Arf

Apologies for dragging this on and on... but has anyone used Berkley Whiplash Pro or Crystal? This seems around twice the strength of Powerpro for a similar diameter. It doesn't sound like its been fused or teflon coated... Thanks, Arf

I chose Arf as it's the first arf of my whole name.

Wow, the Friendly Fisherman website looks great. I think I shall be investing in some fly tying gear shortly.

I'm looking for the shop in Medway (or surrounds), that stocks the largest selection of art lures and flies. I guess a few of you know all the tackle shops in Medway and could save me some driving with your recommendations :-) Thanks, Arf

Mmm, perhaps the idea behind wetting the braid is to break it in and help first-use suppleness. So, at the shops tomorrow, I am to avoid fused braid, teflon coated braid, and flat braid? I see there are a few different models of Spiderline which may or may not suit, but the Powerpro comes in only one highly commended flavour, so it' looking like the safest bet. Can one use the same knots, or are different knots recommended for braid?

Cheers Tony, I actually came to a Medway Mullet meeting in the ship 'n trades years ago, I think it was just before my wife had a baby and thus caused my fishing diet for the last 4 years! I am seeing Leon on Sat, and I'll do my best to come through on the 5th should permission be granted from my dear queen. Will be nice to catch up!

Yep thank Budgie you're reading me better... Just to clear matters, I wasn't suggesting it was nonsense at all, it was just self-deprecating humour - instead of telling Andy_1984 off for commenting that my (considered) view was rubbish, I sort of agreed a little as to my own stated view being rubbish, and then went on to explain why I said it, knowing deep down that it was actually rather sensible and that Andy_1984 would understand and no longer think that I am a speaker of rubbish. Self-deprecation and modesty on a new forum in order to not get into anyone's face by forcing my views down their neck... Anyhow that aside, just to once again say where I'm at: I have caught most species of South African saltwater and freshwater fish over a period exceeding 25 years, could tell you what they eat, when they eat, what they taste like and what music they mostly enjoy dancing to.... but I can tell you very, very little about English fish. In fact bugger all, apart from the scraps that I've diligently being studying about. And then, it wouldn't make sense for me to tell you them, because you'll already know what I've learnt anyway! I can tell you very, very little about English fish - Thats what you lot are here to tell ME all about them!! So, on this forum I am a listener, a keen gather of fish and fishing facts, stories and beliefs. If it ever sounds like I am telling anyone that I am right and you are wrong, then you've misread me. I hold views like everyone else, my views are right sometimes, and wrong other times. This is the beauty of forums, being able to consider ones views with input from all, and reform them as fit. One who does that is not a shrinking violet who adopts the view of he who shouts loudest, but is someone who is confident enough in himself to consider all angles without getting defensive and thereby making his final view a subjective one. 'Nuff said about that I think. Never made it to the tackle shop at lunchtime The braid shall have to wait till tomorrow....

Look, Andy - please read the posts preceding mine before attacking my response to them. My 'theoretical nonsense' statement was a response to the question 'what kind of nonsense is it to use a weaker leader', and that would have been clear if you read the preceding post. It did not state in any way that I thought it was nonsense to fish in ways that save fishes lives, nor did I go on any tirade about how fish were rightly murdered in my old land, and the precise reason is because I do not subscribe to either of these two beliefs. I simply suggested that it be the safest approach for the fish, and a logical approach for the fisherman perhaps. I was simply asking a question. The scenario I put forth with said catfish is a hypothetical one - I could just as easily have made it a rhinoceros or a 100lb bream, it is immaterial what is on the other side of the line. I did not say I was going to go target 60lb catfish with undersized tackle either, but in my experience you cannot always choose what you end up catching and must equip yourself accordingly. So just ease up on me a little and we'll all get on fine, OK?

Thanks all, most excellent info, I'm off to the shop this afternoon and feel good and well prepared!

Theoretical nonsense mostly... ie: Mother of all catfish grabs lure, runs with it, take you down to the end of your line on your reel, snaps you off at arbor knot. If you had a weaker leader, catfish would have lure in its mouth and a couple of feet of mono, instead of swimming around with a lure and a half mile of braid...

Ah yes there would be a wire trace if I was piking. Excuse me, sometimes I still think with my largemouth bass hat on - I'm new to places where there be pike. When I talk about replacing mono with braid on my baitcaster, it must be taken into account that said baitcaster will normally be used to toss lures, but will also end up being used as a second rod with carp terminal tackle at some point, as well as a variety of other applications (I am inexplicably drawn to sacrilegious practices).

I'd put a mono leader in betwixt the end of my braid and my lure, so that if anything snaps is the lure end, and also so that the flailing lurefish doesn't seem to be pushing a long straight white thing with its nose, to any fishy observers... Or is that not standard practice at all?

huh? I thought 15 Mar till 15 Jun was closed for all freshwater fishing all over the UK? Did I misread?

OK, sounds like there are a few options. One thing I am finding difficult to understand is that everyone uses so much higher BS line in braid, instead of taking advantage of thinness. If I am wanting to replace 0.36mm 14lb mono, I could see that 0.26mm 20lb braid would be a win/win move. However going to same diameter, 30lb or more, what is the point of that? You need to use a mono leader anyway, and whether your main line is 14lb or 400lb, you're not going to go much bigger than 14lb on your leader are ya? So it's extra wind drag and visibility for the sake of ludicrously strong line you will never need...

Hi all, I'm getting some new line for my lure tossing outfit today. Would normally be 12lb mono, but am tempted to try the much thinner and much more expensive Berkly fireline braid. I'd like to ask if anyone has had issues with braid and baitcasters before buying it. I'd imagine not.. Cheers

Ah... I'm even slower than usual today. Beans?? On my antique Carpe Rodde? How very darest thee! Perhaps I'll leave a leave some bean feed near the rods so that they know their fate should they not catch fish for me..

I'm afraid you lot have lost me with the bean tangent. Please Explain..

Hi Barry Thanks for the excellent info, I will give it a good read before going again in a month or 3, and also will PM you to see if you'll be in the area. I would absolutely relish the opportunity of boat fishing. It did strike me that that perhaps flyfishing for bass off The Bill or Church Ope cove would be promising when the mackerel come in later this year... Perhaps wrasse too at other times of the year. The wife couldn't believe it when I said I look forward to visiting the mother in law later in the summer again, but the varying rocky/stony coastline with coves as beautiful as that, with a bit of water movement that Kent fishing lacks, well really I can't wait to get back. Even though I caught nothing last time!

Hi All, I'm new. Actually I think I was here before, but forgot my login and password at the time, so thought I'd start again anyway. I live in Medway and I'm desperate to catch a fish to prove to myself that they still exist. I've not fished over recent years as I've been rearing two young sons, carefully nursing them from babyhood though to a toddler age whereby I should be able to abandon them periodically to go fishing without getting it in the neck too badly from the wife. That time is NOW!! Woohoo! Incidentally, does anyone know how many posts noobs have to make before the moderator preview gets turned off? I hope its loads, because the extra attention makes me feel special. Also, at what point can a new member send private messages to other members? Don't worry, I'm not in love with you, not those sort of messages! Anyway, you seem like a nice bunch (if slightly familiar), so looking forward to visiting regularly. Arf

A buffalo is a bovine, not a fish, silly.... Imagine catching one of them on a hook and line Welcome racewire, I've just arrived too. Well actually I think I was here about 6 years ago, but my memory is only 3 months long I can't be sure....

Well, to be honest I wouldn't be able to afford a charter. My wife and toddlers went down for a couple of days to visit the mother-in-law, so I brought me rods with and slipped off for a few hours each day. I did try off Portland Bill, but got hooked up on rocks instantly each cast, so packed it in and headed for the beach. I didn't get much time to study the area unfortunately, but will be going again when summer starts, so hopefully I will be able to research the area better and catch some fish this time!

Don't think so mate, morality is free, so usually people who have nothing material put all they can into what they have - family.

The argument goes both ways I guess, with worming one can pull at the line to let the worm action and make it drop off underwater obstacles and so on - I find using the right hand to manipulate the line to do this, and the left to be ready poised for a strike, theoptimum condition. But as you, our individual 'best way' tends to be the way we have learnt, there is no right or wrong. I will say that it is a little odd that your reel hand swaps over when course fishing - I like course, fly fishing, spinning and sea fishing, so having the reel swap over for course fishing just seemed strange when I was used to having it all on the same side using multipliers for sea, baitcasters for spinning, and my fly reel is obviously wound with the right too. Never actually seen left-hand wind multiplier now that I think about it, even with boat reels, where pumping a fish up from the depths is king.

Yes and Yes. ...except for that Steve Walker bloke, with his suspicious nature and probing questions

Ah, but nowhere did I say anything about using the right hand to reel in as it's stronger. In fact we use the stronger (or 'more skilled' as the wife says) hand to operate the reel as it plays a more important job in lure control than the rod hand. This is especially true for plastic worm fishing for bass (largemouth, not sea bass). We also use the reel a lot more for line control as the sea tends to be far rougher over there, and only a madman would fish using a rod rest... those are only used for holding the rod when changing the bait. Holding the rod whilst fishing is the norm, and the reel hand actually works a lot harder through an afternoon than the rod holding hand does. Anyhow, don't think for a minute I am accusing anyone of doing it wrong, I was merely poking fun in jest. After all I am in Rome now (as the idiom goes) and am trying to do as the Romans do