on the float - Don't bother with them, it's all smoke, mirrors, and witchcraft. I think Tigger dynamites them - the centre pin never looks dirty or used - have you noticed that? It's all cobblers. He's just a minnow basher. Mike