Arkie

Firstly, don't use pop ups in PVA bags. By their very nature, when the bag dissolves, they will pop up. Unfortunately, there is nothing to stop them popping up all the way to the surface which kind of defeats the object of getting loose feed around your hook. With regard what make and flavours, yep you guessed it "certain boilies work well in certain places". it's all trial and error I'm afraid. I'm not convinced the cost of a bag of boilies indicates their effectiveness to be honest. remember that they all start out from pretty much the same base mix, it's what's added to them that makes a difference. I'm presently trialling some boilies called 'Zoom' which I have just started to stock in my shop and have been having some great results with them. They're relatively cheap compared to some of the better known brands. The one thing I will say is that this year I have been having much better results with mini boilies rigged 2 to a hair than I have with standard sized ones. Not sure if anyone else has experienced this? Anyway hope this helps. Arkie

Basically you get what you pay for with regard pole rigs. Quality of float, quality of line, quality of hook etc all make a difference to the price. Irrespective of that, £1.95 is over the top for Milano rigs. I seel them in my shop for £1.25 and make a healthy profit at that price. At £1.25 I consider them well worth their money. At £1.95, there are better rigs out there. Hope that helps. Arkie

I think you will find that Normark as a brand no longer exists. Shimano bought the Normark brand and have rebranded them all as Shimano. I used to stock Normark in my shop when they were distibuted by Masterline and then last year they disappeared from the catalogue. When I contacted my rep, he told me Shimano now owned the brand but wouldn't be keeping the name. I suggest you contact Shimano. Hope this helps.

Just found this thread after searching for information on fishing the lift method and though the thread is quite old, would like to thank all the contributors for helping me understand the method and can't wait to give it a go on Friday when I'll get a rare full days fishing. I just have a couple of questions that hopefully someone could answer. 1. Is there any reason I shouldn't use float stops on the line to set the float depth as opposed to holding it in place with float rubbers? 2. The pond I'm fishing (Pidgeon Cottage if anyone knows it) is a mixed water with a good head of tench to about 4lbs, lots of crucians, to my personal experience mirrors to 20lb and a good head of rudd and roach. It's not a huge pond and I would guess whatever peg you pick, you're never further than maybe 3 rod lengths from any feature. Also it has an average depth of about 3 feet. Would you say this is a good water to try out the lift method for the first time? Many thanks Arkie....

You may wish to contact Svendsen Sports who are the UK distributer for Ron Thompson tackle. Here's a link to their website contact page: Svendsen Contact Page Not sure if they have the spares, but they may be able to point you in the right direction. Arkie...

Don't know if it's of any help, but I believe Normark was recently bought out by Shimano and the Normark name has been eradicated. You may wish to contact Shimano and ask them about spares and repairs.

Sorry for the delay in replying, but had trouble tracking down the owner. Anyway, basically the pond belongs to a farmer who uses it as his own personal reservoir to water his land. There are no fish in it, as it usually gets drained every year throughout the summer and fills again during the winter. So as nice as it looks, afraid it's not a fishery. Hope this helps. Arkie

I drive past Thornton Abbey 3 times a week and didn't even know that pond was there. Just found it on google earth and it looks a belter. I'm going that way again on Wednesday, so think I'll stop by the pond and maybe knock on a few doors and see if I can find out anything about it.

Personally I'd go for any of the Okuma baitrunners presently on the market. I use a John Wilson avon quiver rod and have an Okuma epix pro 40. I also own an Okuma Opti drag and Interceptor pro. The reels are absolutely faultless and fantastically priced. They also come with a 5 year warranty. I couldn't conceive buying any other make of reel now. Hope that helps Arkie

Calling all centrepin anglers... I've got the opportunity of an brand new Okuma Sheffield centrepin for £80. However, as it's very unlikely I'll get to fish rivers very often, I was wondering what your thoughts are on using one on commercials? Is it worth it or am I just being indulgent. Cheers Arkie

Hi all Being relatively new to coarse fishing and having NEVER fished a river, I am determined to give it a go this year but need some advice on where to fish. I live in Cleethorpes, which is on the east coast of North Lincolnshire. I'm happy to travel up to an hour and I'm not looking to target any particular species. I simply want to experience the joys of river fishing. Any ideas on where to fish would be greatly appreciated. Arkie....

If you post exactly what baits you are looking for, I may be able to quote you. Cheers Arkie...

Maybe I could help out those who haven't received their licences yet... I ordered mine online 3 weeks ago and a week later received 3 new shiny licences all with different reference numbers. I phoned the EA helpline and was told someone would ring me back to tell me which licence to keep and which 2 I should destroy. That was a couple of weeks ago and still I wait... So I've decided to start dealing in fishing licences ..... Bids staring at £5

After reading all the posts in this thread, it would seem there is a general concensus that fish see RED... After a good bagging up session a couple of days ago on red maggots I would have to concur with this theory... BUT and it's a big BUT..... Why of late are we being told that we should load are reels with RED fishing line as it is virtually invisible to fish once under water? I know there's someone out there that's going to give a very concise and scientific explanation to this conundrum and personally I can't wait as it's been bugging me for a while now...

As a retailer of maggots, I am intrigued by the idea of being able to make them last 6 to 8 weeks. Thankfully during the busy season, my maggots never need to last much longer than a couple of days because I sell so many and have a great maggot supplier who delivers 3 times a week. However, as a bit of an experiment, I will put aside a pint and see how long I can keep them in a useable condition. My preference would be to use bran to help absorb any moisture and like other advice, keep then spread as thin as possible as it's the friction caused by movement that causes them to generate incredible heat and subsequently sweat. Maize flour is generally used to to clean maggots when they first arrive from the farm. As an aside, maize flour is also a wonderful groundbait that creates a fish attracting cloud in the water without being of any nutritional value. Well that's my two pence worth, I'm sure everyone has their own favourite way of keeping them... Arkie

Thanks for all the replies guys... I'll try them all next time out. The one I'm not sure about is the suggestion to shorten the hook length. Can't see how that would make a difference when using a free running rig. Surely the line would pull through the feeder in the same way no matter what hook length I was using? Also, wouldn't putting the hook so close to the feeder scare the fish? With regard to the inline feeder, I have never used anything else. Can't see why anyone would use any other type. Virtually tangle free and very rarely snags.

Good morning fellow piscatorians.. Yesterday I had the opportunity to fish a new water which has a reputation for good roach and bream. I decided to try a maggott feeder as the pond was a bit exposed and the wind had got up. I've never used a maggot feeder before, though I do use groundbait and particle feeders quite regularly. I was using a light feeder rod, middy inline feeder, 4lb mainline, 2lb 12oz hook length and a 16 hook with single or double red maggot depending on my mood. Almost instantly I started to get bites, but missed everyone when I struck. I tried sitting on my hands to let the bites develop further, but they didn't. Every bite was a really good knock of the light quiver tip, but I simply couldn't set the hook. It became very frsutrating, because I had obviously done enough to attract a good head of fish into my swim, I just couldn't hook them. I ended the day with a small common and a decent tench, both of which hooked themselves. So here's my question..... WHAT WAS I DOING WRONG??? Any help would be much appreciated as I quite like the idea of using a maggot feeder, it seem to create interest in my swim very quickly and had I not been such a crap angler I would probably have had a good days fishing. Cheers Arkie....

Not so long ago I posted a topic entitled 'Turning a negative into a positive'. Some of you may recall the post and the adventures contained therein, and for those of you who missed it, here's a link Previous Post Well I thought for the purposes of keeping anglings ying and yang in harmony, I would post my latest adventure. Having managed to secure another rare full day away from my shop and on the back of my previous success, I decided not suprisingly to head for the same pond that served me so well a couple of weeks ago. This time I packed ALL of my gear, which included my match rod, feeder rod, margin pole, 13m pole and a couple of carp rods for good measure. Of course I wasn't going to need any of these as I had my trusty 'Top Two Tinca Teasing Tackle'. I would simply set up my chair, place my pint of maggots to hand and fish at my feet exactly as I did on my previous visit and wait for a day of personal bests. Ok so an hour went by and not much happening, in fact not even a nibble. But I'm sure that's how it went last time. Two hours went by and except for a rougue twig taking my float under, still not much happening. Hour three and now it was just getting beyond silly. Three long hours and not a sniff, not a knock, couldn't catch the clap in a bangkok brothel. Who's stupid idea was it to try catching fish with a top two. size 18 elastic, 4lb line, 18 hook and single red maggot? Oh yeah I remember, it was my stupid idea. Oh well not to worry, at least this time I had a back up plan, namely all my other rods and poles. Decided after three hours of inactivity, the feeder rod was the way to go, a decision based mainly on the fact that the guy next to me was bagging up on his feeder like nothing I had ever seen. Not wanting to bore you with my very uninteresting feeder session, I'll skip 2 more hours with nothing to show. So that's 5 hours of my precious day gone and except for a most delicious bacon butty curtesy of the pond owner, this wasn't turning out to be a very pleasant experience. I just couldn't understand it. My last visit to this venue proved so successful. I had 'cracked' it, I knew the secret, I couldn't fail, anglers far and wide would be throwing money at me to reveal my 'Top Two Tinca Teasing Technique'. So what to do now? Out came the match rod. After careful plumbing of depths and delicate shotting, the waggler had to be the way to go. Let's move forward to hour 7. Nothing, zilch, nadda, zero, zip, naught. I decided it must be a bait issue, so like all good novice anglers I delved deep into the bait bag and went wild. By the end of the day I had tried maggots, jelly pellets, worm, casters, bread, sweetcorn, luncheon meat, cat meat, bread, prawns, part of my sauage roll, a hair rigged blueberry from my fruit yoghurt and paste. Hour 8 came and went and hour 9 was only notable for the maginificent mirror carp being played for a full 20 minutes in the peg to my left. 29lb 5oz for anyone who's interested. Hour 10 drifted into the mist and enough was enough. I had received a thouroughly good spanking from the pond that tickled my piscatorial taste buds only a few days ago. It evidently felt fishing equilibrium needed to be restored and that a not so young coarse fishing newbie needed to be taught a very important lesson. With my tail between my legs, I packed everything away, apologised to the pond Gods for taking it for granted and headed home. Today I learnt the phrase 'being water licked'. Not a phrase I wish to hear or use at anytime in the future. So folks, that's how to 'Turn a positive into a negative' arkie style.....

Ho Rolo I think my spare top two came with a 20 elastic. At this stage I wouldn't change the elastic until you've fished some venues with it and tried it out. If you're fishing waters where there are hazards in the margins and the pond contains decent sized fish, then you'll find you will probably need the stronger elastic. With regard chnaging your telescopic top two, simply remove the bung from the bottom of your poile and slide out the top two. Hope that helps... Arkie

Hi Rolo I own this pole. It comes with 2 top sections as you suggested. I fished with it all last year and for margin work it seems perfect for me. I'm ralatively new to coarse fishing, so I don't have anything to compare it too, but I had some good bags of fish with it last year and landed my biggest mirror (21lb 7oz) fishing it at 5 meters next to a reed bed. The carp dived for the reeds but the pole eased it out without showing any signs of strain. All in all, as a margin pole I would say it's as good as you'll ever need on most commercial waters. Hope this helps Arkie.... PS Don't tread on your spare top section, it tends to break it.....

Assuming you're talking about fixed spool and not multiplier, the only way I know how to load a reel is the way I was taught by a fishing coach and it has served me well. The difficult bit is trying to explain it without being able to give a practical demonstration. Basically, the line on the spool has to leave the spool in the opposite direction to the way the line loads onto your reel. In almost all cases, the line will load onto the reel in a clockwise direction when looking at the reel spool front end on. When this is the case, the spool of line should be placed flat directly underneath the top eye of the rod you're using. As you wind the line on, look at the spool of line and if the line is leaving the spool in an anti clockwise direction then you should avoid line twist. If the line is leaving the spool in a clockwise direction, then sinply flip the spool over and away you go. Some people also like to put the spool of line in a bowl of water as they load. Personally I never bother, but apparently it helps. Please bear in mind I'm a bit of a novice and there may be a much more scintific or indeed simple way to load line onto a reel. Arkie...

Just thought I'd share my most recent fishing trip which had the potential for being a complete waste of time. Due to work commitments, it's very rare I get the chance to have a full days fishing, it's usually a couple of hours here and there on the local drains or ponds. However, yesterday I had a full day all to myself to do with what I wished. And of course I chose to go fishing. As I had the time I decided to go to a pond I hadn't fished for a bout a year but had been good too me. The pond was about an hours drive away, but I didn't care. Having arrived at about 8 am I was delighted to find I was alone with no one else setting up. I'm not an unsociable man, but sometimes it's just nice to be alone in beautiful surroundings, with the only sounds being what nature provides. Weather was ok, a little overcast but not too cold and I was able to take my pick of the pegs. I unloaded my tackle, set up my seat and decided I would start the day on my feeder rod, targetting a tempting overhang at an island about 30 yards out. But wait!!! Where is my rod bag? In fact where is my rod bag and my poles? Yep you got it, I had forgotten to pack what some might consider some pretty vital equipment. As I checked the rest of my gear I found I had also forgotten my bait bag. The only bait I had was 2 pints of maggots I had picked up on the way to the pond. So all in all I was pretty much up s**t creek without the proverbial paddle. So what were my options. I could head to the nearest tackle shop and but a new rod or pole. Whilst a possibility, I would never have got that one past the wife. I could head back home and pick up all my gear, but that would take up another 2 hours of my precious day, I could head back home pick up my gear and fish a local pond 10 minutes away, or I could go home, stick the TV on and watch endless repeats of the great rod race. Well the option I took wasn't any of those. As I started to return my gear to my van, I found hidden behind some plastic crates I carry for my job, a spare top 2 which boatsed an 18 elastic. Surely it wasn't worth trying to fish at about 4 feet with a top 2, 18 elastic and a couple of pints of maggots? How can such a stupid idea provide such a great days fishing. I don't know, but it did. Barely managing to reach the waters edge, I dropped in my 18 hook and single red maggot and scattered a few free offerings. Nothing doing for about 20 minutes, and then the knocks started. Struck and missed maybe a dozen takes and could feel the little buggers bouncing off, then managed to set the hook on something a bit bigger. I was into a perch, but not just any old perch. A personal best no less of 3lb 4oz. I could have packed up at that point and gone home a happy man, but decided maybe the gods were smiling on me so decided to crack on. Next came maybe a dozen landing net roach around a pound and then into a shoal of skimmers, that whilst not big, kept me busy for an hour. Things then went a little quiet for a couple of hours and I thought maybe I'd pushed my luck too far and should grateful for what I had got and pack up. But my extraordinary day had more in store. Still on an 18 hook but now on double red maggot, I hooked into something evidently bigger than had gone before. After a short but exciting scrap, I landed a wonderful 4lb 9oz tench. I followed this about 30 minutes later with another personal best tench of 6lb 6oz. Now I really should have packed up at this point and rushed home to the local pub for a few jars and to bore the pub regulars of my tales from the bank, but you know how it is. One more cast, or in my case one more dropping my bait at my feet and hoping for the best. well the best came with a stunning 10lb 2oz common. At that moment in time, life couldn't have got any better. I can honestly say hand on heart that because of the circumstances, it was the most fantastic days fishing I've had in my short coarse fishing career. So the question is, do I sell all my rods and poles and just invest in a few spare top 2's? It would take a brave man to do that I think, but I hope my tale offers hope to all those that think their day is going to be a waste of time. Today it's back to the grind, but I'll be grinding with a big smile on my face for a long time to come...

Hi all My first time here so be gentle. I took up coarse fishing about a year ago after many years sea angling, so whilst I'm not completely new to angling, I am relatively new to coarse fishing. My question relates to groundbait. About 3 weeks ago I went fishing with a view to trying a bit of feeder fishing which I hadn't tried before. I mixed my groundbait the night before following the instructions of a friend and long time angler. When I arrived at the venue, there were a lot of carp cruising the margins, so I set up my margin pole and targeted them with some sweetcorn. This turned out to be very effective and subsequently I stayed with the pole and never set up my feeder rod. I packed everything away after a great day and put all my gear in the garage. I have just been to get my tackle ready for a days fishing tomorrow and have found the tub of groundbait I mixed 3 weeks ago. I have opened the tub and the thing that hit me straight away was a rather pungent but not unpleasant smell. It had a smell no dissimilar to fruit fermenting. The mix is very dry, with no signs of mould. Even the micro pellets I had added were still very firm. So I guess my question is, would it be ok to use this groundbait tomorrow? Would the smell be too pungent or would it actually enhance the groundbait and make it more effective. I'm not being tight, I'm more than happy to open up anopther bag of groundbait and mix it, I'm just curious as to whether my 3 week old mix might have some advantages? Any thoughts would be greatly appeciated. Arkie....