Allrounder

Fisherman is right about all the costs of associated with stocked fisheries which inevitably push up prices. Another reason is that there is a lot of controversy around catch and release with some fishery owners in the UK believing that trout either suffer high mortality rates after being released or that the fish then become 'uncatchable' on the fly. I personally don't believe that fish up to around 4lbs are vulnerable in this way but I will concede that large single or double figure trout caught in small fisheries during warm weather may be vulnerable. As to becoming 'uncatchable', I think there is enough evidence around to refute this now but I don't think they are so easy to catch as they were as fresh stockies and this may be the problem. Anglers vote with their wallets and fishery owners want to make money so they don't want a large head of 'educated' fish that are difficult to catch. Much better to have a high turnover of stockies that keep a smile on the punters faces - which is why some of them don't want catch and release or if they do - they insist we pay over the top for it.

As a method I don't know if the floating pole is a more of a gimmick or any less sporting than bolt rigs or 'the method'. What I am pretty sure about is that it is only really effective on 'hungry' overstocked carp pools where fish have to compete hard with each other for food. In a more natural environment I doubt if it would be very effective at all, which is why I warned that some heavily stocked carp pools ban them and for normal fishing up to 14.5 metres, I expect there is better kit out there for less than £500. I wonder if jangar has had any feedback yet?

As a method I don't know if the floating pole is a more of a gimmick or any less sporting than bolt rigs or 'the method'. What I am pretty sure about is that it is only really effective on 'hungry' overstocked carp pools where fish have to compete hard with each other for food. In a more natural environment I doubt if it would be very effective at all, which is why I warned that some heavily stocked carp pools ban them and for normal fishing up to 14.5 metres, I expect there is better kit out there for less than £500. I wonder if jangar has had any feedback yet?

I'll be very interested in feedback too, Jangar. My guess is that the reason they retail at 'just' £499 is because the makers have not had to worry about rigidity and weight because they are designed to float on the water. If you tried to lift one at its full 20 metres (or less) I expect you would put quite a bend in it and it would be very heavy as well. This is a specialist tool really and if you normally fish up to 14.5 metres there will probably be better kit out there for less than £499. I remember reading that some carp pools have banned the the 'floating pole' method as well so it might be worth considering this before buying one. Having said all this, I haven't seen or tried one yet so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut and my mind open until I hear the feedback!

I'll be very interested in feedback too, Jangar. My guess is that the reason they retail at 'just' £499 is because the makers have not had to worry about rigidity and weight because they are designed to float on the water. If you tried to lift one at its full 20 metres (or less) I expect you would put quite a bend in it and it would be very heavy as well. This is a specialist tool really and if you normally fish up to 14.5 metres there will probably be better kit out there for less than £499. I remember reading that some carp pools have banned the the 'floating pole' method as well so it might be worth considering this before buying one. Having said all this, I haven't seen or tried one yet so perhaps I should keep my mouth shut and my mind open until I hear the feedback!

Well, the photo just made my day. The smile on the face says it all really and thats why we go fishing. Yes, the fish is definitely a bream but as others have already pointed out we do like to confuse things here in the UK by calling smaller bream 'skimmers'or 'skimmer bream' and I've never met two anglers who could agree when a skimmer becomes a 'proper' bream. At one of my local lakes there is a large head of skimmers and the average size seems to be increasing year on year. We still call them skimmers though even though some of them are now 2.5 lbs in weight and it causes no end of confusion in club matches when someone says they have a 'net of skimmers' as this could mean anything from a few pounds if they are small to 30 - 40 pounds if they are 'big skimmers'. Still we love to kid each other right up to the weigh-in and it all adds to the fun. Well done Gary - now go and catch a few more!

Well, the photo just made my day. The smile on the face says it all really and thats why we go fishing. Yes, the fish is definitely a bream but as others have already pointed out we do like to confuse things here in the UK by calling smaller bream 'skimmers'or 'skimmer bream' and I've never met two anglers who could agree when a skimmer becomes a 'proper' bream. At one of my local lakes there is a large head of skimmers and the average size seems to be increasing year on year. We still call them skimmers though even though some of them are now 2.5 lbs in weight and it causes no end of confusion in club matches when someone says they have a 'net of skimmers' as this could mean anything from a few pounds if they are small to 30 - 40 pounds if they are 'big skimmers'. Still we love to kid each other right up to the weigh-in and it all adds to the fun. Well done Gary - now go and catch a few more!

Yes -the downstream peg is usually the best one on a river for all the reasons stated but on the day in question we picked out some swims and drew straws for them - and the Allrounder drew the shortest straw!

Yes -the downstream peg is usually the best one on a river for all the reasons stated but on the day in question we picked out some swims and drew straws for them - and the Allrounder drew the shortest straw!

Can't argue with most of what has been said above and like Derwent Bob I tend to use both backwinding and clutch myself although with the clutch set tight enough to be the last resort before a break. In the case in point my mates clutch was locked tight and backwinding was the only resort, once he had disengaged his anti-reverse, that is! I take Newts point as well about backwinding big fish. I had this experience with a near 17lb carp on a large local stillwater and although it didn't actually break my fingers, it did its very best and brought a smile to the faces of my neighbours in the next swims! This was definitely a case for setting the clutch because on these large open waters with few snags there is little danger (and a lot of fun!)in letting a fish run but this is very different to a small river where I have learned through bitter experience that large, wily old chub know every snag and make a bee line towards them when they are hooked. When it comes to lurefishing though I always set my clutch without fail because the unexpected take of a fish can snap your line without the cushioning effect the clutch offers. Again, it all comes down to the type of fishing you are doing, the kind of water and the size of the fish you might encounter.

Can't argue with most of what has been said above and like Derwent Bob I tend to use both backwinding and clutch myself although with the clutch set tight enough to be the last resort before a break. In the case in point my mates clutch was locked tight and backwinding was the only resort, once he had disengaged his anti-reverse, that is! I take Newts point as well about backwinding big fish. I had this experience with a near 17lb carp on a large local stillwater and although it didn't actually break my fingers, it did its very best and brought a smile to the faces of my neighbours in the next swims! This was definitely a case for setting the clutch because on these large open waters with few snags there is little danger (and a lot of fun!)in letting a fish run but this is very different to a small river where I have learned through bitter experience that large, wily old chub know every snag and make a bee line towards them when they are hooked. When it comes to lurefishing though I always set my clutch without fail because the unexpected take of a fish can snap your line without the cushioning effect the clutch offers. Again, it all comes down to the type of fishing you are doing, the kind of water and the size of the fish you might encounter.

Blimey that was a quick reply! You are right of course about setting the clutch but I personally don't bother - I just backwind because I feel more in control. I think this is a 'match angler' thing and most of my mates who fish matches do the same. Perhaps I should have named the post 'clutch vs backwinding'!

Blimey that was a quick reply! You are right of course about setting the clutch but I personally don't bother - I just backwind because I feel more in control. I think this is a 'match angler' thing and most of my mates who fish matches do the same. Perhaps I should have named the post 'clutch vs backwinding'!

This converstaion has been a great help to me. I still use the needle knot but have often considered whether to go over to braided loops. All I can say is that I've never lost a fish due to a needle knot coming undone / detatched from my flyline - 'nuff said!

Something happened last Sunday which made me think. I spent a day with four mates fishing on the River Brue in Somerset. The rain had held off for a couple of days and we were expecting some nice roach sport with perhaps a chub or two thrown in. One of the lads I was fishing with is fairly new to the sport and he fished the peg furthest down stream. To cut a long story short the roach did not show but around 2pm our mate on the bottom peg shouted out that he had hooked a fish on the feeder which he promptly lost after a few minutes. Around an hour later he called out again and as nothing was happening in my swim I wandered down to watch. As I got nearer to his peg I could see that his rod was almost bent double so I shouted to him to backwind to give the fish some line. It was obvious from his expression that he didn't know what on earth I was talking about but with some hasty advice from yours truly he quickly sorted himself out and after about 10 minutes he landed a fine 3-8-0 chub. He then went on to land a total of 3 chub for 12-0-0 including a 4-8-0 beauty - a catch which left the rest of us 'experienced' anglers green with envy. Afterwards we had a chat and he confessed that nearly all his fishing to date was done with the pole where the elastic takes care of business and he had no idea how to play a fish on running line. How times have changed!