Martin Godliman

Sad news indeed I didn't know Gerry as well as the rest of you but we were always in touch and kept up with each other by e mail and he took me last year to one of his special 'perch' spots on his boat and watched me catch all his 'personal' fish. As you all say a clever, generous and knowledgeable bloke.

Mark is coming to Walton PAC next Monday May the eighth titled 'A Year in My Predator Fishing' is the title so that will I guess include some zander content for you aspiring Thames zeders (me) as well as pike stuff, he does it all, and I suppose (hope) some lure content. The address is Bagster House Club & Institute, Walton Lane, Shepperton, Middx. or follow the links from the Walton PAC website www.waltonpac.org.uk clicking swiftly past a picture me on the opening page map and clicking on the 'find us' link for the map. see you there.

In the past when I was bait angler I used to point the rod almost at the fish until it went tight then pull/strike sideways after reading somewhere there was less resistance than doing the same and striking up, a couple of steps back if there's room and you are more or less in line. Nowadays I only lure fish and although I always do some kind of reactive strike, I just can't help myself ! and any old direction I agree the shorter rod makes it less important. I don't kid myself I very often strike the hooks home or that the lures moves after the strike the way Leon describes it very often ( sometimes though I'm sure ) I reckon they more often than not bight themselves hooked, what ever I do at the other end.

Hi Nightwing, Access is everything here,I share a boat with a friend and I live near the Thames.There are some public launch sites but many old ones are obstructed deliberatly by the locals to prevent presumably people like me using them,even were you can just about get you boat in it's absolutly impossible to park your car/trailer any were nearby because of parking restrictions.If your boat is small enough to manhandle it's sometimes possible to launch were the road passes near the river and you can park near enough. Martin

Hi Nightwing, Access is everything here,I share a boat with a friend and I live near the Thames.There are some public launch sites but many old ones are obstructed deliberatly by the locals to prevent presumably people like me using them,even were you can just about get you boat in it's absolutly impossible to park your car/trailer any were nearby because of parking restrictions.If your boat is small enough to manhandle it's sometimes possible to launch were the road passes near the river and you can park near enough. Martin