Andy Macfarlane

Yes, history and the internet has proven as much without any kidology about it.

Yes, more record numbers of elvers, born at a time when we were told without a shadow of a doubt that the eel was all but extinct. That's 3-4 years by the way, just for reference sake. Seems the experts know less about eels than they ever did.

That's quite amazing. I started out the very same fishing from the rocks at Anstruther. It wasn't a beachcaster but it was a heavy 'coarse' rod of some kind that paired up nicely with a Penn multi. MY First rod bought with my own money was also a spinning rod. We began our fishing lives in a very similar fashion, don't you think?

And believe me, shads are absolutely deadly, cheap and best of all, you can expect quick results. Here's one of my articles below on the subject of shads or swimbaits. They're the same thing. The name just depends on who you speak to. I introduced Andy_1984 to shads a few years ago and it took me about 20mins to explain the rudiments and another 10 before he started putting pike on the bank. They're that good. http://www.pikeangler.co.uk/swimbait/ Andy_1984 is now a very proficient swimbait angler and rarely fails to produce now. If it wasn't for the Salmo Slider - 'Real Roach' or 'Shiner' pattern (another lure I 'made' him buy) he'd probably use little else. Buy these 2 to kick off with and you won't go far wrong. PS: When you fancy something else, try the ACE Sweet Shad 66. Takes a bit more getting used to but by 'eck, it's a killer.

I've used the skin off a roast before, for trout and that worked ok. Admittedly it wasn't as good as the usual baits I had like worms and maggots but it still caught. Unfortunately, it attracted eels more than it did trout. I will say one thing though, the skin picked up a better stamp of trout (ie:2lbs+) which are generally more predatory and scavenger-like in their behaviour. I think it would be worth having as an alternative bait for carp and tench.

Well done mate. They're really smart and well done on the PB

That would be quite something Steve. Can you imagine it? Derelict carp fisheries with homeless bums living in ancient bivvies round the place. "When I were a lad, this place was full of 50lb Carp. Now it's all just Perch"

Mmmmmm....fence. It's a beautiful thing.

65lb Power Pro will allow you to cover a fair bit of ground with a fairly wide array of lures. It's a mid-weight setup so you could fish pretty much anything from Alphabet lures (Cotton Cordell Big 'O' or Shakespeare Big 'S'), to spoons (Dardevle, Toothy Critter Muskie), spinnerbaits, bucktails, shads, minnowbaits, Springdawgs, medium weight jerks (Salmo Slider - Medium Shiner or Real Roach is a good start) or even wobbling deadbaits. Just don't go too heavy. It's not an all out jerkbait setup. By the by, the lures you have already are just fine.

It's a river that creates a sense of awe....

I'm thinking I might just send him a bottle of wee and he can dri....sorry....make it up to whatever strength he desires....

Mate, I'VE peed in Loch Katrine. It's a big water. I only killed some fish.

Naw really Den? I thought you were a teenager.

Chesters, I don't think the flavour of the water has much to do with it either. Maybe I'm biased because we get our water from Loch Katrine and that's about as pure as water gets, so it doesn't contain anything that offputting. I don't know what your tapwater is like but I know it varies in quality all over the UK.

Edited....I just got annoyed.

Congratulations Dave. I have to say, I always knew you were wise in your years but I wouldn't have put money on you being 80. You're right up there as one of my favourite posters because of you knowledge, temperament, humour and very often poetic use of language. I hope you'll be around for many more years to come. ....Andy...

I can buy that.

I'm not using tapwater because I want to give the fish a nice refreshing drink Steve. I'd give them lucozade if that were the case. I might be wrong but I'm fairly sure this thread has little to do with thirst.

Can someone explain to me, because I'm really stupid that way, why it takes 5 YEARS to get your reel? What is it that Mr. Lythe does that means he can't possibly get one to you before you've taken up golf?

Not nearly a patch on Okumas....

Must I? The thread's about Fairbrass and co.

Cheers mate. Good to know if I'm ever down South.

About as likely as a lift on the livebaiting ban I'd think. Unwarranted, ill-founded, poorly investigated and forced on us without any consultation.

I can't get into Angling Trust at all mate. It'll be Polish hackers no doubt. I don't have any evidence to support that theory but seeing as they're an easy target and generally to blame for everything else concerned with angling, I'm sticking to it.

Glad I'm not in Misis...Misiss....Missisi....Mississi.....there then. Besides, I'm not sure I want to be a pronker. Sounds just plain rude..